If we want them to remember the skills and content we also have to think about the teacher qualities that matter to students.

Roald Dahl's greatest philosophical quotes ever

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/nov/27/roald-dahls-greatest-philosophical-quotes-ever?CMP=fb_gu

Ray Bradbury. Embroidery

My dear students!

Do you like sci-fi? Read and study the language of the short story by Ray Bradbury "Embroidery".
http://www.henleycol.ac.uk/henleycollege/courses/humanities/languages/english/'Embroidery'%20story%20and%20critical%20cards%20for%20task%201.pdf
What is the real message of this story? 
https://prezi.com/alo_t_calmf4/embroidery-by-ray-bradbury/

50 Words Mini Sagas

Have you heard of 50 Word Stories? They're short stories told in exactly 50 words - not 49, not 51, but exactly 50! It's a real challenge, but it's also great practice! You have to find different ways to say things, and think about every single word to meet the target! Here are some examples
http://users.aber.ac.uk/jpm/minisagas1.html
So your challenge is.... write a 50-word story based on this picture. Can you do it? Post your stories here!

Theoretical Fundamentals of Investigation of Metacommunicative Questions in English Dialogic Discourse

Grabovska Inna Viktorivna
PhD (Philology), Kyiv National Linguistic University

The author reveals the content of the notion “metacommunication”, which is becoming more widely used in the theory of speech communication for the denotation of speech regulation plan in communication process, pays particular attention to the critical analysis of alternative notions, including the terms “metatext”, “metalanguage”, “phatic communion”, and researches the semantic and communicative-functional aspects of metacommunicative questions in communicants’ dialogic interaction.

Key words and phrases: metacommunication; metatext; metalanguage; metacommunicative question; speech contact. 

http://scjournal.ru/articles/issn_1997-2911_2013_7-2_18.pdf

Dialogue is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people

A:  "Hi Mary."
B:  "Oh, hi."
A:  "How are you doing?"
B:  "I'm doing alright.  How about you?"
A:  "Not too bad.  The weather is great isn't it?"
B:  "Yes.  It's absolutely beautiful today."
A:  "I wish it was like this more frequently."
B:  "Me too."
A:  "So where are you going now?"
B:  "I'm going to meet a friend of mine at the department store."
A:  "Going to do a little shopping?"
B:  "Yeah, I have to buy some presents for my parents."
A:  "What's the occasion?"
B:  "It's their anniversary."
A:  "That's great.  Well, you better get going.  You don't want to be late."
B:  "I'll see you next time."
A:  "Sure.  Bye."

A:  "Hi.  My name is Josh.  It's a pleasure to meet you."
B:  "Hi Josh.  I'm glad to be here."
A:  "Did you have any problems finding this place."
B:  "I didn't have any problems.  I found directions on the internet so it was pretty easy to find.  However, the traffic was not that great."
A:  "Traffic is never good around here."
B:  "I agree.  It would be great if there was a train or a subway line that went through here."
A:  "That would be so great.  I would definitely take the train if they had it."
B:  "Trains are great because you can read a book or get a little rest instead of having to fight the traffic."
A:  "Very true.  Well, let me begin by telling you about our company..."

   A 'What are you doing this evening?
B 'Nothing much, why?'
A 'Would you like to come and drink a cup of tea with me in the cafe?'
B 'Yes, I'd love to. What time?'
A 'Hmm, shall we say 6 o'clock?'
B 'That'll be great. See you then.'
A 'OK. See you later. Goodbye.'
B 'See you later.'

¢A - May I take your order?

¢B - Yes.  I'd like the chicken and a side order of corn.

¢A - And what would you like to drink?

¢B - I'd like a cup of coffee, please.

¢A - And what would you like to order?    

¢C - I'll take the spaghetti and a salad.

¢A - What would you like to drink?

¢C - Just water, please.

¢(after the meal)

¢A - Would you like something for dessert?

¢B - Yes, I'll have the cake, please.  Would you like something?

¢C - No thanks.  I'm full.

¢(after dessert)

¢B - Could we have the check, please?

¢A - Yes, here it is.

¢B - Hmmm.  $23.55.  Here you are.

¢A - Thank you.  Come again.

¢B - Thank you. Goodbye.

Mathematicians Prove the Triviality of English

http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/oct/29/mathematicians-prove-the-triviality-of-english

Collocations with MAKE and DO

'The Future of English'

David Crystal's talk at IELTS Conference 'The Future of English', Prague 2014 (British Council)

The Specifics of External Independent Evaluation in the English Language in 2016

The Specifics of EIE in the English Language, 2016

Home, Sweet Home!

