Merry Christmas, Dear Readers and Friends!

painter Richard Macneil

A Christmas Poem: Santa's Helpers by M. Nora Boylan

Hello,dear readers!

Today I'd like us to read this awesome Christmas poem with our kids and enjoy it together.  

Merry Christmas!

Santa's HelpersA Christmas Poem by M. Nora Boylan 

The fairies and elves on last Christmas-tide
Decided to open their hearts very wide,
And spend extra time, throughout the whole year,
In helping their grandfather—Santa Claus dear.

Christmas Is Coming

Henry Hintermeister (1897-1972)

Fire,Dismiss , Quit and Other Words to Say that a Person Doesn't Work

Dear learners!
In this vocabulary section we'll learn  the words which are used to say that a person doesn't work.

 to sack- (British informal) to tell someone that they can no longer work at their job

Hundreds of workers are to be sacked at the factory.

The club have sacked their manager.

to dismiss - ( formal) to force someone to leave their job: order or allow to leave; send away.

Edwards claimed that he had been unfairly dismissed.

to fire - (less formal) to make someone leave their job, sometimes as a punishment

She was fired for refusing to comply with safety regulations.

He's the person responsible for hiring and firing.

A Christmas Story for Children

Hello dear learners!
The Christmas spirit is in  the air! Our small pupils are waiting for this holiday , and all their thoughts are about Christmas and presents.  I recommend teachers  to create a holiday atmosphere in the classrooms and  read winter poems and stories, sing Christmas songs and watch Christmas videos.


This video is interesting and can be used for teaching English  in a primary school.

Dear readers! 
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Hello,dear readers!
ESL students often have some difficulties with choosing proper language for   formal / informal  writing .
This article gives answers to common questions and examples of formal and informal letters.
I strongly recommend everyone to read it!

How to Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing

Four Methods:Writing HelpThe Difference Between Formal and Informal EnglishWhat to Avoid in Formal WritingWhat is Acceptable in Formal Writing

While it may be acceptable in e-mail or in chat rooms, excessive colloquialism can diminish the quality of a formal written text. Colloquialism used sparingly may make you appear more intelligent; however, if used incorrectly, can also make you appear ignorant. To improve your colloquial writing, have mastery of the English language, know what words to avoid, and learn what is acceptable in formal writing.


Dear readers! 
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How to make suggestions in English (video)

Hello,dear learners!
Let's study useful language structures for making suggestion in English!

Everyday Problems (vocabulary)

Hello, dear learners!
The topic of this post is "Everyday Problems". As I have already written, I like to use jazz chants to help students to memorise new words. Today we'll learn a lot of phrases about problems which people face in their daily life. This chant is very useful for  memorising these phrases and learning their pronunciation . 

So,let's listen to it!

Vocabulary:

to oversleep -sleep longer than you planned to in the morning

miss a  train - arrive too late to do something

slip on the sidewalk - slide unintentionally for a short distance, typically losing one's balance or footing

Ideas for a Kids Winter Party: Snowflakes

 

Just for Fun: Aunty Acid

Snow song by Sara Teasdal

Snow song by Sara Teasdale

Hello,dear readers!

Have you ever thought about a snowflake as a symbol of love? No?  Then you should read this romantic winter poem.

Fairy snow, fairy snow,
Blowing, blowing everywhere,
Would that I
Too, could fly
Lightly, lightly through the air.

Like a wee, crystal star
I should drift, I should blow
Near, more near,
To my dear
Where he comes through the snow.

I should fly to my love
Like a flake in the storm,
I should die,
I should die,
On his lips that are warm. 

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Infinitive or Gerund . Part # 3. Bare Infinitive

Hello, dear learners!
Let's continue to study the verb forms : infinitive and gerund. We began to study this grammar  rules here lesson#1 (The to infinitive form) , here lesson#2(Gerund ) and here
Today we are going to learn the rules of usage of  the bare infinitive form in English'
Hope, you remember, that the  "bare " infinitive form is the form without the particle to
 open, go, play.

