'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
not even a mouse.





To just listen and read-a-long...
Here is a list of many files that can be listened to on the computer. Enjoy!
http://librivox.org/twas-the-night-before-christmas-by-clement-c-moore/

Field trip to Olbrich Gardens on Thursday!

What is Olbrich's Holiday Express?

Members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society come from all over the state to show off their large-scale model trains during Olbrich's Holiday Express. You'll see different trains, depending on the day. This year, trains wind through an enchanted land of whimsical birdhouses. Visit Olbrich's Holiday Express Behind-the-Scenes to see the changes as Olbrich's Atrium is transformed from an empty room to a magical winter wonderland.

I'll pick you up at 12:00 on Thursday!

New Calendar - Meeting Times!

December
15: Trip to Olbrich Gardens
22: Time to catch up; practice listening and speaking
29: Off for the holidays

January
(We're switching to Wednesday...)
4
11
18 May be a conflict
25

Hello Kitty

Looks like it's time for some hot tea or chicken soup (maybe Pho, instead)!

Happy Turkey Day!

Thanks so much for the beautiful decorated cake. We will keep it frozen. I sent a picture of you and the cake to my mother. I know she will love it!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Thesis Statements

Website links

1. http://www.slideshare.net/mr_rodriguez23/thesis-identifying-activity
2. http://www.slideshare.net/ctomlins/strong-thesis-statements
3. http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072469102/student_view0/chapter4/thesis_statements.html
4. http://dnn.epcc.edu/Student/Tutorial/Writingcenter/Handouts/paragraphessaystructure/essaystructure/Quizzes/thesisquiz.htm
5. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/index.php?category_id=2&sub_category_id=2&article_id=56
6. http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

First snow flakes of the year...

Looks like we might have snow tonight and tomorrow. Drive carefully!

Who and Whom Confusion

Here are some practice exercises:

http://www.chompchomp.com/handouts/wordchoice07.pdf
http://www.towson.edu/ows/exercisewho-whom2.htm
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-6923.php

Here are some rules:

Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct. he = who him = whom
	Examples:	Who/Whom wrote the letter? He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct.
		For who/whom should I vote? Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct.
		We all know who/whom pulled that prank. This sentence contains two clauses: We all know and who/whom pulled that prank. We are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct. (Are you starting to sound like a hooting owl yet?)
		We want to know on who/whom the prank was pulled. This sentence contains two clauses: We want to know and the prank was pulled on who/whom. Again, we are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. The prank was pulled on him. Therefore, whom is correct.

Which and That... very tricky and often confused!

That: refers to some
Tiffany likes emeralds, that are expensive.
(The emeralds can be expensive or inexpensive. Tiffany likes expensive ones.)

Which: refers to all

Tiffany likes shoes, which are expensive.
(Shoes are expensive.)

Some important links
1. http://home.earthlink.net/~llica/wichthat.htm
2. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/which-versus-that.aspx
3. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/notorious/that.htm
4. http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaThat_Versus_Which.htm

Another way to look at this and which...

That introduces essential clauses while which introduces nonessential clauses.
Examples:	I do not trust products that claim "all natural ingredients" because this phrase can mean almost anything.
	We would not know which products were being discussed without the that clause.
	The product claiming "all natural ingredients," which appeared in the Sunday newspaper, is on sale.
	The product is already identified. Therefore, which begins a nonessential clause.
NOTE:	Essential clauses do not have commas surrounding them while nonessential clauses are surrounded by commas.

Also...

If this, that, these, or those has already introduced an essential clause, you may use which to introduce the next clause, whether it is essential or nonessential.
Examples:	That is a decision which you must live with for the rest of your life.
	Those ideas, which we've discussed thoroughly enough, do not need to be addressed again.
NOTE:	Often, you can streamline your sentence by leaving out which.
Example:	That is a decision which you must live with for the rest of your life.
Better:	That is a decision you must live with for the rest of your life.

Run-on Sentences

Here is a pretest that will help you identify run-on sentences. Run-on sentences are sentences that either need to be separated into two sentences or sentences need to be reorganized so that the meaning of your sentence is more clear to the reader.

Here's the link to the pretest.
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/sensen/part2/nine/run_ons_pretest.html

Cake Decorating Videos

I know that you are an expert cake decorator but I thought you might enjoy these videos.

View of Fira, Santorini - Greece

Off for the next two weeks!

You will have a fabulous time at the play. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Of Mice and Men at the American Players Theatre

Today's Meeting

You are one busy lady! We reviewed your three classes, talked briefly about your job, and worked on Aesop. We'll sign a new contract next week. Let me know how Blackboard is working for you. Hang in there and don't hesitate to ask questions.

