English Banana.com ESL Blog

The latest free material and news from English Banana.com

Category Archives: News


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1,800+ English Banana.com Worksheets Added to TES.co.uk Resource Website!

TES.co.uk

TES.co.uk

We’re thankful to the team at TES.co.uk – a site billed as “the largest network of teachers in the world” – who have recently added 1,873 English Banana worksheets to their massive free database of resources for teachers.

It’s great news for English Banana.com, because it means that our resources can now be shared with a much wider audience! The TES website has over 2 million registered users worldwide. Our resources were added about a month ago, and they have already generated an incredible 25,000+ page views!

You can find the English Banana resources page on tes.co.uk here:

http://www.tes.co.uk/MyPublicProfile.aspx?uc=2319730&event=21

You can also find many other great teacher resources on their site – all free to access and download!

Aimée Fagan from tes.co.uk said: “We’re delighted to have the materials on TES! We have also shared them in our new US website www.sharemylesson.com as there is a huge demand for ELL (English Language Learner) material like this in the US too.”

You can find the English Banana page on their US website here:

http://www.sharemylesson.com/MyPublicProfile.aspx?uc=2319730&event=21

It was made possible thanks to our Free Copying Licence, which allows anybody to share and use English Banana.com material – including uploading and adding it to another website. You can find out more about our free licences here:

http://www.englishbanana.com/copying-licence.html


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UEFA EURO 2012 – Fantastic Free Material for English Lessons!

You can download this really useful – and topical – lesson plan for UEFA Euro 2012 from NewsFlash English:

Free Euro 2012 Lesson Plan for English Lessons (PDF)

They write:

“Today, let’s talk about the European Football Championship that is taking place this year in Poland and Ukraine. Commonly known as Euro 2012 the championship will bring the best European teams together for what, no doubt, will be another exciting tournament…”


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Free Talk a Lot Elementary Course Now on YouTube!

Here is the first class from a short Talk a Lot Elementary Spoken English course that I taught online recently. The topic in this recording is “Town” and we’re working from Talk a Lot Elementary Book 1. You can find the links for the other four classes in the course below!

Many thanks to Ma3ali English for organising the course and uploading the recordings.


 
Class 2: Food and Drink

Class 3: Shopping

Class 4: Health

Class 5: Family

 

 


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More Photos from our Big Sky Fundraising Event on 31st March 2012

Official events photography courtesy Photographers’ Gallery, Holt, Norfolk. Used with kind permission.

Sian Croose & Big Sky

Hugh Lupton - Storyteller

Hugh Lupton - Storyteller

Big Sky Choir - Warming Up

Big Sky Choir - Warming Up

Big Sky Choir - Warming Up

Big Sky Choir - Warming Up

Hugh Lupton - Backstage

Hugh Lupton - Backstage

Alan Childs, Trustee of English Banana Trust, and Matt Purland

Alan Childs, Trustee of English Banana Trust, and Matt Purland

Glyn Purland, Chair of English Banana Trust

Glyn Purland, Chair of English Banana Trust

 


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Free Teacher Training Class for ESL Teachers #1

About the Class:

In this free class for teachers of ESL (English as a Second Language) we will look at how to get great results in an ESL class using the Talk a Lot Method. We will discuss some examples of student work that has been produced using this method, and you will have the opportunity to tell us about your teaching practice.

You can sign up for the class below:

http://www.wiziq.com/online-class/830928-free-teacher-training-class-for-esl-teachers-1


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Do You Know How to Make an iPad / Android App for English Banana.com?

If you do, we’d love to hear from you! Mobile internet is where it’s at right now (and where it’s increasingly going to be) and we would like to create a simple app that allows teachers and students to quickly find and download English Banana.com resources.

Please contact us if you are able to help with this project. Thank you! Click here to contact us.


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People are Using English Banana.com Free Licences – 3 Great Examples!

English Banana.com features a wealth of free worksheets and resources for teaching and learning English, and everything is covered by our free licences! Click here for full details. People are free to do what they want to with the materials, and they are doing just that, if the recent examples listed in this post are anything to go by!

Example 1 – Material from Talk a Lot Elementary Book 1 has been used to make online quizzes:

http://www.allthink.com/v/taletown/
http://www.allthink.com/v/talefooddrink/
http://www.allthink.com/v/shopping/
http://www.allthink.com/v/healthyhealth/
http://www.allthink.com/v/taletransport/

Example 2 – Material from various English Banana.com workbooks has been used to make online quizzes for this Polish website:

http://www.maximus.pl/dl-cwiczenia_gramatyczne-114.html

http://www.maximus.pl/dl-pisownia_i_ortografia-118.html

http://www.maximus.pl/dl-rozumienie_czytanego_tekstu-121.html

http://www.maximus.pl/dl-slownictwo_angielskie-113.html

http://www.maximus.pl/dl-wiedza_ogolna-119.html

Example 3 – A teacher from Jakarta, Indonesia has built a web page using material from Talk a Lot Elementary Book 1:

http://mr-bejo.com/page/44540/unit-2.html

We’re loving the way that you are being creative and using English Banana.com materials online (as well as in your classes offline!)… It is fantastic that people feel able to use the materials in this way. They are there to be used, so… go on! The world is your lobster! 🙂


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Thanks to Everybody who Made our Fundraising Concert such a Big Success!

