This week's topic was communication, specifically the way we correspond with folks via whatsapp, email, and snail mail!  This was an excuse to practice the grammar point of Reported Speech (check the grammar and your comprehension here).

Listening:
Learners can check out a listening comprehension activity from Randall's Listening Lab: Mail Service or Texting and Driving.

For original version listening, listen to the episode of This American Life called My Pen Pal (audio and transcript available). You can also check out the Youtube Channel of the Post Museum.

Reading:
Learners can read some examples of informal and formal emails which are great preparation for some writing practice.  For a more conventional reading comprehension activity, try the activity about Foreign Exchange Emails.

For original version, check out some articles form the Post Museum, such as Victorian's Secret Ways of Keeping in Touch. Or read the article from the Indpendent: Greatest Letters Ever Written.

Writing:
This week, you have two different options!  You can try writing a letter or email in English. You choose it!  To a potential employer, to a friend, to a crush, it's up to you!

Or, practice reported speech by relaying what happened in a communication exchange.

Best,
Kelly

This week we practiced giving advice, further putting into practice grammar structures such as ought to, she had better, I suggest + ing, etc.

Listening:
Learners try an article from the British Council about getting advice. Do the listening comprehension activities, too!

For original version listening, try an episode from the advice column Dear Prudence from Slate. Recent episodes involve a listener getting too close to a work husband, a fiancee wanting three dogs (a pet the listener finds needy and expensive), and an acquaintance sending an inappropriate photo to a listener's teenage daughter.

Reading:
Learners can read a short article giving advice about learning English. For some more in depth topics, check out How to be a good language learner, How to be a better listener
How to be a better speaker, How to give a good speech.

For original version, read an article from Bored Panda about people who share online some of the worst advice they've ever gotten.

Writing:
This week, write an email to response to our advice seekers!  Listen again to one of these audios from my friends Jill, Dawn and Libby, and write them a thoughtful response.

Best,
Kelly

This week we got back to in person learning! It was great to see your faces again.  Once again, I would like to thank you for your flexibility during this period of restrictions!  As we are back to the classroom, we are back to frequent ventilation, so make sure you bundle up.

Our topic this week was relationships -- family, work, friendships, romantic relationships.

Listening:
Learners have several different listening comprehension activities available to them, such as the easy exercise Family Relationships.  Something a little more difficult could be Healthy and Happy Relationships or Love is in the Air (Intermediate).

For original version listening, try an episode from the podcast Death Sex and Money such as Your One Night Stand Stories or Stuck Apart, And Falling In Love.

Reading:
Learners can read one of several articles about relationships from British Council, such as Long Distance Love or Communication: A Thing of the Past?

For original version, check out the archive of the relationship advice column Dear Sugar.

Writing:
This week, please write a report about how the COVID 19 pandemic has taken a toll on a variety of types of relationships: dating, friendship, and familiy bonds.

Best,
Kelly

This week we used the Experiments section of the fantastic website Google Arts and Culture.  We spent a fair amount of time with the activity Which Came First? to talk about dates, history, and cultural relevance of different inventions, artworks and celebrities.

Listening:
Learners can try any one of a series of listening activities form the British Council Word on the Street, Art Scene. There are several episodes available with transcript and activities.  Or for something different you can try the listening activity, History of Architecture.

For original version listening, try some of the videos available on Google Arts & Culture Youtube Channel.  There is tons to explore here!

Reading:
Learners can read an article from Breaking News English about which came first, the chicken or the egg.  Or, in line with our cultural commentary, how about a reading exercise about architecture, New skin for Buildings.

For original version, choose from the massive variety of content available at Google Arts & Culture, such as Gianfranco Ferré A Neverending Journey, or about Vivienne Westwood, Politics and Fashion, or maybe Appearances Can Be Deceiving which explores Frida Kahlo's wardrobe.

Writing:
This week, please choose ONE piece of content from Google Arts and Culture.  It could be a painting, an exhibit, an artifact, whatever you want.  There are tons of options! Then write an article about the importance of this cultural artifact.

Best,
Kelly

Don't forget about this week's extra activities: an online fermentation workshop on Friday February 12th at 19:00 which is open to the general public and Saturday February 13th film club discussing the movie Moonlight.  Email me to sign up for events!

Now, on to the homework.  As an antidote to last week's news class, we used David Byrne's website Reasons to be Cheerful as a conversation starter.

Listening:
Learners can try listening to some positive news stories from VOA learning English such as Science Develops Way to Grow Wood in a Lab, or Gazans Turn Old Cars into a Profit.  There are also options from the BBC such as Greenest summer ever for UK.

For original version listening, try listening to a talk David Byrne gave about Reasons to be Cheerful at the New School.

Reading:
Learners can try reading a positive news story from Breaking News English such as Fans get inside space bubbles for rock concert or Free dumplings for motorists stranded in snow.

For original version, try any of the NUMEROUS fascinating articles from the Reasons to Be Cheerful Website, such as: Vancouver Gave Homeless People $5,800. It Changed Their Lives. or The World Is Changing — So Can We.  Another option is It’s a New Day for LGBT Health.

Writing:
This week, please write your OWN newspaper article about some piece of positive news, something that we should be cheerful about. Remember to try to use the formal style used in journalistic reporting.

Best,
Kelly

We are continuing online this week and have added more activities to our calendar!  In addition to our yoga class this Sunday February 7th at 18, I am offering an online fermentation workshop on Friday February 12th at 19:00 which is open to the general public.  Email me to sign up for events!

Now, on to the homework.  This week we talked about news, newspapers, and headlines as the basis of our conversation.

Listening:
Learners can try listening to some news adapted for English learners, such as VOA News which is updated regularly or BBC Learning English News Review.

For original version listening, try some content from National Public Radio, the BBC, or The Guardian.

Reading:
Learners can try reading news online using Breaking News English which as numerous articles available to read and listen to at a variety of levels.

For original version, try online news outlets titans such as BBC, New York Times .For Spanish news, El País has an English edition.

Writing:
This week, please choose one section of the newspaper (front page, police blotter, obituaries) and write an article for that section. Be careful crafting the headline, as we saw in class that many times they omit some verbs, articles, etcetera.

Best,
Kelly