1. Unit 8
Learning
a foreign language

2. How are they learning English?
I Lead in
How are they learning English?
communicate
in the English
corner
read &write
in the library
speak
actively
listen
attentively

3. What difficulty do you have in learning English ?
When dealing with vocabulary,
I just ______________, dare not ________ or ________ what I have learned.
When reading, some sentences are usually difficult for me to ___________
When writing, I first ________ Chinese,
then _______ them into English.
When learning English, I feel ________
keep memorising
take risks
experiment with
make sense of
think in
translate
not confident
nervous
tired of it

4. Is learning English difficult?
A. Yes, if you want to learn anything you have to sacrifice and put in long hours.
B. No, learning a language can be fun and enjoyable. Look at how children learn languages - by playing. 
C. Yes and no, learning English well requires dedication, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun, too!
D. Yes, learning English is REALLY difficult.

5. Learning a foreign language:
Twice As Hard?

6. Skimming What’s the purpose of writing this article?
A. Learning a foreign language is twice as hard as learning our mother tongue.
B. Learning a foreign language is more important than learning our mother tongue.
C. Learning a foreign language is twice as easy if we develop our study skills.
D. In fact, the number of people learning a foreign language has increased with years. C

7. can the passage be divided into?
How many parts
can the passage be divided into?
Para. 1
Para. 2
Para. 3
Para. 4
Para. 5
Para. 6
What is learning mother tongue like?
differences between learning MT and FL
What makes successful
language learners?

8. Main idea Para. 1 Para. 2 Para. 3 Para. 4 Para. 5 Para. 6
What ______________________ to achieve their success.
Para. 6
How to ____________________________
Learning a language is more than just memorising words, phrases and structures
language acquisition theories
differences between learning MT and FL
the basic characteristics of successful learners.
do successful learners do
become successful language learners

9. Scanning
Scan the text and try to find the detailed information in the passage.

10. True or False questions
1. Successful language learners can plan and evaluate their learning, so they can have greater control.
2. Language experts agree that life is a very successful language school, so everyone learns to use a language and has mastered the basics by the age of ten.
3. Actually, one learns a foreign language slower than learning his mother tongue
4. The most puzzling thing is how we could understand what we heard and tell the difference between what is a mistake and what isn’t in the language. T F F T

11. Para. 3 difference between learning NL and FL Native language
Foreign language
Means of learning
acquire by
________
learn through
formal instructions
place
opportunities
Time spent
efficiency (效率)
less efficient
can be of_________
communicating
everywhere
usually in school
many
few
all your waking hours
a few hours in a week
greater/high
efficiency
Para. 3

12. Tell the difference between NL and FL Native language Foreign language
means of
learning
acquire by communicating
Learn through formal education
place
everywhere
In school
opportunity
many
few
time spent
All the waking hours
A few hours a week
Learning language is more than …
We acquired our mother tongue …
When learning, we spent …
(According to experts, …)
Learning a foreign language is different. …
Actually, …
Tell the difference
between NL and FL
with your own words

13. Para.4 What are the characteristics of successful language learners ?
Interested in understanding their own thinking.
Curious about the world
Willing to take chances
Confident in their ability.
Use different ways of learning
Plan and evaluate their studies
Para.4

14. Less anxious and more relaxed
How can students do better in language acquisition?
Less anxious and more relaxed
Willing to take risks and place themselves in new learning situations.
The less anxious and more relaxed the learner, the better their language acquisition.
If the learner is less anxious and more relaxed, they will learn the language better.
Para.5
The + adj（比较级） ..., the + ad（比较级）越..．就越..

15. Evaluate your studies interest confidence being active planning
feeling relaxed/secure learning habits and skills
1. Of the factors, which seems the most difficult for you to achieve, what are the problems and discuss ways to improve it?
2. Of the factors, which factor contributes most to your successful English learning, how does it influence your learning (reasons why it is important), discuss ways to help those who don’t.
Choose one to discuss with your partners and then report
It.

16. Correct your study habits
study the following statements
What do you do in that case
get some advice from your partner to improve it
Statement 1 You should look up every new English word you find when reading. (on vocabulary)
Statement 2 To understand what you are reading or hearing, you need to know all the words used. (on reading)
Statement 3 You should first think in your own language to know what you want to say, then translate into English.
(on writing) Statement 4 Your biggest concern when you're speaking English should be to NOT make mistakes. (on speaking)

17. Homework
Write tips on learning English in one aspect such as vocabulary, reading, writing, speaking, or listening.

18. Yes, learning English can be difficult
Yes, learning English can be difficult. However, if you are too serious about learning you can cause yourself problems. Relax! Try to enjoy yourself while learning. You will be amazed at how easy and fun learning English can be.

19. It's wonderful that you are such an idealist about your learning
It's wonderful that you are such an idealist about your learning. Just remember that sometimes learning English can be hard work, and that sometimes hard work can really help you improve your language skills.

20. You are my kind of English learner
You are my kind of English learner. You realize that learning English well is both fun AND hard work. It just depends on what you are learning at the moment. Keep up the good work!

21. Give yourself a chance! You are too negative, try to have some fun and maybe you will find that learning English will become easier for you. If you learn something and expect it will be difficult it will. If, on the other hand, you just try to learn without making any judgments you might find that it is easier than you think!

22. Sentence understanding
If they were not, they would not be ready to experiment with new forms and to make mistakes, both of which contribute to their increased ability to learn.
If they were not confident and secure, they would not be willing to try new forms and to make mistakes. Both of the new forms and mistakes help improve their learning ability.

23. Sentence understanding
And perhaps most puzzling of all, how were we able to make sense of what we heard and distinguish the mistakes and errors from “good language”?
And maybe the most puzzling thing is how we could understand what we heard and tell the difference between what is a mistake and what isn’t in the language.

24. The sentence “Life is a very successful language school” means .B
A. we are equipped with a special ability to learn language
B. the key to learn the language well is to communicate with the people around us
C. parents can give children language lessons
D. people can learn the language by themselves

25. Two language acquisition theories
Theory 1 We’re born with a language specific part of the brain so that we have a special ability to learn language.
Theory 2 We learn language just the same as we learn other skills, that is, we have a general ability to learn language.
Para. 2

26. Sentence understanding
But once you consider the situation further, you’ll realise that this is indeed the case.
But if you think about the time we spend in learning Chinese, you’ll find it’s true that we learn English faster than we do mother tongue.

27. twice as hard
<02.上海春,39> Americans eat_____ vegetables per person today as they did in 1910.
A. more than twice
B. as twice as many
C. twice as many as
D. more than twice