Week 14 - The Neighbors' Christmas Decorations

Listening is NOT WORKING THIS WEEK - sorry!!

Vocabulary:  Here's this week's vocabulary practice. 

Spelling:  Learn to pronounce and spell the words for this week.

Parade of Lights on San Diego bay

Are you looking for something to do on Sunday evening?  Here's where I'll be:

The Parade of Lights happens on two weekends - this Sunday, December 12, 2010  and next Sunday, December 19, 2010, from 5:30 PM until about 9:00 PM, on the San Diego Bay.  You'll see fireworks over the bay at 5:30 to start the parade.  The lighted boats will start to travel past Shelter Island at 5:30pm to Harbor Island at 6pm to the Embarcadero at 6:30pm to Seaport Village at 7pm to the Ferry Landing on Coronado at 7:30pm.

Most of the boats will be sail boats and power boats, but here's a picture of the kind of boat I'll be on:

The parade is fun to watch - and if you go this Sunday, maybe you'll see me!

Week 13 - Ellis Island... and Albert Einstein

Listening - The listening this week is in two parts...   Click play on the right to hear about Ellis Island and then listen to the article about Albert Einstein.  Or listen from this page.

Vocabulary- Practice and learn the meeing of our new words here.

Spelling - Play games and practice spelling here.

Grammar - Here's a good, short explanation of past continuous   After you read it, you can try the practice questions. 

Week 12 - Florence Nightingale

Listening - Click PLAY on the right side of this page, or click here to listen to our text for week 12.

Vocabulary - Here are the new words for week 12.  You can study the list of all the new words or play the games to practice our words for this week.

Spelling - You can practice spelling and listening here.

Grammar - Here's a short explanation and quiz about making questions about the SUBJECT of a sentence.  In our book, see page 38-39.  

Thanksgiving Vacation

Hi Everyone,

This is a quick reminder to let you know that our school will be closed ALL WEEK for Thanksgiving.  We'll start classes again on Monday, November 29th.


If you're interested in learning more about Thanksgiving, take a look at this wonderful website about the Pilgrims, Native Americans, the Mayflower, and Thanksgiving.  When you get there, try these 3 things:

1. At the top of the page, click on Voyage of the Mayflower.... then Take the Journey or Tour the Ship.  Click on the audio symbol to listen.

2. at the top of the page, click on Daily Life.  Click the buttons on the right to learn about Clothes, Housing, Food, etc.

3. At the top of the page, click on The Thanksgiving Feast, and then View the Slideshow.  Remember that you can listen to the audio.

Week 11 - Thanksgiving!

Listening - Click play on the right side of this page, or use this link to listen to our text.

Vocabulary - practice our new words here.

Spelling - use lots of different games to practice spelling and dictation here.

Week 10 - Revolutionary War & The Constitution

Listening - Remember there are 2 parts for the listening this week.  "We the People" describes the U.S. Constitution.   "America's Fight for Independence" is about the Revolutionary War.

Vocabulary - Find our words for week 10 and practice them with games.

Spelling - Listen to and spell our new words.

Grammar - More practice with past irregular forms and making past tense negatives and questions.
Here you can make 10 questions from sentences.   This one is a little more difficult. 

Week 9 - America's First People & the Colonists

Listening - Click here to go to our listening page.

Vocabulary - Practice this week's new words .

Spelling - Here's the spelling practice page.

Grammar - This week we're reviewing irregular past tense forms.  Try this quiz.

Week 8 - Origins of Halloween

Listening - Click the play button on the right side of this page to listen to this week's text.  Or click this link and then click PLAY.

Vocabulary - practice our new words here.

Spelling - try spelling practice and games with this week's words.

Grammar - Past tense practice - Rules and practice for the regular past tense with -ed.  And then practice the irregular past forms of some common verbs.

Listening to Past Tense forms - Try this exercise with practice listening to the D  T and ID  sounds of the past tense.

Week 7 - Amazing Athletes

Listening - Click play on the right side or go here to listen to this week's text.

Vocabulary - Click here for the new words for week 7.

Spelling - Play some games to practice spelling our new words.

GRAMMAR - Here's a great website for comparative/superlative adjective practice.  Comparison of Adjectives, by Victoria-Ladybug
Find this and other comparatives/superlatives exercises in English Exercises .org

Week 6 Questions

Answer one of these questions:


What is the most beautiful place you have visited in your lifetime?  Describe it.

What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought?  Explain.

Week 6 Activities

Listening - Click play at the right or go to this page to listen.