Autumn is on the way :-)

September/October Meetings

We have decided to continue meeting for another six months. We'll be meeting during the following dates in September and October.

Thursday, September 22
September 29, NO MEETING
October 6, NO MEETING
Thursday, October 13
Thursday, October 20
Thursday, October 27

Enjoy the play on the 29th. I'll be out of the country on the 6th.

Of Mice and Men (audio files)

Here is a list of links that you can use to "listen and read" Of Mice and Men. Let me know if you have any trouble downloading the files.

Chapter 1 (33:10, 7.6MB, Mono MP3)

Chapter 2 (40:38, 9.4MB, Mono MP3)

Chapter 3 (53:57, 12.4MB, Mono MP3)

Chapter 4 (36:58, 8.5MB, Mono MP3)

Chapter 5 & 6 (52:16, 12.0MB, Mono MP3)

All Chapters in one large file (3.5 hours, 50.7MB)

Preparing your house for winter

Here is a very interesting video from Consumer Reports.

1. Turn off the water outside of your home.
2. Don't stack leaves next to your house.
3. Replace furnace filters.
4. Check for air leaks from your windows and doors.
5. Check battery in your smoke detector and CO detector.
6. Check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher.

Helen Keller

Many of us know the story of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller from the movie, The Miracle Worker. Here's a link to the 1962 movie, link. Enjoy!

Also, here is a link to a rare video of the two of them talking about Helen's first words.
Link

If you want more information, here is a link to a Wikipedia article. Link.

Helen Keller in 1904

Gift of the Magi

This story has been told many times. Here are some links to videos re-enacting the story. Enjoy!
link, version without words
link
link

Were and Was Video

Enjoy!

Enjoying your cake in Toronto, Canada!

One Thousand Dollars by O'Henry

Here's a short story that is on Voice of America. Listen to the short story first. Then... listen and read it. Short stories do not take much time to read but they can convey a powerful lesson through the story. Write a summary of the story. Also, do some research on the computer and write a little something about the author, O'Henry. I'll be back on the 25th. Watch for more little assignments. Enjoy the short story :-)

Here's the link.

