This week's talking point is English as a global language. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below -taken from Speakout, Pearson Longman- to think about the answers beforehand and to work out any vocabulary problems you may encounter.
Why do you think English has become a ‘lingua franca’?
What factors contributed to its rise as a global language?
Think of three ways to improve your command/grasp of a language.
Think of one situation where you need to 'mind your language'.
What happens when you experience a language barrier?
Do you think these will still exist in the future? Why (not)?
Can you name a dead language?
Can you name a country where the official language is different from the everyday language?
Do you think this is a problem?
How do you think English will change in the next 200 years?
To gain further insight into the topic, you can also watch professor David Crystal discussing the importance of English in today's world and how English is changing these days. I have devised two listening activities around the videos, but you may choose to forget about them, as it is really pleasurable to watch and listen to professor Crystal and we may not want to be distracted by tasks.
Should English be taught as a ‘global’ language?
What should the aim of teaching English be?
What does global English mean in relation to English teaching?
What shock can English students get?
What does ‘standard’ mean in the context David Crystal is talking about?
What’s the problem with vocabulary learning?
What should students get as much exposure as possible to?
In what ways is production different?
How is the Internet changing language today?
What examples does Professor Crystal give of technology changing the language?
What makes internet different from the other types of technology?
What are the technological variations of internet he mentions?
What does each of these mediums bring about?
What has changed in the language as a result of the Internet?
