📘 Part 3: Learning languages

This episode's vocabulary

Outlook (noun) - the likely future situation.

Disposition (noun) - a person’s usual way of feeling or behaving; the tendency of a person to be happy, friendly, anxious, etc.

To advocate (verb) - to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something.

Humanistic (adj.) - treating people with respect and making certain they are safe, happy, healthy, etc.

Knowledge base (noun) - a collection of information about a particular subject.

To deploy (verb) - to use something or someone, especially in an effective way.

Standpoint (noun) - a set of beliefs and ideas from which opinions and decisions are formed.

To pick something up (phrasal verb) - to learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it.

Exposure (noun) - the fact of experiencing something or being affected by it because of being in a particular situation or place.

To incorporate (verb) - to include something as part of something larger.

Schemata (plural noun) - cognitive structures representing generic knowledge.

Grasp (noun) - understanding.

To scaffold (verb) - to be the support or foundation for.

Questions and Answers

M: When do students in your country start to learn foreign languages?

R: Usually they start quite young, around nursery or kindergarten age, which makes sense, since I suppose the commonly held point of view is the earlier you start, the better you will be at them.

M: What foreign languages do they learn in your country?

R: Well, despite recent events, our outlook is still very European. So the common languages are French and German, with that in mind. I mean, if we continue to move politically away from the EU, I mean, even if we do that, we're still close to them geographically. So that makes sense. There's a lot of business to be done on the continent. And those are two of the main languages there.

M: What qualities should a language teacher have?

R: I suppose it depends on your political disposition, really. More liberal people would advocate for a more humanistic set of qualities like good communication and relationship-building skills. Whereas more conservative people would say, a wide knowledge base is the best.

M: So if a person does have a wide knowledge base, what qualities do they have?

R: That's just knowing a lot.

M: Do you have any techniques for learning languages?

R: Well, I mean, from my own personal perspective, it really does depend on the sort of person you are. I'm pretty organized. So if someone can show me a pattern in action, then that does wonders for helping me learn grammar. Having someone to study with is also a bonus since we use language for the purpose of communicating. And that means you can deploy it immediately if you work with someone.

M: And any specific techniques for remembering words, for example?

R: Well, I'm meant to talk generally here and I can only talk about myself, it really does depend on the individual person. Listening to podcasts with people named Maria and Rory seems to work really well. Just saying.

M: Do you think it's faster for children to learn languages than adults?

R: I think from a psychological standpoint, they both come with advantages for doing that. For example, children will pick things up just through repetition and endless exposure, but adults can organize and incorporate information into their existing schemata faster. So they will both do it faster, or they will both do it very fast, but for different reasons.

M: How does technology influence language learning?

R: I suppose if we take the angle of a tech company, then it will be a positive experience, like allowing broader access to language through the internet and presenting more opportunities to interact like you have on social media.

M: Why are so many people learning English?

R: I mean, it makes sense if you take a more economical way of seeing things. English is the global language and a good grasp of it allows you to access a variety of entertainment and economic opportunities. Like in international business.

M: How can we help children learn English?

R: I think if we take their way of seeing things into consideration, then through things like games, which can scaffold their learning while making it fun and engaging, that would be the first choice if I had to explain it.

M: Do you think the way people learn English today is the same as in the past?

R: Oh, a historian might say they do since we have more technology involved than in the past. But I think others may disagree. Since the essential elements haven't changed. People still do this with the support of another, who ideally knows more and can scaffold further understanding.

M: What are the benefits of the internet for people's learning?

R: I've talked about it before, but a tech CEO might be tempted to highlight all of the increased chances to interact and I'll stick with that one for the specific area.

Discussion

M: How are you doing, dear listener? Foreign languages, learning foreign languages, well, a typical topic. It's also very typical for IELTS essays, okay? So this topic kills two birds with one stone. So good for essays and good for speaking. So people usually start learning a foreign language around nursery age or around kindergarten age. So how old are they?

R: Well, there'd be... Oh, God... When do children go to kindergarten? I think the normal age is three to five years old in my country. I don't know, I'm not a parent, I am not very au fait with that kind of thing.

M: And the earlier you start, the better. So the construction, the earlier, the better, the sooner, the better. You should know which foreign languages people learn in your country. So in Scotland, it's French and German. Yeah. And Rory told us like, despite recent events, so Rory meant this Brexit situation. Like Great Britain is going out of the European Union. But still, people learn European languages, like French and German. And people don't learn Chinese or something like that? No?

R: I mean, they do. But I don't think they learn it in as great numbers as they do in other languages. Which is weird, because of course, Chinese is a really widely spoken language, but people are not rational decision-makers. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise.

M: So you can say the common languages are French and German. So the common? People usually learn them. And there is a lot of business to be done on the continent. So these are two main languages. A good language teacher should be what?

R: Oh, my...

M: Oh, yeah...

R: I gave a very wishy-washy answer to this one.

M: Yeah, wishy-washy is just like like 50/50. Like what? It depends on your political disposition.

R: It does depend on your political disposition. Because human beings are not logical thinkers, they are... They think what their emotions. Your political disposition is just how you see the world politically. So if you're a very liberal person, you will probably want someone who is very good at building a relationship with you to ease the facilitation of knowledge. If you're more conservative, you would just think a teacher needs to know things and tell you them. And you will just... And the relationship will be built on that. That's a very simple way of seeing it, but it is in fact a fitting way, I think.

M: Dear listener, how you're doing? Did you understand Rory's answer?

R: Okay, fine. Fine. A teacher should be organized and friendly. There we go. All right? Are you happy now?

M: Yes, I am happy.

R: Organized and friendly. Are those C2 level words? No, they're not.

