We Are Off and Running! Phonetics and 5P Essays

Today's class was really great! Everyone worked so hard in class. We have covered so much material in such a short time. We have discussed student studying techniques, talked about the ASC (Academic Success Center), practiced with dictations, worked on the pronunciation of American vowels, written a diagnostic essay, and last but not least, studied the format of the five-paragraph essay. Wow! Keep up the great work, everyone!

Extra learning materials:

Pronunciation: 

This is a great page on the differences between American and British accents. It also includes a chart of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Enjoy listening to the sound files. Can you hear the differences between American and British English pronunciation?

Here is an article about the American accent. It includes a discussion on the regional differences.

Not sure what your mouth should be doing when you pronounce that pesky 'th'? This wonderful page Phonetics: The sounds of American English also includes videos and animations of mouth position and tongue placement. So cool!

The Five Paragraph Essay:
Here is a review of what we talked about in class on the Five Paragraph Essay.  You can also look at this guide on the Five Paragraph Essay from a Study Guides and Strategies site.

This is a nice video from YouTube which discusses how to write a Five Paragraph essay.

Learning Vocabulary Tip:
When you read native English writing, you may feel overwhelmed with so many new vocabulary words. How do you know which words you should look up in your dictionary and which you shouldn't? VocabGrabber is a thesaurus that allows you to copy and paste in text you are reading and it will show you which words are the key words from the text. Try it out!

Reading for Fun:
Here is a very famous passage entitled 'To be, or not to be" from the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. What do you think Hamlet is saying in this speech? What is his mood? Is he happy and carefree, or is he troubled and pensive? Share your thoughts on the passage.

World Festival of the Day:
La Tomatina festival in Buñol, Spain

That's all I have for this afternoon. It is time for me to grab a bite for a late lunch.


Homework for August 25, 2010

1. Work on your Vocabulary Notebook. The first ten vocabulary words are due on Monday, August 30, 2010.
2. Write in your Journal. Topic: What are Ways I can Improve my English Writing Skills? 150 words minimum. (Your journal will be due on Friday, September 24, 2010.)
3. Re-write your Diagnostic Essay. 1) Do a new brainstorming exercise. 2) Do a new outline. 3) Write a new draft of your essay.

Happy studying!