Thursday, 15 March 2012

The last session of this series of our conversational get-togethers.
I handed out the vocabulary list for unit 5 which you can also find here. For more information about what to do with these lists, click on the 'tags' vocabulary lists and useful links underneath this message.

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Luck by Mark Twain can be listened to here.
We finished unit 4 by correcting the homework you did in the self-study section on page 101. I then handed out the vocabulary list with unit 4, which can also be found here. You can import this list, and the other Let's Talk 3 vocabulary lists I made before, to your own personal account you can create at wrts. How to import lists to your own account and answers to other FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) can be seen here. We read the vocabulary list together to mark the stress in each word. This helps with pronouncing them correctly. 
We then started unit 5 about Education and learning with 5A called School days We finished the session by reading the first page of Mark Twain's story Luck.

Thursday, 2 February 2012

One of our group returned after a three week absence. We asked question about his holiday in Austria. Did he have snow? Has he broken any arms or legs? How was his journey? Why was he not present at last week's session? I then handed out the vocabulary list with unit 3, which can also be found here. You can import this list, and the other Let's Talk 3 vocabulary lists I created before, to your own account at wrts. How to import lists to your own account and answers to other FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) can be seen here. We then finished unit 3 by discussing page 98 of the self-study section. Page 99 is to be prepared for next week. We answered the comprehension questions with stave 3 of A Christmas Carol and to round things off we had two rounds of 'My holiday packing list', one for a skiing holiday and one for a cruise.

Thursday, 26 January 2012

What happened last week. Did anything exciting or special happen to you? We talked about the four films that are mentioned at the beginning of unit 3B Crime stories. You prepared for this at home by googling for information on these movies. I have added the story lines for each of them here. They are all from IMBb or the Internet Movie Database, an excellent site to find information about most films ever made: 
Plot summary Witness
Plot summary for Catch Me If You Can
Plot summary for Ocean's Eleven
Plot summary for Fargo
I also handed out short summaries of these four films. For next week prepare activity 2C. Choose at least one assignment to which you answer the questions. 
We finished by answering the comprehension questions with stave 2 of A Christmas Carol. Please read stave 3 for next week and again answer the questions that go with it.

Thursday, 12 January 2012

I handed out the vocabulary lists to Let's Talk 3, unit 2, Expressing yourself. Once again it can also be found here. You can import this list, and the other Let's Talk vocabulary lists I created before, to your own account at wrts. Once imported you can add your own words and use the 'extra' option to listen to the correct pronunciation. How to import lists to your own account can be seen here.
We finished unit 2 by having a look at page 97 and we started unit 3 on Crime and punishment. Unit 3A deals with crime and criminals. We talked about how we personally judge the severity of different crimes and we talked about suitable punishment. Activity 3A and 3B should be prepared at home for next session.
We ended by talking a bit more about A Christmas Carol. I handed out a list with comprehension questions with each stave of the book and we agreed to discuss staves 1 and 2 next week.

Happy 2012!

Stave 4, the penultimate chapter to Charles Dickens' classic story as retold by Kieran McGovern:

Stave 5, the final installment of A Christmas Carol:

Thursday, 22 December 2011

We started off this tenth and last session before the break by talking about A Christmas Carol of which you can find the third stave at the bottom of this blog entry. Can you read the text? Do you understand what the story is about? Are there any words you do not understand? The story has 5 chapters or, as Dickens called them, 'staves'. A 'stave' is a song stanza, so the 'carol' or song has 5 stanzas. I will send the Word document of the book, that will also be published here, by e-mail so that you can print out the text. We then finished unit 2 of Let's Talk 3 and we had a look at page 96 of the self-study section. please finish page 97 before our next session on January 12, 2012!

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Again we started the session with asking each other questions using do/does/did + infinitive. We had a talk about what is important in learning English and what are the goals for our conversation group.
We then started unit 2A, activity 1. Activity 2A and 2B are to be prepared at home for next week.
We then talked about A Christmas Carol of which you will find the second installment below. Since most of you have said they prefer reading a printed version, I will convert the text into a printable Word version. In the coming weeks, during our Christmas break, I will publish the rest of the online installments at this blog.

Thursday, 8 December 2011

We began with asking questions and making negative sentences. In most cases you have to use two verbs to do so. For questions use do/does/did + infinitive and for negations use don't/doesn't/didn't + infinitive. For example: Do you celebrate Sinterklaas? No, we don't exchange presents on December 5. Did you see Nova Zembla? No, we didn't know it's in the cinema.
We then finished unit 2A and we had a look at The cat that walked by himself and its exercises.

To get into the Christmas spirit we are going to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I will publish a retold, simplified version in five 'staves' or installments. Although simplified, it is not a simple text but try to get the gist of the story. There are many films made about Scrooge so you will most probably have heard about it. Click on the window below to expand the text. Scroll down to read.

As a bonus, here's Scrooge from the film The Muppet Christmas Carol. Click on 'show more' to read along with the lyrics of the song.

Thursday, 10 November 2011

The first proper Autumn week although it's still quite warm outside. As usual we started of our session with some talk about last week by asking each other questions. We spent quite some time on this.
I then handed out the vocabulary lists to Let's Talk 3, unit 1, Getting Acquainted. It can also be found here. You can import this list, and the other Let's Talk vocabulary lists I created before, to your own account at wrts. Once imported you can add your own words and use the 'extra' option to listen to the correct pronunciation. How to import lists to your own account can be seen here.
Next week we will finish unit 1 by looking at the last activities we prepared at home and by working at the self-study section with unit 1.

