Here's a really excellent selection of short videos on interesting, important and highly current topics. Not only are these excellent for listening practice but also to help you develop ideas for discussion along with the necessary vocabulary:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvhsiQGy_zcNCiSbeXEjhLg .
Don't forget that you can select "subtitles" if you need help while you listen.
The videos are produced by the RSA, a British non-profit organisation."The mission of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) is to enrich society through ideas and action." You can learn more about the work of the RSA at https://www.thersa.org/ .
Enjoy!
Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Monday, 16 March 2015
IELTS Essay Writing ~ Power Writing Plan
Here's another excellent video from the British Council to help you prepare for the IELTS writing test.
This video shows how to approach the essay in Part 2 of the Writing test:
Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUJV_okEACo to watch the video.
I suggest you watch the video two or three times and make notes. Then, try practising your power writing!
This video shows how to approach the essay in Part 2 of the Writing test:
Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUJV_okEACo to watch the video.
I suggest you watch the video two or three times and make notes. Then, try practising your power writing!
Friday, 16 January 2015
Would you like to live on a dessert island?
(Image from shoebox.com)
English spelling can be a little tricky at times! ;)
Dictionary.com is a great, free online resource for checking spelling and much, much more. Let's see:
dessert
[dih-zurt]
noun
1.
cake, pie, fruit, pudding, ice cream, etc., served as the final course of a meal.
2.
British. a serving of fresh fruit after the main course of a meal.
desert
[dez-ert]
noun
1.
a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all:
The Sahara is a vast sandy desert.
Synonyms: waste, wasteland, barren wilderness.
2.
any area in which few forms of life can exist because of lack of water, permanent frost, or absence of soil.
Synonyms: wasteland, barren wilderness.
3.
an area of the ocean in which it is believed no marine life exists.
4.
(formerly) any unsettled area between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains thought to be unsuitable for human habitation.
5.
any place lacking in something:
The town was a cultural desert.
Synonyms: wasteland.
adjective
6.
of, relating to, or like a desert.
Synonyms: desolate; barren, infertile; arid.
7.
occurring, living, or flourishing in the desert:
a desert tribe; a desert palm.
8.
designed or suitable for wear in the desert, as cool, protective clothing:
a big, wide-brimmed desert hat.
desert island
noun
1.
a small remote tropical island
Clear now? :)
Image from shoebox.com
Monday, 15 December 2014
The True Scholar ~ Emerson
“Shall I tell you the secret of the true scholar? It is this: every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson (American essayist, poet, and popular philosopher, 1803–1882)
― Ralph Waldo Emerson (American essayist, poet, and popular philosopher, 1803–1882)
Sunday, 9 November 2014
Friday, 10 October 2014
What is the purpose of reading?
What are the main purposes of reading, in your view? List your ideas:
Read the text and watch the short video at http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/10/09/school-of-life-literature-reading/ , making a list of the four main purposes of reading described there.
1.
2.
3.
4.
(Check answers below)
Combine your ideas with the ideas from the link. How many purposes of reading can you now identify?
Which is the most important function of reading, in your opinion?
1. Saves time 2. Makes us nicer 3. Cures loneliness 4. Prepares us for failure
Read the text and watch the short video at http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/10/09/school-of-life-literature-reading/ , making a list of the four main purposes of reading described there.
1.
2.
3.
4.
(Check answers below)
Combine your ideas with the ideas from the link. How many purposes of reading can you now identify?
Which is the most important function of reading, in your opinion?
1. Saves time 2. Makes us nicer 3. Cures loneliness 4. Prepares us for failure
Wednesday, 8 October 2014
Mahavakya - Timeless Wisdom from India
Beautiful wisdom from India:
"This video is a tribute to timeless Indian ideas that are rooted in the spirit of the oneness of creation and the interconnectedness of all of life. Performed by Vidita Kanniks - this 90 second video clip features Kanniks Kannikeswaran's musical arrangement of four ancient sayings 'swadesho bhuvana trayam' (the entire universe is my motherland), 'isavasyam idam sarvam' (all that exists is sacred), 'nahi jnanena sadrsam pavitram iha vidyate' (there is nothing more liberating than the knowledge of the self) and 'vasudhaiva kutumbakam' (the Universe is my family)."
( From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI4PCZaxKnY&feature=youtu.be )
Do you practise meditation? How do you relax and keep healthy, physically and mentally?
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Happy World Elephant Day!
"If I said, build me a machine that will take care of the forests, what would I get?"
Yes, the answer is the elephant! Elephants are known as the guardians of the forests.
Learn more with the great 30 minute film at http://worldelephantday.org/
Seven fascinating facts you probably didn't know about elephants: http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/seven-things-you-should-know-about-elephants
Check out the information at http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/elephant to find out how you can help elephants.
