This past week we focused on the theme 'traveling' . In case you were absent, you will have the opportunity to give a presentation on December 12 (Wed.) or 17 (Mon.).
You will answer the question: Where would you recommend people go if they visit your country?
You will have 3-5 minutes to complete your presentation. There is a sign-up paper in the classroom for each class for you to choose a date. You should discuss 3-4 things people can do in the city you recommend and can use powerpoint or bring photos on a flashdrive.
You will also write your presentation and turn it in. Hereis a sample paragraph and you can listen to a sample presentation.
We also listened to a long dialogue called Meg's Travels. I recommend you listen again and practice.
Below is a video called 4 Secrets to Having an American Accent. Let me know what you learn!
Several of you are still struggling with common irregular verbs and understanding the past continuous tense. We will continue practicing more in class next week if we have time. In the meantime, here are more exercises:
Next week is post-testing! Please do your best to attend class either Monday or Wednesday, but I hope you can come both days. You are required to take a pre-test and post-test to participate in our program.
Finally, if you find the USA Learns website helpful, continue practicing your reading and comprehension.
Do you ever send greeting cards to friends and family? Perhaps you are unsure what you should write inside. The websites below give you ideas for many occasions.
This is a short month for our class - only 3 weeks! Let's learn as much as possible. December usually brings snowy weather. We will talk in class about what to do in case of an emergency. Below is a video you can watch on driving in the snow.
Do you know how to use the past continuous verb tense? In the first video below you will hear several examples. The second video teaches you how to use the grammar.
Now you can practice using the past continuous tense:
Do you know how to use quotation marks when you are writing in English? It is not something you do very often, but it is useful to understand the basics.
You can practice your pronunciation with word stress in the two videos below. We will also practice this in class.
Finally, you can watch a video and practice a dialogue about THE BIG SNOW on Voice of America (VOA) English. You will also learn some new vocabulary words.
Volunteering is a fantastic way to improve your English and have experience to put on an American resume. It also gives you a way to pass the long, dark days of Cleveland's winter. Here is a short list of local opportunities:
Our 2018-19 class calendar is now available on this website. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see a link for our Polaris ESOL Class Calendar.
This week you will register for a free program called USA Learns which you can access from any computer. This program has 4 classes you can complete: 1st English Course, 2nd English Course, Practice English and Reading, and Citizenship. You must have a valid email to register. During class, you will sign up with 4 special class codes. If you work on the program at home, you will receive attendance credit.
Part of your homework this week is to go to the class called Practice English and Reading and complete the unit called "Going Places".
Our next unit will be on travel. To the left, you will see several phrasal verbs associated with travelling.
Thanksgiving is an American holiday where people celebrate with family, friends, food, and football! Many people watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade which is in New York City. It is also a time where many Americans begin thinking about buying gifts for Christmas and many stores have good sales. Black Friday is the name of the day after Thanksgiving. You can look at some websites to help you learn more about Thanksgiving. Hereis a video where you can hear the Thanksgiving story and practice your listening.
This is a short videowhere you will learn some idioms related to Thanksgiving.
Tipping in the USA. During the holidays, many people eat out more while they are shopping and running errands. How familiar are you with our tipping policy?
In this lesson, you will learn new vocabulary, 10 phrasal verbs, and watch a video about tipping customs. You can also read about a man who things we should end the tipping custom in the USA. Tipping Waiters and Waitresses
