What does it really mean to know a language? Did you know that knowing two or more languages means that your brain might actually look and work differently than those of your monolingual friends? Discover the three different types of bilingualism, the function of language in each hempsiphhere of the brain, and the anatomy of language acquisition with another exceptional TED-Ed video.

Concepts

the brain, multilingualism, the cerebral cortex, foreign languages, bilingualism

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• This video would serve as an excellent starter activity in any foreign language class to get students engaged and ready to participate!
• Prompt a discussion on the benefits of multilingualism aside from its physical effects on the brain; have learners share their past experiences as evidence, as well as their hopes for attaining new languages in the future

Pros

• Wealth of relevant information
• Graphics and animations illustrate content well
• Option to customize discussion/assessment questions provided by publisher

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.4 RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.4