Hacking language learning: Benny Lewis at TEDxWarsaw 15:10

https://youtu.be/0x2_kWRB8-A

Directions: Listen once and make notes of what you understand here. Then turn the page, read the questions and
then listen again pausing when necessary. Enjoy!
Remember, read through the questions below first, then watch and listen again!

1. How many languages could Benny speak at 21?

2. Could he speak any Spanish after 6 months?

3. What is a polyglot?

4. What is one of the biggest problems in language learning?

5. What are the reasons the polyglots are learning the language?
a.

b.

6. What are the 5 major reasons people feel they wouldn’t be able to learn a language?

a.

i. Is there a language gene?

ii. By working ______% harder, you can catch up and overtake the naturally talented.

b.

i. Are children hardwired to learn language better?

ii. Under the right conditions, who are better language learners?

c.

d.

i. It’s better when you revise these words with the right _______________.

ii. You revise a word just before you would forget it is called _______ _________.

iii. When should you revise the word?

iv. How can you learn the words faster and better?

e.

i. What’s a really bad thing in language learning?

ii. How many mistakes a day did he try to make?

Answers

1. Only English
2. no
3. Someone who can speak many languages
4. Motivation
5.
a. They are passionate about that language, literature, movies, being able to read in the language, etc.
b. To use it with people.
6.
a. No language gene or talent
i. There is no language gene
ii. By working harder, 20% harder, and you can catch up and overtake the naturally talented.
b. Too old to learn a second language
i. No, could be environment
ii. Adults
c. Can’t travel to the country right now
d. Bad memory for all of that vocabulary
i. Frequency
ii. Spaced repetition
iii. Revise the word just before you would forget it: 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month later
iv. If you combine this with an image association technique
e. Frustrate native speakers
i. No
ii. 200 mistakes/day