How Important Is Grammar? Very.

Just because famous native speakers get it wrong - doesn't make it right.

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 15

Lesson 15

• Presentations & Feedback
• Error Correction
• Reflection

Although today is our last lesson, think of ways that you can continue your progress over the summer months. There is a wealth of material on the internet for you to use including:

Podcasts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/series/the-guardian-audio-edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts

Speeches & Presentations

http://www.ted.com/

For your speaking, you can continue to use our discussion group at http://www.voxopop.com/ which I will  update throughout the summer. 

All the materials that we used in class (aside from the textbook) can be found on my wiki http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442631/FrontPage

I hope you have found the course both useful and enjoyable and that we get to get to work together again in the near future. Take care and have a good summer.

Sean

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 14

Lesson 14

Class
Input for Presentations - Preparation & Delivery http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32233573/Presentations
Introductions & Conclusions
For more examples of signposting language see: http://www.englishclub.com/speaking/presentations-lang.htm

Going Further:
Have a look at http://www.ted.com/ Here you will find a wide range of speeches and presentations and can check your listening against the transcript.

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 13 (17/07/13)

Lesson 13 - Wednesday 17th July 2013

Class
1. Pronunciation & Grammar. Past and Present Tenses. Remember that the Present Perfect and the Past Simple can sound the same - so always check the context and remember the grammar structure even though you can't hear it.
e.g. Compare the following:
I've failed my driving test.               I failed my driving test.
He's sold the flat.                             He sold the flat.
We washed the car on Sunday.       We wash the car on Sundays

2. Ending a meeting p. 63
3. Meeting role-play - recycling vocabulary
4. Error Correction.

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 12

Lesson 12

Class

• Telephone language and message taking role-play. For extra practice of telephone language see: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32872816/Using%20The%20Telephone
• Meetings - Unit 13 p. 60 - 62 Asking for opinions, responding to suggestions, agreeing and disagreeing.

Extra Practice:

1. Negotiation Language http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/37881077/Negotiations, Advanced Negotiation Skills http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41183559/Negotiations%20-%20Advanced%20Features
2. Business Jargon. The following article from last year, highlights the way business English has become overly complex and needlessly difficult. It's always best to be simple and straightforward and avoid the "jargon" (overly technical terms) used here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2012/01/26/the-most-annoying-pretentious-and-useless-business-jargon/

If you would like to have the opportunity to give a presentation and get some feedback on it, we can do this together on Friday. Select a topic of your choice and prepare a short 5 minute talk. We will discuss language, structure and technique in Thursday's lesson. giving a presentation is not compulsory, if you'd prefer to just observe and give feedback, that's fine too. 

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 11

Lesson 11
Class:

• Corrective Stress - Intonation Directions
• Functional Language http://www.ieltsspeaking.co.uk/english-functional-phrases/
• Unit 12 - Messages and Telephone Language
• Query, Inquiry, Enquiry - check the difference in pronunciation and meaning. 

Homework:

Have a look at the Five Minute Functions link above. Choose one category from the list below:

• Confirming Understanding
• Agreeing/Disagreeing
• Expressing Personal Opinions
• Speculating & Expressing Possibility
• Using Fillers When Responding To Questions
• Expressing Likes & Dislikes

What expressions can you remember? Come prepared to teach them to another member of the group. 

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 10

Lesson 10
Class

• Post Office Listening p. 50  
• Corrective Stress p. 51
• Recycling Banking Vocabulary
• Banking Role-play p. 51
• Pronunciation and Grammar http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442648/Pronunciation
• Introduction to the English Tense System  http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442655/The%20English%20Tense%20System

Homework

• Take a look at the notes on tenses in the link above.
• Participate in the http://www.voxopop.com/ discussions

LUISS IELTS Preparation Group 4 - Lesson 5

Lesson 5

• Feedback on Essays
• Speaking Test Criteria https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/digitalAssets/114292_IELTS_Speaking_Band_Descriptors.pdf
• Video examples

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/31561900/IELTS

• Functional Language for the Speaking Test http://www.ieltsspeaking.co.uk/english-functional-phrases/ Pay particular attention to phrases for confirming understanding.
• Individual Speaking Exams + feedback.

