October Week One

Welcome to the 2017-2018 schoolyear at Meetinghouse!  I'm very much looking forward to working with you students this year.  As in other years, we usually use the first week to get caught up after the summer and then to reassess our goals in  English for the coming year.  It's a great time to revisit some of the resources that I recommend, so here's the master list of how to use online resources to support your English goals.

Listening:
Here are lots of links to places to practice listening both adapted for learners and original version. Find at least one you like and get into the habit of listening to things in English regularly. Remember to incorporate both active and passive listening.

Online listening activities adapted for learners:

• Randall's Listening Lab
• English Listening
• BBC English
• English Central
• British Council Listen and Watch
• Elllo
• English Speak Lessons
• Voice of America Special English
• Vaughan Radio (also available on TDT Radio)
• Connect with English (video series)
• Teacher Joe Dictations
• Learn By Doing Listening

Podcasts for learners:

• ESLPod
• Let's Master English

Learning with music:

• Lyrics Training
• Tune into English Karaoke
• Lyricsgaps

Learning with movies:

• Ororo

Original Version Resources:

• BBC
• NPR
• TED Talks (also available as TED Radio Hour)
• Frontline Documentaries
• StoryCorps
• This American Life
• Radiolab
• Invisibilia
• Favorite Poems Project
• University courses and lectures at Coursera

Reading:
Adapted reading for learners:

• Study Zone (first select level, then reading)
• Time for Kids
• Breaking News English
• VOA
• Academic Reading and Writing Resources

Original version reading:

• New York Times
• Vox (Explains the News)
• The Guardian
• Magatopia
• The Feature (essays)

Original version blogs and websites: Blogs are a fantastic way to explore your interests and study English at the same time.  There are blogs about everything: culture, TV and film, music, cooking, science, the possibilities are endless!  If you need help finding websites about your interest, please let me know!

Writing:
There are lots of ways to keep writing on a regular basis. Start a blog or diary about your daily life. Or follow my weekly writing prompts.

This week for writing I recommend writing a text about your English goals and how you plan to incorporate English in your life this year. Be specific! What problems do you think you may come up against?

As always, send me your writing and I will correct it. Write on paper or on the computer, whichever is more comfortable for you.

Grammar:
There are tons of sites out there to help you review and challange your grammar. Try some of the ones below.

• Grammar Quizzes
• EnglishGrammar
• Learn By Doing (Grammar)
• TalkEnglish
• Survival English Exercise and Games
• Intermediate English Exercise and Games
• Upper Intermediate & Advanced English Exercise and Games

Vocabulary:
I suggest you study vocabulary with the Quizlet sets that I have prepared, so take a look and consider downloading the app onto your phone or tablet, so if you are interested, please register online.  Other resources are:

• 20 Minute ESL Vocabulary Lessons
• Words in the News
• Self-Study Vocabulary Quizzes

Pronunciation:
The best for pronunciation is to listen and repeat a little bit every day. Here are some further resources to help:

• BBC Pronunciation
• Listen and Repeat: Daily Pronunciation Practice
• Learn By Doing (Pronunciation)
• Ship or Sheep
• Perfect Pronunciation
• Pronunciation Course
• English Central Pronunciation
• Speaking English Activities

Apps:
Last but not least there are several apps that can be helpful and are convenient to use with your tablet or smartphone. Check out Learn English Apps (British Council) and Cambridge English Apps.

In class, we took a look at several apps including English Monstruo, British Council Grammar, Phrasal Verb Machine, Ivoox (for podcasts), BBC News, Memrise, ABA English, Duolingo, Johnny Grammar, Great Videos.
Well that should be plenty to keep you busy for at least this school year! Get to work and be in touch about your progress.
Best,
Kelly