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Every language is mutable; its words and sometimes even its structures change over time: if that were not the case, then it would become a dead tongue, just as happened to Latin and Ancient Greek. Thus, it is not surprising that language course books are revised and updated each year, in order for the content presented to reflect the current way native speakers express themselves. Unfortunately, though, these course books’ aim is to teach the standard, and somewhat formal, style used to speak one’s mind in a given language. Because of this choice, and referring especially to ESL learners, it is not uncommon to hear even the brightest students state that, when confronted with real-life situations in which their interlocutor is a mother-tongue English speaker, they fail to understand what was said to them and, as a result, they feel like their English is rather poor, in spite of the numerous hours spent studying it in class. The problem of these students lies not in the lack of a competent teacher or in the lack of the right amount of motivation, but rather in the flaws that most course books and, in fact, syllabi present: on top of the countless hours and pages devoted to grammar, functions, and general vocabulary, good English classes and courses should introduce students to the wide range of slang words and idioms that native speakers use every day almost without noticing. In this way, students will show much more confidence during their interactions with English speakers, as they will feel like they have a better grasp of the language as a whole. Besides, it is usually students who ask, and sometimes even beg, their instructor to teach them some more idiomatic turns of phrase, because they aspire to blending in with the natives. As a result, when lessons are scattered with slang and idiom nuggets, learners tend to be more focused and motivated, which also entails a greater degree of participation. However, an issue remains: what is the best way to teach slang and idioms? And if a good methodology is found, which terms and expressions should be taught? Apparently, there is not a univocal answer to that, but it could be an effective idea to introduce some slang and idioms gradually during the Study phase of ESA-based classes on vocabulary. After the introduction of basic words and verbs, the teacher should point out the existence of other - very often informal - terms that the natives use to express the same concepts. Moreover, the instructor should stress the exact usage and situation of enunciation in which these words and turns of phrase are appropriate: it would be advisable to do so drawing examples from authentic materials such as movies, novels, podcasts, and the press. Finally, so long as slang words and idiomatic expressions are taught a little at a time, there should be no problem in starting to make students familiarise with these language points since the beginner level: as a matter of fact, this is a more organic way of presenting these notions, as they will not be perceived as a whole new language code that needs deciphering, but rather as a very useful appendix to the standard English that the students are learning. In conclusion, ESL instructors should by all means teach slang and idioms to their students, in order to prepare them for the real-life situations they will have to face at some point, and to keep the students’ interest and engagement alive, as these two topics are generally very much enjoyed and appreciated by learners of all walks of life.
