ENGLISH MANIA

In class today we watched a video about the spread of English all over the world. The link for the the video is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIf8Jbc1kNA

If you struggled to understand what was in the video, here you have the script.

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.

T: I don't want to let my parents down.

S: I don't want to let my parents down.

T: I don't ever want to let my country down.

S: I don't ever want to let my country down.

T: Most importantly ... S: Most importantly ...

T: I don't want to let myself down.

S: 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.

JW: 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. (Laughter) 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 dayfor three years to prepare. 25 percent of her gradeis based on English. It's called the Gaokao. And 80 million high school Chinese students have already taken this grueling test. The intensity to learn English is almost unimaginable. Unless you witness it.

Teacher: Perfect! Students: Perfect!

T: Perfect! S: Perfect!

T: I want to speak perfect English.

S: I want to speak perfect English.

T: I want to speak -- S: I want to speak --

T: perfect English. S: perfect English.

T: I want to change my life!

S: I want to change my life!

JW: 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.

Thank you very much. (Applause)

Homework Composition

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of having English as a universal language.  Write this composition in the form of an official letter to your local council concluding with a final opinion that states whether you are in favour or not in favour of having English as your official language. Your homework is due Monday 3^rd October and is to be published on your personal blogs.