Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

I wish you all the best in your next steps where ever they may take you.  Please keep in touch to let me know how you're doing, and if there's ever anything I can do for you, please get in touch.  

Please start with this fun riddle.  See if you solve the riddle before you watch the solution. ;)

Can you solve the bridge riddle?

Here are some links to help you keep up your English skills. Remember if you don't use it, you lose it! ;)

Listening:

http://tigger.uic.edu/~onufrock/lecture_main.html

http://www.teachitelt.com/academic?T=1654

http://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree

http://ed.ted.com/on/gTGfE82A#review

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/index.shtml

http://breakingnewsenglish.com/

Speaking:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/tae_betterspeaking_archive.shtml

http://m.busyteacher.org/18521-10-esl-speaking-mistakes-students-make.html

Grammar:

http://blog.ed.ted.com/2014/05/29/be-a-better-writer-in-15-minutes-4-ted-ed-lessons-on-grammar-and-word-choice/

http://www.englishpage.com/

http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/verb-machine

http://blog.britishcouncil.org/tag/blog-awards/

http://efllecturer.blogspot.com.es/2014/06/gerund-or-infinitive.html?m=1

http://talk2meenglish.blogspot.co.il/2014/05/the-present-simple-1-back-to-basics.html?m=1

http://www.engames.eu/nouns-prepositions/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/678/01/

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/grammar.htm

Pronunciation:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/quiz/quiz1/

http://evaeaston.com/

http://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/english/english.html (consonants)

http://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/english/english.html (vowels)

Test Preparation:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1143_exams/

http://www.ieltspractice.com/

http://ielts-simon.com/

http://www.dcielts.com/

http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/free-practice-tests

https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare/test_questions

http://www.examenglish.com/TOEFL/toefl_listening.htm

Vocabulary:

http://www.lextutor.ca/

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/wordlist/english/academic/

http://www.englishvocabularyexercises.com/AWL/

Mohawk College Writing Centre:

http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/studentservices/writing-centre/esl-resources.html

http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/studentservices/writing-centre/helpful-fact-sheets.html

Online Language Tests:

http://clb-osa.ca/home  (The online CLB self-assessment tests listening & reading and gives you a benchmark range.)

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/researchenterprise/dialang/about (The DIALANG Test tests reading, writing, listening, grammar, & vocab and provides a score using the CEFR [European CLBs; CLB: 8 = approx. CEFR:C1.1/TOEFL: 85/IELTS 6.5)



All the best,
Kim

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

I know it doesn't really feel like Spring yet, but it's officially here.  Hooray!  This afternoon, you'll be working on a couple of activities.  First, I'd like you to begin with some sentence stress exercise.  I'll give you the handout and the links for the audio files are here:

Pronunciation: Sentence Rhythm, pp. 221-222

Example #1

Example #2

Example #3

Activity A

Activity B

Click here to check your answers for Activity B.

Answer Key
On Monday, we talked a little about different kinds of Englishes and how you may hear a variety of different registers when you're listening or interacting with others.  Here's a fun dialogue that shows you difference between careful and relaxed pronunciation.  The subject of the dialogue may be a familiar one for you. ;)  I hope you like it.

Click on the links to listen to the audio files and complete the dialogue between Herman and Zelda.

Unit 24, Part 1: Conversation (p. 78)

Unit 24, Part 1: Comprehension (p. 79)

Unit 24, Part 1: Practice (p. 79)

Unit 24, Part 2: Expansion (pp.79-80)



For those of you celebrating this weekend, Happy Easter! 


Enjoy!

March Break

Just in case you need something to do over the March Break, here's a short story you might enjoy by Amy Tan.  Amy Tan's first language is not English, but she's had quite a successful career using English.  Google her to find out more about her.  


"Mother Tongue"

Have a lovely and relaxing March Break!

Wednesday, March 9th, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

This afternoon, our schedule will be a little different.  I need to leave early to attend a training workshop, so I'll be leaving at 1:55.  Chet will be in the lab until 2:30 as usual, so you can stay if you need more time to complete this afternoon's activities.  

At the end of this unit, we complete debates.  In order to prepare for this, I'd like you complete a few activities this afternoon.  

First, I'd like you to read the handout I've given you (p. 203), and then, complete Exercises A, B, and C on p. 204.  

Here's a a link to the audio files that you will need.

