What makes a good language learner?

1. …She does not expect to learn English just by sitting in the classroom, and does not rely totally on the teacher to direct her learning.

2. …For example, she will try out different ways of learning vocabulary until she finds the way that suits her best. She is also not afraid of making mistakes, because she knows that these will help her.

3. …She tries to find out what works for her and what doesn’t. If she doesn’t understand the purpose of a particular exercise, she asks the teacher.

4. …She knows that it will take time and effort to become proficient in English, and that there will be periods where she does not seem to be making much progress.

5. …Some students are experts at communicating their thoughts but do not care that they make many mistakes doing so. The efficient language learner, on the other hand, is concerned with both communicating and accuracy.

6. …She is always looking for opportunities to develop her language both inside and outside the classroom. She keeps her notes in a tidy way.

b) Match the words in bold from the text with the following definitions.

1. thoroughly skilled, well practiced

2. exactness or correctness

3. working well, quickly and without wasting time

4. to improve or develop favourably

c) Look through the text again and add to the list of characteristics of a good language learner.

What qualities/abilities help language learners to be more successful?	What should a good language learner avoid?

Ex. 6. Write a description of yourself as a language learner.

Ex. 7. Translate the sentences into Russian. Explain the meaning of words and expressions in bold using the English-English dictionary.

1. He speaks French fluently, i.e. he can speak French well, doesn’t pause while speaking.

2. She has a well-rounded education in economics, i.e. she has complete and varied experience in it.

3. I think travelling broadens our minds, i.e. enlarges our knowledge and understanding of our world.

4. She is not very good at English now, but she is working hard at it. After all, what counts is hard work.

5. Frequent practice is beneficial for developing speaking skills.

6. Learning foreign languages helps people to gain a better appreciation of their own language, i.e. to understand how their own language works.

7. This book on English history expanded my knowledge of the country. Now I am more aware of many aspects of modern life in Britain.

8. In the word “get” the first letter is pronounced as [g] which is not according to the rule, it is an exception.

Text b. At school for 17 hours a day

Ex. 1. Read and translate the text.

It is 6.30 a.m. and the sun has only just come up when the two alarm clocks next to Jie Sun’s bed ring simultaneously. She gets out of bed and goes to the kitchen. Her eyes half closed, she hardly says a word while she eats breakfast. Next to the table is her blue Benetton school bag which she packed the night before. It weighs just over six and a half kilos. At 7 a.m. she says goodbye to her parents and sets off to her school, just outside the capital city, Seoul. She returns home at 6 p.m. for dinner, but half an hour later she sets off again for a private academy where she studies for another four hours. On a typical night she gets home at midnight and falls asleep, completely exhausted.

Studying for up to 17 hours a day is a fact of life for South Korean secondary school pupils. They live in a society where education is very important, and there is great competition for a place at university. Getting a good degree from a top university is the only way to be sure of getting a professional well-paid job. The normal secondary school day, as in most other countries, lasts eight hours. But after that most parents make their children stay at school for extra classes. In theory these classes are optional, but in practice they are compulsory. When the school day ends, the children are not allowed to relax and enjoy themselves. Most of them have to study all evening in libraries, with private tutors or at private academies.

Classes of 50 are not uncommon and the teachers are strict. Pupils have to repeat after the teacher and memorize everything. “Teachers at my school don’t give you any individual attention because they haven’t got time,” says Jie Sun. “They don’t let us ask questions because they say it wastes time.”

Young people like Jie Sun have almost no social life. They rarely have time to see their friends, and having a boyfriend or girlfriend is unthinkable. “I’ve never had a boyfriend and neither have any of my friends,” says Jie Sun. “Our studies come first.”

This lifestyle may seem very hard to many European schoolchildren, who are accustomed to going out most weekends, and watching TV every evening. But on the other hand, in many British schools, up to 40% of teenagers leave school with no qualifications and the prospect of unemployment. So which system really is better?

Ex. 2. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this education system? How different is it from the system in your country?

Ex. 3. In pairs, talk for at least three minutes about your education. A. Say as much as you can about the topics in the box. B. Listen and ask questions. Swap roles.

Kind of school…? When…? Good or bad…? Your uniform Your favourite/least favourite teacher/ Why? Your best/worst subjects/Why? Something that you liked a lot at your school Something bad that you used to do at school (copying in exams, breaking rules, etc.) Discipline/punishment at your school

Ex. 4. Write three paragraphs about a school you used to go to.

Paragraph 1

• Kind of school?

• Where?

• How long/there?

Paragraph 2

• Number of pupils in the class

• Teachers (old-fashioned/liberal/strict, etc.)

• School rules/discipline

• Subjects (good/bad at)

Paragraph 3

• Say in general if you enjoyed your school. Why (not)?

• Give examples of things you liked/you didn’t like.

Ex. 5. a) Fill in the blanks with the words given in brackets.

(arts, science, courses, subjects, degree, do research, professors)