Week 2, Term 4: At the Beach

Level One: I HATE THE BEACH

I Hate the Beach by Ann Dunn (PRACE,2006) Click here to order PRACE PAGETURNER KITS



This week we read the funny story of a woman who hates the beach.

Do you like the beach? List the things you like about the beach. List the things you hate about the beach.

Send me an EMAIL by clicking the small envelope icon at the bottom of this posting.
Use the book, I Hate the Beach, to help you complete the email writing exercise.

LESSON UNIT : Australian English at the Beach. CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SITE!

This is a really interesting and fun website about the beach - famous beaches, the history of the 'Aussie Cozzie' (bathing suit), Dangerous Creatures, Beach Safety and First Aid. (Developed by Barker, Chalk, Dunn, Malakar, Hanrahan and PRACE, 1999-2007)



SOUNDS OF THE SEA GUESSING GAME

With a friend listen to these sounds. Can you guess what they are? Use the expressions to talk about the sounds. Check by CLICKING HERE TO SEE

1. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN | THEN CLICK HERE TO SEE

I think it is a ______. It could be a ________. It might be a _____. It may be a _____.

2. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN | THEN CLICK HERE TO SEE

I think it is a ______. It could be a ________. It might be a _____. It may be a _____.

3. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN | THEN CLICK HERE TO SEE

I think it is a ______. It could be a ________. It might be a _____. It may be a _____.

GRAMMAR - REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS

We have been studying reflexive pronouns this week (myself/yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) and the use of phrases EACH OTHER / ONE ANOTHER as well as BY MYSELF / ON MY OWN

Click here for a SIMPLE REVIEW WORKSHEET

CLICK HERE TO TRY OTHER FREE GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY WORKSHEETS FROM www.eslpdf.com

Week 1, Term 4 : Playing it Safe

LEVEL 2 and 3



This week we have been practising listening / video comprehension and reading skills for our assessment task next week (interpreting information texts). Watch the Worksafe video above. Think about the CONTEXT, PURPOSE, TONE, INFORMATION (it is presenting), MESSAGE and your OPINION about it.

Do you remember the meanings of the words?
Match the words and the meanings below:

A. CONTEXT
B. PURPOSE
C. TONE
D. INFORMATION
E. MESSAGE
E. OPINION


1. What you personally think of the text, story, article or video?
2. The feeling of the text - serious / fun / educative / comical / ironic
3. What the text is trying to do eg. warn us about danger, help us to understand something better, make us laugh.
4. The facts and ideas a text give us
5. A strong idea or piece of advice eg. Be careful when using machinery or power tools, do this or that to avoid problems.
6. What is this text? eg. a TV commercial Where would you find this text? eg. an article in a newspaper (sports section)

WATCH THIS VIDEO:



Email Writing Exercise - Slip! Slop! Slap!:

Write about the CONTEXT / PURPOSE / TONE / INFORMATION given / MESSAGE and your OPINION of the Slip! Slop! Slap! Advertisement that appeared on Australian Television in the early 1980s.

Send me an email (click on the little email icon below and use the form to write your response or use your GMAIL account)

Week 10 : Holiday Hijinx

Level 1, 2 & 3
TEACHER NASREDDIN HOLIDAY READING AND ACTIVITIES (Click here)

Nasreddin is my hero. A wonderful Turkish teacher from the 13th century who seemed to have the answer to almost all of life's problems. Go to the site and complete the reading activities (or just read and enjoy the stories).

Nasreddin Hodja is a collection of Hodja stories compiled by Alpay Kabacali, beautifully illustrated by Fatih M. Durmus. CLICK HERE to read the stories.




HOLIDAY HOMEWORK ( ... if you are crazy for more English!)

Some people never take a holiday from learning :-) so here are some ideas and activities for you over the holidays.We come back to school the week beginning 5 October.

1) REVIEW LESSONS from the last 20 WEEKS on this blog: work your way backwards from Week 10, Term 3 to Week 1, Term 2.

2) Level 1, 2 & 3 DOWNLOAD FREE ESL COURSE BOOKS from Banana.com (CLICK HERE). The FREE Grammar Workbook from Banana.com on the left side of this page called THE BIG GRAMMAR BOOK is good for reviewing basic English. There are many other books from English Banana.com that you can download and print at HOME (please, DO NOT downaload or print at Duke Street.






4) Level 2 & 3 Ello.org Video Comprehension Lessons

Everybody was crazy about these lessons in Term 3. I agree, they are super and so good for learning English.

Try these Video Lessons (CLICK HERE)

For hundreds of more Video Lessons use the VIDEO INDEX menu on the side of the page at Elllo.org








5) Catch up with VOXOPOP. If you have a microphone at home, you can leave a recording on lots of subjects at our ESL Talkgroups. CLICK HERE TO GET THERE


Level 3 Grammar: Modals

Modals are always difficult in English and need lots of review. Try these:

Modals of Ability – http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-ability.htm

Modals of Advice – http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-advice.htm

Modals of Necessity – http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-necessity.htm

Modals with “Not” – http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-not.htm

Modals of Polite Request – http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/330-modals-polite.htm

Week 9: Telling Jokes and Stories

This week we are going to have some fun! Jokes in English are a good way to learn new vocabulary and practice grammar.

