English
with Heather
Learn English with a Native Speaker.
Listening
Reading and Vocabulary
Speaking
Writing and Grammar
How well can you do the things below?
Talk to a stranger (English native) for 2 minutes.
Talk to a person in a shop/store for a few minutes.
Give a 5-10 minute presentation on a topic you enjoy.
Create 5 questions on a topic and interview another classmate.
Create 5 questions to ask a local business. Call and find the answers.
Leave an English speaking friend a voicemail and check if they understand you.
Find another student that is one level above yours. Become friends with them and learn from them.
Feeling Confident? Need more of a challenge?
Choose a movie speech. Practice it and share it with me/the class.
Go to an EC social event. Or, make new friends on Meetup.
Volunteer with New York Cares. It's a great way to practice your English with kind people AND you can put the experience on your resume/student applications. Check your VISA requirements.
Skype with a friend who speaks English.
Pronunciation
Linda Lane's Focus on Pronunciation
Social
Volunteering
Free events in NYC
Grammar
9 best Grammar Apps (Learn on the train.)
Practice Exercises in your Student Workbook.
The answers are in the back.
Upper Interediate Practice Test
Writing
Writing Activities
A. Write a story about favorite childhood memory. (Practice using past tenses, used to, etc.)
B. Write about your goals or dreams for your future. (Practice using future tenses, will, going to, etc.)
C. Write about someone you admire and how they make you feel. (Practice using personality adjectives and vocabulary about feelings.)
D. Choose a business context (writing a complaint letter, writing a boss, applying for a job, etc.). Research the organization of this writing style and write a business email or letter.
E. Choose a style of writing (formal email, writing a letter to a friend, writing a complaint letter, a movie review, asking a business for more information, a compare/contrast essay, personal narrative, etc.)
F. Choose a grammar point that you want to improve (modals, conditionals, past tenses, future tenses, present perfect, etc.) and ask me for a writing assignment.
G. Practice the skills of writing an essay. There are different kinds. Choose one and ask me for an assignment
Reading
Free Newspapers, Magazines, Books and More
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Meaning, Grammar, and Conjugations
Vocabulary Meaning through Topics
Speaking
speak and exchange information about yourself
give a short talk
share your opinion on a subject at this level
discuss advantages and disadvantages
take part in a role-play
make decisions with a group
agree, disagree, complain, request, etc.
Writing
summarize texts
write explanations, instructions, explanations
write inquiries and requests
write formal and informal letters for different purposes
write descriptions of people, places, and situations
write a description of a process
report experiences, events, and relate biographical details
present a balanced argument
Listening
listen to a variety of authentic and scripted dialogues
interpret situational material even if you don't understand everything
understand a listening text from inference, accentuation, intonation, and pronunciation
listen to a large variety of voice types
listen for specific information
understand spoken instructions
understand jigsaw listening
compare notes from a listening
Reading
improve ability to guess unknown words from the context of a text
read for specific information
read different types of texts, take notes from reading
read a text quickly and answer questions about the type of text
understand the different functions and purposes of a text (e.g. to inform, educate, entertain, etc.)
Listen to lectures/radio programs by topic.
Audio Books
Educational Programs
Nature and Wildlife (National Geographic)
TV shows
(Find on Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, or Youtube)
Friends The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother Everybody Loves Raymond Grey's Anatomy Glee The Simpsons Disney/Pixar Movies
(Older, but great shows)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Family Matters Cheers
Great Speeches
Martin Luther King
John F. Kennedy
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher arrives at 10 Downing Street for the First Time as Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher on Socialism
Transcript
Grammar and Vocabulary
use verbs follwed by gerund and/or infinitive (e.g. forget, stop, go on, remember)
be confident with more complex forms of passive with modals (should/might/must) and the present perfect
use correct verb patters with wish and hope
be confident and mostly accurate with more complex sentence structures
know more vocabulary related to crime and punishment, habits and obsessions, global environment issues, design, familu roles, youth behavior, social issues, science, etc.
Pronunciation
feel confident with word and sentence stress, spelling aoud
use intonation to express different meanings
understand some homonyms and homophones
be aware of weak forms
use lining with common expressions
have worked with a variety of minimal pairs
use intonation to express different meanings