Vocabulary - Practice this week's vocabulary.

Spelling - To practice spelling, click here and then choose Week 6.

Grammar - This week we're practicing superlative forms of adjectives.  You can try this quiz and then send me your answers to the questions.    Here's a page with an explanation about comparatives and superlatives with lots of examples and then some exercises at the end.

Extra Reading/Listening - Here's an article from VOA Special English about another famous basketball star, Manute Bol.  You can listen and read along.

Week 5 Question - Economizing

The economy has not been good recently.  Many people are trying to reduce expenses and save money.  What do you do to economize?  What is your advice for people who are trying to spend less?

HOW TO POST YOUR ANSWER:
Click on COMMENTS below.
Write your answer in the blank box.
Type your NAME after your comment (please, so I know who it’s from!)
Where it says “comment as … select profile”, click on the drop down menu and choose Anonymous.
Then click on Post Comment. The computer will send your comment to me, and I will post it as soon as I read it.
If you need help, let me know and I can show you step by step!

Week 5 Activities

Listening - Listen as I read Economizing on a Wedding (p129)

Vocabulary - Practice our new words for week 5 here.

Spelling - Work on spelling and dictation with our week 5 words.

Grammar - Which one - SAY or TELL?  Read the rules and examples, then try the quiz at the bottom.        You can also watch this slide show about SAY and TELL and answer the questions.

Also - Practice with reflexive pronouns here.

Week 4 Questions

Do you enjoy weddings?  What is your favorite part of a wedding ceremony or reception?  Are there things about weddings that you don't like? 
HOW TO POST YOUR ANSWER:

Click on COMMENTS below.
Write your answer in blank box.
Type your NAME after your comment (please, so I know who it’s from!)
Where it says “comment as … select profile”, click on the drop down menu and choose Anonymous.
Then click on Post Comment. The computer will send your comment to me, and I will post it as soon as I read it.


If you need help, let me know and I can show you step by step!

VOA Special English ... on weddings

Listen to the entire article here and check your answers.
http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/A-Wedding-for-Every-Budget-100264874.html

Here are the two conversations we listened to on Wednesday:
Her wedding:  http://elllo.org/english/0801/T848-Her-Wedding.htm
His wedding: http://elllo.org/english/0801/T849-His-Wedding.htm

Week 4 Activities

Listen - Click here to listen to "A Traditional American Wedding"

Vocabulary - Click to practice our new words for this week.

Spelling - Click and then choose Week 4 to work on spelling and dictation.

Grammar -   Rules for Possessive Nouns - read the rules and practice here.
Me or Mine?  Try this quiz.  Possessive Pronouns

Week 3 Activities

Listen - Click here to listen to The Writing Process - Paragraphs.
Vocabulary - Practice the new words for this week.
Spelling - Practice spelling this week's words. Just click on the correct week.
Grammar - Present Tense practice - making negatives and questions.  After you read the explanation, click on Continue with the Exercises.

Week 2 Activities

Listen - Click here to listen to Freedom of Speech in the USA.

Vocabulary - Practice the new words for this week.

Spelling - Practice spelling this week's words. Just click on the correct week.

Grammar - Do you know nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs?  Try this exercise.... and this one...

Week 1 Questions

How was your summer?  What did you do during the summer?  Did you attend classes?  Did you travel during the break?  Did you enjoy some interesting activities?  Did you use English often?

 

***Grammar Tip:  Remember to use PAST tense forms when you talk about your summer activities.***

HOW TO POST YOUR ANSWER:
Click on COMMENTS below.
Write your answer in blank box.
Type your NAME after your comment (please, so I know who it’s from!)
Where it says “comment as … select profile”, click on the drop down menu and choose Anonymous.
Then click on Post Comment. The computer will send your comment to me, and I will post it as soon as I read it.

If you need help, let me know and I can show you step by step!

 

Week 1 Activities

Listen - Click here to listen to the General Program Information (pages 2-4 of the ESL Student Guide).

Vocabulary - Practice the new words for this week.

Spelling - Practice spelling this week's words.  Just click on the correct week.

Grammar - Practice the phrasal verbs from the ESL Student Guide, page 9.

Fall Classes will begin next week!

Hi Everyone!

Our fall semester classes will begin on Tuesday, Sept 7th.  My intermediate class will be at the same times as last spring: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 to 12:15.

And I have some great news - there will be three NEW English clases in room 203:

• Fridays 8:00 to 12:00
• Monday to Thurs 8:00 to 8:30 (before our class starts)
• Monday to Thurs 12:30 - 1:30 (after our class ends)

For the complete fall course schedule, click here.

