A14 – Learning Languages
Vlastnosti
| predmet | Anglický jazyk |
| typ | maturitná téma |
| okruh | anglický jazyk |
| číslo | 14 |
| stav | vypracované |
Talk about why people learn foreign languages, how languages are taught and learned, the world languages, and your own experience with English.
1. Osnova témy
- Why people learn foreign languages — necessity, work, travel, study, pleasure.
- What „mastering" a language actually means — the four skills.
- Learning languages at school in Slovakia, and which languages are taught.
- Formal and informal learning; bilingual and multilingual families.
- What makes learning easier or harder — motivation, age, personality, aptitude.
- English as a world language and its varieties.
- Your own experience with English and how you learn.
- Certificates, exams and the maturita.
2. Kľúčová slovná zásoba
- kinds of language: mother tongue (materinský jazyk), first language, second language, foreign language, dead language, official language, minority language, dialect
- the four skills: speaking, listening / listening comprehension, reading, writing; to master a language (ovládať jazyk), fluency (plynulosť), accuracy (presnosť), passive and active knowledge
- levels: total beginner, false beginner, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-intermediate, advanced; A1–C2 of the Common European Framework
- learning settings: formal setting (school, private lessons, language school), informal setting (at home, abroad), bilingual family, multilingual and multicultural environment, to acquire a language naturally
- influential factors: motivation (internal and external), attitude, aptitude (nadanie), age, personality — introverted vs. extroverted learners, linguistic intelligence, a supportive environment
- classroom vocabulary: vocabulary (slovná zásoba), grammar, pronunciation (výslovnosť), spelling, idiom, phrasal verb, false friend (falošný priateľ), textbook, workbook, dictionary, to revise (opakovať si), to translate, to look up a word
- exams and certificates: to take / sit an exam, to pass, to fail, oral and written part, listening comprehension, certificate, Cambridge exams (FCE, CAE), the maturita, school-leaving exam
- varieties of English: British English, American English, Australian English, Canadian English, Indian English, South African English
- status of English: lingua franca, the language of business, science and the internet, native speaker, non-native speaker
- difficulties: irregular verbs, tenses, articles, word order, pronunciation, spelling, shyness, fear of making mistakes, language barrier
3. Užitočné frázy a väzby
- People learn foreign languages for a whole range of reasons.
- In the era of globalisation, speaking a foreign language is simply a must.
- Mastering a language means being able to speak, write, listen and read in it.
- Some people understand a language quite well but are afraid to speak it.
- English has become the lingua franca of the modern world.
- I have been learning English since primary school.
- What I find most difficult is definitely… while… comes quite easily to me.
- The best way to learn a language is to use it.
- I try to watch films in English without subtitles, and it really helps.
- Making mistakes is a natural part of learning — you should not be afraid of it.
- In my opinion, motivation matters far more than talent.
4. Modelová odpoveď
People learn foreign languages for many different reasons. For some it is a hobby, for others it is a professional, educational or social necessity, and for a few it is a matter of prestige. But in this era of globalisation, speaking at least one foreign language has simply become a must. We want to communicate with the foreigners we meet when we travel, to understand songs and films, to read in the original, and to be able to work with people from other countries.
Mastering a foreign language means being able to do four things: speak it, write it, understand the spoken word and understand written texts. In practice many people manage only some of these skills. Somebody may speak English quite fluently but be unable to write it properly, and, surprisingly often, people understand a language well but are afraid to say anything in it. That fear of making mistakes is probably the biggest single obstacle in language learning.
Knowing a foreign language makes life easier in a very practical way. It helps you communicate abroad, make new friends and meet business partners. It makes travelling far more pleasant, because you can actually get to know a country and its culture instead of just looking at it. And it increases your self-confidence — there is a real satisfaction in watching a film without subtitles for the first time.
In Slovakia, formal learning starts at primary school and continues right up to university. English, German and Spanish are the most popular languages in our schools; French is also taught, and Russian, which almost disappeared after 1989, is gradually coming back. Many older Slovaks still have a passive knowledge of Russian. Some children start learning a foreign language very early, and children from bilingual families acquire two languages naturally, so both are effectively their mother tongues.
