By completing this module, I will be able to
Based on your answer in the previous activity, think about the following questions:
When you think about applying for a job, how does your identity as a language learner fit in? Use the prompts below to help you be specific!
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Watch this video on how language informs the identity of J. Lou (a content creator and influencer based in Hong Kong)
Why Everyone Should Learn a Second Language [J.Lou TedxHKU]
Watch the video again and stop the video at the times indicated below to answer the question(s).
About me [stop @ 2’18] J. Lou has selected a series of images and photos to describe who she is. What images and/or photos would you use to describe who you are? |
Where are you from? [stop @ 5’23] J. Lou explains how she struggled to answer this question because she always had to prove or explain where she was from. How would you answer this question? Do you struggle to answer it, too? Explain. |
Third culture kid [stop @ 7’33] Third culture kids are kids who spend their formative years outside their parents’ cultures and thus create a culture of their own. J. Lou explains how it can mean different things to different people. Do you identify as a third culture kid? Why or why not? |
Feeling whole [stop @ 9’15] J. Lou describes finding a sense of community thanks to her Instagram series. Do you feel like you have a sense of community (online and/or in real life)? |
Scientific benefits of language learning [stop @ 12’43] J. Lou says language learning makes your brain really cool. What are some of the ways it does this? |
Conclusion [stop @ 13’33/end] J. Lou says she will answer the question ‘Where are you from?’ with pride in the future. Can you answer it with pride, too? And how do you think your answer will inform/influence your choices in the future, especially those related to a possible career? |
Create an “elevator pitch” in which you briefly (+/- 45 seconds) describe how languages shape your identity and how this self-knowledge will orient you when you are looking for a job. If you want to keep the conversation going, share your pitch with someone you trust!
Identity Capital can be boosted by language learning allowing recent graduates to create a robust sense of professional identity that can then help them adapt to and integrate into different corporate/professional cultures/environments.
