Four Reasons To Learn A Language

In this TED Talk, linguist and Columbia professor John McWhorter makes the case that English is rapidly consolidating its position as the global language, and points out how this begs an important question: if you speak English already, why bother learning another language? He then goes on to provide some brilliant answers, which can be summarised as:

• If you want to imbibe a culture, if you want to drink it in, if you want to become part of it, then you have to control to some degree the language that the culture happens to be conducted in. There’s no other way.
• It’s been shown that if you speak two languages, dementia is less likely to set in and that you are probably a better multitasker. Bilingualism is healthy.
• Languages are just a lot of fun.
• We live in an era when it’s never been easier to teach yourself another language.

The History of Tea

     

After watching the video, answer the following questions:

When was tea first consumed as a beverage?

• A 1500 years ago
• B 1300 years ago
• C 20000 years ago
• D 15000 years ago
• 
  

In what Chinese dynasty was the tea plant first transported to Japan?

• A Tang
• B Qing
• C Ming
• D Yuan

In what dynasty did the Emperor change tea making from pressed form to the loose leaves we use today?

• A Tang
• B Qing
• C Ming
• D Yuan

Along with tea, what are the other two essential goods China exported?

• A Opium and silk
• B Opium and porcelain
• C Silk and porcelain
• D Silk and jade

Who brought tea to Europe in large quantities?

• The Brits
• The Japanese
• The Dutch
• The Chinese

By 1700, tea in Europe sold for _______ times the price of coffee.

The British originally traded what for tea?

• A Gold
• B Opium
• C Wool
• D Silver

Today, tea is the _______ most consumed beverage in the world after _____.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

I can't believe I haven't posted this talk before. I first watched Do Schools Kill Creativity several years ago so I have no excuse other than everyone was blogging about it by then.

In this famous worldwide talk, Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case in this talk for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. 



Watch the video and answer the following questions on twitter. Use this hashtag: #KenRobinsonTalk

- Who is Sir Ken Robinson? Where was he born? Why is he famous?
- What is TED Talks? What does TED stand for? What is its slogan?
- When was this talk given?

Hackschooling

What does the term hackschooling mean? Watch the video to find out.

 

Speaker Details

Logan LaPlante is a 13-year-old curious and creative boy taking a different path in his education. He combines the “hacker mindset” with a network of do-it-yourself friends, family, and community organizations to optimize for health, happiness, creativity, and wisdom. He calls it “hackschooling”.

Logan enjoys public speaking and has been watching TED videos for as long as he can remember. He hopes that with his opportunity to speak at TEDx he can inspire some kids, parents, and educators to think differently about education and to make health, happiness, creativity, and wisdom a priority.

- See more at: http://www.tedxuniversityofnevada.org/portfolio-item/logan-laplante/#sthash.lyTo6KJG.dpuf

IMHO, there's something lacking in Logan's education. Guess what?

Tasks:

You can surf the Internet and try to find the transcript for this talk. I'd like to hear all your views on this issue, meaning each and everyone will have to say something about this talk, whether you are in favour or against it.

• Watch the video  

• Note down the main ideas

• Which ideas do you agree/ disagree with?

• In my view, something is missing in Logan's education, guess what?

• Tweet your answers before next Sunday 12:00 pm, be brief and concise, include this hashtag #hackschool

Image Credit: Bea.  2nd Year Infant Education Student

Interesting read about Hackschooling

The Clues to a Great Story

URL image

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. 

Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke ( one of my faves), Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. 

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts.

In the video below, filmmaker Andrew Stanton ("Toy Story," "WALL-E") shares what he knows about storytelling -- starting at the end and working back to the beginning.

Sir Ken Robinson’s New TED Talk About ‘Education’s Death Valley’

Sir Ken Robinson outlines 3 principles crucial for the human mind to flourish -- and how current education culture works against them. In a funny, stirring talk he tells us how to get out of the educational "death valley" we now face, and how to nurture our youngest generations with a climate of possibility. Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Juan Enriquez: Your online life, permanent as a tattoo