Book 3 ----------Unit 5 learning a language
Unit 5 Learning a Language
Teaching Objectives:
1. Topic: Language learning
2. Grammar Points: real conditional vs. unreal conditional sentences with on a / one condition; on condition (that); provided / providing; suppose / supposing
3. Vocabulary: in question, ultimate, embark on, a variety of, mingling, hybrid, collide with, bits and pieces, in contact with, legitimate, literal, identification, after all, convey, equivalent, to the extent that 4. Writing: expository writing
Part I Listening and Speaking Activities 1 Brainstorming 2 Listening
3. Speaking(A how I learn English/ B: prepare a speech within two minutes) ? Let students share their successful learning experiences
? Read to the students the script “How I learn English” in page 57 in teacher’s book Strategies 1. It is helpful to watch an English film with Chinese subtitles. 2. The only way one can learn English well is to keep using it. 3. When speaking or writing in English, we’d better use the words or expressions we are familiar with because in this way we can avoid making mistakes. 4. The more you read, the better you write. 5. When reading, try to use the context to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words. 6. We should try to use the English language dictionary as much as possible. 7. We should develop a habit of reciting words and passages in order to learn English. Your comments
1
Book 3 ----------Unit 5 learning a language
Suggested comments on the above strategies 1. Learning strategies are a very broad concept to describe learners conscious planning for learning a foreign or second language. Therefore caution the students that the list only represents part of the strategies that scholars often talk about. 1. Watching an English language movie with Chinese subtitles may not be very helpful for English language learning. It may be useful to learn a few phrases but it may not be a powerful tool to develop the knowledge of English if one relies on the Chinese subtitles to understand the story. 2. Yes. It is true. One needs to have a chance to experiment with the language to develop a feel for how it works. One can’t master a language by memorizing a set of rules. Knowledge about language has a very limited role in second language development. 3. This is called “safety strategy” employed by some learners because they felt it safe to use what they are certain about. It is an understandable strategy for some learners given the general teaching environment in China. Usually accuracy is emphasized over fluency and students are afraid of making mistakes in language practice. However, one should understand this strategy is harmful to the language development. A good learner is willing to try new words in speaking and writing. In this way, he / she can understand better how the new language items are used in communication. 4. This is partly right. The more you read, the better you will know about the way the English native speakers present their ideas, and also learn about many cultural aspects and information that are not available in Chinese classrooms. However, your writing development needs much more diverse exposure than just reading. In fact the logics of developing an argument or telling a story are more important. So good writing is not just copying the model of other writings, but results from thoughts and clever ways of presenting your thoughts. 5. Yes. Remember the purpose of reading in reading. When you read, the primary purpose is to absorb ideas and construct the story in your mind. So if your reading was interrupted from time to time by unfamiliar words, you would not enjoy the reading very much. You should give up this book and change an easier one to read. Remember the materials for your reading should be easy to understand, fun to read and instructive to think about. The number of new words should not exceed 5%. It will be very easy for you to develop the skills and ability to guess the meaning of the unfamiliar words through the context if you can control your reading materials properly. 6. Not necessary. We should choose a dictionary according to when and where we would like to use it. In our study, such as reading a passage, doing language exercises, we tend to use an English language dictionary because an English language dictionary has many benefits for our English leaning. It can accelerate our ability to understand English, snowball our vocabulary, increase the flexibility of our control of English sentence structures, not to mention the extra kick we may occasionally obtain from reading other irreverent entries that attract our attention. However, sometimes an English language dictionary is not always helpful. For instance when we travel, when we read on the train, it is not convenient to pore over an English language dictionary for long, and therefore, a pocket electronic dictionary with Chinese explanation will be a very convenient tool. Sometimes bilingual dictionary can be a big help especially when we meet the words whose meaning is very abstract, and the English explanation often makes comprehension more difficult. 7. It is partially correct. It is beneficial for language development if we can commit the language to our long term memory, and a habit of reciting words or sentences or passages is a strong method but one may not remember things very long just relying on rote-learning. A proper way is to understand thoroughly what you’re going to recite first before you do anything else.
