Poem Analysis - My Spelling Checker

Poem Analysis - My Spelling Checker

Introduction: Work with your group members to read the following poem and complete these tasks.

Task 1: Read the poem with your partners. Each group member should read on stanza paying attention to the rhythm and rhyme. When you finish tell your partners what you think the poem is about. Then continue to the other tasks.

Eye have a spelling checker

It came with my pea sea

It clearly marks four my review

Miss steaks eye can knot sea

Eye strike a key and type a word

And weight four it to say

Weather eye am wrong oar write

It shows me strait a weigh

As soon as a mist ache is maid

It nose bee for two long

And eye can put the error write

It's rarely ever wrong

Eye have run this poem threw it

I am shore your pleased two no

It's letter perfect all the weigh

My checker told me sew

Task 2: You probably noticed that the poem has many problems with homophones, or similar sounding words and phrases. What homophone errors can you identify? Can you find where these words should go?

• So
• Mistake (2x)
• Or right
• PC
• Knows before
• Straight away
• Cannot see

Task 3: This poem is an example of irony. What is ironic about this poem?

• Irony: Noun - Something that seems to be deliberately contrary to expectations and the result if often amusing or funny. 

Task 4: CLICK HERE to read the "corrected" version of the poem. Did you find all of the mistakes?

Increasing Our Reading Speed

Increasing Our Reading Speed

Introduction: Learning to read a foreign language is hard but it is even harder to learn to read a foreign language QUICKLY! In order to improve your reading speed, you need to practice reading with the intention of improving your speed. The problem is finding the right text for your speed reading practice. If your goal is to improve your reading speed, you should already know ALL of the words in the text (or at least 99% of them). Here you have a list of texts that were specially written for speed reading practice. They are all exactly the same length. That means you can read through them all, time yourself, and see if you are improving. 

General Tips: When working on your reading speed you need to take the following considerations.

• Find a balance: Read as quickly as you can while still understanding what you read. 
• Read all the way through: Do not stop, sit and think, or go back and reread anything. If you encounter a word you don't understand, just keep going. 
• Time yourself: Use your phone to record the time that it takes you to read the text and complete the questions.
• Keep a record: Write the time down each time you complete a new text in order to see if you are improving or not. 
• Focus on improvement: Actively try to read the next text even faster. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. 

Your Task: For the rest of this course, you will work on speed reading a little bit each week. Through systematic practice you can improve your speed! So, how does this work? 

• Open one of the links.
• Start your timer.
• Read the entire text without stopping as quickly as possible. 
• Answer all of the questions you can based on your memory.
• If there are any questions you can't answer, go back and find the info in the text.
• Submit your answers and stop your timer.
• Check your answers.
• Write your time and number correct in the table in your Learning Journal.
• Your goal should be to read as fast as possible and still get 70% of the questions correct.
• If you are get fewer than 70% correct, you are reading too quickly.
• If you get 100% correct, you are probably reading too slowly.
• Open another link and try again!

Collection 1: Texts written with the 1,000 most common words in English.

• Text 1 - Life in the Pacific Islands: CLICK HERE
• Text 2 - Jainism: CLICK HERE
• Text 3 - Fa Hien: CLICK HERE
• Text 4 - Willem Iskandar: CLICK HERE
• Text 5 - The Inuit: CLICK HERE
• Text 6 - Asoka: CLICK HERE

Collection 2: Texts written with the 2,000 most common words in English.

• Text 7 - Africa Facts and Figures: CLICK HERE
• Text 8 - It's Not a Bus, It's a Truck: CLICK HERE
• Text 9 - Ugali: CLICK HERE
• Text 10 - The Big Five: CLICK HERE
• Text 11 - Maarifa: CLICK HERE
• Text 12 - Pumbaas: CLICK HERE

Collection 3: Texts written with the 3,000 most common words in English.

• Text 13 - The Common Cold: CLICK HERE
• Text 14 - Relationships: CLICK HERE
• Text 15 - Chillies: CLICK HERE
• Text 16 - Batik: CLICK HERE
• Text 17 - Spam: CLICK HERE
• Text 18 - SAD: CLICK HERE

Collection 4: Texts written with the 4,000 most common words in English.

• Text 19 - Sugar: CLICK HERE
• Text 20 - Kimchi: CLICK HERE
• Text 21 - Sign Language: CLICK HERE
• Text 22 - MSG: CLICK HERE
• Text 23 - Dates: CLICK HERE
• Text 24 - Netsuke: CLICK HERE

Read and Discuss: Important Internet Firsts

Read and Discuss: Important Internet Firsts

Introduction: In today's class we are talking about important inventions in history. For this activity, you will read about an important invention in this history of the internet. Your teacher gave you a group number. Go to your section below and follow the instructions. 