M: Well, yeah, C2 word, disposition is a C2 word, proficiency. The particular type of character a person naturally has. For example, she is of a nervous disposition. So she's always nervous, or she is of a cheerful disposition. So she's always cheerful and happy and bubbly. And here, Rory told us like, it depends on your political disposition. Okay.

R: I've killed Maria. I need a new co-host.

M: Oh... Yeah.

R: There is a reason behind this answer, I'll explain it at the end.

M: Techniques for learning languages. And here I was squeezing the techniques out of Rory. Because Rory gave an abstract answer. Perspective... If you organize and then like Rory told us like having someone to study with. So it could be a technique, a strategy. Like you have a study buddy.

R: I mean, a technique is something specific that a teacher would use in a lesson, but just doing something is, well, that's the definition that we worked with.

M: I can have some techniques to study a language.

R: You can, yeah. But we already agreed that in order to learn the language effectively, you need a teacher. So, you need to be able to spot patterns or interact with people, get feedback, and immediately use the language.

M: Yeah. Here you can talk about language learning strategies. So like techniques or strategies, like how to learn English. For example, set a goal or immerse yourself in English. Like watching TV shows, or listening to podcasts on a regular basis.

R: Not podcasts, just our podcast, that's all. That's it.

M: Yeah, like think in the language you are learning. Like, make a lot of mistakes. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, read as much as possible in a foreign language. You see? So these are kind of like specific techniques that you can use. But maybe you have something else. You may record yourself or you go to a country where English is spoken.

R: Self-talk, translating in your head, like what you would say in English.

M: Yeah.

R: I do that for when I'm talking Russian. Every time I say something in English, I think about what I would say in Russian as well.

M: Oh, that's nice. So something like the more specific, dear listener, okay? You can deploy it immediately. So deploy, when we deploy something, what do we do?

R: We use it for a purpose.

M: What else can we deploy?

R: Weapons. Weapons of mass destruction.

M: Yeah, we deploy resources, we deploy stuff, use something or someone effectively. Yeah, we deploy powerful weapons. Yeah. This is a collocation. Deploy powerful weapons. Cambridge online dictionary.

R: I know. But like, this is like English with Maria, deploying powerful weapons. Yes.

M: Children can learn a language faster than adults. So Rory told us that from a psychological point of view, or standpoint, children and adults come with advantages.

R: For doing that, this specific purpose.

M: Children can pick things up, just through repetition. So children can pick up a language through repetition. Adults can pick up a language through learning and organizing information and incorporating information in their existing schemata. This is a super word, a very technical word. Schemata. My background knowledge. So kind of everything I know about a certain subject. So incorporate information into my existing knowledge.

R: Your cognitive map. Oh, yes.

M: And then you might say that children learn a foreign language faster, perhaps. Because they're young, and they're open to everything. They are not afraid of making mistakes. whereas adults are usually more passive and tired, and afraid and depressed.

R: Wow, there's so much to look forward to.

M: Yeah. And then technology and language learning, we can talk about different applications, apps, Chat GPT, different translation things, and programs. And Rory just mentioned the internet. Oh, and more, we have opportunities to interact on social media. Why didn't you say anything about Chat GPT, Rory?

R: Because I already have said a lot about Chat GPT. In one of our episodes about Chat GPT.

M: Oh, yeah, on YouTube we did talk about Chad GPT. So you can go to our YouTube channel, and watch the video. And then in your real test, you can talk about using Chat GPT in language learning. Okay, dear listener? Yeah. So obviously, just the internet, Chat GPT, different learning apps. And also, well, technology, I don't know, VR glasses, virtual reality glasses, and programs. They have some learning programs via VR glasses. You see? Why not. But if you just talk about Chat GPT, that would be enough. And language apps. English is a global language, okay? And a good grasp of English allows you to access a lot of things. So a good grasp of English, a good command of English, like a good knowledge of English.

R: You can access different opportunities.

M: And entertainment opportunities. Like series, TV shows, podcasts, and YouTube channels. When we talk about children and English, obviously through games, children learn English or learn a foreign language through games. And through play. And games scaffold their learning. Games support their learning, games help their learning, and games make learning fun and engaging. And the way people learn English today is, well, not different from how they learned in the past. And then Rory goes, a historian might say that... Why a historian here?

R: Well, it's here, we're comparing the past. And who talks about the past and how it's different from today? Historians.

M: Okay, okay.

R: You get frustrated with these answers, but there is the purpose.

M: So a historian knows because a historian knows history. And in the past, we didn't have that much technology, so we have more technology involved than in the past. But the essential elements haven't changed. So Present Perfect, please, when you talk about today and the past. The essential elements or the most important elements of language learning haven't changed. And we still learn a language with the support of a teacher, a professional. And this support, English classes scaffold our understanding, so they help our understanding of a foreign language, right? So they scaffold our learning. And the final question, Rory, I don't understand it. So that's why I'm not commenting. It's very strange. Like, the question is just stupid, dear listener. Like what are the benefits of the Internet?

R: Even my answer was, this question is a bit stupid. It's like I literally just said that. Like, it's just, it's, it's useful.

M: Oh... What are the benefits of the internet for people's learning? Dear listener, do you know? Why is the Internet useful? Why is the sky blue? Why is the sun useful?

R: Why is the sun useful? Why is the Internet useful? Well, what? It gives me more chances to speak to people from other countries and so I can improve my language by using it.

M: There we go, dear listener, you see? Band nine answer, excellent.

R: It's not a band nine answer. It's a terrible answer. But it's the one that you wanted. Are you happy yet, Maria? No is the answer probably.

M: Yes. I'm happy. Yep. Oh, my God. Yeah, dear listener. Yes, language learning. All right. Thank you so much for listening! And we'll get back to you in our next episode. Bye!

R: Bye!

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