How To Improve Your English Skills!

There are many good websites that offer you free English lessons. I have listed some of the best below. Please visit these websites and do the online exercises. Please keep a record of your activities in your notebook. When possible, write your answers in your notebook.

Dictation Practice:

http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictation.htm

http://www.rong-chang.com/eslread/eslread/dict/contents.htm

http://www.learnenglish.de/dictationpage.htm#inter

http://eolf.univ-fcomte.fr/index.php?page=real-english-dictations-exercises

Listening to News:

http://edition.englishclub.com/category/listening-news/

http://www.elllo.org/english/NewCenter.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/index.html

History Lessons:

http://www.englishclub.com/this-week-in-history/index.php

http://www.history.com/videos/topics

Online Grammar Practice:

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/index.htm

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/index.html

Long Listening with Transcripts and Quizzes:

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-quizzes/tlevp/index.htm

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-videos/index.htm

http://www.wiredforbooks.org/

TOEIC Practice:

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toeic-practice.htm

Idioms:

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/index.htm

http://www.idiomsite.com/

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary_games/idioms.html

Online Games:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary_games.html

Good website for English study!

All students should visit this website and try some of the many exercises there. You don't need to register or pay money. Try it! You might like it!

D'oh!

This is what happens when you do something stupid!

LISTENING NOTEBOOKS!

Notebooks


It’s very simple. Follow the following rules:

1) Put all of your assignments in your notebook.

2) Do any and all homework for each assignment.

3) Put all new vocabulary into your notebook and write definitions in English.

4) Make a summary of each listening assignment. Write just five or six sentences that summarize the topic.

5) Do online work.

6) Choose one of the listening sites found in the link section on the right side of this page. Do the listening sections and put your answers and a summary in your notebook.

7) I recommend these sites:

http://www.esl-lab.com/



http://www.manythings.org/listen/



http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/



http://www.teacherjoe.us/Dicts.html



http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/index.shtml



Optional Activities:

1) Daily Diary: Write whatever you are thinking or doing each day.

2) Watch the news and write a summary.

3) Write stories in English. Make a simple manga. Use your imagination!



If you need listening material, come see me!

How to Improve your Score on the Center Test!

1. Read each question before listening.

2. Circle key words: nouns, verbs, adjectives, dates, times, numbers, etc.

3. Look for negative words like “no” or “not” which can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

4. Read all the answers before listening and circle key words.

5. In all answers look for patterns such as repeated words, related words (competition, contest, compete, winner, victory, etc.), same-sounding numbers (16 and 60), pictures with similar objects (a white coat and a black coat, etc.), map choices with the same directions but small differences, and time answers that have some relationship (10:30 and 8:30 or 8am and 8pm). Identifying patterns can help you predict which of the four answer choices may be possible answers. It can also help eliminate some answers that do not fit the pattern. Thus, you increase the possibility of choosing a correct answer. For example, if you have a map/direction question, looking for maps that are the same but with only a small difference may increase your chance of getting a correct answer by 50%!

6. Take notes! Listen for key words and write them on your test paper. This will help you find the right answer.

7. In Section 4b, you should follow the same analytical procedure mentioned above. Circle key words, look for patterns and take notes. Also, look for word clues in questions 24 and 25 which may help you guess the answers to question 23.

8. In all questions use your common sense! Some questions, especially in Section 4b, can be answered using basic common sense!

9. Stay calm and don’t panic!

10. Improve your listening skills by self-study at home using the websites I have linked to on my webpage!

Welcome New Students!

Please use the links on the right to improve your English listening ability!
They are free to use anytime. Put your answers in your Listening Notebook.

Here are some sites I recommend:
Basic Listening
Dictation Practice
Alice in Wonderland
VOA News English (Difficult)
BBC News English

Did you see the Queen?

Read the story here: Queens walks across Tower Bridge

Have you ever see the Emperor or Empress of Japan do anything like this?

How about this: On the train

Are you surprised to know that the royal family in the UK mixes with regular people? How about the royal family in Japan?

Taiji Mercury Poisoning

Enjoy eating whale meat? Hope not! If you do, you may want to visit a doctor. Environmentalist have been warning Japan for many years about the high levels of mercury present in whale/dolphin meat. However, some powerful politicians have blocked their efforts to warn the Japanese public about the dangers of mercury contamination in ocean fish especially whales and dolphin. Now we have confirmation of what many people suspected. People living in Taiji, famous for their annual dolphin hunt, have tested positive for mercury poisoning....10 times the national average!
Read the story here:Taiji Mercury Poisoning

An award-winning documentary about Taiji's dolphin hunt was banned in Japan. You can see a preview here: The Cove

Why does the government of Japan not want you to see this film? Why do they want you to eat whale meat?

Prepare for your UK Trip!

You will visit the UK soon. You are so lucky! I wish I could go but I have to stay here at Nichidai Prison....too bad!
However, you can learn a lot about England if you visit my other webpage:

History of England

Visit the page and follow the links on the right. You will understand more about the amazing historical sites you will see in England and maybe you will learn actually learn something!!! OMG!!!!!

T2-3 Assignments

Please visit the webpages on the right for easy listening activities. Put the answers and new vocabulary in your LISTENING NOTEBOOKS!

Here are some useful pages that I especially recommend for students:

English Dictation

Breaking News English

BBC Learning English

ESL Lounge