English Spelling – When to Double Consonants (“swimming” “stopped” etc.) · engVid

English Spelling – When to Double Consonants (“swimming” “stopped” etc.) · engVid

This is probably an Intermediate/Higher Intermediate level of resource.  Basically, consonants are doubled in some spellings of English words.  When this happens on of the consonants in the double is said to be 'silent' as we don't say the sound twice.

The rules of when consonants are doubled are covered in this video.

The consonant is doubled with comparatives (er endings), superlatives (est endings), with the past tense of verbs (ed endings)and the continuous forms (ing endings).

The rule of doubling the consonant when words end in a consonant, vowel and a consonant is also covered (the CVC rule).  For example - STOP - STOPPED.

Stress is in two syllable words is also noted, the consonant being doubled when the stress lies on the second syllable of a word.

Altogether, an extremely comprehensive resource.

Words With Silent Letters--Impediments to Spelling--Academic Support

Words With Silent Letters--Impediments to Spelling--Academic Support

Full and comprehensive information on spellings with silent letters. The words are assembled into a table and are sorted according to the position of the silent vowel within them. In some vowel digraphs have one silent vowel, some have a silent consonant sound in them and some have silent whole digraphs within them. There is also a list of words that have silent letters but when the form of the word is changed those letters then develop a sound.

Spelling & Pronunciation – Words with Silent Letters · engVid

Spelling & Pronunciation – Words with Silent Letters · engVid

This video very clearly explains silent letters and how to pronounce them.  It starts with words that begin with a silent 'k', 'p' and 'w' and moves on to look at silent letters in the middle of words 'l', 's', 'b' and 't'. An excellent video with oral cues that are reinforced on the whiteboard behind the presenter. Suitable for Intermediate learners and above.

Prepositions – Arrive AT, ON, or IN? · engVid

Prepositions – Arrive AT, ON, or IN? · engVid

This lesson is excellent.  It is clearly presented using a white board.  You can see the written structure of sentences on the board behind the presenter.  The presenter's explanations are very clear, precise and audible.  This lesson looks at the prepositions at, on or in.

Learning English - Quiznet - Weather quiz

Learning English - Quiznet - Weather quiz

As we move towards Autumn the weather is changing again.  In the United Kingdom the weather changes a lot, we have 4 distinct seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. This resource is an online weather quiz where you drag the adjective words and paste them on the correct picture.  A good quiz as the words are varied but still everyday ones.  They are a little beyond the basics probably suitable for Pre-Intermediate students.

Speaking Practice

Preparation for Speaking Examinations

Earlier in the week I posted up a board game with topics to practise speaking skills.  Here is another worksheet from the BBC World Service to help you practise further. Get yourself used to speaking for a minute with these topics without stopping or repeating yourself.

BBC Learning English | Pronunciation Tips

BBC Learning English | Pronunciation Tips

Programme 2 gives you practise on connected speech.  In English sometimes words join together.  For example - did you, could you on the Elementary Podcast this week.  If a word ends with a 't' or a 'd', the sound may completely disappear from pronunciation.  This is called elision.  This audio programme covers this as well as a linking 'r' sound and other aspects of connected speech.  It is important to learn about connected speech so that when you speak English it sounds as natural as possible allowing you to be understood.

Here is a video from you tube which helps to illustrate the elision (disappearing sounds) and liaison (joining together of sounds)-

Wild Animal Trivia

Wild Animal Trivia

Learn some interesting and unusual facts whilst doing a reading and listening comprehension.  The resource is from the British Council Learn English website and has a gapfill activity to assess your understanding of the material you have studied.

Animal Conservation

Animal Conservation

British Council reading text on animal conservation with a gapfill exercise (insert the word that best makes sense) to assess your understanding of what you have read.  There is also an exercise on finding opposites.

Endangered Animals Powerpoint Presentation

Endangered Animals Powerpoint Presentation

A very good presentation to get you familiar with animals that are endangered and why.  The geographical vocabulary of habitats and other scientific terminology is developed well. Research other endangered speicies by all means and if you like use the template on the TEFLGlobal ResourcesCommunicativePage to present your work. 

Please note - some of the questions at the end don't really make a lot of sense so don't worry about them!

Describing Animals

Describing Animals

More detail is provided in the vocabulary of this Powerpoint Presentation.  It labels body parts and will allow you to give more informed descriptions of wild animals.

