We're back! 2 New projects! :)

Hi there,

Thanks for visiting this blog. It's been a while!

Two new groups are going to be using this blog: individual university students and also staff at a children's center in District 3. All are studying English and can use a little bit of extra help...

3 strategies that help ALL students learn English are:

- using graphic organizers
- giving time for translation to build vocabulary
- time to listen and practice and repeat

Most importantly, what do you need English FOR? That is the big question. We can focus on categories and topics that will help you to reach your personal goals.

Looking forward to working with you. :)

DEBATES - making an argument

Hi all,


At our last meeting, we also talked about some debate topics related to education. We talked about pros and cons of having Physical Education programming in school, and also the pros and cons of paying students to get high grades on exams.... You can make an argument FOR or AGAINST it! 


Some brief notes (I know I will be missing some points):


PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOL


Pros: 
- students need the break after working hard
- students can focus after running around
- students learn lots of social skills in PE
- young people learn social skills through games (i.e., learning how to lose a soccer game, and still coming back to play the next day!)


Cons:
- students need more time in the classroom to teach other subjects
- teachers who are Math experts are "wasting time" teaching PE
- students can play all evening...why do they need to play during school?


PAYING STUDENTS TO GET HIGH GRADES ON EXAMS


Pros:
- students will have extra motivation to study
- many families need the extra money


Cons:
- who pays for this?? This may get very expensive for taxpayers.
- students will want the money, not the knowledge
- students will get competitive...and maybe they will be tempted to cheat.


Here are a few more topics to think about (education-related):

Is technology (laptop, iPhone) helping or hindering student performance in school?

What are the pros and cons of wearing school uniforms?

Should students learn about drugs before they get to high school?

Should parents be allowed to read their children's texts, emails, and Facebook messages?

There are MANY more on this website. Feel free to check it out: http://debates.juggle.com/education

IDIOMS - Michael Jackson is BAD! and a few more...

Hi all,

Last week we walked briefly about idioms: "an idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words."

For example, Michael Jackson is so good, so amazing and original...that he's BAD. 

Check out the music video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsUXAEzaC3Q&ob=av2e 

A few more popular ones (that Canadians use):

about to: ready to, going to.  "The plane is about to take off." 

be out of pocket: to spend your own money. "The business paid for the taxi so he wouldn't be out of pocket." 

bring on: to be the cause of. "Poor nutrition can bring on bad health." 


bring up: raise "She brought up three sons and a daughter." 

figure out: think about, understand. "They couldn't figure out what was meant." 

for good: always, indefinitely. "I have decided to stay here for good."  

look down your nose: feeling superior, rude.  "She looked down her nose at the poor boy with old clothes."

pitch in: to help, contribute. "Everyone pitched in to get the work done."  

stick your nose into someone else's business: interfering, gossiping. "Don't stick your nose into someone else's business."  

two-faced: dishonest, deceitful, untrustworthy. "He is a two-faced person." 

Source: http://eltc.com/idioms.html - check it out for lots more that Canadians use! :)

Conversation Read-Along

This website has several conversations that you can read and listen to. :)

http://www.eslfast.com/robot/

This week, let's focus on "College Life" and "Socializing."

College Life: http://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/college/collegelife.htm
Socializing: http://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/social/social.htm

Videos to help with Pronunciation

Watch these videos for help on pronouncing different English sounds!

Pronouncing the "th" sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag4qoNzEH4w&feature=relmfu

Pronouncing the "sh" sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tna_ggVrTiY&feature=relmfu

Different Vowel sounds / Icebreaker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjB7CNCx3jI&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SP0BCFCF3C52A241C7

Various Sounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM6K9emlZbc&feature=fvsr

TODAY WE BEGIN!

Today, we've started our blog. We will post videos to help you learn English and practice on your own.