The document discusses the benefits of learning a new language and provides listening exercises related to language learning. It also covers topics in education such as creativity in schools, influential educational theorists, and the future of higher education. Gap year students are discussed, including watching a report on British students spending a gap year abroad.
2. What are the benefits of learning a new
language?
1) Learning a foreign language boosts brain power.
2) A person’s ability to multi-task is developed.
3) The onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s is stalled.
4) Memory is improved.
5) The mind becomes keener.
6) Polyglots are seen to display improved decision-making ability.
7) The first language is improved.
8) Performance in other academic areas is enhanced.
9) It makes a person more flexible and open to other cultures.
10) Foreign language expands career potentials.
11) It builds self-confidence.
12) It aids in self-discovery and self-actualization.
LANGUAGE LEARNING
3. LISTENING
Listen to Simon talk about how he managed to learn five to six different languages in a fun and easy way.
1. Simon loves learning languages because it is both important when moving to a new country and ............
2. What he found really important when he first arrived in Barcelona was to communicate with ….................
3. Which two things does Simon do to learn a new language?
a. go to classes and speak to people b. speak to people and use a dictionary c. watch TV and the radio
4. Why watching the weather can be helpful to learn a new language?
5. What does Simon say about using newspapers?
a. it was easy to learn new words quickly
b. a lot of things were happening in the country
c. other people could explain new words he found.
6. What dos Simon say about speaking to people in the street?
a. preparation was necessary b. the embarrassment made it a failure c. people reacted negatively
7. Now, after 10 years in Spain, he is fluent in Spanish. However, for the first two years it was very difficult
for him to hold …...........
8. Why were colloquial expressions a problem for Simon?
a. they took ten years to learn b. they were never written down c. they were often unnoticed
4. LANGUAGE LEARNING
Match the words and expressions (1 - 9) in the box to their definitions (a - i):
a. do something badly
b. earlier
c. encouraging
d. feel better after something bad
e. go to regularly
f. notice
g. very difficult task, an effort
h. motto
i. practice performing
1. attend 2. beforehand 3. catchphrase 4. get over 5. struggle
6. make a right mess of 7. pick up on 8. rehearse 9. supporting
5. LANGUAGE LEARNING
Discuss in pairs:
What is the most effective language learning method to you?
Do you have any particular technique to remember new words?
Do you find it easier to learn English in a classroom setting or by forcing
yourself to watch TV or reading in English?
To what extent do you agree that it's better to learn a new language as a
child? Why (not)?
Do you think that the teaching of foreign languages is getting better or
worse? What makes you say that? What can be done to improve it?
In what ways are you a good or bad language learner?
What are some common language learners' frustrations? What can be done
to solve them?
Watch the video and note down the tips to improve
and regain learners’ motivation.
6. EDUCATION
The most important thing in education is:
1. A _________environment, a context where you are cared for and helped to grow.
2. Finding your own ________, discovering what interests you in life.
3. _________for excellence, and never settling for second best.
4. _________good relationships, that is helping people to get along in a positive way.
5. Fulfilling your ________and becoming as good as you’re able to be.
6. A quality ________, educational content of a high standard.
7. Rigorous _________, meaning challenging, even difficult, requirements.
8. Taking the ______and doing things first, not waiting to be told to do them.
9. Mutual ________, or the belief between people that the other is as worthy as oneself.
10. A focus on _______, or not treating people as all the same, rather as unique.
curriculum fostering individuality initiative
nurturing path potential standards striving respect
7. Use the correct form of the following words to
fill the gaps below:
retake take fail cheat pass revise results
scrape through do (very) well/badly set pass with flying colours cram like mad
1. I hate .........................................I find it very boring trying to memorise things.
2. Unfortunately, I ...............................my driving test the first time so I had to ........................it.
3. I know someone who..............................in the last English test. She got 98%!
4. I only ever ..................................maths exams with 51 or 52!
5. I.................................... in every English test because I’m really good at English.
6. A friend of mine....................................every time he sits for an exam. He copies the answers from the
person sitting next to him.
7. I............................................every exam I...................................since I was a child.
8. I can’t stand waiting for the...................................after taking exams.
9. Despite.....................................I didn’t pass my last Chemistry exam. It was so difficult that most people in
my class failed!
10. When I was at University, Professor Adams used to.................................very complex and weird exams.
8. EDUCATION
What’s the difference between …
• Stifle the imagination / fire the imagination
• Have a fertile imagination / have a vivid imagination
• Learn by rote / learn by heart
• Rely on tuition / rely on intellect
• Think outside the box / stick to the tried and tested
• Be spontaneous / do something on the spur of the moment.
