Rabu, 18 Juni 2008
Fun English Memory Games!
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/j7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/n7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/b7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/m7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/o7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/f7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/c7.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/g7.html
Game 3
Crosswords
Crosswords are an excellent way to improve your vocabulary. They help you remember words that you have already learned, and can even help you learn new words.Complete the crossword, then click on "Check" to check your answer. If you are stuck, you can click on "Hint" to get a free letter. Click on a number in the grid to see the clue or clues for that number.
Click here to play this game!
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/crosswords-level3-animals1.htm
Game 2
Typing Test
How well can you type in English? This is a good way to improve your English. Here, you have to type as fast as possible. Well, that's not so difficult. The hard part is - you mustn't make mistakes! Let's see how you do! (By the way, professional typists can type at speeds of 70 words a minute, with no mistakes!)
- Choose your level.
- Press START!
- Type the text that appears in Box A into Box B.
- Press FINISH!
Click here to play this game!
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/typing.htmGame 1
How Old are You Really?
You certainly know how old you are in years. But how old are you in days, hours, minutes and seconds? To find out, just enter your date of birth:
(example: 1 November 1966)
You are days, hours and minutes old.
Senin, 16 Juni 2008
Study a Balance of the 4 Key Skills
1. How to learn LISTENING
- Listen to the radio
Don't always have a pen in hand. Sometimes it helps to just listen. - Watch English TV
Children's programming is very useful for ESL learners.
Choose programs that you would enjoy in your own language.
Remember that much of what you hear on TV is slang. - Call Automated Answering Machine recordings
You can find these numbers at the front of telephone books in many English-speaking countries. Before you dial, make sure that you are calling the free numbers. - Watch movies
Choose ones with subtitles, or one from ESLNotes.com (provides useful notes on popular movies). - Use Internet listening resources
Every day there are more and more places to listen to English online. - Useful Listening links:
EnglishClub.com English Listening
More listening tips
2. How to learn SPEAKING and pronunciation
- Talk to yourself
Talk about anything and everything. Do it in the privacy of your own home. If you can't do this at first, try reading out loud until you feel comfortable hearing your own voice in English. - Record your own voice
This might feel very uncomfortable, but it will help you find your weak pronunciation points. Listen to yourself a few days later. Which sounds do you have difficulty hearing? - Use the telephone.
- Participate in class
- Learn common idioms
- Understand the sounds that your language doesn't have
For example, many languages don't have the "r" sound. These sounds require extra practice. - Recognize that teachers are trained to understand you
When you get out into the real world, average people will have a more difficult time understanding you unless you practise speaking slowly and with proper pronunciation. - Practise minimal pairs
- Study word and sentence stress
- Practice tongue twisters
- Useful Speaking links:
EnglishClub.com English Speaking
EnglishClub.com English Pronunciation
Speaking tips
More speaking tips
3. How to learn READING and vocabulary
- Read something every day
Children's books, simplified readers (Penguin), newspapers, magazines, Internet sites, novels, and much much more... - Read what interests you.
Remember that you learn better when you are having fun. - Read at the appropriate level
You want to learn new vocabulary, but you also want to understand what you are reading. If you are looking up every word, the reading is too difficult. - Review Who, What, Where, When, Why for each story you read
You can do this for almost any type of reading. Who is it about? What happened? Why did it happen? Where did it take place? When did it take place? This is very useful when you have no comprehension questions to answer. You can write or speak your answers. - Always have an English-English dictionary nearby
It is a bad habit to always rely on a translation dictionary or electronic dictionary.
Think of your English-English dictionary as your life line.
Use online dictionaries when you are using the Internet (keyword online dictionary). - Record vocabulary in a personal dictionary
- Keep this notebook separate from other work
- Record vocabulary in alphabetical order (an English address book works well because it has letters of the alphabet)
- Record the part of speech (sometimes there is more than one)
- Write a sample sentence for yourself (don't use the one from the dictionary)
- Review your personal dictionary (especially new entries) every night before bed
- Useful Reading links:
EnglishClub.com English Reading
EnglishClub.com English Vocabulary
More reading tips
4. How to learn WRITING and spelling
- Keep a diary/journal
Don't always pay attention to grammar. Free-writing can be very useful. It can show you that writing is fun. Have fun with the language. - Write emails in English
Stay in contact with teachers or other students. - Rewrite your local news in English
This is another exercise that can be done on a daily basis. Remember that regular activities are the best ones. - Learn important spelling rules
Remember, you won't always have a dictionary or a spell-checker handy, especially when you are writing a test. Even native English speakers need to review the spelling rules from time to time. - Learn commonly misspelled words
- Learn common English errors
- Get an ESL penpal
- Useful Writing links:
EnglishClub.com English Writing
More writing tips
More TIPS for learning English
Don't be afraid of grammar
- Grammar is for communication
Sometimes students get obsessed with grammar. This is especially true for students who grew up with strict grammar schooling. Remember that you only study grammar in order to communicate. Practise with a few exercises, then write an essay or have a conversation and try to use your new tools. - Isolate your weak points
Don't waste time on grammar exercises that you already understand just because they are easier for you. Concentrate on grammar that is difficult for you. If you are unsure of where your problems are, write a few short essays or paragraphs and ask a teacher to circle repeated errors. Then you can look up your problem and practise it. - Teach grammar points to a friend
Find a friend who studies at a lower level than you. Teaching will force you to remember the rules and to understand them properly. Try preparing a worksheet for your friend.
