PREVIEW ACTIVITY (I) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.

The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

Work with a partner or group. Do the activities below about foreign language learning.

PART I Discuss the topic below:

Describe your experience in general and

what it’s been like learning the foreign
language(s) that you know.

Discuss the follow-up questions below...

1 What does it really mean to “know” a language?

2 What do you like/dislike about learning foreign languages?
3 Children tend to acquire languages more easily than adults. Do you know why?

PART II How would you rate your proficiency from 1 (low) to 5 (high) in the following areas in
the second languages you know? Explain why it may be higher in some than others.

LISTENING SPEAKING READING WRITING

PART III Discuss what the proverb means below. Do you think it’s true? Explain.

“
PART IV
You are as many people as languages you speak.

Below is a brain lateralization diagram. Which cognitive processes or functions do

you think belong to each hemisphere of the brain?

a. analytical | b. creative | c. imaginative | d. adventurous | e. logical

f. mathematical | g. emotional | h. detailed | i. ordered | j. social

LEFT HEMISPHERE RIGHT HEMISPHERE

1 analytical 1 creative
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
PREVIEW ACTIVITY (II) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

PART I Match the nouns with their definitions below the context examples.

1 A proportion of the Belgian population speaks French as their first language.

2 In rare cases, the onset of dementia can occur before the age of 60.
3 The documentary I watched gives you a glimpse into what it’s like to be rich.
4 The scientists tested the hypothesis by conducting several experiments.
5 Traumatic experiences can significantly impact the plasticity of a child’s brain.
6 Steel has a higher density than most metals.

1 proportion a. a. the moment when something starts to happen

2 onset b. a measure of mass per unit of volume
3 glimpse c. the amount or size of one thing when compared to another
4 hypothesis d. the quality of being easily adaptable, influenced, or shaped
5 plasticity e. a partial or quick look into something
6 density f. a suggested explanation for a group of facts

PART II Choose the correct definition or synonym for the vocabulary words below.

1 Linguists recommend taking a holistic approach to learning a language.

holistic means... a. having a big or critical impact on something
b. without care or attention to detail
c. studied or viewed as a whole, complete thing or subject
2 There is heightened security in the area due to the big sports event taking place.
heightened means... a. full of danger and risk
b. more intense than normal
c. really dramatic or emotional

3 I should start confronting my mental health problems instead of avoiding them.

confront means... a. face b. influence c. require

4 It’s usually tough for me to distinguish Australian English from British English.
distinguish means... a. challenge b. emphasize c. differentiate

Bonus Terms!
acquisition the process of gaining, getting, or learning something
emotional bias a choice or decision made based on the influence of emotions
synapses connecting points in the brain of chemical and electrical activity
grey matter the darker tissue of the brain and spinal cord
THE BENEFITS OF A BILINGUAL BRAIN
Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

PREVIEW DISCUSSION QUESTION

Discuss what could be some psychological

and practical benefits of being bilingual.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART I Fill in the missing letters for the three types of bilingualism explained in the video.

1. c ___ ___ p ___ ___ ___ d bilingual

2. c ___ ___ r ___ ___ n ___ ___ ___ bilingual
3. s ___ ___ ___ r ___ ___ n ___ ___ ___ bilingual

Explain what you understood about each type of bilingualism discussed in the video.
Do you fit into any of these types? If so, explain.

PART II Write short answers below according to the information from the video.

2:15 1 Why do children have an easier time learning a foreign language?

3:37 2 How was bilingualism viewed before the 1960s?

4:24 3 According to the video, what are some advantages of being bilingual?

PART III Choose true or false according to the information in the video.

2:19 1 TRUE FALSE Learning a language uses brain functions that are present in
both the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

2:51 2 TRUE FALSE A person who learns a second language as an adult tends to
confront problems in that second language emotionally.

4:22 3 TRUE FALSE Research shows that bilingualism always makes you smarter.
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY (I) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

PART I Choose the correct prefix for each word that was used in the video. Two are not used!

hemi- | pro- | on- | co- | sub- | mono- | multi-

1 Knowing multiple languages means that your brain may

function differently than those of your lingual friends.
2 Most bilinguals know and use their languages in varying portions.
3 A ordinate bilingual learns a language by filtering it through their
primary language.
4 Evidence shows that the brain’s left sphere is more dominant in
analytical and logical processes.
5 The heightened workout a bilingual brain receives throughout its lifetime can
help delay the set of cognitive diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s.

PART II Write the noun necessary for each space in the sentences below.

1 Bilinguals have a dense area of grey matter in the brain.

Bilinguals have a high of grey matter in the brain.

2 The idea that being bilingual has major cognitive benefits would have
surprised earlier experts.

The idea that has major cognitive benefits would have

surprised earlier experts.

3 Children learn languages more easily because the plasticity of their developing
brains lets them use both hemispheres when they acquire a language.

Children learn languages more easily because the plasticity of their developing
brains lets them use both hemispheres in language .

PART III Explain and/or write in your own words what the sentences from the video mean.

1 It’s never too late to do yourself a favor and make the linguistic leap from
“Hello” to “Hola” or “Bonjour”.

2 When it comes to our brains, a little exercise can go a long way.

POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY (II) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

SPEAKING TASK 1:

Your teacher will choose a few of the speaking topics below to discuss. Discuss the topics
with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in detail.

1 What are some language learning tips that have helped

you throughout your journey learning foreign languages
that you would give to a beginner?

2 What do you think about your own accent and pronun-

ciation that you have in the foreign languages that you
speak? How satisfied are you with your accent?

3 Can you think of any specific experiences you’ve had in a

foreign language that really challenged your skills and
abilities? How did you manage the experience(s) / situa-
tion(s)?

4 Explore and discuss any connections that come to mind

between language and cultural identity. How strong of a
connection is there between these two things?

5 If you learn a language as an adult, do you think it would

be possible to become proficient in a foreign language
without a teacher? In your opinion, how essential is having
a teacher to the language acquisition process?

SPEAKING TASK 2:

What do you consider to be your proudest accomplishments, moments, or experiences

throughout your journey using and learning a foreign language? Write two of them
below. Then describe your experiences to your teacher or partner.

2
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2020. For use only with license.
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain (C1)

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART I Questions. Answer the questions below about the video.

1. What are the three types of bilinguals? What do you remember about each?
2. How is learning a foreign language different as an adult to learning as a child?
3. What do they say about the hemispheres of the brain and language learning?
4. How was bilingualism viewed in the past?
5. What are the benefits of bilingualism?

PART II Vocabulary: Put the words in the box in the context below.

plasticity | onset | glimpse | proportion | acquisition | density

1 Advances in brain imaging technology have given neurolinguists a

into how specific aspects of language learning affect the
bilingual brain.

2 Most bilinguals know and use their languages in varying .

3 Bilinguals have a higher of grey matter in the brain.

4 Children learn languages more easily because the of their

developing brains lets them use both hemispheres in language
.
5 The heightened workout a bilingual brain receives throughout its lifetime can
help delay the of cognitive diseases like dementia or
Alzheimer’s.

PART III Phrases: What was the phrase used in the lines from the video below?

1 It’s never too late to do and make the linguistic leap

from “Hello” to “Hola” or “Bonjour”.

2 When it comes to our brains, a little exercise can .

PART IV Bonus: The video mainly discussed the benefits of being bilingual. Can you think of
and write what may be some downsides of being bilingual?