SPRING 2016

keyboarding etc

Writing on Computers - Reading and Writing

Four Skills in Learning English:

easy:                       Listening

not so easy:            Speaking

difficult:                    Reading

more difficult:           Writing


Practice each skill; some will be easier than others for you. 

Practice punctuation vocabulary on Quizlet. 

When you know these 12 words, go to the Punctuation drag and drop game and try it.

Finally, a video from Weird Al Yankovic. It's about learning English. Enjoy!

Writing on Computers - Text Messages

Texting shortcuts 

This video will show you some new sms text abbreviations and some you already know

Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips

These podcasts give you important information about using grammar when you write. They're available for your smartphone.

Writing Practice Lessons - Unit 1

1. Sample Essay - My Hobby

2. Sentence Pattern: Start/Stop verb+ing

3. Grammar: Past Tense

4. Error Correction Worksheet

5. Assignment: "My Hobby"

Writing includes punctuation. Try this exercise.

Reading practice. A variety of stories to read here, but they're not easy.

www.visualesl.com  has other exercises you can practice. 

More reading practice These are children's stories with sound. 

Choose a song for relaxation - use one of these websites:

ESL songs by singer or theme

Look for Are You Lonesome Tonight?

YouTube - look for songs with lyrics in your search

Look for Here Comes The Sun

Writing on Computers - Luck

LUCK

A video about luck and how to use related idioms

CROSSWORD PUZZLE about luck

Practice the words you learned about luck online

Stephen Colbert interviews Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Dr. Tyson, an astrophysicist, is interviewed in 2010 by comedian Stephen Colbert. (1 hour 20 minutes)

August 10 & 11, Monday and Tuesday

Eating at Restaurants

Pastries

Panini (sandwich)

Let's look at some places to eat in the vicinity of your hotel.












Western food:


Brioche Bakery and Cafe  click on this link to see the menu
210 Columbus Avenue
Click here for map


The Station  click on this link to go to their home page, where you will find the menu


TriColore Cafe and Pizzeria  click on this link to learn more about this place to eat


Chinese food (American style):

House of Nanking  
Chinese restaurants in San Francisco may be different than those in China. Look at the website.


House of Xian  
look at their menu in English here 
925 Kearny Street (next to House of Nanking)

Check out the food photos here 


iCafe  Good place for a quick breakfast. Click on the iCafe icon to see their menu

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Touchstone 4 Student's Book

August 2015

Welcome to class!

Today we met a group of students and teachers from Mexico. I asked you to find out what they thought were the differences between their country/city and San Francisco. Think about what you learned before you watch the Real-English video.

Click here for first lesson

You will watch a series of interviews from Miami Beach, Florida. Ask questions about vocabulary or anything else you have.

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Songs:

http://esl-bits.net 

Here's some of the music you'll find on this website

O Brother, Where Art Thou? : songs from the movie 
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the music from the 2000 American film. With the film set in Mississippi during the Great Depression, the soundtrack uses bluegrass, country, gospel, blues, and folk music appropriate to that time period (1929-1939)..

The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are a premiere American rock band. Emerging at the vanguard of the "California Sound", the band's early music gained international popularity for their distinct vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and romance. Later, the band began to evolve their sound  towards more deeply passionate, introspective songs that examined love, heartache, and longing.


Elvis Presley - songs from the early yearsElvis Presley (1935 – 1977) was an American singer, musician, and actor. One of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King". Presley is one of the most celebrated musicians of 20th-century. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music



We'll choose a song and look at the lyrics. Which one do you like?

1.  You Are My Sunshine  from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

2.  California Girls   the Beach Boys

3.  Heartbreak Hotel   Elvis Presley

Look at this San Francisco map:

Where is our school? 

Your hotel?

Fisherman's Wharf?

Downtown?

Click here to find things to do in San Francisco
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Click here for information about applying to U.C. Berkeley for international students. Ask questions if you have them.

Click here for information about applying to Stanford University for international students.

Click here for information about applying to City College of San Francisco for international students. You can also talk to Ken Lee.


Trip to Silicon Valley (Apple, Google, Facebook and NASA science museum/store ) Friday, August 7:

Summer Vacation #2 - to Scotland

I've just returned from Scotland (苏格兰), where I visited the city of Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders region.

My son and daughter-in-law at a Peebles garden

Flowers in a Scottish garden

A flock of sheep on a Scottish Borders farm 

 Some of the food in Scotland is different from any other:

Haggis and tablets (fudge) above