Hey there!

First off, a quick reminder that our last day of group classes is Tuesday June 30th.  If you have any interest in individual classes over the summer, please get in touch!

This week, we discussed a classic summer phenomenon: American sleepaway camp.

Listening:
Learners can try an activity from Randall's Listening Lab: Summer Camp.

For original version, I recommend listening to the episode from This American Life called Notes on Camp.

Reading:
Learners can try a B2 reading comprehension exercise about Teenage summer camp.

For original version, read an article from Slate called You are how you camped. 

​Writing:
How would the perfect summer camp be for you? Would it specialize in a specific activity (drama, music, sports)? Would it be co-ed? What traditions and rituals would it have?

Best,
Kelly

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Hi there!

This week we used an online real estate app Redfin to talk about homes, real estate, and features that we can find in different properties.

Listening:
Learners can start with a listening and vocabulary exercise about housing, and then move on to a C1 activity from British Council: Renting a house

For original version, listen to something from NPR: Is it Better to Rent or Own? or Is Buying a House Overrated?

Reading:
Learners can try try a text from Breaking News English called Homes for Sale.

For original version, check out an article about different homes and traditional features from all around the world.

​Writing:
For writing, first start by reviewing some of the vocabulary in this article about different features, then write a real estate property description either about the home where you currently live, or about your ideal home.

Best,
Kelly

Happy Summer to Everybody !

Today was our last day of group class!  First off, I want to thank you for participating in this year's conversation groups, especially for your patience and continued support through the COVID crisis.  

As always, your feedback is always helpful in improving my classes, so it would be great if you could fill out the online evaluation.

Next year's classes start October 1st.  The specific conditions and protocols will be defined as the date gets closer, but I am crossing my fingers we can see each other in person again!  If you would like to reserve a space for next year, please do so in the online pre-registration form.

If you are interested in keeping up your English over the summer months, get in touch. I am offering individual classes in person, online, and by telephone, available in 1 hour or 30 minute sessions.

That's all for now, folks.  Thank you so much for participating this year and hope to see you all soon!  Stay safe and have fun!
Best,
Kelly

Hi Guys!

Everyone is receiving this week's email on Monday, as some people have changed groups due to the local holidays.  For those of you who are taking the week off, enjoy San Bernabe and see you next week!

May and June are graduation months, so this week we discussed college life (academics, campus life, cost).

Listening:
Learners can try some of the following listening comprehension activities: a university degree, or  education.

For original version, try listening to the episode from This American Life entitled How I Got Into College or Number One Party School.

Reading:
Learners can try one of several articles from VOA English including Return to College Life, or College, University or Institute? 

For original version, check out the article from the New Yorker: How the Coronavirus Has Shattered the Myth of College in the US.

​Writing:
For writing, you have two options this week.  You could write an opinion article about whether or not you believe a college education is a good investment.  Or, you could write a text describing the ideal college experience, considering academics, campus life, etc.

Best,
Kelly

This week we talked about space, covering topics from the latest SpaceX launch, future colonization of Mars, and of course, alien abduction and UFO sightings.

Listening:
Learners can try one of sevel space related listening exerices from British Council Teens: Making a PB&J in Space, or How to Wash Your Hair in Space. 

For original version, try the podcast episode from NYTimes entitled, Space Travel, Privatized.  Or, for something a little more paranormal, Otherworldy.

Reading:
Learners should check out a story from VOA English about NASA's search for people to study isolation.

For original version, choose one of the many articles over at Longreads about Space.

​Writing:
For writing, you have two options this week.  You could write an article about space travel (how humans have made important advances, should we invest in it, what is the future of it), or write a story about UFOs or aliens.

Best,
Kelly

This week we tried practicing a notoriously difficult grammar point: the dreaded third conditional.  As we start shifting back toward our normal lives, it is common to use the third conditional as we reflect upon the last few months: If I had known the coronavirus was going to hit.... I would have...