For example:- a giraffe has an extremely long neck and four long legs.  It is therefore very tall approximately the same height of a tree. It has two horns and eyes that are positioned wide apart.

What Are The Wild Animals Doing?

What Are The Wild Animals Doing?

A Powerpoint Presentation on Safari in South Africa, Tanzania or Kenya.  The resource includes sentences in the Present Continuous Tense and at the end useful vocabulary is formed using phonetic symbols to help with pronunciation.

Unusual Big Cat Fights

From the Big Cat Reserve, 

Kruger National Park, South Africa

5 short and unusual clips of lion battles in the Big Cat Reserve of the Kruger National Park.  Watch the videos they are interesting in themselves. If you like write a simple report (a few sentences) about each one or describe the scene to a friend or colleague in English.

You can then go onto do some of your own research on the internet. There is a template to use if you would like to assemble your findings in a fact sheet.

Go to TEFL Global Resources Communication Activities

ESL Quiz - Opposites (Noreen Artar) I-TESL-J

ESL Quiz - Opposites (Noreen Artar) I-TESL-J

An Intermediate Vocabulary Quiz on Opposites

ENGLISH PAGE - Look + Prepositions

ENGLISH PAGE - Look + Prepositions

An excellent exercise to follow directly on from the podcast.  Simply insert the preposition that makes the sentence make sense in this gapfill activity.

Verbs & Prepositions

Verbs & Prepositions

A simple exercise using prepositions such as on, of, with etc. Suitable for Pre-Intermediate students. Insert the correct preposition in the sentence.

phrasal verbs

phrasal verbs

The information in the article explain two part verbs.  They consist of a verb and a preposition or particle.  In the elementary podcast this week different prepositions were used with the verb 'look'.

For example:-
look at - keeps the meaning of look as the same
look for - changes the meaning of look to 'find' or 'search'
look after - changes the meaning to 'care'

There is an exercise to do to test your knowledge of the phrasal verbs once you have read through the information in the article.

A Video Report on a School for Deaf Students in Jordan

The Holyland Institute for the Deaf 

by Brother Andrew de Carpetier

http://explore.org/#!/videos/player/talking-hands

Consider the quote:

“Blindness separates you from things, deafness separates you from people”

Watch the video at:

http://explore.org/videos/player/talking-hands#ooid=M0eGtwMjodmIgS8m7aNbO8ISkj5ffUuR

Practise listening, reading, speaking and writing skills at:- 
TEFL Global Resources Communicative Page 

I would suggest this TEFL Global Resource is suitable for Upper Intermediate/Advanced TEFL students. 

Parts of Clothing

Parts of Clothing

More clothing vocabulary from http://www.eslgold.com/vocabulary/parts_clothing.html 
with parts of clothes explained.  

For example - the collar of a shirt, the sleeve of a shirt

Clothing and Accessories

Clothing and Accessories

Some basic beginners/elementary clothing vocabulary to learn from 
http://www.eslgold.com/vocabulary/clothing_accessories.html

Music is Great - Part 2

Music is Great - Part 2

A trip to the Royal Albert Hall.  Most musical artists have performed here whether they are classical or popular artists.  This episode provides you with information on the famous venue in London also. A magnificent building!

Music is Great - Part 1

Music is Great - Part 1

From Learn English - the British Council website.  A video filming a visit to 'The Premises' a recording studio in London with tasks and activities to complete after viewing.

30 Seconds Talk

30 Seconds Talk

This is a board game valuable if you are starting to prepare for TEFL examinations.  It is particularly appropriate for speaking practice.  There are a number of topics that you can land on.  Simply, throw a die and depending on where you land talk about  the given topic for 30 seconds.

Musical Instruments. Rod Stewart - Mandolin wind (live).avi

What instrument is Ronnie Wood playing?  And Rod Stewart?
The clue is in the title of the song.

Musical Instruments - Blow that Vuvuzela

Of course from the British Council Elementary Podcast this week comes the Vuvuzela!

Musical Instruments. The Electric Guitar. Mark Knopfler - Brothers in arms - Lyrics

Here is a true expert on the electric guitar!

Musical Instruments - Piano Man with Lyrics

Billy Joel's  favourite instrument is the piano!

How to ask someone where they got that

How to ask someone where they got thatt

Relating to the topic of shopping, here is some functional language to practise asking where someone purchased an item.

Clothes Matching Game

Clothes Matching Game

Get familiar with basic clothes vocabulary with these exercises.