Chandelier



Arching / jalousie / blinds



TV table / home theater cabinet /
TV stand

Find the Perfect Word for Your Feelings

Find the Perfect Word for Your Feelings

http://languagelearningbase.com/87898/find-the-perfect-word-for-your-feelings

Leaving Home

Dear school-leavers! Leaving your family home to go to  university is not always easy. Read the advice from a first-year student and her dad to get  two points of view on the experience. 

See more at: 

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice/leaving-home?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc-learnenglishteens

Listen to this poem in the podcast

Pronunciation Poem

http://oud.digischool.nl/en/poetry/soundfiles/pronunciation-poem-poem.mp3

Here is some pronunciation. 

Ration never rhymes with nation, 

Say prefer, but preferable, 

Comfortable and vegetable. 

B must not be heard in doubt, 

Debt and dumb both leave it out.

In the words psychology, 

Psychic, and psychiatry, 

You must never sound the p. 

Psychiatrist you call the man 

Who cures the complex, if he can.

In architect, ch is k. 

In arch it is the other way. 

Please remember to say iron 

So that it'll rhyme with lion. 

Advertisers advertise, 

Advertisements will put you wise. 

Time when work is done is leisure, 

Fill it up with useful pleasure. 

Accidental, accident, 

Sound the g in ignorant. 

Relative, but relation, 

Then say creature, but creation. 

Say the a in gas quite short, 

Bought remember rhymes with thwart, 

Drought must always rhyme with bout, 

In daughter leave the gh out.

Wear a boot upon your foot. 

Root can never rhyme with soot. 

In muscle, sc is s, 

In muscular, it's sk, yes! 

Choir must always rhyme with wire, 

That again will rhyme with liar. 

Then remember it's address. 

With an accent like posses. 

G in sign must silent be, 

In signature, pronounce the g.

Please remember, say towards 

Just as if it rhymed with boards. 

Weight's like wait, but not like height. 

Which should always rhyme with might. 

Sew is just the same as so, 

Tie a ribbon in a bow. 

When You meet the queen you bow, 

Which again must rhyme with how. 

In perfect English make a start. 

Learn this little rhyme by heart.

Other Ways to Say "For example"

Other Ways to Say "For example"

The Usage of the Verb "BE"

The Usage of the Verb "BE"

Making Polite Requests

Making Polite Requests

The Types of Pronouns

The Types of Pronouns

Adjective Order Quiz

Adjective order follows this pattern:

Opinion, size, age, colour, quality, origin and material.

Hello, November!

Today is the 1st of November! Agree or disagree with the following American quote of the day:

"If months were marked by colors, November in New England would be colored gray." (Madeleine M. Kunin)

Student's Resources for Preliminary (PET) Exam

My dearest students! At the end of our Courses you are going to take Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) Exam

How great to go into an exam and know at least what to expect. For your Preliminary (PET) exam you will be expected to sit three exam papers: Reading and Writing (in one paper); Listening; and Speaking.

Each section of the exam is worth 25% of your total marks.

My dearest sudents, download the following useful student's notes! http://www.macmillanenglish.com/exams/pet/#studentsresources

Exam Resources for Students

My dearest sudents! As a student, English language exams can open the door for a wealth of new opportunities.
Passing the exam could mean 

• a university place, 
• being able to live abroad, 
• or even a new job opportunity, 
• all of which will be life-changing situations. Whether you’re taking academic, business or general English exams, understanding the demands of your exam and finding the right exam preparation resources are important to achieving the result you want.

This students section on Macmillan English looks at each exam and gives you tips and advice on how to achieve success in your exams. 
http://www.macmillanenglish.com/exams/for-students/?utm_source=FB-macmillaneducation&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Exams0610

10 idioms with a Halloween theme

My dearest students! I'd like to share with you 10 idioms with a Halloween theme! Study their meanings in detail http://englishwithatwist.com/2013/10/31/10-idioms-with-a-halloween-theme/

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog

My dearest students! Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog if you don’t want to miss my future posts! :)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

My dearest students! I propose you to listen to the story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". It was written by Washington Irving. The story is told by Doug Johnson. This story is often told around Halloween in the United States.  

It is about something strange that happened long ago in a valley called "Sleepy Hollow".  

Watch the video and be ready yo retell this story http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/voa-american-stories#child-1779