Our “Big Sky” fundraising event went really well on Saturday night. Thanks to everybody who took part, including the performers Big Sky Choir, storyteller Hugh Lupton, and wildlife photographer David Tipling. Thanks as well to the hard-working team of people who made it possible, including the English Banana Trustees, other volunteers, and the professional, kind, and helpful staff at Cathedral.

A packed crowd gathered in the new Hostry centre at Norwich Cathedral to be enthralled, educated, and above all entertained! First we heard all about David Tipling’s recent visit to Papua New Guinea, and how the relationship between people and birds there is really quite unique. After a short break we were thoroughly spoilt by the wonderful singing of Norfolk choir Big Sky and the amazing, mesmerising tales of Hugh Lupton. A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all, and money was raised towards this year’s English Banana Trust Free Summer School for English teachers.

Norwich Cathedral.

David Tipling's Presentation

Big Sky Choir - warming up!


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Some New Talk a Lot Discussion Questions on the Topic of “Homes”

Yesterday I was teaching a pre-intermediate class and needed a few general discussion questions on the topic of “Homes”, so I came up with the following. Maybe you will be able to use them in your class too!

You could include them in a lesson based on the “Home” unit in Talk a Lot Elementary Book 1, for example.

Discussion Questions - Homes...

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?

2. Which is better – a house or a flat? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

3. How many different kinds of home can you think of?

4. How will our homes be different in 50 years from now?

5. Which city in the world would be… a) the best, b) the worst, c) [insert other superlatives!] to live in? Why?

6. What are the most important factors in choosing a home?

7. Describe… a) your home, b) your grandparents’ home, c) [insert other!]. Compare them.

8. Who would you like to live with, if you could choose? Why?


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Learn English Vocabulary and Feel Good about It with FreeRice.com!

This great website has been around for a while, but it’s a fantastic way to test your knowledge of English vocabulary (and other subjects, including Science, Geography, and Humanities).  We spent around 10 minutes playing and earned 630 grains of rice, which doesn’t sound that much, but if 30 other people also did the same, we’d have enough grains of rice to feed one person for one day. Why not give it a try? 🙂

http://www.freerice.com

FreeRice.com


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Download Free MP3 Audio! – Info about our Summer School

If you weren’t able to get to our Q & A session about the English Banana Trust Free Summer School, you can now download an MP3 of the audio and listen to the whole thing! Simply click the link below to open it in your browser, or right-click to download it:

http://www.englishbanana.com/podcasts/english-banana-trust-free-summer-school-1.mp3


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Listen to Interview with English Banana Trust Chairman on BBC Radio Norfolk

You can still catch a recent interview with EB Trust Chairman Glyn Purland, which took place on Friday 9th March 2012 at BBC Radio Norfolk in Norwich. Click the link below and fast forward to around 37 minutes in:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00p6b2h

Glyn spoke about the upcoming Trust concert at Norwich Cathedral and also about the Free Summer School for English teachers, which is planned for August this year. Many thanks to presenter Mark Matthews and all at BBC Radio Norfolk for their kind hospitality.


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Check Out ESL Basics – a Really Helpful Resource Site!

Have you discovered ESL Basics yet? If you haven’t, you are in for a treat! It’s a remarkable resource site for ESL students and teachers featuring hundreds of short easy-to-watch videos on the following topics:

Vocabulary, US Citizenship, Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, and Tongue Twisters

If you are studying with Talk a Lot Intermediate, you will find the videos about idioms and phrasal verbs particularly relevant.

ESL Basics is the brainchild of Andrea Giordano, who stars in the short videos, and Josh Michael, who does all the technical wizardry. The site is an absolute boon for any student who is learning new vocabulary (which should be everyone, right?) and for teachers who can dip in and out of the site, for example using a short video to illustrate a new idiom or phrasal verb. You can even request a video on a particular word, phrase, or topic. How cool is that? Here is an example of a video by Andrea about the phrasal verb “to check out”:

ESL Basics on YouTube...

Andrea making a video for ESL Basics...

