Is language only a set of symbols? What make humans identity: linguistic or language knowledge? Can you spot the difference?
lunes, 25 de abril de 2016
David Crystal
Watch this video by David Crystal, a famous linguist.
He gives 5 reasons for studying linguistics.
Noam Chomsky on Language Aquisition
It seems that it is language what makes humans. Amazing how language is acquired.
Travel around the world to broaden our minds!
Do you think our "intercultural education" gets improved by travelling around the World?
You have to read this "The man who ran out of countries! "
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3185929/He-ran-countries-Meet-youngest-person-visit-country-planet-turning-40-s-got-advice-same.html
You have to read this "The man who ran out of countries! "
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3185929/He-ran-countries-Meet-youngest-person-visit-country-planet-turning-40-s-got-advice-same.html
Do you agree? The video has no words, you can put YOUR WORDS ...
Reflection on Language
Task 1 Thinking about Language Diversity
Speaking activity as a brainstorming with a group of 24 students of 4th year of ESO using the PowerPoint slides provided. Their answers surprise me as they basically told me they were monolingual, taking into account that they have English and Frech/German as languages learnt at school. One student shared that, at home, she spoke Portuguese with her mother. Another added that she did speak a mixture of Spanish and English at her village quite close to Portugal, but only in the summer. And one more is half Japanese.
As a whole they thought there were only hundreds of languages spoken in the world. And I did have to explain that there are languages in danger and others dying. They were surprised by the results.
Task 2 Thinking about Language Diversity
The same questions made me think about languages and how strong or fragile their life could be. Spanish is in such good position, for one reason is the second non official language spoken in USA
Task 3 Language Diversity
From my point of view Language Diversity is to appreciate and value all languages spoken in the classroom. My students who speak Portuguese and Japanese did not appreciate the fact that they are able to communicate in several languages. I make them reflect on the value of their heritage language.
And this is what we, teachers, should do and I did not do. I realized that when we did the activity and I shared the languages I speak with my students and make them talk about the languages they spoke and the level of fluency. In very simple terms like very well, good, so-so, a little they shared with each other and they added the value to the languages. I am thinking about making these students teach us some simple words in one teaching session so they can become proud of their competence in these languages.
Task 4 Use Cultural Activities
So why not do it? Next week is the end of term and after exams they are quite tired so I am going to do a teaching session about Learning Languages.
Task 5 Languages Classification
My students and myself enjoyed the language tree, we searched for one for Japanese on the net. I have attached the picture.
Speaking activity as a brainstorming with a group of 24 students of 4th year of ESO using the PowerPoint slides provided. Their answers surprise me as they basically told me they were monolingual, taking into account that they have English and Frech/German as languages learnt at school. One student shared that, at home, she spoke Portuguese with her mother. Another added that she did speak a mixture of Spanish and English at her village quite close to Portugal, but only in the summer. And one more is half Japanese.
As a whole they thought there were only hundreds of languages spoken in the world. And I did have to explain that there are languages in danger and others dying. They were surprised by the results.
Task 2 Thinking about Language Diversity
The same questions made me think about languages and how strong or fragile their life could be. Spanish is in such good position, for one reason is the second non official language spoken in USA
Task 3 Language Diversity
From my point of view Language Diversity is to appreciate and value all languages spoken in the classroom. My students who speak Portuguese and Japanese did not appreciate the fact that they are able to communicate in several languages. I make them reflect on the value of their heritage language.
And this is what we, teachers, should do and I did not do. I realized that when we did the activity and I shared the languages I speak with my students and make them talk about the languages they spoke and the level of fluency. In very simple terms like very well, good, so-so, a little they shared with each other and they added the value to the languages. I am thinking about making these students teach us some simple words in one teaching session so they can become proud of their competence in these languages.
Task 4 Use Cultural Activities
So why not do it? Next week is the end of term and after exams they are quite tired so I am going to do a teaching session about Learning Languages.
Task 5 Languages Classification
My students and myself enjoyed the language tree, we searched for one for Japanese on the net. I have attached the picture.
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