I now post at www.lieasyesol.blogspot.com

I have a very similar blog at www.lieasyesol.blogspot.com.  It's almost identical, but I tried to make the side links less overwhelming.  Former students are always welcome to use any of my blogs.  Please write comments and let me know how you are doing.

computer class AM: Do you shop around?

Game to practice comparative

Where do you like to shop?  What do you like to buy?  Pick three things you often buy, and research where to get the best deal.  When you write about it, use English comparatives.


The package at __________ is bigger than the package at ____________.
Brand X is more expensive, but it's more delicious than Brand Y.
Clorox Wipes are cheaper at Target than at Wal-Mart.

Here are some links with some grocery sales.  Most of them only show the sale prices this week, but Wal-Mart is easy to search by product. (Thing you want to buy).  Comparing is easier if you pick something on sale at another store then search for the same thing on the Walmart page.

Giant food circular -- pick your store first

Safeway Weekly Specials

Shoppers Food Warehouse

Harris Teeter Specials

H-Mart

Walmart

Target

Costco

Explanation and practice for comparative and superlative

In the song, "shop around" means date a lot of girls before marrying one.  "Shop around" usually means looking in many stores before buying the best deal.   Is shopping around for a spouse a good idea?  Do you like to shop around for the things you buy?

I changed blogs.  I'm now posting on http://lieasyesol.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year!!

Every New Year's Eve, people in the USA sing "Auld Lang Syne."  Auld lang syne is Scottish, not English -- it means old times-- and good memories with old friends.
daisies are pretty white flowers that often grow wild.
acquaintances are any people that you met before


Many people take this opportunity to review last year.  This first video is the news last year according to Google searches...

WUSA Video: Good things that happened in 2016

Many people were unhappy with the news, politics and celebrity deaths this year. This video shows 2016 as a horror movie...

Happy New Years!!  Are you celebrating?  

I'm planning to watch the ball drop at Times Square on TV. 

About.com listing of New Years celebration places and ideas with many, many advertisements...

Are you making any New Year's Resolutions?

Resolutions are goals that you really plan to work at getting.

Late Night comedy song making fun of making and not keeping New Year's Resolutions...

An "ex" is a person who used to be really special to you until one of you decided to end it.

"drunk dial" is call someone when you are too drunk (with alcohol) to think clearly.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!  I hope you are having a great December. 
Do you have children and need ideas of things you can do?

     In the USA, different people celebrate Christmas really different ways.  Some people celebrate it because it is a really important Christian holiday -- the day to remember when Jesus was born.

Religious Christmas Song Lyric Videos

Handel's Messiah Sing-a-long

Many people celebrate Christmas by giving money to their church or to charities.  Some local charities.

Some people celebrate Christmas by volunteering (working for no pay) to help people.
Volunteer Fairfax -- links volunteers to no-pay jobs (Can be a great way to meet people and practice English!)  One way to help people and practice English may be to drive old people to doctor's appointments.  Fairfax Office of Aging Volunteer Match.  Please only schedule driving during afternoons -- please don't make commitments during class times!!

Many non-religious and non-christian people in the USA celebrate Christmas as a great time to celebrate love and family -- they shop, party, spend time with family, and to give presents.

Lyrics Videos:  Christmas Songs (NOT religious)


Do you celebrate Christmas?  What do you do?  Was this Christmas different for you?  How?

Goodbye for Now.... I hope I see you January 9th!

What is your best memory of this class?  What can I do to make it better next term?

Computer Class

1.  Do you have a favorite website for shopping?  If yes, tell the class

2.  Do Ventures Arcade (Blue 2) Unit 7

3.  Play with a partner:  Monkey Game! You may have to scroll down to find it.

4.  Play:  Shooting Game comparative vs. superlative forms

5.  Do you have an English Gmail?  If not, make one!

6. Make a google slide show to teach the class --

   * A story from history
           
             OR

   * A skill you enjoy

7.  Look at some websites for shopping.  Write comparative or superlative sentences about the items you see.

The sweetest thing

Grammar Practice with Comparative and Superlative

What makes you happy?  What is your sweetest memory?

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?