The "bare" infinitive is used

• after modal verbs :can,may,must, should, etc. Learn more about modal verbs  here

She 's only three, but she can read!


note!   ought is used with to infinitive
You ought to respect our rules!

• after the verbs let, make, see, hear, feel.

This film makes me cry.
I saw her enter the house.
note!
1. the passive forms of these verbs : be seen, be heard, be made - are followed by the to infinitive form:
She was seen  to enter the house.
2. verbs see, hear , watch can  also be followed by the  -ing form
I saw her entering the house.
She was seen entering the house.

• can / could + see/ hear + - ing form

Ann could see someone opening the  window in the empty house.

• after would rather and had better

You'd better ask Nick  to help you.

• The verb help can be followed by the to infinitive or the bare infinitive.

My friends  always help me (to) study English.

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Winter (Vocabulary and Songs for Beginners)

Hello,dear learners!
A lot of people like December, because it brings us the magical spirit of Christmas and New Year holidays !For me, winter is snowy and frosty weather outside and warmth of my home inside; playing snowballs and making snowmen, sledging, skating and skiing, watching winter movies and cartoons with all my family and enjoying tasty home-made pies and biscuits with a cup of fragrant tea or coffee.
What is winter for you?

Today I'd like to recommend these songs for those who begin studying English . They also can be used for teaching kids. The rich vocabulary and nice tune will help students to memorize a long list of winter words and phrases.
So, let's listen to these songs and enjoy learning English!

Lesson Plan : Music in Our Life

 I think, it's a good idea  to start the lesson with this saying:
 “Music is the universal language of the world” H. Longfellow

 It`s impossible to live without music, it follows us everywhere, it is in our hearts, feelings and souls. 

Enjoy Winter With Berni Parker' Picture!

Travelling (vocabulary)

Hello dear readers!
Winter holidays are the great chance to go somewhere and enjoy new places.We have already learnt how to write a letter from a holiday resort

Sometimes,the ESL students are confused with  a large amount of  the "travel" words: travel, journey, trip, voyage, tour. 

Here I'd like to help you to understand the difference in their meanings.

Travel – to go from one place to another by car, train, plane, bus, etc. to go on a journey or visit different places, especially places that are far away from where you live or work

They usually travel in summer.


Use travel correctly:

travel to

travel in/around

Reading :Winter by Walter de la Mare

Hello dear readers! Let's welcome winter with this charming winter poem which depicts the winter sunset. This short poem is full of amazing words and phrases such as: the rayless sun, unearthly white, frost-fires (!)

So, let's read and enjoy!

 Clouded with snow

The cold winds blow,

And shrill on leafless bough

The robin with its burning breast

Alone sings now.

Infinitive or Gerund?

Hello dear learners!
We have already learnt such verb forms as infinitive and gerund .

Do you know that some English verbs can be followed by either the to infinitive or the gerund (- ing form). But in this case there is a change in their meaning.

Forget
forget+to infinitive = not remember
He forgot to send me a  letter.
forget + gerund = forget the past event
I couldn't forget meeting you!

Remember
remember + to infinitive = remember to dosomething
She remembers to send us her new works.
remember +gerund= recall a past event
I remember flying to Moscow, and you?

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving in 2014 is on Thursday, the 27th of November.

In the United States, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. 

The Sounds the Animals Make

Hello everyone!
This song is very useful for teaching kids . Using it they'll be able to learn the  animals and the sounds they make.
Hope, you'll like it!

Infinitive or Gerund? Gerund (-ing form)

Hello dear learners!
This is lesson #2 about infinitive and gerund. Lesson#1 Infinitive is here.Today we'll talk about gerund or -ing form.There are two -ing forms in English. They are participle and gerund. They have the same spelling but different meanings and using. Let's compare:

Reading is my favourite hobby (gerund)
I am reading a book now. (participle)

We have already learnt participles at the lessons devoted to the Continuous verbs here and here, and we'll learn more in our future lessons. But today we are talking about gerund.