Creative Industries

Creative Industries

This week the elementary podcast's presenters,Tess and Ravi, interviewed Martin from Glasgow.  He talked about Glasgow being the biggest (but not the capital) city in Scotland.  There are many shops there. Martin is an industrial design student and talked about the IMac and IPod and their designer Jonathan Ive.  Here is another resource that will stretch Intermediate Students further with their learning.  It is a work related resource and discusses the creative industries in the UK - photography, film, fashion etc.

British Council - Elementary Podcast 3

TEFL Vocabulary, Grammar and Communicative Skills for Beginners.

If you are a beginner (A2 CEFR level) these British Council Podcasts are excellent for getting you started.  As the week progresses I will post up other related work which will be appropriate for different levels of student ability.  If you are an Intermediate level of student you may want to use this resource to revise and then extend your knowledge.  Advanced students may just want to dip into the additional and other resources added during the week.

Go to: 
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/elementary-podcasts/series-01-episode-03

Find the audio link (MP3) right click and save it so you can listen to it whenever is convenient for you. The podcast comes with a support pack and transcript which is 22 pages long.  Use this link:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/sites/podcasts/files/learnenglish-podcasts-elementary-01-03-support-pack-transcript.pdf

Download and do the exercises.

Main Contents of Podcast This Week

• Is that a new shirt that you are wearing?
• What famous person would you like to meet and why? Jonathon Ive
• Vocabulary quiz - colours
• South Africa - football matches and the Vuvuzuela
• Expressing an opinion - Why don't more people watch women's football?
• Dialogue of Carolina from Venezuela at lost luggage and in the underground.
• Telling/retelling a joke

Here is a summary of the main language points of the podcast. Try to get more practise with these language points during the week if you can:

1. use of 'could you' to make a request in a more polite way
2. pronunciation - silent letters and linking of sounds
3. friendly gestures from older people - 'love' and 'dear'
4. phrasal verbs - to look at, to look for, to look after, to look forward to
5. use of 'the' with the names of musical instruments

I will follow up with work that is related through the week.  This work will be graded for different levels of student ability.

Don’t Let Perfectionism Silence You!

Don’t Let Perfectionism Silence You!

Very, very good advice for students who worry about perfect pronunciation!

60 Second Word Challenge

60 Second Word Challenge

A great way of expanding your vocabulary whilst on your way to work or college.

can or could

can or could

In the podcast last week the verb 'can' was used in two ways.  

• as a way to express an ability.  For example - I can ride a bicycle.  

and

• to make a request.  For example - can you tell me...?

In this exercise the uses of the verb 'can' are extended.  Read the grammar article and then try the exercise.

Evita

Music Tracks and Lyrics from the film 'Evita'

The story of Eva and Juan Domingo Peron is a huge part of Argentinian history. Here is some footage from You Tube to give you an idea:-

Evita - La Mas Grande

Her life was a huge success story later made into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and then a film starring Madonna.  

Go to TEFL Global Resources - Communicative Page to find some music tracks with lyrics from the film where Eva is played by Madonna, Juan Peron by Jonathan Pryce and Che by Antonio Banderas.  The music is fantastic - I believe a fitting tribute to a marvellous woman.

Buenos Aires

Famous Argentinian People, Places and Events

A TEFL Global Resource which allows you to find out about famous Argentinian people. 

Study events and places in Buenos Aires from videos, slideshows, photographs and web pages. Present what you have learnt in a short descriptive piece of writing.

Finally, test your knowledge in a quiz to see how much you have learnt.

TEFL Global Resources - Communicative Page

Some or any? | LearnEnglish | British Council

Some or any? | LearnEnglish | British Council

An explanation of when to use the words 'some' and 'any' with a dialogue to complete.

Further Work
'Some' and 'any' can also be used in larger, compound words.  Make a list of compound words that have 'some' or 'any' in them.  For example - something, somewhere, someone

Complaining

Complaining

Vocabulary work and a reading task are both part of this task.  It is in a business setting so it will be useful if you are learning English for work purposes.

