This week we practiced giving advice. If you would like to review some of the vocabulary, structures, and expressions used when politely giving advice, review the information at BBC, Making Recommendations, or Advice Idiom Notes and Exercises.

Listening:
For learners, try the podcast Good Advice (available with transcript), or the Elllo Listening Game Pro Advice.

For original version, I'd like to share a video by Tim Minchin that a student sent me.  It's a graduation speech that he gave in Australia, and I happen to think his advice is spot on!  What do you think?

Reading:
Moving on to reading, learners could try reading the article called Advice for Staying Warm.

If you're looking for something in original version, why not try some of the classic advice columns, like Dear Prudence, Dear Sugar, or Ask a Dude.

​Writing:
For writing this week, you could try writing your own answers to an advice column.  Pick one of the questions from class, from the links listed above, or try answering one of these questions:

• I always lose my keys. What should I do?
• I want to meet new people, where can I find friends?
• How can I make small talk in the elevator with my neighbors?
• How can I learn as much English as fast as possible?

Best,
Kelly

This week we tried using different saying and idiomatic expressions to take our English up a notch!

Listening:
Learners should check out BBC's the Teacher which has many videos explaining idiomatic expressions. Or check out Words and their Stories, where you can find tons of explanations of different expressions.

For original version listening, spend some time over at Idiom Land Youtube Channel, which curates idioms that appear in movies.

Reading:
Learners should try an interactive game from Read Write Think, Common Idioms Illustrated by Bruegel or a BBC column Ask About Idioms.

For original version, try to find some idioms in original version texts.  Or, check out this article about some of the difficulties of translating idiomatic expressions.

​Writing
Now, it's time to put it all into practice!  Look over your notes from class and from your homework, and pick out five or six idioms that tickle your fancy.  Now, try to use them in a paragraph or individual sentences.  Practice is the best way to get the hang of it!

​

February Week Two:
Considering our current global situation, this week we dedicated our time to discussing media, journalism, news, and yes, even... FAKE NEWS!

Listening:
Learners should check out any of the many stories available to listen to over at VOA English, BBC Learning English Lingohack, or BBC News Review.

For original version listening, you can check out any of the big news sites: CNN, NYTimes Video, NPR. For some interesting analysis about journalism and media, I recommend the podcast On The Media.

Reading:
Learners can try many different websites where you can read international news in English: Breaking News English, El Pais in English and News in Levels.

For original version, check out Vox Explains the News, The New Yorker or Time Magazine.

Writing:
This week, choose one of the following prompts to respond to:1. What is the most impactful media event in your lifetime? Some who were alive when Kennedy was assassinated would list that, for example. What affected you in a big way and tell the story of how you received and reacted to that information.
2. Have you ever personally been in the media? Whether it was school-related, work-related, or just random, talk about a time that you were portrayed by the media. How did you and your friends react to this appearance?
3. You are a powerful media executive. Your company gets an exclusive story that will violate the privacy of some innocent-bystander types but it will potentially garner viewers. If you don't report it, someone else will anyway. What do you do and what do any families involved in the story have to say to you afterward?
4. World peace is upon us! In an unforeseen series of events, all war has ended and the crime rate has gone down 99%. What happens to the media after all of this? Does it go under? Does all reporting become positive? Describe a day of media coverage in this alternate world.
5. Talk about one event that you feel was overcooked by the media. Then compare it to an event that may have been undercovered. Write a hypothetical tale in which their amount of coverage is reversed. What happens?

Best,
Kelly
​

This week we talked about different forms of transportation: car, train, bus, plane, hitchiking, ride sharing, etc. etc. etc!

Listening:
Learners can check out some listening exercises from Randall's listening lab. Start with something easy, Train Tickets, move on to something harder, e.g. Car Rental, and for something in the difficult category, try Taxi Ride.

For original version listening, try an excerpt from This American Life about the strange phenomenon of crying on planes, Contrails of my Tears, or an episode from Freakonomics, Where Have all the Hitchhikers Gone?

Reading:
Learners can try an article about Airport information or a piece from Breaking News English about the new body scanners now commonly found in US airports.

For original version, check out some information about the best cities around the world for public transportation or a Truman Capote story of a train ride through Spain.

Writing:
Please write a proposal in which you assess Spain's public transportation system.  Does it work? Which cities stand out?  Offer solutions and possibilities to make it even better.
Best,
Kelly