CZECH COURSES Learning a second language

BEFORE YOU WATCH1. What does the phrase, ‘a second language’ mean? What is your

second language? Do you have other languages you know or are studying besides Czech and English? What do you enjoy about studying another language? What do you find that is difficult or challenging about learning a new language?

2. How do English and Czech differ? What do Czech native speakers need to learn how to do differently when they study English? Are some things easier to communicate in one language over the other for you? If you were equally fluent in both Czech and English, when would you use each language?

3. What is the difference between the terms: beginning, intermediate and advanced when learning a language? What criteria do you think are necessary to qualify for one or the other category of learner?

4. How does knowing another language change the way you think or perceive the world? What are the benefits?

Exercise 1

1. Ms. Knapp set up her business right after 1989.

2. Ms. Knapp worked as a Production Assistant during her undergraduate studies.

3. At the time of the interview, there were 40 students are there at the Czech Courses school.

4. According to Ms. Knapp, English native speakers have the most difficulty of all other students to learn Czech.

5. In order to become an advanced speaker of Czech, English native speakers need to study two or three times a week for four months.

6. According to the speaker, Russian students are difficult to teach Czech because of how they are confident speaking their own language.

7. Finnish students learn Czech the fastest of all the foreign students who enroll in their classes.

8. It is the personality of the teacher and small classes which are the key to the success of the school.

WHILE YOU WATCHExercise 2

Are these statements TRUE or FALSE?

Listen and fill in the gaps

Exercise 3

TRANSLATE these English expressions into their Czech equivalent

AFTER YOU WATCHExercise 4

LISTENING AND COMPREHENSION TEST1. Why do native English speakers have problems to learn a

foreign language?

2. What is the most difficult thing for the Czech language tutor?

3. Name the three marketing channels used by the Czech courses company?

4. According to Ms. Knapp what is the key for language learning?

5. What are the differences between the various nationalities Ms. Knap mentioned for their ability to learn Czech?

6. How does Ms. Knapp chooses tutors? What is the most important thing?

Exercise 5

Exercise 6