• Have a rigid outlook / be versatile
Which phrases relate to promoting
creativity?
9. EDUCATION: Discuss these questions
• What sort of primary and secondary eduaction did you have?
• What did you like or dislike about your experience?
• Does education in Spain focus more on practical skills or on
academic knowledge? Is there a lot of learning by heart?
• Does traditional education leave enough room to develop children’s
imagination and creativity or does it stifle it?
• Should any changes be made to the curriculum in schools and if so,
what?
• Do you think testing is a good thing, a necessary evil or completely
unnecessary?
10. LISTENING
Listen to a focus group discussion about encouraging creativity in schools. There are
four people: Amy (A), Chad (C), Peter (P) and Sarah (S).
Who would agree with these statements?
1. There is already enough attention to developing children’s imagination and
creativity.
2. There is too much attention paid to testing.
3. Testing in some form is a good thing.
4. It’s up to the school to give attention to creative subjects.
5. Some people test better than others, and the system should accommodate that.
Which speaker do you most agree with? Why?
11. Do you agree? Why (not)?
• “The Internet needs to be a part of the
school curriculum.”
• “Humans are very diverse, yet education
systems tend to be uniform.”
12. Read about two influential educationalists, Dr. Sugata
Mitra and Sir Ken Robinson, who are both prominent
voices in the world of education.
Sugata Mitra Ken Robinson
13. LISTENING
• Listen to a conversation between two teachers discussing
Sugata Mitra’s and Ken Robinson’s ideas. Do they agree with
the educationalists’ ideas? Why/Why not?
• Listen again a complete the sentences with one words:
1. According to Ken Robinson, right now in a classroom somewhere in the world, a kid will be losing
their ............and ...................about learning.
2. Ken Robinson also considers in tomorrow’s ......................world, companies will have a problem to
come up with innovative ideas due to the way ..................... have been taught to think.
3. For the female speaker, Sugata Mitra’s experiment, The Hole in the Wall, sounded ......................
4. Sugata Mitra claims that when children are ..................., they can come up with the solution to a
problem.
5. For Sugata Mitra, saying things like “the project sounds amazing” keeps kids .......................
• Would you like to have learnt in a context like
the one created by Dr Sugata Mitra rather
than a traditional learning environment?
• Supposing this system were introduced in our
country, what difficulties would there be?
14. The Future of Higher Education
• Do you know what "tertiary education" means?
• Complete the sentences with the words given in the box:
1. Part of a university course spent working or studying in a different country: year …...............
2. Education focused on work-based needs: …....................training.
3. A branch of a university in a different country: an offshore ….................
4. Independent and objective confirmation of someone's ability, e.g. a certificate:
…....................accreditation.
5. Money borrowed to finance studies: student ….......
6. Money charged for education: tuition ….............
7. An online study platform: a …........learning environment.
8. The process of checking whether a service meets agreed standards: quality ….............
9. A person who returns to studying later in life, not on finishing school: a …........student.
10. A study programme which combines face-to-face with distance learning: …........learning.
11. A way to learn a profession or trade by working alongside a professional for a number of years
while studying part-time: an …................scheme.
Listen to five people. What are they talking about?
abroad apprenticeship assurance blended campus
external fees loan mature virtual vocational
15. DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS
Nowadays ….
Which is more useful: an academic education or
vocational training?
Do students have to pay tuition fees or is higher
education free?
Do any universities in Spain have an offshore campus?
What is the most common external accreditaion to
assess levels of English in Spain?
Is it common for students to have access to a virtual
learning environment at university?
16. GAP YEAR STUDENTS
• Do you know what a gap year is?
• Do you know anyone who has ever gone on a gap year?
Watch this BBC report on British gap year students. Decide if the
following statements are TRUE or FALSE.
1) These days India is a destination mainly for hippies and backpackers.
2) Because of a shortage of university places, young people are now taking
gap years.
3) Nicky, the first girl speaking, decided to go on a gap year since she didn’t
get the offer she wanted from the university.
4) Those taking a gap year are more likely to drop out of university due to their
lack of maturity.
5) Harcker and Alex resolved to travel abroad after graduating due to the
economic situation in their country.
6) To avoid dangers, it’s paramount for gap year students to find information
about the country they want to travel to.
17. WORK IN PAIRS
• You and your partner have decided to
go on a gap year before starting your
university studies:
Where are you going to spend the year
and why?
What do you want to do there?
What experiences do you expect to gain
during that year?