Level One : (The Perfect Son) Click here, read the joke and listen to the MP3

Level Two : (A Second Opinion) Click here, read the joke and listen to the MP3

Level Three : (Two Riddles) Click here, read the joke and listen to the MP3

For more ESL Jokes click here.

TONGUE TWISTERS!!!

Try this tongue twister - good for pronunciation, especially the sound, 'ch' :-)

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck (flash exercise)

She sells sea shells (practice the 'sh' sound)

I saw Susie sitting (practice the 's' sound)



WORKPLACE STORIES

Level 2 & 3

We have just watched a story on video about jokes made at work which can offend. I am interested to hear your workplace stories - funny or bad.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH CHRISTOPHE FROM BELGIUM TELL HIS STORY ABOUT THE WORST JOB HE EVER HAD.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO VOXOPOP. TELL ME ABOUT THE WORST JOB YOU EVER HAD? Where was it? When? Who was involved? What happened? How did it happen?

GRAMMAR - Should, Ought to, had better ...

Watch this video if you are not sure how to use should, ought to or had better



Level 3 : Writing letters of complaint

Exercise 1 : Rental Property Problems

Go to this page - copy and paste into Word - then practise writing a letter of complaint to Bowman's Realty about problems a - f in our class reading text. Use the reading text to help you complete the task.

Exercise 2 : Problems with a Purchase

Go this page - copy and paste into Word- then practice writing a letter about something you bought which is faulty.

You can copy and paste other templates into Word from this website.

Week 7 & 8, Term 3: Making Complaints

Level 3 : Listening

This week we have been learning about making and responding to complaints. On public transport, in the workplace and when we go shopping - there are many opportunities for this. This week I am introducing you to a new listening site called Elllo.org. There are hundreds of listening lessons for you and the speakers are from all over the world. In the lesson below, Todd is complaining about Hollywood films. Do you agree with him?

Complaints about Movies. Click here to do an exercise from Elllo.org!

Click here to choose other listening lessons from Elllo.org. (Also listed in the sidebar of this blog).




In class we listened to the conversation between an inspector and traveller on public transport. The inspector gives the lady a $158 dollar fine but the lady protests. The ticket machine at Yarraville station was broken. The inspector tells the lady to write a letter of complaint.

Click here to see a complaint/feedback form for METLINK.

Print out the form and practice writing a complaint.




Include the following information:

Time you were travelling

Where you were travelling from

Where you were travelling to

What happened

Why you didn't have a ticket

What you want Metlink to do



The Past Continuous

We use this tense in the following ways:


*Emphasizing 'the progress' of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.

*Talking about two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

*Talking about action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

For more information ...click here!

Test yourself on the Past ContinuousLevel 1 / Level 2 / Level 3

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Week 6, Term 3 : How is silk made?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Level 3

This week we are writing about HOW THINGS ARE MADE. In class last week you studied How Tea is Produced and Distributed. You also know about How Bananas are Produced and Shipped to Europe and America.

Watch the video above about HOW SILK IS MADE in Bangladesh.

Complete the following exericse:

Instructions:

(i) Put the steps in the correct order
(ii)Change the sentences from ACTIVE voice to PASSIVE voice

A) The women immerse the coccoons in boiling water. The silk worm inside the coccoon dies.

B) The women collect and sort huge piles of golden silk worm coccoons

C) The women wind the raw, silk thread onto a spindle. They dry it and then ship it to a textile factory

D) After boiling, the women cool the coccoons and take them to a loom. They unravel the coccoons onto the spool.

TO READ THE SCRIPT (& FIND THE ANSWERS) CLICK HERE

Week 5, Term 3: The Red Balloon

Level 1 : The Red Balloon



Last weekend I watched a wonderful film called The Red Balloon by the French director, Albert Lamorisse. It is a film with only a few words so anyone can watch it and enjoy it.

You can watch it here (but it is 33 minutes long). I will show you this film in class from DVD.

1) Click here and PRINT OUT the worksheet. Read the questions before you watch the film..

2) Watch the film and complete the worksheet.

SONG : UP, UP AND AWAY (IN MY BEAUTIFUL BALLOON) - THE FIFTH DIMENSION (1972)

Here is a great song about 'balloons' ... maybe like the film it is about joy and freedom?



Here are the lyrics for some Karaoke. CLICK HERE.

APOLOGISING

Match the opening and closing phrases (A and B):

A

I’m sorry…
I’m very sorry…
I’m terribly sorry…
Excuse me…
Pardon me…
I apologize…
I’m afraid…

B

…I wasn’t very well yesterday
…I didn’t see you
…It won’t happen again
…I’ll be more careful next time
…I’ll finish it before I go home
…It’s my fault
…It’s all my fault

CLICK here to listen to the above phrases

Level 2 & 3 : SAYING SORRY (BBC Audio Lessons)

Click here to do a lesson from the BBC about Saying Sorry

Click here to do a lesson from the BBC about Accepting Apologies