Hi! What's your name? Do you have a big family? Do you like to talk about your family? Do you like to talk about your job? Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do? Do you like to travel? Where did you go?
Monday, June 30, 2025
I think they call this love
How old were you when you first fell in love?
What kind of music do you like? Slow oldies are often good for my class because students can hear them and they are more likely to have correct grammar. Can you believe this song is new? What is your favorite song?
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Happy Summer!
Did you enjoy your first day of summer? When I was a child, many ice cream trucks and merry-go-rounds played this tune, but I never heard the words.
Do you like ice cream? What's the best flavor? Are you planning to travel this summer? Where do you want to go? Do you like to go to the beach? What's your favorite beach?
Friday, June 20, 2025
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Happy Juneteenth
My mother grew up in Galveston Texas
where people had beach parties to celebrate Juneteenth
throughout the twentieth century.
Juneteenth is new as a federal holiday,
but it's an old celebration of freedom
even though many people were still enslaved after that date.
Do you celebrate any historical events? Which ones? How?
Friday, June 13, 2025
Potluck Party on Monday!
A potluck is a party that asks all the guests to bring food to share. Many people have potlucks in the USA -- especially schools, churches, and neighborhood pools. Please bring something yummy. If you really don't have the time or money to bring food, don't worry. Come anyway.
Please don't bring candles (no fire), gifts for the teacher, children, or alcoholic drinks.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
What are you going to do?
wanna = want to
oughta= ought to=visualized ideal (best in my mind) Everyone ought to use the blog!
Low Intermediate Grammar - Please remember and be good at these language patterns before studying any perfect tense or conditionals. Grammar describes patterns. If you use it well, you can learn how to say thousands of correct things in a few minutes. Don't try to understand grammar because it's crazy-- try to remember rules and exceptions. Make examples that you can use in your life.
Review, expansion, and practice with "going to"
What are you doing tonight?
What are you going to do tomorrow?
What are you going to do this weekend?
Where are you going to go the next time you travel?
What are you going to do next summer?
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
I hope you return!
June 12 is the LAST DAY for current students to register for Summer Classes. We'll get students from other locations because our program is only doing summer classes at a few locations. Please register tomorrow if you want to be in the class.
I plan to teach. We will probably focus on directions, travel, and getting jobs. If the majority of students in the Summer class already took class this spring, we will have more opportunities to have conversations.
The shotgun seat is the passenger seat -- the seat in the front that's not the driver.
What are you going to do this summer?
What does "mean" mean?
I didn't mean to confuse you, but the most difficult thing I gave you today used "mean" as "intend." That was new for many people. Claribel pointed out that "mean" means many things. Here's a video about some of things "mean" means.
Can you write three sentences using "mean" in 3 different contexts?
Sunday, June 8, 2025
This Old Guitar
I'd like some count and noncount nouns, please
Count and noncount nouns with a LOT of examples-- scroll way down to do the quiz!
What ingredients do you need for your favorite recipes?
Friday, June 6, 2025
Count-Non-Count
My class presentation on count and non-count
for many US speakers, fruit is noncount and piece=slice
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Practice Directions
Some of the reading tests have maps.
Cupid Shuffle Line Dance (Dancers are wearing short skirts.) Practice right and left!
Do
Please write some directions from Plum Center to one of your favorite places nearby!