Communication Skills B2 - Lesson 9

Lesson 9
Class:
Money & Mail, Banking & Finance

1. In small groups look at the following website and note down 8 banking/finance terms,collocations or phrases. e.g. savings account
2. Unit 10 p. 48 - 50

Homework:

p. 50 Focus on conditionals

LUISS IELTS Preparartion Group 4 - Lesson 4

Lesson 4

• Academic Writing Part Two: How the criteria relates to the bands http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_Writing_MarkSchemes.html
• Thesis led and Argument led approaches http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/65348624/Academic%20Writing%20Paper%20Two
• Brainstorming, Planning & Introduction Writing - using the following exam question http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/free-sample-tests/writing-sample-test-1-academic/writing-task-2
• Timed Writing Practice using the following exam question:

The number of overweight children in developed countries is increasing. Some people think this is due to problems such as the growing number of fast food outlets. Others believe that parents are to blame for not looking after their children's health.To what extent do you agree with these views?
40 minutes, 250 word minimum.

• Peer Grading and Self Assessment

If you were absent today and would like me to assess your writing, please complete the above essay question for homework and bring it with you to class tomorrow. Write the essay in exam conditions and not spending more than 40 minutes on it.

Communication Skills B2 Lesson 8

Lesson 8
Class

• Travel Agent role-play http://www.roundtheworldflights.com/
• Making recommendations/Asking for detailed information p. 36 - 37
• Fast connected speech - missing sounds /t/ /d/ /h/

Communication Skills B2 Lesson 7 (Tues 9/07/13)

Lesson 7
Class

• News/Predicting Unit 5 p. 28 -29
• Travel Unit 7 p. 34 -35

Homework

• "Sound Smart" p. 33 linking sounds /j/ and /w/

LUISS IELTS Preparation Group 4 - Lesson 3

Lesson 3

Class
The Reading Exam - task types and timed practice
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/67525462/Approaches%20and%20Tips
The Listening Exam
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/31561900/IELTS
Listening Skills
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/37875566/Listening%20Skills

When you are doing Reading and listening exam practice use the IELTS Band Score Calculator to work out what band you are. For example 29/40 in the Listening would be band 7 while 35/40 in the Reading is band 8.

IELTS Preparation at the LUISS - Lesson 2

Lesson 2
Class

• Writing http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32702969/Academic%20Writing%20Paper%20One
• Task Types and Reading Strategies using authentic materials http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/67430195/IELTS%20Reading%20Task%20Types
• Vocabulary Strategies http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41184334/Vocabulary

Homework
1. Read the link above on vocabulary strategies especially the 8 x 8 rule.
2. Make sure you bring the sample Reading paper with you tomorrow as we will be looking at task strategies and doing timed practice.

Dates for IELTS Exams
The British Council has the following exam dates available.  

July 13* & 27
September 7 & 21
October 12
November 9
December 7 & 12*

For more information or to enrol, please go to https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/
*Academic module only.

Communication Skills B2 Lesson 6

Lesson 6
Class
Pronunciation Workshop
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442648/Pronunciation

Homework
Multiple Intelligences - take the test. How could this help you learn English more effectively?
http://www.bgfl.org/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/

LUISS IELTS Preparation Group 4

Lesson 1
Class:

• Icebreaker Questions (IELTS Speaking Part One)
• Overview of the exam - FAQs
• Tips for preparation at home http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/31561900/IELTS

• Getting from B2 to C1 - Speaking Strategies (IELTS Speaking Part Two) http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/24352165/Getting%20From%20B2%20to%20C1%20-%20Speaking%20and%20Writing

• The Problems of Translation - creating a writing checklist from translation errors http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442650/Sentence%20Structure

Homework:

1. Click on this link for a proposed course outline for this week. 
2. Create your own checklist for editing your written work. What are the types of mistakes which you typically make? 
3. Have a look at http://www.voxopop.com/ How could you use this site to create speaking practice opportunities? 
4. Print off the following text for our reading task tomorrow: http://theweek.com/article/index/239499/working-but-still-poor

Communication Skills Lesson 5

Class:

• Using film and dvds to develop listening skills http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442630/Film%20Lessons
• Relationship vocabulary, listening skills - coping with fillers and redundancyhttp://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442613/Annie%20Hall

• Discussing Film & T.V. - adjectives and listening for opinions p. 27

Homework:

Practise the DVD exercise at home (see link above) with a scene from a film of your choice. 

