What you make of something / your take on something

What someone makes of something and someone's take on something are two ways of expressing or asking about someone's opinion.

1. What do you make of the new regulations at work?
    What's your take on the new regulations at work?
2. The manager wants to know what we make of the new schedule.
    The manager wants to know what our take is on the new schedule.
3. He spoke for an hour telling us his take on the Presidential debate.
4. What did your parents make of your joining the army?
5. My friend has a strange take on the legalization of marijuana. Don't ask.

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Understanding is never enough, part 2

It seems obvious that if we want to master a language and speak it fluently, we'd practice as much as we can, right? Practicing is crucial to feeling comfortable and natural in our new language as we strive to master it, as I mentioned in part 1.

However, while we are often eager to practice outside the classroom with movies, music, and conversation, we're sometimes not too excited about practicing in the classroom. Often, we don't see the need to practice once we've understood the lesson, or we may feel that we're not really learning anything if we're just talking to our classmates.

On the contrary, practicing in the classroom is so important however well we've understood a grammar lesson and with whomever we are doing it. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Understanding is never enough.
I can't stress this too much. Having a grammar point in our head and getting it completely does us no good if we can't use it in conversation. Completing exercises perfectly is great, but we don't learn a new language in order to complete an exercise; we study a language so we can speak it. Practicing will take us closer to that goal.

2. Focusing on what you just learned is important.
Using a grammar lesson soon after we've learned it helps us acquire the lesson and make it a natural part of our language skills. It helps convert the grammar in our heads into language that we can use outside the classroom. It also increases our chances of using it in future conversations.

3. The teacher can check and correct.
When we practice in the classroom after we've just learned something new, the teacher is there to catch mistakes in our sentence structure, wording and pronunciation. In essence, we're getting rid of imperfections in our speech before we use it outside the classroom, and we're trying out the language to see if we can use it correctly and are comfortable doing so.

4. You can test if you've really understood the lesson.
Thinking that we understand something and knowing for sure that we do may not be the same thing. Sometimes, we think that we completely get a lesson because it seems easy; yet when it's time to use it in conversation, we cannot do it or we make mistakes. When we practice a language, we're taking it out for a drive to see if it feels right, and we can ask the teacher if there's anything we're still not sure about.

5. Explaining helps us master the lesson.
When we feel that we're not learning because we're simply talking to our classmates who are in the same level or sometimes lower than we are, remember this: we are first and foremost checking ourselves use the language in order to get the kinks out and be certain that we can use it outside the classroom. However, if a classmate needs help, take advantage of the opportunity to explain the lesson. This only helps with deeper understanding, and you'll be practicing your English.

So there you have it. I'm amazed at how some students don't see the value of putting a grammar or vocabulary lesson into practice in the classroom. If you're one of these students, I hope this two-part small blog post has changed your mind, and I hope you spread the word and encourage your friends and classmates to practice in the classroom.

vocabulary:

however well - It doesn't matter how well.

with whomever - it doesn't matter with who(m) 

I can't stress this too much - This is so important. 

get it - understand it 

does us no good - doesn't do us any good

acquire - receive; get

In essence - essentially; basically

get rid of - eliminate 

take it for a drive - check it (to see how well it works) 

first and foremost - the first and most important thing to consider or to remember 

get the kinks out - remove the small mistakes or imperfections 

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Understanding is never enough, part 1

For most subjects in school, you're finished studying once you've understood the lesson. You may need to remember facts or equations for a test, but for the most part, you are good to go once you know the material. Your main goal is to do well on the test, after which, unfortunately, you will probably forget most of what you studied.

This is not so with language learning. Understanding is never enough when you want to learn to speak a new language. Understanding only lets you take a grammar test and do well on it, but it won't let you speak the language well. It doesn't matter how much you know. You may know all the grammar there is to learn, and you may complete a grammar exercise perfectly, but these won't make you speak English well, and you will still be judged by how well you speak. If you can't string a sentence correctly, people will still think that your English is not very good--sad, but true.

It's important to remember that your level of English is always gauged by how well you communicate, not how well or how fast you complete an exercise. This means that students who are in advanced classes because of their advanced knowledge of grammar can still sound like they are having problems speaking English if they don't get sufficient practice. Practicing helps you remember what you've studied, but more importantly, it lets you get used to saying things in English. You're essentially making your brain and your vocal apparatus work together to produce English sentences. Consequently, the more you practice the better you'll speak English and the faster you'll master it. A lot of practice, basically, erases your imperfections when you use your new language.

You are practicing English every time you speak to someone, every time you watch a show or sing a song in English. However, the practice that I want to talk about more is classroom practice--something students are sometimes not too crazy about. In part 2 of Understanding is never enough, I'll explain why practicing in the classroom is crucial in improving your English, why you should eagerly participate if you're a student or urge your students if you're a teacher. Stay tuned.

vocabulary:

good to go - ready; have met standards

string a sentence - put a sentence together; form a sentence 

gauge - check; critique; evaluate 

vocal apparatus - body parts used to produce sound: mouth, tongue, teeth, vocal cords 

not too crazy about - don't like

crucial - very important 

urge - push; encourage

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