A brilliant resource by Macmillan explaining the game of charades, the rules and what the hand signals mean. Learn about Shakespeare Plays by trying to guess what the actor is miming in the 3 short videos. Once you get the idea you could play the game with friends/colleagues either sticking to the topic of Shakespeare's work or trying another author perhaps Charles Dickens.
I heard many people in England call Michael Jackson 'a freak' when he was alive. Do you think this was a compliment or an insult? Watch this video and become familiar with the uses and meaning of this slang word. Thinking about Michael Jackson, a great many respects have been paid to him and his music since his death. With the benefit of hindsight (this means looking back in time with the benefit of what is known today), I wonder what those people would call him now? A 'freak' or a 'legend'?
Another video with James from engVid similar in format to the last video posted 'blow'.
James explains the origins of the word 'suck' and it's social history. The word emerged in the 1920's/1930's in Jazz Clubs in America. Jazz instruments need the player to blow into them. If you have a good blow you tend to be a good player. However if you suck the air in instead of blowing it out it doesn't work and the instrument sounds flat and awful. And so people who are not good at doing things got the nickname 'sucker'. What do you think? True or false.
The presenter maps out and explains the different uses of the verb 'blow' in a spider diagram: a useful technique when exploring a word that has different uses and meanings.
This week the British Council's podcast introduced 'informal language phrases'. For example - 'What do you fancy?' instead of 'What would you like?' which is more formal. Here is another resource that focuses on slang or informal language. There is a quiz at the bottom of the resource to do after you have watched the video. Just click on it and you can test yourself on what you have learnt.
Some very good, practical advice is incorporated in this video from EngVid. Reading newspapers online, listening to news reports, buying and reading an English magazine or newspaper are very good ways of expanding your vocabulary. If possible do these activities daily. When you do this develop your comprehension skills by asking yourself the following questions:-
What do you think they use old trams for in Mexico City?
A BBC short video that firstly introduces 5 new words, the presenter then makes the video report explaining what the Mexicans use old trams for. The 5 words are subtitled as they are used. The video is then replayed with a full transcript which you can read. Finally you have the opportunity to use the 5 words learnt in a new context as a gapfill exercise. Keep a note of the new vocabulary that you learn in your vocabulary book.
Grammatical exercise suitable for an Intermediate level of TEFL student. This exercise looks purely at the verb and prepositional phrase 'it depends on'. Match the jumbled up questions and answers.
This resource will give you further information if you need it in using a modal + have + past participle. The last exercise in Literature is Great Part 1 used this formation. This article explains the grammar and theory behind it!
Part 2 of the British Council's 'Literature is Great' resource looks at 'Modern Day British Literature'. Modern children's/teenagers books from the UK tend to be mainly in the fantasy genre.
Richard, the presenter introduces you to modern day British writers: George Orwell, C.S. Lewis, J R R Tolkien, J R Rowling, Philip Pullman, Anthony Horowitz and Cressida Cowell.
Which book title and writer do you associate with these images?
The Learn English video exercises involve summarising the main message, answering comprehension questions and completing gap fills. Additionally, it is worth noting that all the above images come from films. Some children in the UK have only seen the films and have not read the books. This varies from child to child and depends on their reading ability. Is this the same in your country? Films make the story more accessible for children who have difficulty with reading. On the other hand, some children could read the books but choose not to because the film is just much easier for them to watch. This addresses the issue in the podcast this week about reading the book or watching the film. What do you think? If you wish to express an opinion I welcome you to do so in the comments box below.