Thursday, 13 October 2011

First session of the new season and we were able to welcome back two familiar faces to our group. We are now with six women and three men.
We talked about our summer holidays with the help of a handout 'Your Last Vacation'. We practised using the past tense in pairs and with the entire group. We also refreshed asking questions in English.
We then finished Let's Talk 2 with having a look at the self-study section for unit 16. That has allowed us a fresh start with book 3 in two weeks, on October 27.

Thursday, 24 March 2011

Our very last session of the year 2010-2011 already and it is very clear that Winter has ended too. The crocuses are everywhere and we had a first week in which we could actually go outside without a coat on.
As there were only four of us, Steven took over the session by giving an account of his 28-day trip to New Zealand last year, illustrated with a map of the country and a slide show of beautiful pictures. We will tie up the final strands of Let's Talk 2 at the beginning of next season.
I did hand out the vocabulary list with unit 16 which you can also find here. Import this list, and the other Let's talk vocabulary lists I created before, to your own account at wrts. How to create an account, import vocabulary lists and use the programme to practice and/or listen to the correct pronunciation of the words, can be found here.
Next week we will have our communal end of year dinner party at 7pm. I hope to see you all there and to see you all back alive healthy and happy in Autumn.

Thursday, 3 March 2011

We again started the session off with the past tense but this time we focused on asking questions about the past. For some extra online exercise with that go here.
We told each other jokes in English and then continued with our books in unit 16A What's so funny?
We ended with the last installment of Cat In The Hat and read up on some facts and figures about Dr. Seuss, his books and their importance in getting children, and adults I suppose, to read.

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Two more presentations about Dutch tourist sites to start us off. We then finished unit 15 with the self study section. I handed out the printed version of the vocabulary list to unit 15 which can also be found here. Import this list, and the other Let's talk vocabulary lists I created before, to your own account at wrts. How to create an account, import vocabulary lists and use the programme to practice and/or listen to the correct pronunciation of the words, can be found here. After a short look at the next unit on Comedy and humour, we ended our session with another installment of Cat In The Hat. For next week you can underline all the past tense verbs in the text so far.

Thursday, 10 February 2011

Today we continued identifying verbs in song lyrics with Don McLean's Vincent. We then had three short presentations about tourist sites in The Netherlands. Next week we will have three more. We finished the session with reading the first bit of Cat In The Hat.

Poor Dick and Sally. It's cold and wet and they're stuck in the house with nothing to do... until a giant cat in a hat shows up, transforming the dull day into a madcap adventure and almost wrecking the place in the process! Written by Dr. Seuss in 1957 in response to the concern that "pallid primers [with] abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls' were leading to growing illiteracy among children, The Cat in the Hat changed the way our [American] children learn how to read.

For more information, games, history etcetera on Dr. Seuss and his books, have a look at this site Seussville.

Thursday, 13 January 2011

Once again we started our session, the first session of 2011, with updates about the group members. What did you do during the last three weeks? Did you do anything special for X-mas or for New Year's Eve? How did you celebrate? Did you go away during the holidays?
Do you have any New Year's Reolutions? Do you believe in New Year's Resolutions?
I handed out the vocabulary list for unit 14 you can also find here. You can find information on how to import this, and the other lists, to your own wrts account so you can practice your vocabulary with it in my blog entry of 2 December 2010. We finished the unit by having a look at the self-study section and we then moved on to the penultimate unit of our book, unit 15, which deals with The Past.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Our last session before Christmas and our ninth of this winter. Time flies when you are having fun. How was 2010 for you. What was the best that happened for you? What happened that you would rather forget? After this looking back at the year that was, we continued in our book with unit 14b on art and finished it. I have added the vocabulary list to unit 14 here and I will also hand out a printed version of it after the Xmas holidays. We finished with reading the text Controversy over Czech EU art together and we talked a bit more about what is art and what isn't.

Hope you will all have a wonderful Christmas and may the new year bring you nothing but joy, good health and happiness!

Thursday, 9 December 2010

How was your week? Did Sinterklaas bring you presents? Any other news you would like to share?
We finished unit 13 by having a look at the self study section which you prepared at home. We could then start unit 14 about Entertainment and Art. What do you like doing in your spare time? What do you enjoy?
We ended our session with reading Who's to blame, a poem about the difficulties and inconsistencies of the English spelling. More of those can be found at the site of The English Spelling Society

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Snow in abundance on this second day of December. We talked about the weather and the problems it causes in everyday life. Does it affect you? Do you enjoy it? We also discussed Sinterklaas. Will you be celebrating it? If so, how do you celebrate?
I handed out the vocabulary lists to unit 13 City Life. It can also be found here. You can import this list, and the other Let's Talk vocabulary lists I created, to your own account at wrts. Once imported you can add your own words and use the 'extra' option to listen to the correct pronunciation. How to import lists to you own account can be seen here.
To end our session we discussed the two texts I handed out last week and we prepared our homework for next week.

Thursday, 11 November 2010

Welcome back to everyone! What happened? What did you do? We exchanged news from the last two weeks.
Today is Remembrance Day in Britain. We read a text about war and remembrance and poppies. You can listen to that text here. If you have difficulties with the link, you can go to the site and listen to it there.
We then finally started unit 13 on City Life.