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Volunteer Social

Contents

How can I help my one-on-one


conversation partners with their English?
How can I have a great conversation in
English?
How can I improve my English?
What online resources can help me with
my English?

Tips for Conversation


Leaders

Get to know your conversation partners


interests
Identify the level of readiness and build on
with new things step by step
Know your partners learning strengths and
preferences
Incorporate all the language aspects into
your lesson
Make it challenging, but not too challenging
Create friendly, encouraging and curiositystimulating learning environment

Resources

www.eslflow.com
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk
http://www.onestopenglish.com
http://www.waze.net/oea
http://www.englishclub.com
http://www.eslgold.com
http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/less
on-plans
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-pr
intables-worksheets.html

How to improve my
conversation skills?

Dont be shy and self-conscious!


Communication errors can be solved.
A conversation is an interactive activity
involving listening and speaking from both
parties.
Its all about listening and asking questions.
Do some research!
Lulls are normal.
If a conversation is going wrong, it may not
be your fault.

How to introduce
myself?

Greet with smile


Maintain eye contact
Give a firm handshake
Tell your name
Ask for the other persons name
Repeat the other persons name
Never draw a negative picture of
yourself

How to have a great


conversation?

Relax and forget about yourself


Listen
Ask questions
Use a friendly tone
Choose your words and questions carefully
Avoid controversial and intimate topics as well
as arguments
Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his
thought, nor speak on top of it
Compliment the other person
Thank for a great conversation

How to handle a difficult


question?
Personal, intimate question
Im sorry, but Id prefer not to answer this question.
Question you dont know the answer
I have no idea.
Question you didnt catch
Can you repeat the question?
Question you dont understand because of
unfamiliar words or question structure
Im sorry, but I dont understand your question. Would
you mind telling it in different words?/What do you
mean by?/What doesmean?

How to avoid awkward


lulls?

Move on to another topic


Ask questions for clarity
Find common interests
Compliment the other person
Observe any visual clues to draw a topic
out
If an awkward lull happens, correct it by
saying the following: I am thinking of what
we have just talked about. And paraphrase
what you have been talking about.

How can I improve my


English?

Be active and set goals for improving


your English!
A language is not only speaking, but a
combination of speaking, listening,
reading and writing, including grammar.
Use different learning styles such as
visual, auditory and kinesthetic to
achieve your objectives.

Resources
Learn English Free Online:
http://www.learnenglish.de
Learn American English Online:
www.learnamericanenglishonline.com
Learn Languages for Free Online:
http://www.busuu.com
English Club:
http://www.busuu.com

How to improve
speaking?

Listening and reading aloud


Writing
Networking and making friends
Greeting people on the street
Having small talks in public
Watching foreign movies with English
subtitles
Joining one-on-one conversations,
conversation and common interest groups

Resources
Daily Conversations:
http://www.worldenglishclub.com/daily-eng
lish-conversations
EBooks:
http://www.gutenberg.org
Phrases and Expressions for Speaking:
http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.
html

How to improve
listening?

Speaking to English speakers


Watching TV and movies
Listening to radio
Reading audio books
Singing English songs
Practicing pronunciation
Joining conversation groups/one-on-one
conversations

Resources
Listening Lab:
http://www.esl-lab.com
Listening Activities:
http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html
Audio Books:
http://librivox.org
http://www.audiobooks.org
http://www.audiobooks.net

How to improve
comprehension?

Reading picture books or comics


Reading newspapers and magazines
Asking questions during conversations
Watching TV and movies
Browsing English websites
Consulting dictionaries
Constantly learning new words
Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
Knowing grammar

Resources
Idioms:
http://www.idiomconnection.com
Slang Words:
http://www.eslcafe.com/slang/list.html
Reading Comprehension Exercises:
http://www.englishcorner.vacau.com/reading/read
ing.html
Listening Comprehension Exercises:
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/
Vocabulary Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il

How to improve
pronunciation?

Listening to native English and imitating


Reading along with audio books
Speaking, being corrected or asking for
correct pronunciation and repeating after
Paying attention to letter combination
sounds, stressed syllables, word linkage
and intonation
Training speech organs position, shape
and movement of English sounds

Resources
Accent School:
http://www.accentschool.com/run_software.html

Some Pronunciation Rules:


http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/index.htm
http://www.fonetiks.org

Pronunciation Exercises:
http://www.pronunciationworkshop.com/pronunciationexercises.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunciation.html
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/pronex/pronex.htm
http://www.manythings.org/pp/

Dictionaries with Pronunciation:


http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://www.howjsay.com
http://www.thefreedictionary.com
http://dictionary.cambridge.org

How to improve
grammar?

Reading, listening, writing and speaking


Using subject-verb structure
Differentiating questions from statements
Understanding parts of speech
Practicing verb tenses
Knowing words beyond their meaning
Learning phrasal verbs
Doing grammar exercises
Quizzing yourself

Resources
English Grammar Exercises and Tests:
http://world-english.org

English Grammar:
http://www.manythings.org/e/grammar.html

English Grammar Quizzes:


http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/
http://a4esl.org/a/v.html

English Study Zone:


http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/

English Grammar Rules and Exercises:


http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm

Phrasal Verbs:
http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/verb_preposition.html
http://www.learn-english-today.com/phrasal-verbs/phrasal-verb-list.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm

How to improve reading?

Reading audio books


Watching movies with subtitles
Listening to songs and following their lyrics
Learning letter/letter combination sounds
Stressing words correctly
Paying attention to punctuation signs
Slowing down and pronouncing every
single word as well as word endings

Resources
Listen and Read Along:
http://www.manythings.org/listen
Phonics Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/phonics
http://www.familylearning.org.uk/phonics_gam
es.html

Songs and Lyrics:


http://www.isabelperez.com/songs.htm
http://www.songsforteaching.com/esleflesol.h
tm

How to improve writing?

Reading, listening and speaking


Learning English grammar and vocabulary
Understanding the basic subject-verb
sentence structure
Using correct spelling
Analyzing frequently misspelled words
Making use of grammar and spell check
Punctuating correctly
Blogging, text messaging or having pen
friends

Resources
Blogging Sites:
www.blogger.com
www.blogtopsites.com
ESL Blogging:
http://www.eslgo.com/conversation/
Spelling Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/spelling
Punctuation Rules:
http://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/blues/writing/punctuation.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-English-Punctuation-Correctly
http://esl.about.com/od/englishgrammar/a/a_punctuation.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/a/pu
nctrules.htm

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