Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

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How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

TEDx Talks

37M views 12 years ago

Warm-up Questions

Do you think it’s possible to learn any language in six months? Why or why not?
What does it mean to be “fluent” in a language?
If you could learn one language quickly, which language would you choose and how would you use it?

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Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

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How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Why learning faster matters + modelling + myths (00:00 – 06:59)

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1. What question has the speaker been thinking about for many years?

How to build better tape recorders for study
How to make Chinese grammar easier
How to speed up learning
How to teach children at school more effectively

2. What happened when the speaker applied psychological research to learning Mandarin?

He could only read, not speak
He became fluent in six months
He failed after two years and quit
He needed ten years to make progress

3. Why does the speaker say immersion alone doesn’t work for many people?

Because being surrounded by language can be overwhelming without understanding (like a drowning man)
Because adults can’t learn new pronunciation
Because native speakers refuse to talk to learners
Because textbooks are always required first

How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Five principles for learning a language (06:59 – 12:17)

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1. Which four words does the speaker use to introduce the first principle?

Reading, writing, listening, speaking
Attention, meaning, relevance, memory
Speed, talent, immersion, practice
Grammar, accuracy, vocabulary, tests

2. What does the speaker say is a key condition for acquiring a language unconsciously?

First understanding the message
First traveling to another country
First mastering grammar rules
First memorizing long word lists

3. What does the speaker say about emotional state and learning?

State matters only for pronunciation, not understanding
Being worried makes learning faster
If you are sad or angry, you won’t learn well
Only children can learn when they are relaxed

How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Seven actions to take (practice plan) (12:17 – 18:27)

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1. What is the speaker’s term for listening to lots of a language without worrying about understanding everything?

Brain soaking
Direct connect
Deep drilling
Alpha training

2. According to the speaker, about how much daily communication can 1000 English words cover?

About 70 percent
About 85 percent
About 50 percent
About 98 percent

3. Which is one of the four rules of a “language parent”?

They will work hard to understand what you mean, even when you’re way off
They correct every mistake immediately
They only speak using advanced vocabulary
They require you to translate into your mother tongue first

How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main claim of the talk?

Living abroad guarantees fluency in a new language
Grammar study is the only reliable method for fluency
Any adult can learn a second language to fluency in six months if they follow key principles and actions
Children learn languages faster because adults are too busy

2. Which idea best matches the speaker’s approach to learning?

Avoid speaking until you understand 100 percent
Focus mainly on rare vocabulary to sound advanced
Memorize first, communicate later
Communicate from day one using relevant language

3. Why does the speaker discuss examples like flying and drawing?

To argue that schools should be shorter
To prove that art training improves language learning
To illustrate that people can expand perceived limits by applying principles
To show that technology is more important than language

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Which of the five principles (relevance, using language as a tool, comprehensible input, physiological training, state) is most important for you personally? Why?
Do you agree that “immersion per se does not work”? What kind of immersion does work, in your experience?
What would a realistic six-month language plan look like for you using the seven actions (listening, meaning first, mixing, focusing on the core, language parent, copying the face, direct connect)?
How tolerant of ambiguity are you when listening to a new language? What strategies help you stay relaxed and keep learning?