Volunteer Social

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Volunteer Social

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Tips for Conversation Leaders

 Get to know your conversation partner’s interests

 Identify the level of readiness and build on with new things step by step

 Know your partner’s learning strengths and preferences

 Incorporate all the language aspects into your lesson

 Make it challenging, but not too challenging

 Create friendly, encouraging and curiosity-

stimulating learning environment

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Resources

 www.eslflow.com

 http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

 http://www.onestopenglish.com

 http://www.waze.net/oea

 http://www.englishclub.com

 http://www.eslgold.com

 http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/less on-plans

 http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-pr

intables-worksheets.html

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How to improve my conversation skills?

 Don’t be shy and self-conscious!

 Communication errors can be solved.

 A conversation is an interactive activity

involving listening and speaking from both parties.

 It’s all about listening and asking questions.

 Do some research!

 Lulls are normal.

 If a conversation is going wrong, it may not

be your fault.

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How to introduce myself?

 Greet with smile

 Maintain eye contact

 Give a firm handshake

 Tell your name

 Ask for the other person’s name

 Repeat the other person’s name

 Never draw a negative picture of

yourself

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How to have a great conversation?

 Relax and forget about yourself

 Listen

 Ask questions

 Use a friendly tone

 Choose your words and questions carefully

 Avoid controversial and intimate topics as well as arguments

 Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his thought, nor speak on top of it

 Compliment the other person

 Thank for a great conversation

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How to handle a difficult question?

 Personal, intimate question

I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.

 Question you don’t know the answer I have no idea.

 Question you didn’t catch Can you repeat the question?

 Question you don’t understand because of unfamiliar words or question structure

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would

you mind telling it in different words?/What do you

mean by…?/What does…mean?

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How to avoid awkward lulls?

 Move on to another topic

 Ask questions for clarity

 Find common interests

 Compliment the other person

 Observe any visual clues to draw a topic out

 If an awkward lull happens, correct it by

saying the following: I am thinking of what

we have just talked about. And paraphrase

what you have been talking about.

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How can I improve my English?

 Be active and set goals for improving your English!

 A language is not only speaking, but a combination of speaking, listening,

reading and writing, including grammar.

 Use different learning styles such as visual, auditory and kinesthetic to

achieve your objectives.

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Resources

 Learn English Free Online:

http://www.learnenglish.de

 Learn American English Online:

www.learnamericanenglishonline.com

 Learn Languages for Free Online:

http://www.busuu.com

 English Club:

http://www.busuu.com

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How to improve speaking?

 Listening and reading aloud

 Writing

 Networking and making friends

 Greeting people on the street

 Having small talks in public

 Watching foreign movies with English subtitles

 Joining one-on-one conversations,

conversation and common interest groups

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Resources

 Daily Conversations:

http://www.worldenglishclub.com/daily-eng lish-conversations

 EBooks:

http://www.gutenberg.org

 Phrases and Expressions for Speaking:

http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.

html

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How to improve listening?

 Speaking to English speakers

 Watching TV and movies

 Listening to radio

 Reading audio books

 Singing English songs

 Practicing pronunciation

 Joining conversation groups/one-on-one

conversations

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Resources

 Listening Lab:

http://www.esl-lab.com

 Listening Activities:

http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html

 Audio Books:

http://librivox.org

http://www.audiobooks.org

http://www.audiobooks.net

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How to improve comprehension?

 Reading picture books or comics

 Reading newspapers and magazines

 Asking questions during conversations

 Watching TV and movies

 Browsing English websites

 Consulting dictionaries

 Constantly learning new words

 Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms

 Knowing grammar

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Resources

 Idioms:

http://www.idiomconnection.com

 Slang Words:

http://www.eslcafe.com/slang/list.html

 Reading Comprehension Exercises:

http://www.englishcorner.vacau.com/reading/read ing.html

 Listening Comprehension Exercises:

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/

 Vocabulary Games:

http://www.vocabulary.co.il

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How to improve pronunciation?

 Listening to native English and imitating

 Reading along with audio books

 Speaking, being corrected or asking for correct pronunciation and repeating after

 Paying attention to letter combination

sounds, stressed syllables, word linkage and intonation

 Training speech organs position, shape

and movement of English sounds

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Resources



Accent School:

http://www.accentschool.com/run_software.html



Some Pronunciation Rules:

http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/index.htm http://www.fonetiks.org

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Pronunciation Exercises:

http://www.pronunciationworkshop.com/pronunciationexercises.htm http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunciation.html

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/pronex/pronex.htm http://www.manythings.org/pp/

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Dictionaries with Pronunciation:

http://www.merriam-webster.com http://www.howjsay.com

http://www.thefreedictionary.com

http://dictionary.cambridge.org

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How to improve grammar?

 Reading, listening, writing and speaking

 Using subject-verb structure

 Differentiating questions from statements

 Understanding parts of speech

 Practicing verb tenses

 Knowing words beyond their meaning

 Learning phrasal verbs

 Doing grammar exercises

 Quizzing yourself

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Resources

 English Grammar Exercises and Tests:

http://world-english.org

 English Grammar:

http://www.manythings.org/e/grammar.html

 English Grammar Quizzes:

http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/

http://a4esl.org/a/v.html

 English Study Zone:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/

 English Grammar Rules and Exercises:

http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm

 Phrasal Verbs:

http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/verb_preposition.html

http://www.learn-english-today.com/phrasal-verbs/phrasal-verb-list.htm http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm

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How to improve reading?

 Reading audio books

 Watching movies with subtitles

 Listening to songs and following their lyrics

 Learning letter/letter combination sounds

 Stressing words correctly

 Paying attention to punctuation signs

 Slowing down and pronouncing every

single word as well as word endings

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Resources

 Listen and Read Along:

http://www.manythings.org/listen

 Phonics Games:

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/phonics

http://www.familylearning.org.uk/phonics_ga mes.html

 Songs and Lyrics:

http://www.isabelperez.com/songs.htm

http://www.songsforteaching.com/esleflesol.h

tm

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How to improve writing?

 Reading, listening and speaking

 Learning English grammar and vocabulary

 Understanding the basic subject-verb sentence structure

 Using correct spelling

 Analyzing frequently misspelled words

 Making use of grammar and spell check

 Punctuating correctly

 Blogging, text messaging or having pen

friends

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Resources

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Blogging Sites:

www.blogger.com

www.blogtopsites.com



ESL Blogging:

http://www.eslgo.com/conversation/

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Spelling Games:

http://www.vocabulary.co.il/spelling

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Punctuation Rules:

http://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/blues/writing/punctuation.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-English-Punctuation-Correctly http://esl.about.com/od/englishgrammar/a/a_punctuation.htm http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/a/pun

ctrules.htm

Volunteer Social