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Innovation in Learning

A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

English mania
Lesson code: LP58-SBNB-CQF6-T UPPER INTERMEDIATE +

1 Warm-up
Study the definition below. Do you think the word is approving or disapproving?

mania (noun): a very strong interest in something which uses up all your time and energy; a powerful
obsession

How do `maniacs' behave? Match the descriptions and terms on the left to the manias on the right:

1. hysterical teenagers a. Beatle mania

2. deafening crowds, chanting, cheering, booing b. exercise mania
3. rapture, weeping, visions c. political mania
4. compulsive over-exercising d. religious mania
5. screaming slogans, waving flags e. sports mania

2 Watching and listening

Jay Walker, an entrepreneur and inventor, is going to give a talk on the world's `English mania'.
Watch the introduction to his talk. Which of the manias in Exercise 1 does he mention or refer to?

Guess the correct answer for each question below. Watch the rest of the talk and check your answers.

1. How many people are trying to learn English worldwide?

a. 500 million b. 1 billion c. 2 billion

2. Which country will become the largest English-speaking country in the world?
a. the USA b. China c. India

3. In which school year do Chinese school children start learning English by law?
a. third grade (8-9 yrs) b. fifth grade (10-11) c. sixth grade (11-12)

4. How long does China's `Gaokao' school-leaving examination last?

a. 3 hours b. 12 hours c. 3 days

5. How many Chinese high school students have taken the Gaokao?
a. 10 million b. 40 million c. 80 million
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English mania
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

3 Checking understanding
Put `T' (True) or `F' (False) next to the statements below:

1. The speaker thinks that English mania is an unhealthy obsession.

2. According to the speaker, learning English represents opportunity for a better life.
3. The speaker believes that English will replace all other languages in the future.
4. The speaker believes that knowing English will enable people to become involved in global
discussions.
5. The speaker believes that learning English is popular because of America.

4 Vocabulary development
Study the words below using a dictionary, then complete the sentences from Jay's talk. Check your
answers by watching the video again or reading the transcript.

alarming gruelling harnessing tsunami unimaginable

1. Manias can be good. Manias can be . Or manias can be deadly.

2. 80 million high school Chinese students have already taken this test.
3. The intensity to learn English is almost .
4. Is English a , washing away other languages?
5. Like the of electricity in our cities or the fall of the Berlin Wall, English represents hope
for a better future.

5 The UK/US education system

Study the table below.

Age range British English American English

2-5 nursery school / kindergarten preschool
5-11 primary school kindergarten (5-6)
elementary school (5-11)
11-18 secondary school junior high school (11-14)
high school (14-18)
18+ university college/university

Describe the education system in your country using British or American English.
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English mania
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

What else do you know about the British and American education systems? Complete the sentences
below:

A levels comprehensive majors principal

public revise school sit

1. The term ` school' has opposite meanings in the UK and US. In the UK, it refers to a
private independent school. In the US, it means a school that is funded by the state.
2. In the UK, a school refers to a typical state secondary school.
3. In the UK, the school-leaving exams are known as .
4. In the US, the person in charge of a high school is a . In the UK, it is a headteacher or
headmaster/headmistress.
5. At an American university, a student studies or in a subject.
6. When preparing for an exam, students in the UK what they have studied. In the US,
they review for an exam.
7. In the UK and US, students take exams. However, in the UK they can also exams.
8. In the US, Americans can use the expression `go to ' even if they are at university.

6 Talking point
Discuss any of the following questions:

1. What do you think of the English learning methods shown in the presentation?
2. How important is learning English in your country?
3. How would you describe the quality of your country's education system?
4. Has `English mania' influenced your native language?

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English mania - Transcripts
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

2- Watching and listening

Jay Walker: Let's talk about manias. Let's start with Beatle mania: hysterical teenagers, crying,
screaming, pandemonium. Sports mania: deafening crowds, all for one idea -- get the ball
in the net. Okay, religious mania: there's rapture, there's weeping, there's visions. Manias
can be good. Manias can be alarming. Or manias can be deadly.

