• Write and email me a paragraph in response to the following question:

"What important lesson did you learn from playing as a child?"

• See pp. 135-139 as a guide.  

• In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906--your name--childhood lesson."

• Please email your paragraph to me before class.  If you have difficulty using your email, please print it out and give it to me on Tuesday.

Homework:

• Finish Vocab for Chapter 3 (doc)

  Write one sentence for each word or phrase. 

  Choose 3  vocabulary items and try to discover their:

  • grammatical patterns

  • collocations

  • set phrases/idioms

  Use the keywords as examples

   

• Write and email me a paragraph in response to the following question:

"What is your idea of the perfect career?"

• See pp. 75-79 as a guide.  

• In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906--your name--Career."

• Please email your paragraph to me by 8:00 pm on Monday, 7/14.   If you have difficulty using your email, please print it out and give it to me on Tuesday.

• Conversation Questions--Job Quotations (doc)

Homework

• Review the five keywords found below, in the 6/26 entry

• Vocab for Chapter 3 (doc)

  Write one sentence for each word or phrase. 

  Choose five vocabulary items and try to discover their:

  • grammatical patterns

  • collocations

  • set phrases/idioms

  Use the keywords as examples

Keyword Glossary (pdf)--This is a glossary of grammatical terms

Please download, print and bring to class the following page of conversation questions:

• Conversation Questions--Practicing Job Interviews (doc)

Homework

• Reading "The Brain, Learning, and Memory,"  pp. 34-35

• Reading "Essay Exam" pp. 39-40;

• Write and email me a paragraph in response to the following question:

   

  "In your opinion, what is a good way to learn a new language?"

   

  • See pp. 46-48 as a guide.  

  • In this assignment I want you to discuss one or more of the ideas found in the above readings and why you think they are helpful for learning a new language.

  • In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906--your name--Learning method."

  • Please email your paragraph to me by 8:00 pm on Monday, 7/7.   If you have difficulty using your email, please print it out and give it to me on Tuesday.

   

• Vocabulary.  Write one sentence for each of the vocabulary words or phrases from the list "Chapter 2 Vocabulary List," which you can download below.  Be sure your sentences have enough context.

   

  • Vocab for Chapter 2 (doc)

Class Canceled Today

Homework:
          Do all readings and exercises:
          pp. 33-35; pp. 39-41; pp. 43-45
 

Be sure to download, print, and bring to class on Thursday the worksheets below, from the previous entry.

Homework:

Write one sentence for each of the vocabulary words or phrases from the list I handed out in class.  If you didn't get the vocabulary list, you can download it here (doc).  Be sure that your sentences have enough context so that I know that you know what the word means.  For example, don't write My sister is a doctor but rather My sister is now a doctor as she just finished medical school or My sister is doctor and performs surgery on her patients.  Also, if the word is a verb, you may choose to use it in any tense.

 

Write and email me a long paragraph (or more, if you wish) in which you tell me about a person who has had an important influence on your life (see pp. 24-27 for guidance).

 

In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906--your name--Influential Person."

 

Please email your paragraph to me by 8:00 pm on Sunday, 6/29.  If you have difficulty using your email, please print it out and give it to me on Tuesday.

 

Download, print, and bring to class the following files:

• Vocab for Chapter 2 (doc)

• Conversation Questions (pdf)

• Keyword AWAY (pdf)

• Keyword BECAUSE (pdf)

• Keyword HOME (pdf)

• Keyword MUST (pdf)

• Keyword SAME (pdf)

Homework:

Write and email me a long paragraph (or more, if you wish) in which you tell me about the "movie" of your life.  In class today, you created an outline of such a movie (from p. 13 in our book).  You can decide to use your outline as a base for writing your paragraph, or you can create a whole new one.  There are many different types of movies, so yours can be a documentary autobiography or perhaps you prefer to create a movie in which you are a superhero.  Be creative.

 

In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906 - your name - Movie."

 

Please email your paragraph to me by 8:00 pm on Wednesday, 6/25. 

 

Attention NEW STUDENTS:

• When you have time, do the homework from Thursday, 6/19 (see below).  The sooner you do it, the better for me.  :-)

• Please read the Course Information.

• Please buy our book: Quest Intro: Reading & Writing

• Please register for this course and section (§7010) in the Continuing Education Office

Homework:

Write me an email in which you introduce yourself and give me information that will better help me understand your English-language abilities and needs.

 

Here are some questions I'd like you to answer in your email:

• What is your first language?

• Do you speak other languages, other than your first language and English?  If so, what are they?

• How long have you been in the United States?

• Have you lived in other English-speaking countries?  Which ones?  For how long?

• What is your highest level of education?

  • Less than high school

  • High school

  • 2-year degree (e.g., A.A.)

  • 4-year degree (e.g., B.A.)

  • post-graduate degree (e.g., M.A or Ph.D.)

• Do you plan to continue your education in the U.S.?  Explain?

• How long have you studied English at school?

  • In your native country?

  • In the U.S.?

  • At SMC?

• What language(s) do you usually speak at home with your roommates/family?

• Do you usually speak English with your friends?

• Do you usually watch English-language television?

• Do you usually listen to English-language music?

• Do you usually read in English?

  • Newspapers? How often?

  • Magazines?  How often?

  • Books?  How often?

• Do you plan to stay and live in the U.S. (or another English-speaking country)?  Or do you plan to return to your native country?

• Why are you studying English?  How does English fit into your life?

• What goals do you have for this class, ESL 906?

• How do you plan to achieve those goals?

I know this looks like a lot, but please make an effort to answer these questions.  It will help me to get to know you a little better and to better serve you as your instructor.

 

In the subject line of your email, please write "ESL 906" and your name. 

 

Please try to send me your email by Sunday night.  If this is not possible, then by Monday night.

First day of class.

Introductions