Identity in English: How Language Shapes Who You Are

⏱ 5 MIN · CEFR C1

Identity in English: How Language Shapes Who You Are

🪞 From my notebook:

I am a different person in Bengali than I am in English. In Bengali I am the eldest son, formal, respectful, quieter. In English — the English I learned in Sydney on kerbs and in restaurants — I am more direct, more willing to argue, more likely to say what I mean without wrapping it in three layers of politeness. In French I am slower, more deliberate. The language sets the stage; I’m still writing the character.

🎯 By the end you will:

• Discuss the relationship between language and identity
• Use complex sentences to express abstract ideas
• Understand code-switching as a linguistic and cultural concept

📖 Key concepts (C1):

code-switching — moving between languages or registers within a conversation
linguistic identity — the sense of self shaped by the language(s) you speak
heritage language — the language of your family or cultural origin
dominant language — the language most used in your daily life
translanguaging — using all your languages fluidly as a single resource

✅ Quick check: What is ‘code-switching’?

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✍️ Discussion (2 min):

Are you a different person in different languages? Write 3 sentences exploring this.
Use: What I find is that… / In [language], I tend to… / Interestingly, when I speak [language]…

💡 Teacher’s tip:

At C1, your job is often to get out of the way. Pose the question, step back, and listen. Your role shifts from presenter to facilitator — ask one deep question and trust the room.