READING

English and the future

The world is changing so fast that one thing is for sure: the English learner of the future will be different from that of the past in ways which reflect the technology and lifestyles of the 21st century.

That future learner is likely to be much younger. Across the world, English is being made a central component of educational systems and programmes. English, traditionally taught mainly to teenagers, has been reinvented as one of the basic skills which you need to learn when you first go to school.

Very young learners learn in a way very different from the previous generations. Since their birth, children have been heavily exposed to information input mainly –and many times exclusively– on an audiovisual format: DVDs, TV channels specialized on children programmes and the extensive use of video or computer games have made many children depend on audiovisual inputs for their learning process. As a consequence, English lessons must be fun and rewarding –in the same way as their favourite video games are– and highly visual websites with interactive games, which rely less on written text, will provide accessible support for such learners.

In a time when General English is learnt by children during their first learning stages, older learners such as teenagers and young adults will be looking for communication skills in more specific knowledge areas. Specialised English learning will be essential for that type of learners, learners who will need and want to communicate on the issues that they feel most attracted by: computers, the Internet, football, social networks, technology, etc.

Globalisation is bringing together more people than ever who speak different languages and who are turning to English as the means of communication. The English learner of the future may be less worried about sounding exactly like a native speaker and more concerned about how to use English effectively in cross-cultural communication. We may be hearing more non-native speakers in dialogues and a wider range of the 'New Englishes' used around the world.

Technology will allow English to come to you, rather than you having to go to a special place to learn English. Podcasts and downloadable computer programmes will be commonplace in a near future thanks to the irruption of technological devices such as the tablet PC, which will make the distinction between televisions, computers, mobile phones and mp3 players less clear.

Up to now, methods and textbooks have offered contents and strategies chosen by their authors. However, future learners will expect to be able to choose a formula which suits their cultural and psychological dispositions, or their particular needs at that moment. They, rather than their teachers, will decide how, what and when they will learn. Websites will provide the kind of support needed by learners to guide their way through all the learning materials and monitor their progress.

Lastly, it is also worth considering the teachers of the future. They will have to "become fluent" on the use of all the technology and new methods that the future learners will expect to use. Nevertheless, teachers will have to face a paradox in their own future: as English becomes spoken by more and more people in the world since an early age, and technology offers a wider variety of methods and learning support, the number of English teachers will fall.

 

 

 

Tarea 1.–

Choose the best option for the words in bold.

1. The knowledge of a person on a subject or issue refers to...

1. the experience on that subject or issue which that person still needs to acquire.
2. all the things which that person has to learn about that subject.
3. the things which that person has learnt and remembers about that issue.
   2. A synonym for provide is...

1. provoke.
2. give.
3. find.
    
   Say whether the following statements are true or false according to the information given in the text. Write the evidence from the text that justifies your answer.
   3.  Written text will not be essential for the learning process of future young learners.
   4.  A good pronunciation of English will still be important for future learners.
   5.  English schools will play a less important role in language teaching.
    
   Complete the sentences with words or phrases according to the information given in the text.
   6.  Traditionally, the decisions about language learning contents and strategies...
    
   7. Regarding the varieties of the English language, in the future ...
    

 

Texto B

 

Tarea 2.–

 

Elderly care

Looking after the elderly people is one of the issues that nowadays societies are most worried about. The incorporation of women into the workplace has provoked that the traditional solution of turning to housewives for the care of the elderly cannot be proposed any longer. Sending these people to nursery homes has been the other option, but there aren't enough vacancies in these homes, they are expensive to build and their residents have to pay a lot of money if they choose a private home.

Initiatives set in motion by some governments propose weekly payments between £300 and £500 depending on the level of care provided. The idea is to help elderly people stay in their home area rather than have to move to a care home further away. People who join the project will look after elderly people in their homes and take care of them during daytime or even longer periods. The whole idea about spending this money is to help keep elderly people at home.  The project will also help families with elderly members living with them because it will give the family an opportunity to get a break.

However this initiative has found opposition. There are people who think that governments should give more funds to build new and better residences for the elderly people with more residential beds and where that type of temporary care should be given. They argue that nobody wants to go into a home unless they really have to, but there comes a time in some people's lives when they cannot be looked after by their own family.

Another aspect to be taken into account regarding the elderly is the effect that the increasing proportion of the elderly is already having on the job market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, among the 20 occupations with the fastest employment growth are those related to elderly care. The opportunities aren't limited to traditional health care jobs and occupations. Health care institutions will need hundreds of additional accountants, directors of personnel, computer support specialists, chemists, secretaries, food service helpers. Furthermore, employment growth is not limited to the traditional full-time job because there will be a considerable amount of part-time posts related to elderly care.

 

Complete the sentence with the best option according to the information given in the text.

8. Traditionally, the elderly have been looked after...

1. by members of their family.
2. at nursery homes.
3. both by relatives and at nursing homes.
    
   9. The purpose of paying somebody a weekly salary for taking care of an elderly person is...

1. getting extra incomes to pay for all the expenses that an elderly person has.
2. saving the cost of building nursery homes.
3. keeping the elderly person in a more familiar environment.
    
   10. Regarding job creation, elderly care...

1. will increase the need for more doctors and nurses.
2. will be a job opportunity for many different professionals.
3. will produce full-time jobs.