See you soon!
liz

Please answer these questions

Hi everyone,

If you have time, please click the link below and answer these questions to help me improve our class for next semester.  I'm interested in hearing your suggestions and ideas.

Click here to go to the questions...

Thank you and have a FANTASTIC summer!

Liz

The 2010 Census

Every 10 years in the U.S., the government tries to count everyone who lives here.  This is called a census.   Here are links to some information about the 2010 Census.,

Listen to an article about the census here from VOA Special English.  Just click on MP3 in the upper right corner.

Here's a short video about the Census and the questions on the form.

Here's the US Government's Census 2010 website. There's a video at the bottom that you can watch (and read along, if you click on the CC button for the captions).

Writing Homework for Week 6

This week's writing assignment is to introduce your country. 

In class, we listened to 6 people tell something interesting about their country.  You can listen to it here  Then write about YOUR country.  You can use some ideas from the listening exercise, or use the things you talked about with your classmates. 

You can send me your writing by email or you can bring it to me next week. 

Have a great weekend!
Liz
 

Reading a News Article - Choose one!

Disabled Parking Permits      Read and listen to the news story here .  Click on "Full Story" at the top of the page and read & listen again.  Then try the activities.  For the writing activity, write your answer and give it to me to check.

Driving Laws for Teens       Read and listen to the news story here. Click on "full Story" at the top of the page and read & listen again.  Then try the activities.  For the writing activity, write your answer and give it to me to check.

Red Light Runners      Read and listen to the news story here.  Click on Full Story.  Then try the activities. 

Change to Class Schedule

This week and next week (Weeks 5 & 6) we will not be studying the topic that I wrote on your yellow class schedule.  Instead, we will study:

What to do if a Police Officer Stops You 
       & Reading Traffic Signs                          - Week 5

How to Read and Understand a Traffic Citation - Week 6

If you're a very safe (and lucky) driver, you will never need to use this information, but it's good to know what to do and say if the police stop you!   So that's what we'll study for the next two weeks.

.

Dictionaries

Here are links to the two dictionaries that we have in class.   You can look at both of them in class to decide which one you prefer, but they are both very good dictionaries for learners.  They also include a CD-ROM that you can use in your computer.

The links here will take you to Amazon.com   You can also probably buy these at a good bookstore.  Just write down the title and the ISBN number. 

Longman Dictionary of American English    ISBN-13: 978-0132449779

Newbury House Dictionary of American English   ISBN-13: 978-0838426579

Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics will begin in Vancouver, Canada, on February 14th. How many sports will people compete in? Find out here and if you click on the name of a sport, you can watch a short slide show to explain that sport.
Which one is your favorite?

Listening to Conversations

Do you want to practice your listening skills? This great website, Elllo, has thousands of conversations between English speakers. To listen, click on the topic of the conversation that looks interesting to you, then click the PLAY button.

Each conversation has a quiz, and you can also read the conversation while you're listening to it. Some of the conversations also have definitions for new words.

www.elllo.org

Spring Semester Will Begin Wednesday, Jan 27th

Hi Everyone!

The new semester will begin on Wednesday, January 27th. I hope we'll see you in class!

Please note we'll have a new schedule : Mon Tues Wed Thurs - 8:30 am to 12:15 pm. My class won't meet on Fridays.


There won't be any classes on Monday and Tuesday (Jan 25 & Jan 26) because we'll have teacher meetings. But the school will be open if you need to register for a class, talk to a counselor, or ask some questions about a class or program.

If you're looking for something new this semester, take a look at the class schedule here You can select a campus location (our location is "West City") or you can choose the type of class (English, computers, physical education, art, etc.) As always, if you have any questions, let me know!

Liz

Last week of the semester...

It's the last week of our semester. Many of you have decided to continue in this class next semester, but some are moving on to the advanced class, to study for the GED, to take a job training class, or to a new job. We'll miss you!

Here's the link to the spring class schedule if you are looking for something to do on Fridays or Saturdays, or if you have friends who are looking for classes. http://sdce.edu/class-schedule/class-schedule.php?term=101

You can choose the location (West City campus), the subject (the name of the class you want), or the day you want to study. If you need help with it, let me know!

Liz

Happy New Year!

This page has lots of interesting information about New Year's celebrations all around the world. http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/holidays/new-year/page.htm Click on the first link to learn about different customs, then take the quiz later.

Happy New Year! How did YOU celebrate?