2
Book 3 ----------Unit 5 learning a language
Part II Reading Comprehension and Language Activities
Text Analysis
Para 1 When we talk about learning a language like English, Japanese or Spanish, we speak and think as though the language in question were a fixed unchanging thing. We expect to learn it as we learned geometry or how to ride a bicycle — systematically, and with clear ultimate success. Many people subsequently give up when they discover just what a misconception this is. They have in fact embarked on an activity that could last the rest of their lives. The experience makes them realise that they are not only going to have to work very hard indeed if they want to succeed, but also that they are — in many cases— barely masters of the language they call their own \
当我们谈到学习一门语言诸如英语、日语或西班牙语时，我们用这种语言说话和思考就好像正在谈论中的语言是固定不变的，我们期望像学几何或学骑车一样系统地学习并最终取得显著的成效。许多人发现这仅是一种误解时便放弃了。实际上，他们开始了一份持续终生的工作。这种经验使他们不仅意识到如果想要成功不得不努力工作，而且意识到在很多情况下，他们连著自己所谓的母语也没有精通。
[summary] The author argues that learning a language is actually a lifelong activity contrary to the first misconception that language could be learned systematically with clear ultimate success. 1. ...we speak and think as though the language in question were a fixed unchanging thing. in question: being talked about
[idioms] out of question: no problem
out of the question: impossible, not worth discussing Where is the man in question?
---Would you like to go hunting on Saturday? ---Ok, out of question.
A new bicycle is out of the question---we can't afford it.
2.We expect to learn it as we learned geometry or how to ride a bicycle-systematically, and with clear ultimate success.
ultimate: a. last, furthest, basic
We should follow ultimate principles.
The ultimate responsibility lies with the president. The sun is the ultimate store of power. [synonyms] last final terminal eventual
last: coming after all others in order or time, e.g. the last train, last year, the last time
final: last, coming in the end; (of decision, offer, etc.) cannot be changed, e.g. final exam, final offer terminal: of or at the end or limit of something, e.g. a terminal illness eventual: (of event) happening at last as a result, e.g. the eventual success
3. They have in fact embarked on an activity that could last the rest of their lives. embark on / upon: ( fig.) to start, take part in
Next week he will embark on a new business undertaking. They have embarked on a most interesting new plan. embark: v. ( usu. passive) to get on a ship The soldiers were embarked quickly. They embarked at Paris for New York.
3
Book 3 ----------Unit 5 learning a language
4. ... barely masters of the language they call their own \ master of: person who has control or who has sth. at his disposal He is a master of the situation.
He has made himself master of the language.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Para 2 Studying any language is, in fact, an endless voyage. Each of the thousands of languages currently used in the world is a complex affair. Many languages do have a standard form--- particularly on paper---- and this is what we learn, but they probably also have a variety of regional dialects and social styles, and many are the products of the historical mingling of other languages. The English language is just such a hybrid. It began its career just under two thousand years ago as a form of ancient German, collided with a special kind of old French, was subjected to several waves of Latin and a flood of Greek, and since then has acquired bits and pieces of every other language that its users have ever been in contact with.
其实，学习任何语言就像是一次永无止境的航行。当今世界上使用的成千上万语言中的每一种语言都是一件复杂的事情。许多语言确实有一种标准形式---特别是书面语---这就是我们要学习的，然而，他们也可能有各种各样的地区方言和社会文体，许多是历史进程中和其他语言融合的产物。英语就是这样一种混合语言。大约二千年前开始演变的。首先是一种古德语形式，与一种特殊的古法语发生了冲突，其后又吸取了一些拉丁语和希腊语。自那以后有吸收了它的使用者所接触的其他所有语言的点点滴滴。
[summary] The author uses the English language as an example to show that every language is a complex affair, and learning a language is thus, metaphorically speaking, an endless voyage.
1. Studying any language is, in fact, an endless voyage. 2. The English language is just such a hybrid.
[paraphrase] the English language is just such a mixture of many different languages.
3. ...collided with a special kind of old French, was subjected to several waves of Latin and a flood of Greek, and since then has acquired bits and pieces of every other language that its users have ever been in contact with.
[knowledge] Several waves of Latin, refers to the influx of Latin when Julius Caesar marched his Roman armies into England. And Latin (and also Greek) appeared again in AD 597 when Saint Augustine brought Christianity to Britain.
collide with:
1) to be in conflict
2) to come into (violent) contact with
The two vehicles collided with one another in the narrow street.
If the aims of two countries collide with each other, there may be war. cf.
collide: to crash together
The train collided with a car at the level crossing. crash: to hit and damage with force and a lot of noise The car crashed into the wall.
4