Before you read or listen to the story, check out this website. You will find some words (written and spoken) that will prepare you for the short story. Have fun!

~~~

If you like this "One Thousand Dollars," here is another short story, called "Gift of the Magi." Here is a link to the audio. I will give you a link to the text when we meet.

Audio link to Gift of the Magi

Master Cake Decorator

Thank you so much. I love the decorations and my son will love the cake!

from Cervantes, a Spanish novelist

Here's an adage from Don Quixote, "Whether the rock hits the [porcelain] pitcher or the pitcher hits the rock, it's bad for the pitcher."

What does this mean to you?
How does it apply to driving a car?
What does it mean to be quixotic?
In the play, Man of La Mancha, Don Quixote "dreams the impossible dream." We all have dreams and this play continues to inspire all who dream. Let's talk about this on Thursday :-)

Meeting Dates

Let's target the following dates:

August 11
August 25
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 22

If your work schedule conflicts with this schedule, let me know. We can change it.
See you on Thursday :-)

There's a new driver on the road... Congratulations, Phuong!

All of your hard work has paid off. Congratulations! You now have your driver's license!

Baraboo Bound

We are off to Baraboo... and will return with a driver's license!

Delicious Pho!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I enjoyed our lunch at Saigon Noodle. Here's the link to the restaurant... link

What an adventure!

We found the School District's Office and the Clinic. What a "peaceful" town!

Blind spots

Here are two videos about blind spots. This is a very, very important concept... not only to pass the driver's test but for your safety and the safety of other drivers. Always, always, check over your shoulder before making a lane change :-)

Continue practicing until looking over your shoulder becomes automatic!

Wow! What a beautiful cake!

Thank you so much! You are such a talented cake decorator!

(See you tomorrow at 7:00 am for your driving test.)

I'm a little behind...

I'm a little behind in my blog postings. Last Thursday we found the east side Department of Motor Vehicles and explored the streets. You were great! You stayed with the traffic and dealt with the construction. Just remember to signal well in advance of lane changes and to look over your shoulder before making the lane change. We avoided the beltline but encountered the terrible downtown fire. How very, very tragic.

Here's a link to information about the fire. Channel 3 and ABC News

And here's a video of the fire.

Good luck next Thursday!

So much catching up to do...

Two jobs and you still completed homework! Amazing! We did a lot of talking and listening. We went over compositions and worked in Side by Side. We also talked about the radio program, Chapter a Day. Here's the link to the newest book called The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli which is a novel of an American female combat photographer in the Vietnam War.

Chapter a Day^® is heard daily at 12:30pm and 11:00pm
on the Ideas Network stations of Wisconsin Public Radio

The five most recent chapters are available for RealAudio
on-demand listening on the Chapter-a-Day Webcasting page.

Let me know if you find the book interesting. This is just an experiment so if it doesn't work, no worries. We'll try something else.

Phuong has a new job!

Friday's Meeting

Well, we both had a rather troublesome week but what a wonderful turn of events! A job interview! Yes!! (and maybe two :-))

Women bicycling in 1898

Here's a very interesting video about women and bicycles. Today we talked about Vietnamese dress and riding motorcycles. I'll post some questions about this video. Enjoy!!!

Click here.

Have you been practicing?

Behind-the-wheel testing is on May 10th at 2:15.



Tomorrow we'll go over Voice of America, Minimal Pairs, Side by Side, and catch up with the week's activities. Should be a gorgeous day. See you tomorrow!

Children's Games

Have you ever played Hopscotch or Musical Chairs? Here's a fun variation.

Easter Dinner

Thank you so much for the wonderful Vietnamese food for our Easter Dinner. The spring rolls were delicious! The dipping sauce scrumptious! The stew (not sure of the Vietnamese name) was fantastic! The cake was unbelievable - so beautifully decorated and not too sweet. Thank you so much for your wonderful gift and thinking of us at this special time.

~ Debbie ~

Earth Day: The History of a Movement

http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement

"The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda."

What does Earth Day mean today?
Is it still relevant?
What can we do as individuals to "save the planet?"

Friday's Tutoring

Today's session just zipped by... we talked about t-shirt quilts, watched behind-the-wheel videos dealing with parallel parking, listened to "Food in America," reviewed the Voice of America episode about Japanese products, checked for jobs on the WECAN website, talked about rubber trees in Vietnam, and practiced English on page 35 of Side by Side. Whew!

I found it so interesting that harvesting rubber is so similar to tapping trees for maple syrup. Amazing!!

T-Shirt Quilts

Friday's Session

Computer problems, maple syrup, Side by Side, Minimal Pairs, Voice of America sentences and... driving! Seriously, I was not nervous!!! You did a great job. We need to find a checklist of what they will be looking for when you take your Behind-the-Wheel test. Congratulations on moving up to ESL 6. We'll continue to work on speaking and listening :-)

New links

How to Make Maple Syrup, video

Food in America
http://www.elllo.org/english/1051/1089-Layla-America.htm

Voice of America
Peace Corps at 50: Same Mission of Aid, Just Smaller, March 28, 2011

Voice of America
Children at US School Show Their Support for Victims in Japan, March 30, 2011

Voice of America
For Japan Farmers, Radiation Fears Mean Economic Pain, March 28, 2011

OMG, I forgot...

So sorry, I forgot to post an update to last week's session. We did some work in Side by Side, worked on Minimal Pairs, checked your sentences for Voice of America, and talked and talked. Tomorrow, we're going to do some behind-the-wheel driving before we review the day's lesson. The weather forecast looks good... perfect for driving practice!

We'll also check your homework. Did you have time to call the mysterious recorded message phone number?

Red sky in the morning...

There is a saying,

"Red sky in the morning; sailors take warning.
Red sky at night; sailor's delight."


What do you think this means...
about today's weather?

