Let’s talk about …

Learning Languages
Exercise 1: Discuss the questions below in pairs/groups.
1. What are some advantages to learning a new language?
2. How do people learn a new language?

Exercise 2: Match the vocabulary to the definitions below.

1. abroad adv A. make the sound of a word in a particular way.
2. accent n B. a form of a language specific to a particular region or social group.
3. dialect n C. survive/manage or be able to do something but with difficulty.
4. means n D. start (for hobbies or interests).
5. learn by heart idm E. the language which you have spoken since childhood.
6. idiom n F. be able to speak or write easily and accurately.
7. get by pv G. symbols or codes used to show how a word sounds.
8. pronounce v H. in a foreign country/not in your country.
9. mother tongue n I. methods/ways of doing something.
10. fluent adj J. memorise something perfectly (for example, the lyrics of a song).
11. phonetic alphabet n K. positive aspect/a good thing/an advantage.
12. bilingual adj L. a way of pronouncing words, common to a particular region or social class.
13. take up pv M. be able to speak two languages fluently.
14. benefit n N. a negative aspect/a bad thing/a disadvantage.
15. drawback n O. a phrase/expression with a figurative meaning.

Exercise 3: Ask and answer the questions below with your partner.

1. How many languages can you speak? Are you bilingual, trilingual, or multilingual?
2. How many languages can you and your partner say ‘hello’ in?
3. When did you start learning English? Why are you learning it?
4. Which languages do you think you would find easy to learn? Which would be difficult and why?
5. What do you find most difficult about learning English? Grammar? Vocabulary? Speaking?
6. What are the benefits of learning English? What other languages would give you an advantage in life?
7. Have you ever had the opportunity to use a language you have learnt, in a country where it is spoken?
How was this experience? Were you able to speak fluently or did you just know enough to get by?
8. Do you know the phonetic alphabet? Do you find it useful for your pronunciation?
9. What is the best way in your opinion to learn a foreign language? What means do you use to improve
your English? How can we use the internet to help us learn languages?
10. Have you ever studied abroad? Do you think it’s important to have a native speaker as a teacher?
11. What are the possible drawbacks of having a non-native teacher? What are the benefits of having a
teacher who speaks your language?
12. Would you like to take up a new language in the future? What language would you choose and why?

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Exercise 4: Cut up the cards below or display the page for online classes.

abroad accent dialect foreigner grammar

adv n n n n

benefit means drawback pronunciation pick up (a language)

n n n n pv

learn by heart idiom mother tongue job prospects bilingual

exp n n n adj

pronounce fluent get by language multilingual

v adj pv n adj

take up phonetic alphabet trilingual native speaker lyrics

pv n adj n n

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 Teacher’s Notes
Lesson: Let’s talk about… Learning Languages Level: B1 - B2 Time: 45 minutes +

Preparation:
- If teaching online, see the notes below for adapting to online lessons.
- Print and cut up the cards on page 2 (You will need one set for every group of 2-4 students).
- Print handouts.

Teaching Method:

Step 1:
- Students discuss the questions in exercise 1.
- Encourage them to come up with lots of ideas.
- Elicit answers and add to the board as follows.
1. What are some advantages to learning a new language?
(ability to communicate with foreigners, makes travelling easier, good exercise for the brain, better
understanding of other cultures, improves job prospects, …)

2. How do people learn a new language?

(school, language schools, books, listening to and repeating recordings (Linguaphone), online learning
websites, pick it up (learn easily or casually by listening to natives without any formal study), …)

Step 2:
- Students complete exercise 2 individually, matching the vocabulary to the definitions.
- Students compare their answers with a partner.
- Go through the answers, giving further examples for difficult vocabulary.
Step 3:
- Students ask and answer the questions (exercise 3) in pairs or small groups.
- Encourage them to repeat the new vocabulary in their responses.
Step 4 / Revision exercise for another day:

- Give students 5 minutes to study the vocabulary before they begin the game.
Classroom-based lessons:
- Put students into small groups and give a set of cards from exercise 4 to each group.
- Students take turns in picking a card and describing the word they see. Students must not show the
other students their card.
- They can (a) give a definition/synonym, (b) give an antonym, or (c) make a sentence omitting the
word. The other students should guess the word/phrase.
- Demonstrate the activity before the students begin.
Online lessons:
- Display page 3 on your device.
- Students take turns to secretly choose a word/phrase from the page and describe it to the class.
- If you want to divide your class into smaller groups, you can ask them to take a screenshot.
- Continue as above.

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 Answers & Pronunciation
Lesson: Let’s talk about… Learning Languages Level: B1 - B2 Time: 45 minutes +

Exercise 1: Vocabulary: British: American:

1. H 9. E abroad əˈbrɔːd əˈbrɔd
2. L 10. F accent ˈæksənt ˈæksɛnt
3. B 11. G benefit ˈbɛnɪfɪt ˈbɛnəfɪt
4. I 12. M bilingual baɪˈlɪŋgwəl baɪˈlɪŋgwəl
5. J 13. D dialect ˈdaɪəlɛkt ˈdaɪəˌlɛkt
6. O 14. K drawback ˈdrɔːbæk ˈdrɔˌbæk
7. C 15. N fluent ˈflu(ː)ənt ˈfluənt
8. A get by gɛt baɪ gɛt baɪ
idiom ˈɪdɪəm ˈɪdiəm
learn by heart lɜːn baɪ hɑːt lɜrn baɪ hɑrt
means miːnz minz
mother tongue ˈmʌðə tʌŋ ˈmʌðər tʌŋ
multilingual ˌmʌltɪˈlɪŋgwəl ˌmʌltiˈlɪŋwəl
phonetic alphabet fəʊˈnɛtɪk ˈælfəbɪt fəˈnɛtɪk ˈælfəˌbɛt
pick up pɪk ʌp pɪk ʌp
pronounce prəˈnaʊns prəˈnaʊns
take up teɪk ʌp teɪk ʌp
trilingual ˌtraɪˈlɪŋgwəl trī-ˈliŋ-gwəl

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