Rustic Civility | Collins, William (RA) | V&A Search the Collections

Rustic Civility | Collins, William (RA) | V&A Search the Collections
Click on the link above and take a look at this English Victorian Painting

'Rustic Civility' by William Collins

Look up the two words in the title of the painting at: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/civility?q=civility

Then look at the picture carefully and try to answer the following questions:-

• What have the children been doing?
• What is the oldest boy doing?
• Who are they looking at? (The painting gives a clue to this)
• What do you think they might be feeling and thinking?
• Do you think the children are rich or poor? How can you tell?
• What does the title mean?
• What do you think the rider's view of the children might be?
• Would the people who owned or looked at the painting in Victorian times be of the same social class as the rider and view the children similarly?
• Do you view the children in a similar way?
• What is the message of this picture?

Questions taken from:-

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/a-teachers-resource-victorian-social-life-from-paintings/

Global Renaissance Woman – Maya Angelou

“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song”.  
Maya Angelou

And a few words on love:

A truly inspiring woman who has done an amazing number of things in her life. One of which is writing poems. She read one at President Clinton's Inauguration in 1993. Find out about her and her life at http://mayaangelou.com/  An amazing woman.

I have also posted links to her poems with embedded videos of her reciting her poems on the TEFLCommunicative Resources Page.   

Sandra Bullock in 'The Blind Side' 2010

This film starred Sandra Bullock and was released in 2010. It is the story of a young American Football Hero Michael Oher who is fostered when a young boy.  As he grows up he is looked after by a caring woman and her family.


A very good activity sheet to do after you have watched the film can be found here:-

http://busyteacher.org/3269-movie-worksheet-the-blind-side-activities-keys.html

ESL Videos » 60 Minimal Pairs in 4 Minutes (Listen and Repeat)

ESL Videos » 60 Minimal Pairs in 4 Minutes (Listen and Repeat)

Pronunciations is an important issue if you are going to be understood when you speak English. It is also important to tune your ear so that you hear sounds accurately and can then copy them well.

The minimal pair videos above focus on pronouncing words that sound very similar.  For example- ferry and very. There are many others pairs of words that sound similar in English. It may not be the first sound that is similar, it can be any sound within a word.  The videos simply give you a model to base your pronunciation on so all you have to do is tune in your ear or listen carefully and try to copy the sound yourself or repeat.

Forming the plural with es

Forming the plural with es

Useful web page to check out your spelling of nouns when they become plural.  This pages focuses on nouns that have 'es' added to the end for example fishes, watches etc.  Also, there are links to other nouns that end in f, fe, ff,  i, o, and y. Click the links and find out how the noun plurals are spelt. Irregular nouns are also noted.

Buenos Aires - La Boca and the Argentinian Tango

I have developed and am in the process of  publishing  TEFL Global Resources based on 'La Boca' neighbourhood, Buenos Aires.  

Today, here is some basic information about the region, the origins of the Argentinian Tango and the Festival of Tango currently occurring.  There are reading, writing, speaking and listening activities to do; you can also learn the dance with a friend and there is also some information about choosing a piece of music suitable for the dance.

Enjoy!

TEFL Global Resources Communication Activities

Question tags

Question tags

This exercise is based on statements which are finished with a question tag at the end.

Revise your knowledge of what you should do with various verbs by clicking on the grammar support button in the right hand side column.

Question forms & subject/object questions

Question forms & subject/object questions

Practise using the correct question word when forming your own questions?

Who? Where? What? When? Why?

Common and Proper Nouns

Last week we studied 'countable and uncountable nouns' and 'singular and plural nouns'. Today we are focusing on the difference between 'proper and common nouns'.   Basically, common nouns are everyday objects and not the names of people, places etc.

I have posted up a couple of extra links to help you learn the difference between proper and common nouns in more detail. If I find anymore, I will add them to the list. 

TEFL Global Resources Grammar Page

Challenging Perceptions on Disability

Life Rolls On 

Event at Venice Beach in 2011

I have come acrross some very good video resources from a website called www.explore.org.  With the soon to start ParaOlympic Games in London I thought they were rather topical.  They will cover a variety of different issues and are referred to on the website as 'The Differently Abled Series'.

The first resource relates to young people with spinal injuries and an organisation called 'Life Rolls On'. 
                           
A PDF document with resource links to download is on the TEFL Global Resources Communication Page. 

I truly believe this organisation is really challenging people's perceptions of 'disability' and that is excellent news.

Camden Fashion

Camden Fashion

This is the final one of the Camden Series.  Wow what a scoop! Lots of brilliant resources from the British Council to keep you all really, really busy!

I am exhilarated! Have fun!

Camden Scene 2 - Language Focus

Camden Scene 2 - Language Focus