World Elephant Day is August 12th. You can wear grey to support the world's endangered elephants.
Image from www.worldwildlife.org
Yes, the answer is the elephant! Elephants are known as the guardians of the forests.
Learn more with the great 30 minute film at http://worldelephantday.org/
Seven fascinating facts you probably didn't know about elephants: http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/seven-things-you-should-know-about-elephants
Check out the information at http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/elephant to find out how you can help elephants.
World Elephant Day is August 12th. You can wear grey to support the world's endangered elephants.
Image from www.worldwildlife.org
Saturday, 9 August 2014
What kind of music do you like?
Another way to ask this question is "What's your favourite musical genre?"
Genres of music include rock and roll, pop, disco, rap, funk and classical.
Do you like reggae? Reggae is a genre which first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. Here's a quote from Bob Marley, probably the best known reggae musician.
Genres of music include rock and roll, pop, disco, rap, funk and classical.
Do you like reggae? Reggae is a genre which first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. Here's a quote from Bob Marley, probably the best known reggae musician.
Thursday, 12 June 2014
Should we try to preserve endangered languages?
Languages are dying all over the world.
"Unesco’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger lists 576 as critically endangered, with thousands more categorised as endangered or threatened. The highest numbers occur in the Americas. “I would say that virtually all the [minority] languages in the US and Canada are endangered,” says Peter Austin, a professor of field linguistics at the University of London. “Even a language like Navajo, with thousands of speakers, falls into that category because very few children are learning it.” If measured in proportion to population, however, then Australia holds the world record for endangered languages. When Europeans first arrived there, 300 aboriginal languages were spoken around the country. Since then, 100 or so have gone extinct, and linguists regard 95% of the remaining ones as being on their last legs. Just a dozen of the original 300 are still being taught to children." (from the article "Languages: Why we must save dying tongues" by Rachel Nuwer).
1. Read the complete article at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140606-why-we-must-save-dying-languages to learn the arguments for and against the preservation of endangered languages.
2. Make a list of points both supporting and opposing the statement, "It is important to make efforts to preserve endangered languages".
3. Decide on your own point of view. Express your point of view in one sentence.
4. Write a paragraph explaining your point of view, using the sentence you wrote in step 3 as your Topic Sentence.
5. Find a friend who takes the opposite point of view and discuss.
The top 10 languages in the world claim around half of the world’s population (Thinkstock)
"Unesco’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger lists 576 as critically endangered, with thousands more categorised as endangered or threatened. The highest numbers occur in the Americas. “I would say that virtually all the [minority] languages in the US and Canada are endangered,” says Peter Austin, a professor of field linguistics at the University of London. “Even a language like Navajo, with thousands of speakers, falls into that category because very few children are learning it.” If measured in proportion to population, however, then Australia holds the world record for endangered languages. When Europeans first arrived there, 300 aboriginal languages were spoken around the country. Since then, 100 or so have gone extinct, and linguists regard 95% of the remaining ones as being on their last legs. Just a dozen of the original 300 are still being taught to children." (from the article "Languages: Why we must save dying tongues" by Rachel Nuwer).
1. Read the complete article at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140606-why-we-must-save-dying-languages to learn the arguments for and against the preservation of endangered languages.
2. Make a list of points both supporting and opposing the statement, "It is important to make efforts to preserve endangered languages".
3. Decide on your own point of view. Express your point of view in one sentence.
4. Write a paragraph explaining your point of view, using the sentence you wrote in step 3 as your Topic Sentence.
5. Find a friend who takes the opposite point of view and discuss.
The top 10 languages in the world claim around half of the world’s population (Thinkstock)
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
The Power of Barking
In English, we may say a dog's bark is worse than its bite.
How important do you think "the power of barking" is?
*Unfortunately, I don't know the source of this image so I cannot attribute its creator.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Download your Free IELTS Essentials Pack
Please go to the following page to download your free IELTS Essentials pack (from IDP):
http://www.ieltsessentials.com/prepare/essentials_pack.aspx.
http://www.ieltsessentials.com/prepare/essentials_pack.aspx.
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
How to Make the Most of a Language Tutor
Here is a link to a useful talk titled "How to Make the Most of a Language Tutor": http://www.languageisculture.com/episode12/
The speaker is an experienced language learner offering her views on what works best when learning with a tutor. Generally, I agree with her suggestions. In online classes with students aiming simply to improve their level of spoken English, I follow a similar procedure to the one she describes.
For more details, contact me by email: teacher@englishteachinglive.com :).
The speaker is an experienced language learner offering her views on what works best when learning with a tutor. Generally, I agree with her suggestions. In online classes with students aiming simply to improve their level of spoken English, I follow a similar procedure to the one she describes.
For more details, contact me by email: teacher@englishteachinglive.com :).
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