What About The Love . Song for Studying English

NOTES:

    Tryn'a- trying to;

    I wish+ Vpast simple are used to express that we would like something to be different in the present;

    used to- use used for past habits, learn more here;

    to bring smb to smb's knees - to destroy or defeat someone or something;

    to rain down -  to pour something, such as criticism or praise, onto someone or something;

    fall  in and out of love- Everyone knows a phrase "fall in love".The phrase  "fall out of love " means that you don't love each other anymore;

     There are a lot of phrasal verbs here:call out, go(went) away ,go back,break down, take back.

What About The Love

(feat. Mia Martina)

Infinitive

The infinitive is a  base form of a verb with the particle "to" to read, to play, to go.
There are some forms of the Infinitie in English:
                                               Active                            Passive
Simple                                 to write                             to be written
Continuous                          to be writing                     -----------
Perfect                                 to have written                  to have been written
Perfect Continuous              to  have been writing        ------------
Learn more here
 The infinitive can be used with particle to or without it (it is  called the bare infinitive).
Today we'll learn the rules of using the to infinitive.

Dance Endlish

Hello,dear learners!
We need some songs to learn English and dance. Excellent for kids!

Jast for Fun! Aunty Acid

Warm up Activity for English Lessons

Hello dear teachers!

Everyone knows the famous English proverb “A good beginning makes a good ending”. The good start is a very important part of any activity.
So, today let’s talk about the beginning of the lesson and doing warm up exercises.

Is warming up activity so important?
It certainly is. Teachers must create a specific atmosphere at the lesson from the first minute. Well-chosen activity helps students to feel more confident during the lesson, encourage them to focus on English.

The Homes of England by Felicia Dorothea Hemans

 Hello,dear learners!

Today we'll read  a lovely poem about English homes. It was written by Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793–1835)

It is full of love to her native land. So, it's no wonder  that people in English-speaking countries know this poem from their childhood. And now it's our turn to learn it.

The Homes of England       by     Felicia Dorothea Hemans
 
The stately homes of England
How beautiful they stand!
Amidst their tall ancestral trees,
O'er all the pleasant land!
The deer across their green sward bound
Through shade and sunny gleam,
And the swan glides past them with the sound
Of some rejoicing stream.

Sweet Home :House Vocabulary for Kids

 Hello dear learners!
Today let's learn the House vocabulary.
There are two videos here. The first one  is for learning the house vocabulary, and the second  video is for checking the vocabulary.
They can be successfully used for teaching kids, so, this post may be interesting for ESL teachers.

Joke Light Diet

Do you know how many meanings the word light has? 

So, let's count:

Types of Comparisons

Hello, dear learners!

Today we'll talk about types of comparisons. We started to learn comparisons here. So, let's continue!

as+ adjective +as
not so/ as + adjective + as
His new novel is as interesting as the previous one.
Sam is not so/ as educated as  Max.

twice/three times, etc./half as + adjective+as
Their house is three times as expensive as ours.

How to Give Advice (video)

Hello,dear learners!
What word do you use to give  advice to your friend? Usually we use "should", don't we? But there are other verbs which can be use for this. What are they?
Let's watch this video and follow the teacher advice.

Joke: At the Maths Lesson.

 

Dear learners!

Please,  don't forget to smile! 

In autumn we have lack of positive emotions, so let's give more smiles to people around us!

Comparisons of Adjectives : Main Rules

Hello, dear learners!

Today we are going to  study some interesting rules of  using adjectives and their comparative and superlative forms.

 

  Comparisons of adjectives ( main rules):

• For comparisons adjectives have two forms : comparative and superlative.