 

Group 1

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Instructions: Work with your group members to read your text and answer the following questions. You will share the answers with people from other groups in the next activity so be sure you can explain this information in your own words.

• What are the names and nationalities of the people involved?
• What and where did this first happen?
• What are some important dates and events in this history?
• What personal experiences or opinions do you have with this technology?
• What is your personal opinion about the importance of this technology? 
• What impact did it have on society in the past? What impact does it have today?

Group 2

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Instructions: Work with your group members to read your text and answer the following questions. You will share the answers with people from other groups in the next activity so be sure you can explain this information in your own words.

• What are the names and nationalities of the people involved?
• What and where did this first happen?
• What are some important dates and events in this history?
• What personal experiences or opinions do you have with this technology?
• What is your personal opinion about the importance of this technology? 
• What impact did it have on society in the past? What impact does it have today?

Group 3

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Instructions: Work with your group members to read your text and answer the following questions. You will share the answers with people from other groups in the next activity so be sure you can explain this information in your own words.

• What are the names and nationalities of the people involved?
• What and where did this first happen?
• What are some important dates and events in this history?
• What personal experiences or opinions do you have with this technology?
• What is your personal opinion about the importance of this technology? 
• What impact did it have on society in the past? What impact does it have today?

Group 4

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Instructions: Work with your group members to read your text and answer the following questions. You will share the answers with people from other groups in the next activity so be sure you can explain this information in your own words.

• What are the names and nationalities of the people involved?
• What and where did this first happen?
• What are some important dates and events in this history?
• What personal experiences or opinions do you have with this technology?
• What is your personal opinion about the importance of this technology? 
• What impact did it have on society in the past? What impact does it have today?

Group 5

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Instructions: Work with your group members to read your text and answer the following questions. You will share the answers with people from other groups in the next activity so be sure you can explain this information in your own words.

• What are the names and nationalities of the people involved?
• What and where did this first happen?
• What are some important dates and events in this history?
• What personal experiences or opinions do you have with this technology?
• What is your personal opinion about the importance of this technology? 
• What impact did it have on society in the past? What impact does it have today?

The Ultimate Alphabet Paintings - ABCs

The Ultimate Alphabet Paintings - ABCs

Instructions: You will work with your partners to examine the images below and find as many words as you can that begin with a particular letter. Your teacher gave you a group number. To begin, CLICK HERE to access the Google Doc and find the space for your group. Use the time you have to write all the words you can find in the pictures to complete your two lists. You will get one point for each UNIQUE word on your list. If a word is repeated on the lists of multiple groups, it does not count.

Picture 1: Find Words that Begin with the Letter P!

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Picture 2: Find Words that Begin with the Letter S!

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Would You Survive?

Would You Survive?

Introduction: In today's class we are talking about the topic of wilderness survival. Keep this page open during the lesson and follow the teacher's instructions to complete the tasks.

Task 1: Pair Discussion - Discuss the following questions with your partner. You have exactly five minutes so be sure to click play on the video to start your timer.

• Do you think you would act well in an emergency? Why or why not?
• Do you have any disaster plans?
• Which wilderness survival shows have you seen on TV?
• Why do you think these kinds of shows are so popular?
• Would you ever participate in a show like this?

Task 2: How to Eat an Elephant - Click on the link below that corresponds with your group number. Read the text and answer the questions at the bottom.

• Group 1: CLICK HERE
• Group 2: CLICK HERE
• Group 3: CLICK HERE
• Group 4: CLICK HERE
• Group 5: CLICK HERE

Task 3: Let's Think - Look at the following natural habitats and discuss the following questions for each one.

• What kind of habitat is it?
• Where can you find this kind of habitat?
• What are its characteristics?
• What would be difficult about surviving in this area?

Task 4: What would you do? - Choose 5 to 7 of the phrases below and create a 2nd conditional sentence using the pattern we saw in class. Add each sentence as a separate post in the Padlet below.  

• You are attached by killer bees...
• A tornado appears in your city...
• You are caught in a rip tide (resaca marina, corriente)... 
• You fall through ice one a frozen lake or river...
• A bear attacks you in the forest...
• You become trapped in an elevator...
• A poisonous snake bites you...
• You are trapped in an avalanche...
• A shark is trying to bite you...

