Shopping and Gift Giving
The shops are bustling, it's that time of year -- time to shop and give gifts! Maybe you love shopping for something special for your loved ones, or maybe you hate shopping, but in any case it's a good excuse to practice your English, so get to it.

Listening
Start with something easy for learners, like this exercise about Shopping and Prices.  Then you can move onto this story about Corporate Gift-Giving or The Christmas Gift.  For original version, listen to this podcast about Why Economists Hate Gifts or the Most Wasteful Time of Year.

Reading
Learners should try to see if they can complete this exercise Shopping Dialogue or read about returning an item.  Or read an article about a really expensive birthday present. For original version, I must recommend the classic story by O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi.

Writing
This week to practice writing, please tell about a gift that you would love to receive this year for Christmas and why!  Or you could respond to this prompt: Often giving is much more exciting than receiving, write about such a time.


Best,
Kelly

"Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They’re never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.” - Lenore Hershey

Childhood
Maybe it's because Christmas is just a few short weeks away, but this week we discussed childhood in class.  We talked about our own childhoods, memories, parenting, and the differences between childhood today.

Listening
Learners could try something easy, like A Fun Day, or listening to people Talking About Their Childhood or for something more difficult try the exercise Raising Successful Children.  But if you want something in original version you may enjoy the TED Talk about What Adults Can Learn From Children, which like all TED Talks is available with subtitles and interactive transcript.

Reading
For learners who want to practice reading, check out Unconditional Love or this article about a child genius.  If you want to read something in original version, you could read this interesting article about the importance of play or this great webcomic about falling asleep in the car as a kid: Our Toyota Was Fantastic.

Writing
For writing this week, please respond to this prompt: What action makes you the most nostalgic for your childhood? Is it seeing old pictures or going through old clothes? Something else entirely. Write a story of you going through those nostalgic actions and having various memories of your childhood.


Best,
Kelly

.."Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them."  -- Dr. Seuss