There are still places available!
Hey there! Do you happen to know anyone who needs to improve their English?

If so, let them know that there are still places available for this school year!  Groups of 2-4 people meet one hour a week to practice speaking about a great variety of topics, gaining confidence and experience. Check the calendar below to see when there are free places. 

New students are welcome to try one class for free! Thanks for spreading the word.

Today's topic was idioms.  We became familiar with some commonly used idiomatic expressions in English and then tried our hand at putting them into use.

Listening:
Learners can Dogs, Dogs, Dogs, a listening exercise about idioms and phrases using the word 'Dog' or some youtube videos about other common ones. Additionally there are several listening exercises from VOA:
'As American as Apple Pie' , 'You're Giving Me the Creeps!' , and Don't Be Caught With Your Pants Down.

For original version, you're goal is to be on a hunt for idiomatic expressions.  Watch something in original version (on Netflix, Learn English Through Movies, Ororo) and try to hunt out some idiomatic expressions.

Reading:
Learners can try an interactive reading exercise: 12 common Idioms Illustrated by Bruegel
or any of the following:

• Slang and Idioms about Money - There's more than one way to talk about "money"
• Idioms with clothes - A lot of English idioms use clothes to describe different situations
• Idioms with Numbers - A lot of English idioms use numbers to describe different situations
• Idioms that use parts of the body - A lot of English idioms use parts of the body to describe different situations
• Idioms using words for weather - There are many different idioms for describing weather
• Idioms using the word - The word "heart" can be used to describe many different feelings
• Idioms using - Idioms using "as + adjective + as a(n) animal"
• Sweet Idioms - Using a "sweet" idiom to describe feelings
• Colorful Idioms - A lot of English idioms use colors to describe feelings

For original version, I'd like you to read a short story (100 Great Short Stories - American Literature) and find out if you can pinpoint any idiomatic expressions in their context.

Writing:
Now it's time to put this stuff into practice!  Choose five idiomatic expressions.  Write a short text in which you try to use them in context appropriately.  Good luck!
Best,
Kelly

This week's topic was all about adventure and expeditions, both famous ones in history and possible discoveries in the future.

Listening:
Learners can try listening (and readalong) activities about a 19th century arctic expedition, or about a trip to the south pole.

For original version, why not try some videos from the youtube channel Polyphonic or podcasts such as Song Exploder, All Songs Considered, or content over at BBC Music.

Reading:
Learners can try a Breaking News English article about a daredevil adventurer, or a brochure and reading comprehension activity about adventure travel.

For original version, I suggest selecting some articles to read from longform about Adventure, such as these.

Writing:
This week for writing, I'd like you to write a story based on one of the expeditions we discussed in class: to the artic, South Pole, the moon, Mount Everest.  Or maybe you'd like to think about possible future expeditions and write a story about that.

Get to it!
Best,
Kelly

 

Music was our topic this week!  We talked about genres of music, instruments, styles and emotions and did a couple of listening activities to test our ear.

Listening:
Learners can try several different sites that combine music and English for ESL Learners: Linguician, LyricsTraining, and Tune into English  are all worth checking out.

For original version, why not try some videos from the youtube channel Polyphonic or podcasts such as Song Exploder, All Songs Considered, or content over at BBC Music.

Reading:
Learners can read some biographies of famous musicians:

• Aaron Copland - Composer
• Bess Lomax Hawes - Folk Musician (4:00)
• Billie Holiday
• Beverly Sills
• Bo Diddley
• Burl Ives - Actor, Singer Recorded Hundreds of Songs
• Irving Berlin
• The Carter Family
• Celia Cruz - Salsa
• Charlie Parker - Jazz
• Cole Porter- Part 1
• Cole Porter- Part 2
• Duke Ellington- Part 1
• Duke Ellington- Part 2
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Elvis Presley
• George Gershwin - Part 1 - Composer
• George Gershwin - Part 2 - Composer
• Hank Williams - Country
• Isaac Stern - Violinist
• Itzhak Perlman - Violinist
• James Brown - Soul Music
• Janis Joplin
• Jerome Kern - The Father of American Musical Theater
• John Coltrane - Jazz Saxophonist
• John Lewis - Jazz Pianist / MJQ
• Johnny Cash - Country
• Julia Ward Howe - Wrote the "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
• Lena Horne - Singer and Actress
• Leonard Bernstein
• Les Paul - Guitarist
• Louis Armstrong - Jazz
• Maria Callas - Opera Singer
• Marian Anderson - Part 1 - Singer
• Marian Anderson - Part 2
• Michael Jackson
• Nina Simone
• Patsy Cline - Country Singer
• Paul Robeson - Singer And International Political Activist
• Ray Charles - Part 1
• Ray Charles - Part 2
• Richard Rodgers - Composer
• Roger Miller - Singer-Songwriter
• Sam Cooke - Singer-Songwriter
• Scott Joplin - Ragtime Composer
• Shirley Horn - Jazz
• Stephen Foster - Songwriter
• Todd Duncan - Broke a Major Color Barrier for Black Singers of Classical Music
• Woody Guthrie - Part 1 - Singer-Songwriter
• Woody Guthrie - Part 2

For original version, take a look at some of the articles over at longform.org related to music.

Writing:
Go ahead and try your hand at responding to one of the following prompts:

1. What is the most beautiful piece of music you've ever listened to? Talk about how each part of the song made you feel and why it has stuck with you. Also, relate a story in which you share it with someone else and try to prove to them how great it is.

2. Write a story about a character (or draw from personal experience) in which the character creates some amazing. This can be with any instrument (including a vocal one). What kind of song is it and how does the character feel about making it?3. Describe your best concert experience of all time. What was the band, who did you go with, and why has it stuck with you as being so fantastic? Go into extreme detail and feel free to make use of band lyrics.
4. Most people have a genre of music that just does not appeal to them. What is yours and why? Create a dialogue between two characters: one who loves that genre and one (like you) who hates it.
5. You have the esteemed pleasure of watching your son, daughter, niece, or nephew at his or her very first band concert. Talk about how it went, how cute it was seeing little kids do music, and how off-key they were :).

Best,
Kelly