Task 5: Pack your bags - Imagine you were selected to participate in a wilderness survival show where you had to live in the wilderness for one week. Choose one of the five habitats from Task 2 and decide with your partners what you would bring with you to help you survive. You can choose only 5 items so choose carefully. For each item, discuss why you would pack it and how it would help you.

Task 6: Talking about Feelings - We can transform many English verbs into adjectives related to feelings. When we put the (ing) at the end, we use it to describe a situation. When we put the (ed) at the end, we use it to describe how a person feels. Click on the link for your group number and complete the exercises with your partners.

• Group 1: CLICK HERE
• Group 2: CLICK HERE
• Group 3: CLICK HERE
• Group 4: CLICK HERE
• Group 5: CLICK HERE

If you would like to practice more vocabulary related to feelings, CLICK HERE to view a presentation that Diana created for you. 

TOEIC Speaking Practice - Questions 5-7

TOEIC Speaking Practice - Questions 5-7

Introduction: In this part of the TOEIC Speaking test you have to pretend you are answering a market research survey by telephone. You will be asked three questions and you need to provide short answers for them. You do not have any time to prepare. Take a look at the learning goals for this section. This part of the test is designed to measure your ability to do the following.

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Useful Language: Pay close attention to what the question is asking. The chart below outlines some common question types, identifies what they are asking, and suggests relevant structures to use.

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Task 1: Think Fast Debate!

One of you should "flip" the coin. If it is Heads, you need to defend the choice on the left. If it is Tails, you need to defend the choice on the right. You each have 30 seconds to speak. When you finish, change topics, flip the coin, and debate again.

• Netfix vs Cinema
• Pinto vs Chifrijo
• Soccer vs Other Sports
• City Life vs Country Life
• Science vs Art
• Cats vs Dogs
• Your choice vs Your Partner's Choice

COIN FLIP

Task 2: Three Quick Questions

The Google Slides presentation below contains six sets of questions for this section of the exam. In each slide you have stopwatch videos, one for each question, to help you manage your time as you practice giving responses. Use the arrows at the bottom left of the presentation to pass through the slides.

Repeat your responses a second time to see if you can improve your fluency, accuracy, organization of ideas, and most importantly, time management!

More Pair Practice

Task 3: Think Fast Mini-Speech

This improvisation activity consists of 4 rounds. In each round you or your partner will give a 30 second speech about a specific topic. Try to mention as many reasons and details as you can in the time limit. Do not stop talking until the time is over.

1) What are three objects you never leave home without and why?
2) What is your favorite part of your house and why?
3) What is a holiday that you don't like very much and why?
4) What is something you have never done but have always wanted to try and why?




Task 4: Mini-Test 

In this task you will play the video respond to three questions. The video includes the timer. Remember you have 15 seconds to respond to questions 1 and 2 and 30 seconds to respond to question 3. When you finish, discuss your responses with your partner and say what you did well and what you could improve. 

Student 1

Student 2

Student 1

Student 2

Task 5: Rapid Fire Improvisation 

In this task your listening comprehension, thinking speed, and improvisational abilities will be tested. You will hear a rapid fire list of questions for which you will need to provide a 15 second response. You will hear a beep that signals when when to start and stop your responses. For an extra challenge, listen to the audio again and provide different responses for each question. This will help you work on your improvisation skills which can come in handy in this section of the real test.

Infographic - Inventions that Changed the World

Infographic - Inventions that Changed the World

Instructions: For your Performance 3 (10%) you will create an infographic with your partners and give a 5 minute group presentation about an invention, technology, or product that has changed the world. Your infographic and presentation must include the following details:

• Make at least 5 posts in the infographic. Each post should contain a photo and some original text. You can NOT copy/paste your text from the internet.
• The text in each post should contain at least one passive voice sentence and other information to provide details.
• In your presentation, each group member should speak for an equal amount of time.

Organization: Here is a way you can organize your presentation.

• Introduction: What is your topic and why did you choose it?
• Infographic: Share each of your infographic posts in a logical order. Read the post and explain why it is significant using your own words to expand and give more details and examples.
• Conclusion: Why do you think this invention, technology or product has changed the world?

Infographic: Do you need inspiration for your posts? Consider these questions to help you think of important information that you want to include in the infographic.

• Where was it invented or discovered?
• Which country produces the most?
• Which country consumes the most?
• Which country uses the least?
• Who is an important person involved with this topic?
• What materials are used to create it? 
• Where do the materials come from?
• Other ideas?