Friday Tutoring

We had a very busy session today which focused on using the WECAN website. After completing the application form using the information from your resume, you applied for 4 jobs online! I've added the WECAN website and several other websites to this blog so that you can access them easily. Finding the job, applying for the job, getting an interview, and finally accepting a job can be a long and difficult process but with your determination, I know you will do it!

I've also added several videos to Troublesome Words and Minimal Pairs. My camera must be getting old because the video is rather fuzzy. I am sorry about that and will try to fix it.

Next week we will concentrate on Side by Side, Voice of America, pronunciation, and looking for a job. Also we will revisit "no longer." Don't forget your cover letter for the McFarland School district :-)

Enjoy the weekend... Sunday is the official first day of SPRING!

No Longer

Here are some examples using "no longer."

1. It is no longer necessary to wear long underwear because the temperatures are now above thirty-two degrees.

(Long underwear is not needed because it is too warm outside.)

2. I no longer drink bottled water because it is not good for the environment and the water from our faucet is safe to drink.

(I don't drink bottled water. I used to drink it but I don't anymore.)

3. Since he became a vegetarian, he no longer eats meat.

(At one time he ate meat but now he doe not.)

4. Her children no longer attend Orchard Ridge Elementary School.

(At one time her children attended the elementary school but now they attend a different school.)

5. You no longer need to shovel the sidewalk because Spring is almost here!

(During the winder, the sidewalks needed to shoveled but not now.)

Can you think of five sentences using "no longer?"

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Friday Tutoring

Our time on Friday seemed to go by very fast. We spent the first hour talking about jobs and exploring the internet. We found that WECAN is a website which many school districts use to post job openings for teacher assistants. It would be worthwhile for you to complete the online application form. Most jobs available on the MATC website require the applicant to be a student enrolled in "for credit" classes. I understand that your ESL classes at MATC are noncredit classes. We also talked about the Voice of America episode on aspirin. We worked on revising, or fixing, your sentences. Nice Job!

Homework for me!
1. More videos! I'm going to become an internet video star! We'll continue with Minimal Pairs and add bath/bathe, athletic/athlete, tear/tear, and breath/breathe.
2. We will add idioms to our lessons and focus on "no longer" for next time.
3. More job info... yes!

Homework for you, if you have time...
1. Listen, read, and write about the Voice of America episode about visiting the doctor's office.
2. Complete the WECAN application form.
3. Review pronunciation videos.
4. Prepare for Side by Side lessons.

Next week...
1. We'll start with Side by Side, page 33.
2. Discuss Voice of America episode.
3. Review Minimal Pairs.
4. Check on job finding progress.

Have a great week!

Updates

Hello! Hello! Hello! Much to talk about today. Goals today include (1) searching for more jobs, (2) Voice of America story about aspirin, (3) more Side by Side, and (4) lots of talking and listening.

Sad family time

I am so sad to let you know that I will be gone this week. There is much to be discussed but right now I need to be with my family. I will let you know how the surgery goes and when I will be back in Madison.

Friday Tutoring

What an exciting time! Your hard work, perseverance, and determination have given you much success in your life. Thanks so much for sharing your achievements with me. Congratulations!

Next week we will continue to concentrate on listening, speaking, and creating clarity in your writing.

If you have time...
1. Voice of America Special English broadcast
2. Ello episode on grades
3. Continue with Side by Side

The big news story this week (today in particular) is the change in government in Egypt. Let's wait until next week for a VOA broadcast. I think they might post a link about Egypt. If not, you choose.

Enjoy your week!

Phuong Ho Passed Her Driver's Exam... Congratulations!

Friday’s meeting was so much fun. We made Agar in Phuong’s kitchen. See photos on the blog. We discussed the driver’s test questions and will be reviewing knowledge test questions. We also reviewed your Voice of America sentences related to carbon monoxide. Your written work is becoming clearer. The Ello exercise was difficult because the speaking was very fast in parts. Idioms such as “easy on (someone)” and “hard on (someone)” are difficult because they will not translate using a dictionary. We’ll talk about more idioms in the future. There are soooooo many of them in English!

Next Friday (If you have time)

1. Voice of America, "Stem Cells from Cord Blood May Offer way to Treat Sick Children," at this link.

2. Ello episode, "Talking about grades" at this link.

3. Review Driver’s Manual questions and have them ready to discuss

4. Continue in Side by Side.

Making Agar - Delicious!

Measuring water for Agar.

Stir until full boil. Continue for 20 minutes.

Coffee mixture

Coconut mixture

A little coffee mixture... a little coconut mixture...

Marbling effect... looks like clouds

Layering effect

*** Celebrations ***

What a beautiful cake! You are an amazing baker!

Tết Holiday
Happy New Years!

chúc mừng năm mới

Groundhog Day Blizzard 2011

February Calendar 2011

We will meet on the following dates:



February 4
February 11
February 18
February 25

I am looking forward to meeting with you next Friday at 8:00 am and we will make Agar together. Thank you so much. I know that this is a busy time of the year and that you are making New Year's preparations. Also, good luck with your driver's exam. You have prepared well and will pass with flying colors!

For next week...

1. The links for Troublesome Words Sets 3, 4, and 5 should work now.
2. Next week's Voice of America story is about the dangers of carbon monoxide. The state of Wisconsin has passed a new law that says that carbon monoxide detectors should be in every home by February 1, 2011. We will discuss this important issue and review your sentences.

3. Next week, we will also continue working in Side by Side starting with page 33.
4. Review the conversation about grades, http://www.elllo.org/english/1001/1026-Nydja-Grades.htm

a) Audio slide show without transcript

b) Audio slide show with transcript

c) Transcript

d) Vocabulary

e) Comprehension

f) “False Praise” episode