Communication Skills Lesson 4

The song in the video above is by Aimee Mann from her album Whatever and uses the 4th July holiday as a time to reflect on a failed relationship. Things to note: "gotten" a U.S. variant of got, To sell someone down the river = to betray someone, to quell = to suppress.

Class:

• Question Tags - form and intonation p. 12  n.b. variations:  eh? (New Zealand) innit? (Multicultural London English - an all purpose form of "isn't it" used with falling intonation)
• Agreeing/Disagreeing p. 13
• Vocabulary Strategies http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41184334/Vocabulary
• Introduction to Unit 5 - Film genres p. 26

When intonation goes wrong: "What was it, Museli?"

Communication Skills Lesson 3 - Socialising continued

Listen to the song How You Doing by New Zealand band The Front Lawn.
The song is a satire on the way we use phrases as social conventions rather than for genuine communication. Note the New Zealand accents and the abbreviations - How You Doing instead of How are you doing, G'day instead of Good Day - a common New Zealand greeting.

Lesson 3:

• Beginning and ending conversations
• Reacting
• So + (auxiliary) + I, Neither + (auxiliary) + I
• Me too, Me neither, Neither + (auxiliary) + I
• Maintaining a conversation

Cambridge Skills: Listening & Speaking 3 Unit 1 pages 10 - 12

Have a look at the suggested course outline by clicking the following link.

Do you have any suggestions? 

Communication Skills B2 Lesson 2

Lesson 2
Tuesday 2nd July

Class:

• Socialising - Icebreakers & Small Talk http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/67379939/Socialising
• Intonation, Strong & Weak forms, Elision, Intrusive Sounds http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32174148/Conditionals%20and%20Pronunciation
• Deciding on a Syllabus http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/67380036/Deciding%20on%20a%20Syllabus

Homework:

Watch the following video from R.E.M. and listen carefully to the lyrics. Find the third conditional form and note how many result clauses it has. What do you think this tells us about what the singer is feeling?   

Error Correction:
I went in Paris last summer. I went to Paris last summer.
Let's discuss about unit 7. Let's discuss unit 7. 

Instead of thinking of these as 'grammar' mistakes (prepositions or verb structure) learn them as collocation:
go to (a city)
discuss something (with someone)

Summer at the British Council: Communication Skills B2

Lesson 1
Class:

• Course Information:

Text:

Cambridge English Skills Real Listening and Speaking 3 (Cambridge, 2011) 

To order a copy try:

1. The Anglo/American Book Co. http://www.aab.it/default.php?idhparea=9
2. Amazon.it http://www.amazon.it/Real-Listening-Speaking-Students-Audio/dp/3125345332/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1372502594&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=speaking+and+listening+3
3. Amazon.co.uk  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-English-Listening-Speaking-Answers/dp/0521705886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372516062&sr=1-1&keywords=real+speaking+and+listening+3

30 Hours (15 x 2 hour lessons)

Continuous Assessment

Monday - Friday 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Room: Keats

http://www.britishcouncil.org/it/italy-english-rome-courses-summer-adult2013.htm

• Needs Analysis and goal setting http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/67285617/Needs%20Analysis
• Listening Strategies: Dealing with fast connected speech, the link between pronunciation, listening and grammar http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32174148/Conditionals%20and%20Pronunciation

Homework:

1. Write down your personal goal for the course.
2. Have a look through the text book and select the units which you think are the most interesting/useful for you.