Useful Grammar links:
EnglishClub.com English Grammar
Gramar is your friend
Grammar Safari
Improve your homework skills
- Stay organized. Keep separate notebooks for exercises, writing, and vocabulary.
- Use a pen that you love.
- Study in short, regular periods.
- Allow a short amount of time for review.
- Study in a place where you feel happy and comfortable.
- Don't allow distractions. Consider email, TV, and the telephone (unless in English) off limits while you are studying.
- Have a drink and snack handy so that you don't have to get up.
- If you study in pairs or groups, make an English-only rule.
Visit an English-Speaking Country
- Take a language holiday.
- Stay with a homestay family.
- Learn from native English teachers.
- Gain access to English culture.
- Get a part-time job.
- Volunteer.
- Make native English friends.
- Make friends with people from other countries.
- Become more confident.
- Hire a tutor.
- Offer language lessons/swap in your own native tongue.
- Useful links:
Language Holidays
Homestay
English Schools Guide
Prepare for a standardized test such as TOEIC or TOEFL
- Qualify for a better job in your country (TOEIC).
- Get accepted to an American college or university (TOEFL).
- Use guided-study text books.
- Study a broad range of whole language.
- Track your improvement easily (test scores).
- Learn idiomatic language.
- Learn business English (TOEIC).
- Improve your vocabulary quickly.
- Take classes and get access to many listening exercises.
- Challenge yourself to improve your score.
- Learn and practise proper essay format (TWE/NEW TOEFL).
- Become a grammar expert.
- Improve your general knowledge.
- Useful links:
ESL Exams
TOEFL Tips and Practice
TOEIC Tips and Practice
Official Cambridge site
Official TOEFL site
Official TOEIC site
Fun with English Ideas
- Have an English-only evening once a week. Cook in English (rewrite your recipe in English) or watch English movies.
- Write an English love letter. (If your loved one doesn't understand English that's even better!)
- Write English limericks. (These are excellent and simple for writing, pronunciation and rhythm practice.)
- Rewrite fairytales, jokes or instructions in English.
- Go out and pretend you don't understand your native language (try to get by in only English).
- Go online and find the lyrics to your favourite English songs and sing along to them (use a search engine).
- Learn the words to English national anthems. Sing along when you hear them on TV (sporting events).
- Invent an English character for yourself (with job, family, etc). Write this person's biography.
- Buy an English board game (like Monopoly or Scrabble).
- Play cards in English.
- Start up or join an English reading or conversation club.
- Talk to yourself in English while you clean or do the dishes.
- Go around the house and try to name everything in English (furniture, clothes etc). Look up words you don't know.
Taken from: http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english-how.htm
How to learn English?
How To Learn English
Tips and ideas on the best ways to learn English faster.
Tips for Beginners
- You are like a new baby
Babies learn their language slowly.
First they learn to listen.
Then they learn to talk.
Finally, they can read and write. - Listen to English every day
Listen to English radio.
Watch English TV.
Go to English movies.
Use online lessons. - Make an English/ESL friend
Make up conversations.
Practise dialogues.
Use beginner textbooks. - Read English stories
Start with children's storybooks.
Try ESL readers.
Read advertisements, signs and labels.
Try EnglishClub.com for Young Learners. - Write down new words
Start a vocabulary (new word) notebook.
Write words in alphabetical order (A...B...C...).
Make example sentences.
Always use an English-English dictionary first. - Keep an English diary
Start with one sentence.
How do you feel?
How is the weather?
What did you do today?
Write another sentence tomorrow. - Visit an English speaking country
Learn English more quickly.
Stay with an English family.
Hear native speakers talk.
Have a fun experience.
Study Tips
Some tips about learning English
What is the easy and best way to learn English?
Unfortunately there is no easy way to learn English. English can be difficult but there are ways to make learning more effective and enjoyable.
Enjoy learning English!
It is difficult to learn anything if we do not enjoy it. Therefore try to have fun with English and try to make it a challenge rather than a chore.
Become a member of an active language club!
Meeting regularly with other keen language students will give you a lot of practice time and many good experiences. Learners who belong to language clubs have a lot more opportunity to use their English in an interesting way. They can learn form other members of the club and can also help others to learn too. Did you know that learners who are involved in a conversation club generally improve faster than those who aren't? So, join a club today and get speaking!
Listen to the news or other programs in English
By listening to the news in English on the radio we not only get a lot of information but it's also a great way to hear the correct pronunciation and intonation patterns of the announcers. Listening to the radio can be difficult, but don't give up too easily. ‘Get into the Habit’ and keep listening regularly.
Read articles or books in English
If you choose this study tip, remember to choose an interesting topic! It's much harder to read something that doesn't interest you. Choosing a story or article about something you enjoy will make your reading more worthwhile, more fun and more effective.
Increase your vocabulary
You can do this by checking new words in a dictionary and writing them down with their meanings or in an example sentence. But don't just write them down and forget about them! Go back and look at those new words every few days and try to use them when you speak or write in English. Let's just recap on those study tips.
· Join a conversation club or a discussion group
· Listen to the news or other programs in English
· Read articles or books in English
· Increase your vocabulary
Be active!
To really learn a language, especially speaking and listening, you need to be an active participant. Don’t just be a bystanders or spectator. Get in there and go for it — full steam ahead!
Fluency?
Some students think that the faster they can talk English then the more fluent they are. Remember if people cannot understand you then you are not actually fluent.
Perfection?
Many students want to speak ‘Perfect English’. They will even try to speak English until they are