English with Jo

Conversation Questions about Learning a Second Language

Here are a just few questions we might ask eachother in a discussion about learning a second language.

How long have you been learning English for?

How did you learn?

What are some of the ways that you practice your English?

What do you think is the best way to learn a second language?

What do you think is the greatest benefit of learning a second language?

Do you think it is possible to teach yourself a language?

Why do you want to learn or practice English?

Reading Text

Where would we be without language? We’d all be in our own worlds and we’d never really have a life. Can you imagine never talking to anyone? Of course if there was no language, we wouldn’t be able to use body language or sign language. The fact that we do have languages means we have gone to the moon and built things like the Internet – which also needs a special computer language to work properly. I think language is amazing. It means we can tell anyone anything. I often think it’s a shame there are so many languages in the world. If there was only one language, we could all communicate better. Perhaps that way, we’d all understand one another better. What would the world language be? At the moment, English.

Online activities, the mp3 and printable handouts are available for this lesson at www.listenaminute.com/l/language.html

Key Vocabulary

Body language - changes in your body position and movements that show what you are feeling or thinking. 

Sign language - a language that uses hand movements instead of spoken words, used by people who cannot hear well

Computer language - A vocabulary and set of grammatical rules for instructing a computer to perform specific tasks (also called programming language).

Shame - If something is a shame, it is disappointing. You wish the situation were different.

Communicate - to exchange information or conversation with other people, using words, signs, writing etc; to express your thoughts and feelings clearly, so that other people understand them.

Just a fun video about learning another language...