We use comparative degree + than   to compare a person or a thing with another person or a thing 
February is colder than March.
His car is more expencive than mine.

• We use the +superlative degree of adjectives  + of/ in  for comparing one person or thing with more than one person or thing.

 Nick is the tallest in our group.
To my mind, London is the most desirable city in the world.
Ann is the kindest of all my friends.

Reading : Autumn Rain by Mary T. Lathrap

Hello, dear learners! 

The topic for discussion today is RAIN.
We know different types of rains, don't we? Spring, summer and autumn  rains  make us feel the different ways. 

Today, let's read a poem about  autumn rain. You may think that it is too sad, but our life is not only joy and happiness. You know,  we won't be able to admire the brightness of spring without sadness of  autumn.

 Autumn Rain

  by: Mary T. Lathrap (1838-1895)

There's a sad, sad voice in the autumn rain,
Mournful rain;
As it beateth slowly against the pane,
Window pane.
And the wind sings by with a conscious breath,
And seems like a messenger whispering death,
As the flowers bend with a drooping eye--
Bend and die.

Teachers and Teaching

Tolerant
Educated
Active
Careful
Helpful
Enthusiastic
Reliable


Hello,dear learners!

Today I'd like to share my thoughts about teaching and teachers.I have been a teacher for 30 years and can state, that it is is not a profession, it's a way of life.Only those who love teaching are able to feel how excited this profession is.

No doubt, only well-educated person are to be a TEACHER. If you want to become a teacher,you should do your best to get more knowledge to share them with your future students. And what is more, never stop learning new things. Remember, our students represent a new generation and they love teachers with wide outlook. So,it will be better for you if you   are curious and hard-working.

Funny English :Counting Out Rhymes

Today we'll learn English counting out rhymes.

When kids gather together they usually  start a game with a special rhymes,called counting out rhymes. They need them to decide who will be "it" Children in any country have got a lot of such rhymes!

As ESL teachers like playing games at the lessons and after classes , they also use the counting out rhymes. 

What is the other reason to use them at the lesson? They are an essential part of English folklore. And for those who learn English it's the one more possibility to become a real English speaker!

 I use these rhymes  for organize our class games

.

Do you know other interesting ones? It will be great if you share them in the comment section!

So, let's read and enjoy!

Personal Qualities List

 

















Hello, dear learners!
As we learned earlier, the more adjectives you know the richer your personal vocabulary is. Often we use simple words as good, bad, small, big, etc, so our speech is not very emotional and impressive, we can't describe a person or an event in a proper way. What should we do? The answer is clear: we should learn more adjectives .

And today I'd like to ask you how many positive personal qualities  you can name.Have you counted? And now let's visit this page:
 http://www.compatibilitycode.com/book-resources/personal-qualities-list/

Here you'll find 555  amazing words to describe a person. Some of them are well-known, but I'm sure, you'll find a lot of new words to widen your vocabulary!

Autumn Songs for Kids

Hello,dear readers! 

   This post is for those who want to organize an Autumn party for kids. This season is colourful and amazing.
Our children enjoy autumn  and they also love parties. So, why not to do something interesting for them.We can encourage our little students to make something unusual with leaves,autumn flowers,fruit and vegetables and decorate a hall with their masterpieces. Usually, a good concert or a show with reciting poems, singing songs, demonstrating autumn costumes,playing games is an essential part of any kids' activity. Let them demonstrate their creative nature!

 As usual, I'd like to advise you some lovely videos to create a spesial autumn atmosphere.

Amazing Icebreakers for Lessons

My dear colleagues!
I have just come across an amazing resource with a lot of useful information! And I want to recommend you to visit this site to get more lovely games, icebreakers and etc. to make your lessons enjoyable!
http://www.icebreakers.ws/small-group

Personal Pronouns

Hello,dear learners!
Today we'll study Personal Pronouns.