Exercise A

Exercise C

Next, I'd like you to read each of the follow opinions about saving energy.  Then, choose two of the ideas and record yourself speaking for 1-2 minutes supporting the ideas or arguing against them. You can use either Clarity Recorder or Vocaroo to record yourself.  Then, email your recordings to me.  

Here are the opinions:

1. Somebody has to rethink the idea of processing alternative fuels.  The price of corn is going up because it's being used for fuel instead of food.  Factories are processing garbage and turning it into gas. How can these activities be good for us?

2. My proposal is to limit the use of paper or plastic bags by charging ten cents for each one a shopper needs.  A lot of energy is wasted in manufacturing plastic bags. People are too lazy to bring their own bags to the store, and maybe this will force them to be more energy conscious. 

3. I don't think I'll ever buy an electric car.  The savings in gas won't cover the extra cost of the car for a long time.  Besides, they are really small for me, and I wouldn't want to run the risk of being out in the middle of nowhere when battery dies!

4. If we provided a new bicycle to every home in our tow, I truly believe that we could cut down on the number of cars on our streets by 50 % and keep our air cleaner at the same time.  Imagine how much quieter our town would be if everyone used bikes to make short trips to the library or post office. 

Enjoy!

p.s.

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

This afternoon, I'd like you practice your paraphrasing skills.  Last week, you learned about paraphrasing in speaking with Erica when I was sick.  You practiced paraphrasing quotations and statements from the text.  Today, I'd like you to paraphrase what you hear.  

I'd like you to listen to a podcast from the BBC 6 Minute English website.  You can choose any topic that you like. You can listen as many times as you like and/or need, but I' like to hear you paraphrase what you've heard in your own words. 

BBC 6 Minute English

After you've listened to your podcast, please record your oral paraphrase using one of the recording tools on your computer.  Then, email your recording to me.  

Here's a website where you can find some more practice for sentence level stress.  

http://ce.etweb.fju.edu.tw/self_learning/study/advanced_pronunciation/advanced_pronunciation_u5.htm

Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

Hope you're not feeling too stressed! ;)  This afternoon, you will be doing a few different things. First, I would like you to write short summaries (one paragraph) for each of the two lectures from this morning using only your notes.  I'm looking for the main ideas and the most important details only.  Don't forget to paraphrase what you've heard into your own words. Use MS Word or a similar program to type your response. 

Second, I'd like you to record a short response to information that you've heard this morning about stress using your notes.  I would like you evaluate the value of the information and the validity of the suggestions and recommendations that you heard for managing stress. Do you agree with everything you've heard? Again, please remember to paraphrase into your own words.  You can use Clarity Recorder or Vocaroo to do this, and then email it to me along with your summaries. 

Here's the rubric that I'll be using to evaluation your work.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0q-rmJSLKcEWFNBblRTRUtGbUU/view?usp=sharing

Finally, if you have any extra time, please listen to the jokes that have been recorded on the Voicethread and give your classmates constructive feedback about the delivery of her joke. 

Enjoy!














p.s. This might have been what you were hoping for today too. Sorry ! :(

Wednesday, February 16th, 2016

Good afternoon CLB 7/8,

This afternoon, we're going to do some work on the Voicethread and with the second AVL list. The number #1 thing to complete before you leave today is to record your commercial. It's now or never today.  Instead of doing a group recording as I had previously said, I would like you to complete an individual recording.  Each member of your group can use the same script. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQAe1WRCXH0)

Please complete your individual recording and email it to me.  Don't forget to complete the self-assessment portion of the rubric (please include all of the names of your group members) and give it to me before you leave today.  

Next, I'd like you to go to the Voicethread.  Thanks to those of you who have already added comments for the intonation exercises from last week.  I have uploaded Mina's and Katya's recordings of the paragraph.  Please listen to see what I liked about their recordings.  Thanks Mina and Katya for sharing with us! :)  You can try recording yourself again on this slide and compare it to your previous recording. 

I'd like you to do a little more practice with sentence level stress and have a little fun while you do it. I'll give each of you a list of jokes.  You will find all of the instructions on Slide 8 of the Voicethread.

CLB 7/8 Voicethread

Finally, here are some practice exercises for AVL #2.  Click on the link below, and then, you will need to create an account.  Sorry to make you create another account, but this will keep all of our work private.  You will be able to see what you're classmates are doing. 

AVL #2 Practice


Enjoy!