LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Prepared by CMDU
Let’s say you want to interview somebody about
learning a foreign language. What questions can you
ask? Please write your questions on a piece of paper.
Are your questions similar?
 Why are you learning English?
 Why is English so powerful?
 When should a person begin to learn a language?
 How can I learn a language best?
 How should I study?
 Where can I learn a language best?
 Which foreign language is more important?
 How many foreign languages should a person speak?
 How long does it take to learn a foreign language?

Try to answer these questions on your own. It will be great if you

can practise asking them to a friend.
How many different ways are there to learn a foreign language?
Look at the posters below.
 CAN YOU REALLY LEARN ENGLISH IN
THREE MONTHS???
 You are going to read an article written by a
language teacher. There is an insertion task. It
means some sentences are taken out and you
will have to insert them back in. But before
you that, read the text very quickly and find
the answer to this question above.
 Can you learn English in three months according to the writer?

A LANGUAGE TEACHER'S PERSONAL OPINION

Why is English such an important language today? 1 ___ Many newspapers send their
reports to other newspapers in different countries in English ‐ not in Spanish or
Italian. English is also the language of the business world. 2 ___ At airports you can
always hear English, and at the cinema you can watch a film in English. 3 ___ They go
to language schools in England or take English courses in their own countries.  
Every day I see advertisements in the newspapers and on buses. 4 ___ Sometimes
they also advertise language cassettes in English. They say you can learn a second
language very fast and easily. They often say you can read plays by Shakespeare or
books by Charles Dickens after you listen to the cassettes or after you go to the
classes for three months. These advertisements are awful. I am an English teacher
and I know that it is difficult to learn a new language. 5 ___ They want to go to these
short courses or buy those expensive cassettes.
I don't understand them. 6 ___ Are 'super teachers' teaching their classes? I really
don't know.   I don't think people can learn English from cassettes. When we speak a
language, we don't repeat sentences only. We use the language every day and
everywhere. 7 ___ You can't speak to a cassette. You can only repeat the questions
and answers. We must talk to people and listen to them when we learn a new
language. 8 ___
 Now, read the text again. Choose from the sentences A to J to
complete the blanks 1 to 8. There are TWO extra sentences.
A LANGUAGE TEACHER'S PERSONAL OPINION
Why is English such an important language today? 1 ___ Many newspapers send their reports to other newspapers in
different countries in English ‐ not in Spanish or Italian. English is also the language of the business world. 2 ___ At
airports you can always hear English, and at the cinema you can watch a film in English. 3 ___ They go to language
schools in England or take English courses in their own countries.  
Every day I see advertisements in the newspapers and on buses. 4 ___ Sometimes they also advertise language
cassettes in English. They say you can learn a second language very fast and easily. They often say you can read plays
by Shakespeare or books by Charles Dickens after you listen to the cassettes or after you go to the classes for three
months. These advertisements are awful. I am an English teacher and I know that it is difficult to learn a new
language. 5 ___ They want to go to these short courses or buy those expensive cassettes.
I don't understand them. 6 ___ Are 'super teachers' teaching their classes? I really don't know.   I don't think people
can learn English from cassettes. When we speak a language we don't repeat sentences only. We use the language
every day and everywhere. 7 ___ You can't speak to a cassette. You can only repeat the questions and answers. We
must talk to people and listen to them when we learn a new language. 8 ___

A) Today a lot of people want to learn this language.

B) They will help us to learn faster.
C) How can someone learn a new language in three months?
D) They are about language courses.
E) For example, we talk to our friends, our neighbors or to a waiter in a restaurant.
F) These newspapers help people improve their English.
G) For example, when a Mexican businessman buys something from a Chinese businessman, he usually speaks English.
H) But a lot of people think these advertisements are true.
I) And this takes a long time. Not only three months!
J) J) There are several reasons
Maybe you cannot learn English in three
months, but you can improve it every day.
Now, watch this Youtube video about ‘How
to think in English’ and then come back.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxQd6m
jPNL0
Did you like it?

 What method did she use?

 SITUATIONAL & EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

 MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE USE OF THIS

METHOD.
RESEARCH
Now, go back to Youtube again and try to find at
least five more videos about how to improve
your….
English speaking skills
writing skills
listening skills
vocabulary
reading skills
Choose the best one and share it with your friends
and teacher.