Several factors influence how well you learn. The most important is motivation, which can be internal, when you genuinely want to learn, or external, when somebody makes you. Age matters too: young children acquire pronunciation almost perfectly, while adults are usually better at grammar and can learn more systematically. Personality plays a role as well — extroverted learners are not afraid to speak and therefore practise more, while introverts often know more but say less. And of course the environment matters: nothing beats spending time in a country where the language is spoken.
English deserves special mention, because it has become the lingua franca of the modern world. It is the language of business, science, aviation, the internet and popular music. It also exists in many varieties — British, American, Australian, Canadian, Indian and others — which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and sometimes spelling. Today most conversations in English take place between two non-native speakers, which is quite remarkable when you think about it.
As for me, I have been learning English since primary school, so it is about ten years now. What I find hardest are phrasal verbs and articles, because Slovak has nothing like them, while vocabulary comes to me fairly easily. Outside school I learn mostly by using the language: I watch series in English, I read technical documentation online, and I follow tutorials about programming, which are almost all in English. I am now preparing for the maturita, and after that I would like to take a certificate exam, because a recognised certificate is useful when you apply for a job.
5. Otázky na diskusiu
- What are your reasons for learning English?
- What do you find most difficult about learning a foreign language?
- Why are some people afraid to speak a foreign language?
- Which is more important — intelligence or motivation?
- What do you think is the best age to start learning a foreign language?
- Can you learn a language just by watching television in it?
- How do small children learn their mother tongue?
- Do you know anybody who speaks two languages as a native?
- What should a learner do to improve faster?
- What is the purpose of taking the maturita exam in English?
6. Zhrnutie na ústnu odpoveď
- Prečo sa učíme: necessity in a globalised world · work · travel · study · films and music · prestige.
- Ovládať jazyk: speaking + writing + listening + reading; passive vs. active knowledge.
- Na Slovensku: English, German, Spanish most common; French too; Russian coming back; formal learning from primary school.
- Čo rozhoduje: motivation (internal vs. external) · age · personality (introvert vs. extrovert) · aptitude · environment.
- Angličtina: lingua franca of business, science and the internet; BrE, AmE, AusE and other varieties.
- Ja a angličtina: how long, what is hard, what is easy, how you practise outside school.
- Skúšky: maturita, certificates and why they are useful.
Na otázku „What is difficult about English?" nestačí povedať „grammar". Uveď konkrétum a hneď máš čo rozvíjať: phrasal verbs, articles (v slovenčine členy nemáme), the present perfect tense, alebo rozdiel medzi pravopisom a výslovnosťou (through, though, thought, tough). Konkrétny príklad je vždy lepší než všeobecná odpoveď.
Súvisiace poznámky
- A08 – Education — školský systém a vyučovanie jazykov
- A13 – Communication — jazyk ako nástroj dorozumievania
- A20 – Travelling — jazyk pri cestovaní
- A22 – Multicultural Society — jazyky a kultúrna rozmanitosť
- Anglické ekvivalenty — slovná zásoba a termíny po anglicky
Kontrolné otázky
What are your reasons for learning English?
It is the language of IT and the internet, I need it for my future job, for studying and for travelling.
What do you find most difficult about learning a foreign language?
Speaking fluently without mistakes and understanding native speakers who talk fast.
Why are some people afraid to speak a foreign language?
They are afraid of making mistakes and being laughed at.
Which is more important — intelligence or motivation?
Motivation. A motivated person practises regularly and improves, even if languages are not easy for them.
What do you think is the best age to start learning a foreign language?
As early as possible – small children learn pronunciation naturally.
Can you learn a language just by watching television in it?
It helps a lot with listening and vocabulary, but you also need to speak and write.
How do small children learn their mother tongue?
By listening and imitating their parents, repeating words and learning through play.
Do you know anybody who speaks two languages as a native?
Talk about a bilingual friend or relative, e.g. a child of a Slovak-Hungarian or a mixed family abroad.
What should a learner do to improve faster?
Use the language every day – watch films with subtitles, read, talk to people, use apps and not be afraid of mistakes.
What is the purpose of taking the maturita exam in English?
It proves your level (B1 or B2) and you need it for university or a job.