Listening:
Learners can try a listening comprehension activity about the third conditional called Regrets or another one from British Council. 

For original version, choose one of the videos from the TED Talk Playlist: Talks to Watch When You Want to Let Go of Regret.

Reading:
Learners can try a story that uses the third conditional called Marge's Day From Hell!

For original version, can read an article about Noam Chomsky's viewpoint: Coronavirus Could Have Been Prevented or a recent article from the BBC: Earlier Lockdown Could Have Saved 36,000 Lives.

​Writing:
For writing, please write a composition starting with the sentence, "If I had known."  From there, it's up to you!

Best,
Kelly

 This week we talked about the song contest EUROVISION in all its glory: the camp, the costumes, the divas!  Sadly (for me, at least), Eurovision 2020 has been called off, but we celebrated our own version of the song contest in class this year.

Listening:
Learners can listen to an activity from ELLLO about Eurovision  and hear some differing opinions about the international song contest.

For original version, I recommend listening to Switched on Pop's episode about Eurovision 2020 which was an inspiration for this week's class.

Reading:
Learners can read about the history the contest and its wide reaching appeal.

For original version, check out a longread article about the meaning of Eurovision from the New Yorker. Or try another article, At Last, Scientific Proof That Eurovision Makes You Happier.

Writing:
For writing, write an essay defending your love or hate for this song contest.  Would you make changes to this event or do you like it just the way it is? Do you have a favorite act?

Best,
Kelly

 This week's topic is in honor of our new ability to socialize face to face! We talked about socializing, popularity, friends, and things that we can do TOGETHER (finally!). Happy socializing, everybody! And don't forget to do it safely!!!

Listening:
Learners can try one of several exercises about social life: Antisocial Networking, Is Social Media a Distraction from 6 Minute English,  

For original version, try an interesting article from Hidden Brain called A Social Prescription: Why Human Connection is Crucial to Our Health.

Reading:
Learners can check out an article from the British Council: The Importance of Friendship in Films, New Friends and New Experiences, or Making Friends in a Foreign Country.

For original version, check out an article from Longreads: When Friendship Fades But the Images Linger, The Art of Losing Friends and Alienating People, or Old Dudes on Skateboards.

Writing:
For writing, write an ode to a friend.  Please write a text describing your friend, how you met, what types of things you have bonded over.  Be as detailed and descriptive as you can!

Best,
Kelly

This week, in honor of our new found freedom to get out once a day and do some exercise, we talked about exercise and fitness, along with all the trends, equipment, and classes that go with it!

Listening:
Learners can try an intermediate listening activity about an exercise program, or a listening activity about sports programs. For something a little harder, try join a gym.

For original version, you could try some workout videos in English to kill two birds with one stone: Popsugar Fitness, Blogilates.

Reading:
Learners can try an article about the current wave of fitness trackers.

For original version read A Comprehensive Guide to Your Extremely Evil Fitness Mirror or the curious sport of lumberjacking (my fitness routines for the last months in Trevijano)

Writing:
For writing this week, please write an article about how our relationship with fitness and exercises has changed before, during, and now in Phase 0 of COVID 19.  Have people put on the pounds or have they discovered the joys of youtube workout videos?

Best,
Kelly

They say "laughter is the best medicine" so this week we took to the topic of humor: sense of humor, jokes, cultural differences in humor, embarrassing stories.

Listening:
Learners can check out an episode from the BBC's six minute English called What Makes Us Laugh? or listen to some jokes for English students.

For original version, watch some classic comedy: Don't Mention the War (Faulty Towers) or stream some stand up comedy.  If you have Netflix, I recommend Baby Cobra! 

Reading:
Learners can check out an article from Breaking News English entitled: Men Are Funnier than Women, Says Scientist.

For original version read satirical news site The Onion, or something by David Sedaris.

Writing:
This week, write about something funny!  You could try to write some jokes, or write an essay about a humorous, embarrassing or absurd situation you have been in.

Best,
Kelly