As an English language school, we are very interested in the sound of language. And we are, as you would expect, very interested in encouraging talk, and encouraging our clients to use adventurous vocabulary, phrases and grammar.
Our unique setting enables this experimentation. It is a place that gets to you. And by that I mean that the proximity of the natural beauty here – the Atlantic Ocean, its myriad colours, the wind beaten blackthorn and hawthorns trees, and the kindness and warmth of the locals, all contribute to helping our clients feel comfortable, and I believe this creates special conditions for language learning.
I think language is music. And as a musician, I feel that it is often impossible to play music without idiosyncrasies; sometimes these idiosyncrasies materialise in error. And as frustrating as these errors might be, the journey is what counts. I believe that errors are intrinsic to what it is to be human. As a musician, sometimes I might pick the wrong string, or play the wrong key by accident. Then comes the correction. I am realising that it’s not perfection I really want, but rather the very best performance that I can achieve. I suppose what I’m trying to say here is that acceptance is crucial. I am not perfect – far from it – but as a player sometimes I find it difficult to be kind to myself when the inevitable mistake comes. I’m working on it. And being kind to yourself is useful, as those who have visited us know, it is a very important rule.
This week we’ve been exploring non fiction, and we’ve been talking about the proliferation of AI. I’ve been both amazed at the power and reach of AI systems, and appalled by the threat they pose to human expression. The supposed perfection of AI music is equaled by its inherent inability to be human. And I believe it will never equal that which is authentic. Nick cave writes about this so eloquently in The Red Hand Files, and I encourage you to read it.
We think that it’s best to focus on small groups of adult learners at Skool. We also think that English with Walking and English with Arts and Culture are perfect in their design to encourage active talk about what it is we are experiencing: the South West Coast Path, the plant life at Trebah, even after class at The Driftwood Spars or at the Shellfish Beach Deli. Our programmes are designed to help our clients connect to language. It isn’t perfection we seek, rather we aim to help our clients improve their use of English. In our attempts to improve, there might be error along the way, but we’ll achieve little if we cannot accept that progress is not a straight vector, and that’s something AI will never understand.