Comparisons....

English with Sound and Light Video with examples

Easy ESOL grammar

What are the best shows on TV?

What kind of TV show do you like?  Are talent shows as good as movies?  Are action films better than romantic comedies?

When I googled "best" on Youtube, this video came up.  It's not edited for ESL, but I like the combination of real small talk and unusual performances.

Do you think these really are the best performances you've ever seen on a talent show?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

The story of Thanksgiving

Pilrims are people who travel for their religion.  

People who go to Mecca or Jerusalem are often Pilgrims.

People who move here because their government doesn't like their religion are also pilgrims.

I'd love to start an ESOL class online cookbook with easy recipes, difficult but worth it recipes, recipes with national pride, and great recipes for good health.  If you know any good recipes in any of those categories, please write them in a google doc and share them with a link for everyone at my gmail.

The next video is in British English, but the only difference I see is that I say frying pan rather than frypan.

My family's Thanksgiving tradition of easy sweet potato casserole:  2 cans of 90% drained sweet potatoes, one can of 2/3 drained pineapple chunks.  Cover with large marshmallows.  Cook at 350 degrees until the marshmallows are light brown.

This video shows a common Thanksgiving feast.  Many people buy the cranberry sauce and pies.

Forbes: Best Black Friday Deals
Sales at Tysons Corner
Deals at Potomac Mills

Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy food family and think about what makes us happy.  Some people also thank God for all the good things in life.  What makes you happy? 

All I have to do is dream

ad-free video

What do you dream about doing?

How did you know....?

Safeshare Link to "How did you know"

Past Tense Practice

We have a lot of married people in this class.  Do you remember when you decided to marry your spouse?  Please describe that time.  How did you know?

Should I....?

Should you come to class if you're sick?  Should you go to work?  What should you do if your muscles are sore?  What should you do if you have a headache?  What should you do if you have a cold?

Health

A doctor with a patient

An easy song to help you remember "What's the matter?"

Learning Chocolate: body organs

Language Guide: Medicine

What is the World Health Organization?

Chores

What chores do you like?  Do you hate any chores?

Do you do a lot of chores?  Do your children do a lot of chores?  Did you learn any good strategies for doing chores?  Li Ping and I like to use different hampers for different loads of laundry (whites, darks, towels...) so that we don't have to sort the laundry before we wash it.  I heard that some students hire maids to do a lot of the chores.  What strategies do you use to make chores easier?

Today's Assignment: Museum or Home

"Baking with Julia Child"

Julia Child's "The French Chef"

Past Tense Examples: Can you make a video example of past tense?

Please take a picture of something today and write about it in English.  Describe it and talk about the history. Share the picture (and description if keyboarded-- I always take paper too) with me at dancelark@gmail.com.

Challenge: Mike's Letter from mom

This story is similar to the story on Ventures p. 40, but it's not edited for ESOL.  The grammar is VERY difficult and the speed is fast.  I think you can hear and understand a lot of it.

It's killing me -- I'm laughing so much, I might die.

Passive Aggressive:  Say nice things when you want to make other people feel bad or guilty.  ("It's okay, go ahead.  Leave me all alone without any hope.  No problem.")

Sarcasm:  using the tone of your voice to show that you mean the opposite of what you say.

(Unflappable=impossible to upset, but the man is very upset)

  I once dropped my wallet on the METRO train, and a stranger picked it up and mailed it to me (using my driver's license as the address) -- complete with all my cash.

Have you ever lost something in public, but gotten it back?

I won't give up on you

Practice Future with Going to

Practice future with will

Practice Present Continuous=Present Progressive

Need a lot of grammar practice?  Try clicking on some of these topics

Did you ever quit a job?  Did you ever give up expecting a person to act the way that person should act?  If yes, you gave up that job or on that person.

  Did you ever want to quit but decide to keep trying?  What won't you give up on?

History

Video: History of Voting

History of US Voting Constitutional Amendments (written)

Fast Song about the history of Voting Methods

Today we talked about history. For me, history is the study and retelling of the (hopefully) true stories from the past.  What are your favorite stories in history?

Did you turn back your clocks?

If you went back in time, what part of history would you want to see?
What people or stories from history do you like?

Don't forget to turn back the clock one hour tonight

What chores are you doing this weekend?

Video: chore vocabulary

Audio: chore vocabulary

Practice using vocabulary for chores

Chore vocabulary wordfind


Do you enjoy any chores?  Do you listen to music?  What are you doing this weekend?

Did you watch the World Series Game 7?

Did you see Game 7 of the World Series?  That was really exciting for baseball.  I thought of you when I saw a fan's sign:

                                                         It's gonna DID happen!

The Cubs won for the first time since 1908.  Did you watch it?  Can you write about a moment when you were really excited about a game?  (any sport)  What moments that made history have you seen live on TV?

Did you learn irregular verbs in the past?

Practice Simple Past

irregular verbs practice

What do you like to do when you want to remember things?

(PM) "Bad Boys" doing the "Cupid Shuffle"

The next videos are an English teacher's spelling nightmare -- DO NOT SPELL LIKE THESE VIDEOS -- but I really want to post "Bad Boys" for Hien and Marco.

"Whatcha gonna do" should be written "What are you going to do?" 

"Chuck it" usually means throw it or throw it away --- here I think it means blaming other people or refusing responsibility for any actions

brotha=brother

sista=sister

"Be going to" grammar practice

The next video actually spells "are going to" as "gone" and pictures awful kicks, but I like the dance.

English teacher commentary:  it don't = it doesn't    gotta= have got a  tryna= trying to