You ,certainly , know these words:
I, you,he,she,it, we,they. They are called personal  subject pronouns, because they can be used as subjects in  sentences.

Also,there are object personal nouns in English:
me,you,him,her,it,us,them.

Subject pronouns go before verbs as subjects and object pronouns go after verbs or prepositions as objects.
He loves her. We went to visit them.

Water. Ecological Education

Dear learners!
Today let's talk about WATER. It was given us for free , like a present. But people can't  appreciate the things they get easily. That's why we have faced to the great ecological problem nowadays.
Adults are to teach our new generation to be more respectful to nature. You can find interesting and useful quotes, poems videos here.
Let's act together to make a better world!




Water is the driver of Nature.
- Leonardo da Vinci
When the well's dry, we know the worth of water.
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746 
   Filthy water cannot be washed.
- West African Proverb
 Dripping water hollows out a stone
- Ovid, Epistulae Ex Ponto, Book 3, no. 10, 1. 5
 You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
- Heraclitus of Ephesus

                         Poems       Water, water everywhere

Can You Tell Stories in English?

This lesson will help you to understand the main rules of narrating stories in English: linking words, using right  tenses and good vocabulary.

note:
event /ɪˈvent/

Prefixes. Word Building

Hello,dear learners!
Today we'll talk about word building in English. And we'll start with the list of prefixes. 
Do you know what prefixes are? These are the syllables which are added before a word to form a new word. The meaning of a newformed word depends on the prefix which was added.





anti -   against ( antibacterial)
bi -      two        (bilingual)
co -      with        (co-producer)
ex -      previous  (ex-president)

Peppa Pig for Teaching English!

Hello,dear teachers and parents!

Today I'd like to recommend you a nice cartoon series for teaching English to the youngest students. It   is Peppa Pig. 

 The cartoon series is really good for kids under 8. The simple vocabulary, understandable situations, funny animation make each cartoon about Peppa interesting and attractive for kids. 

Now, let's watch one of my favourite episodes Ballet Lesson

The vocabulary of this video:

Robert Frost My November Guest

Painter James Tissot Hello,dear English lovers! Let's welcome November!  The third autumn month comes with sharp winds, grey clouds,drizzling rains,bare trees. This month is colourless,chill and dull. What can change it into the most beautiful season? Love, and only love. To my mind ,this marvelous poem wonderfully explains the feelings of lovers. My November Guest by Robert Frost My sorrow, when she’s here with me,    Thinks these dark days of autumn rain Are beautiful as days can be; She loves the bare, the withered tree;    She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Adverbs

Hello,dear learners!
It's time to talk about adverbs . What are adverbs? These are the words which help us to describe when ( yesterday, tomorrow, ), where (here, there, near), how ( often, softly, easily) etc. something happens, happened or will happen.

Today we'll study the rules of using adverbs in English.





Adverbs usually go after verbs but before adjectives, other adverbs and participles.
Her little daughter sings wonderfully!
The novel is very interesting.
He lives so far from here .

Happy Halloween!

Halloween. Ideas for a Kids Party

Be careful on the night of 31 October! It is Hallowe’en ( Halloween). It means “holy evening”.

This is the night when witches and ghosts come out! 

Pumpkin is one of main symbals of this holiday. People make jack-o’-lanterns cutting  the holes in pumpkins in a form of a face and put candles inside. They decorate their houses, gardens and windows with them. 

Kids  dress up in costums of ghosts,witches, sceletons,etc.  and paint their faces. They have  different street  events like pumpkin-picking, face painting, mask-making crafts, a Halloween costume shows   and Halloween parties.

 Sometimes, they go to people's houses and knock on the door, saying `Trick or treat!’ The person who opens the door must give the children a treat - some sweets or chocolate.

If not, the children play a trick on them.For example, they draw a funny picture on the door, or throw flour at the window.

This is a splendid song for teaching Halloween vocabulary!

I'm sure, your kids will like these poems: