Chris Lonsdale's How To Learn Any Language In Six Months

Chris Lonsdale presented a Ted Talk called “How to Learn Any Language in Six Months.” Lonsdale is a psychologist, a linguist, and an educator; and he is the author of a book called “The Third Ear.” The topic of his speech was how an adult can learn a new language. He addresses the issues that many people come across when trying to learn a new language; there is not enough time, it cannot be made a priority, the words cannot be used in necessary conversations. His talk was very convincing, it brought a sense of motivation to learn. Unfortunately, there were some complications with his strategy. A key part in his simple instructions included moving to a country where one would be submersed in a population that speaks that language. His impression …show more content…
If it were as simple as it is sold to be, everyone would have already accomplished the task. As an educator Lonsdale should be aware of different learning styles. To apply one method to all people simply will not work. The material was presented in an extemporaneous style. He was not very formal in his approach, and that was probably the best way to present his speech. If it were a manuscript style, presented formally, it might have been boring. He did not read it verbatim, and he only used prompts from the slideshow. The talk seemed to be more of a discussion, where the audience had an opportunity to think in response to what was said. It was a successful choice of …show more content…
While I disagree with some of his thoughts and ideas, I was still inspired to learn a new language by his presentation of the subject. His illustrations encouraged me to learn new things in general. The speech felt promising, disregarding whether the promises could be fulfilled. I learned new methods of learning that can be applied to other areas of life. Overall, it was beneficial to listen to. The audience can take away not only knowledge about his subject, but also knowledge about public speaking. A speaker’s abilities can be gauged on how they make you, as a member of the audience, feel. I found it easy to pay attention to his topic. I did not feel on edge or anxious as he spoke. When a speaker who is anxious is presenting, that uneasiness can be felt by people in the crowd. His hand gestures were not too busy; he utilized body language but not excessively. His words did not come across as chatty. He spoke without repetitiveness, although in some cases, emphasis would have enhanced the audience’s ability to retain the points. He spoke with an aura of knowing that he has something to say and that something needs to be heard. He came prepared, it was obvious that he had deeply studied this topic. The speech was put together very well, it was