I asked Andrea for some comments about the site for this blog post. She told me:

“At ESL Basics, we believe that real-life context is a student’s best friend, not a list of terms to memorize. This is why our language instruction is surrounded by a conversation. ESL Basics fosters an environment where students aren’t just learning one word, they are acquiring language. ESL Basics is structured around a philosophy of context-driven lessons, videos, and usability. We are also committed to equipping English language teachers to host student-centered learning environments. I am an avid traveler, experienced teacher, and dynamic speaker who loves to see students and teachers meet their full potential. As well as at our home page, you can find ESL Basics at: youtube.com/eslbasics and facebook.com/eslbasics. “

If you love picking up new language – as well as new ideas for teaching – I would really recommend following Andrea on Twitter too: http://www.twitter.com/eslbasics

It seems that ESL Basics is one of those rare resourse sites that you don’t see very often – one that exists for the pleasure of being there and helping out other people. The joy of sharing the English language is wonderfully in evidence at ESL Basics! Why not CHECK IT OUT today? 🙂

http://www.eslbasics.com


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Two Free English Lessons this week on WizIQ.com!

This week I’m doing two free lessons on WizIQ.com. You are welcome to sign up below! Hope to see you there. 🙂

How to Teach English without an Expensive Course Book Public Class

Wed, Mar 07, 2012 | 8:30 PM (Central European Standard Time)

http://www.wiziq.com/online-class/778438-how-to-teach-english-without-an-expensive-course-book

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English Banana Trust Free Summer School – Q&A Session #1 Public Class

Sat, Mar 10, 2012 | 5:00 PM (Central European Standard Time)

http://www.wiziq.com/online-class/779030-english-banana-trust-free-summer-school-q-a-session-1


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Announcing the First Ever English Banana Summer School – 13th-17th August 2012!

Glyn Purland, Chair, English Banana Trust, writes:

The Opportunity of a Lifetime for English Teachers Using English Banana Materials!

 Free Teacher Training in the UK!

You are warmly invited to attend English Banana Free Summer School 2012

English Banana Trust (founded in 2008) aims to support teachers who are helping people to find a route out of poverty through learning English.

We are currently inviting applications for the first English Banana Free Summer School, which will be held at the prestigious Gresham’s School in Holt, Norfolk, England this summer from 13th to 17th August 2012.

This summer school gives you the unique opportunity to learn how to get the most out of English Banana worksheets and books with the author of the material – English teacher and writer Matt Purland. As you improve your teaching skills through a series of practical, hands-on sessions, you will learn a wide range of valuable and effective teaching methods that you can take home with you and share with your colleagues. The programme will also include other expert educational input and a range of activities designed to support you in your work environment after the school has finished.

If you are accepted as a delegate to the Summer School, all residential, travel and teaching costs in England will be paid for by the Trust, together with a contribution towards travel to the UK and associated costs, of up to £400 sterling.

Who is eligible to apply?

Professional English teachers (including ESL, EFL, TEFL) aged 21 or over, living in the UK or overseas. You must be able to demonstrate that you are using English Banana materials in your school and have a strong interest in learning how to use them more effectively.

If you would like to find out more, please email the following information to

ebtrust@englishbanana.com

1) Your current CV

2) Your name, postal address, telephone number, and email address

3) A short summary of which English Banana materials you are using/have used and how you are using them (e.g. group size, age, level, frequency, etc.)

4) A description of your current teaching situation, e.g. self-employed, private lessons, language school, college, university, state school, etc.

5) A short note explaining why you think you would benefit from a place at the English Banana Summer School 2012 (minimum 100 words)

The closing date for receipt of your email is Saturday 31st March  2012

We look forward to welcoming you!


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Extend Your Vocabulary Easily with Membean.com!

Membean.com...

http://membean.com

We’ve recently been trying out a brand new web service which aims to help you to extend your vocabulary. Membean is a really fun way to “lock in” new words – through a variety of methods.

We asked Membean Founder and CEO Ragav Satish to explain more about the goals of this valuable site:

“Membean is a unique web-based vocabulary learning environment that has its roots in research on human memory and learning. At Membean vocabulary comes to life through engaging video, rich imagery, interactive visualizations, quirky memory devices and unforgettable passages. Once a word is learned it must be maintained in the memory. This is where Membean’s unique Adaptive Reinforcement Engine comes in. Based on your interaction with the tool, it knows when to show you a new word, what questions to ask you and when you need to re-learn a word.” It really is fantastic! Here is an example of a word definition page, for the word “panache”:

Membean.com...

The other great thing about Membean is that it really motivates you to learn – plus it is totally addictive! You can sign up for a free membership today, and find out what we mean!

http://membean.com

 


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New Free Printable English Lesson to Download Now!

Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 2 – Unit 2.2: English is a Big Boiling Pot of Delicious Steaming-Hot Word Stew!