The world has a new mania. A mania for learning English. Listen as Chinese students
practice their English by screaming it.

Teacher: ... change my life!

Students: I will change my life.
Teacher: I don't want to let my parents down.
Students: I don't want to let my parents down.
Teacher: I don't ever want to let my country down.
Students: I don't ever want to let my country down.
Teacher: Most importantly ...
Students: Most importantly ...
Teacher: I don't want to let myself down.
Students: I don't want to let myself down.
Jay Walker: How many people are trying to learn English worldwide? Two billion of them.
Students: A t-shirt. A dress.
Jay Walker: In Latin America, in India, in Southeast Asia, and most of all in China. If you are a Chinese
student you start learning English in the third grade, by law. That's why this year China will
become the world's largest English-speaking country. Why English? In a single word:
Opportunity. Opportunity for a better life, a job, to be able to pay for school, or put better
food on the table. Imagine a student taking a giant test for three full days. Her score on this
one test literally determines her future. She studies 12 hours a day for three years to
prepare. 25 percent of her grade is based on English. It's called the Gaokao, and 80 million
high school Chinese students have already taken this gruelling test. The intensity to learn
English is almost unimaginable, unless you witness it.
Teacher: Perfect!
Students: Perfect!
Teacher: Perfect!
Students: Perfect!
Teacher: I want to speak perfect English.
Students: I want to speak perfect English.
Teacher: I want to speak ...
Students: I want to speak ...
Teacher: ... perfect English.
Students: perfect English.
Teacher: I want to change my life!
Students: I want to change my life!
LE

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Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
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English mania - Transcripts
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

Jay Walker: So is English mania good or bad? Is English a tsunami, washing away other languages? Not
likely. English is the world's second language. Your native language is your life. But with
English you can become part of a wider conversation: a global conversation about global
problems, like climate change or poverty, or hunger or disease. The world has other
universal languages. Mathematics is the language of science. Music is the language of
emotions. And now English is becoming the language of problem-solving. Not because
America is pushing it, but because the world is pulling it. So English mania is a turning
point. Like the harnessing of electricity in our cities or the fall of the Berlin Wall, English
represents hope for a better future ... a future where the world has a common language to
solve its common problems.

Jay Walker: Thank you very much.

LE

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English mania - Key
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH IN VIDEO

1- Warm-up

`Mania' is generally a disapproving word. Go through the terms with the students: `hysterical' -- unable to
control yourself because you are extremely angry, frightened or excited; `deafening' -- extremely loud; `chanting'
-- repeating a word, song or phrase continuously; `rapture' -- extreme pleasure or excitement; `weeping' -- crying;
`compulsive' -- doing something a lot, without being able to control it; `screaming' -- crying or shouting loudly

Note: `Beatle mania' or `Beatlemania' is a term that refers to the intense obsession with the band The Beatles
among their fans during the group's early years of success in the 1960s.

1. a 2. e 3. d 4. b 5. c

2- Watching and listening

Play the video. Pause at 01:00. The speaker refers to Beatle mania, sports mania, religious mania and political
mania.

Play the rest of the video (from 01:00).

1. c 2. b 3. a 4. c 5. c

3- Checking understanding

1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F

4- Vocabulary development

Definitions: `alarming' -- extremely worrying; `gruelling' -- extremely tiring and difficult; `harnessing' -- controlling
something in order to use its power; `tsunami' -- an extremely large wave cause by an earthquake under the sea;
`unimaginable' -- very difficult to imagine

Play the video again with English subtitles enabled or hand out a copy of the transcript.

1. alarming 2. gruelling 3. unimaginable 4. tsunami 5. harnessing

5- The UK/US education system

1. public 2. comprehensive 3. A levels 4. principal

5. majors 6. revise 7. sit 8. school
LE

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex i

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Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
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