READING TEXTS AND SOME INSTRUCTIONS: READING TIPS FOR STUDENTS:

Good day, gorgeous people of the page- I thought I would re-post some tips from a previous blog entry- just as a refresher- a little encouragement when it comes to reading for vocabulary acquisition and such. I have added some texts of reasonable length, to get you started on this self-study adventure!

I trust that my blog serves you well and that you will certainly approach me if you would like any specific posts or need further tips! For today- just a recap and a kind hello from Sunny South Africa!

RE-POST FROM AN OLD BLOG: A KINDLY REMINDER TO ALL:

Why on earth should reading be a silent activity? I fully encourage and actively believe in the power of  reading activities as a lead in to lessons-reading aloud. 

Reading shapes us- moulds the imagination and helps us retrieve prior knowledge ( words we have seen before/grammar structures we may have studied previously.) it may even awaken vocabulary that has long since lain dormant ( fallen asleep for a time...vocabulary we know and just have not used in a while.) 

To distinguish sounds that differ from those of your  native language, reading aloud with guided instruction is essential. 

  READING TIPS FOR STUDENTS:

Pick a few sentences from your reading text and highlight the content words. (words like verbs, adverbs, adjectives and so on.)

Read these sentences focusing on SAYING THESE WORDS LOUDER (content words) -with more stress , while quickly speaking over/ gliding over - the structure words/function words. (Words like pronouns/ prepositions and articles.)

When you feel  comfortable reading a single paragraph aloud, read an entire page by reading a paragraph aloud and then reading one silently.Continue in this order-

The next step is to record your voice- this is a great way to grade your own reading and decide where to improve while keeping track of your progress. The more you read- the better you become in good time!

Confusing word pairs PART ONE ( a short review...)- TOEIC Students and Upper level learners

Vocabulary acquisition is a challenge when learning a new language, trust me, I know. I am bilingual, fluent in Afrikaans as a second language-steadily working at Russian and attempting German as some of you may well know- yet I am well aware of the fact that vocabulary acquisition is a never-ending road...

Remembering vocabulary is always a challenge after we have have learnt new words. A simple fact.

This is an issue raised by many of my students as we study new words and phrases in class.To make matters more interesting- the situation of dealing with synonyms and homonyms can often cause confusion. In my experience- words are often confused by students, no matter the level they are on. 

Word pairs are essential- something to be taught and studied, these word pairs often appear in exams like the TOEIC.

Below, is a short review of some confusing word pairs:

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advice (noun)

recommendation

I need some advice, how can I manage my time?

advise (verb)

the act of giving a recommendation

I advise (that) you go and see her now!

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effect:

the result or influence of something- noun

I tried taking tablets for the headache but they didn't have any effect.

affect:

 to influence or produce an effect on

Health issues, like Fibromyalgia affect people in their twenties right through to those in their more senior years.

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allot

to give something, especially a share of something available, for a particular purpose:

[+ two objects] They allotted everyone a separate desk.

a lot

always two words meaning many

I have a lot of homework to correct.

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assistance (noun)

help

I need some assistance with these reports.

assistants (noun)

people who help

I need a new assistant- the one I have at the moment just isn't working out!

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complement / compliment

Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or makes up a whole:

The black jacket is a perfect complement to those lovely slacks.

Compliment is a noun or verb that means an expression of praise or admiration:

Students receive compliments when they do well in class.

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council / councilor / counsel / counselor

A councilor is a member of a council, which is an assembly called together for discussion or deliberation. 

A counselor is one who gives counsel, which is advice or guidance. More specifically, a counselor can be an attorney or a supervisor at camp.

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i.e. / e.g.

The abbreviation e.g. means for example (from Latin exempli gratia): 

She gives a variety of language sessions (e.g.,Art, crafts, English literature, Grammar and Exam tutorials.).

 The abbreviation i.e. means that is or in other words (from Latin id est): 

The joy of my existence (i.e., Teaching English) imbues my life with meaning.

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lend / loan

Some say that loan should only be used as a noun, lend and loan are both acceptable as verbs in standard English: “Can you lend (loan) me a dollar?” However, only lend should be used in figurative senses: “Will you lend me a hand?”/ ''lend me an ear...''

Motivation/ Inspiration to start the week- Simple Reminders :)

Good day, lovely readers- How do you do on this day of utter finesse and joviality? A a lugubrious face will not serve you well at all - keep a smile on your dial and a dash of happiness in hand... I have been pondering the topic of motivation lately...much to my surprise, I came across a lovely website- ''Simple reminders'', to which the pictures below, are credited. 

I trust that these texts will be easy to digest- a morsel of motivation on which to frugally feast...Now- I must get back to my prior engagements- undivided attention in the virtual classroom.

May you smile today. May you be blessed and bless others.

Be good to each other.