Daily English Activities: April 2009

Write Your English Resume

Many people learn English because they need it to help find work. Having a resume or CV in English can also help you and help to display your English skills, but writing a resume isn't easy.

In today's activity you are going to create an English resume using a tool that will help you with the structure and the wording of your resume.

Task:

Go to: http://www.howtowritearesume.net/ and click on 'Start Your Resume Now'. You will need to register to use the site, but this is quite quick, especially if you already have a Yahoo or Google account.
Once you have registered the 'Resume Builder' will take you through the steps involved in creating your resume. First, you can start to add your details to the resume

You will then be asked to add a headline. If you click on the template tab you will get some suggestions for the wording of this.

You can then add details about your education, work history, achievements, qualifications etc. Again you can get help wording these where you see the template tab. You just select the appropriate words from the structure.

Finally, when you get to the format stage you can either download you resume as a text file (then edit on your computer using a word processor) or html (if you want to put it on a website)
You can also post it to a range of free job searching websites, but only do this if you are serious about finding work and your information is true.

I hope you have enjoyed creating your English resume. Here are some more Business English Activities.

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Nik Peachey

Culture and Small Talk

A very important aspect of conversation is the ability to make 'small talk'. This helps to make people feel more comfortable and helps you get to know them better.

Today's activity comes from Business Spotlight and is based around a video clip from a series on building up Business skills. Being good at socializing and making small talk can be very important in business.

Task:

Think about the kinds of topics you usually make small talk about. Could you talk about the same things in English? What would you say?
Now go to: http://www.business-spotlight.de/language-skills/videos/socializing/culture-and-small-talk

Here you will see a video of Bob from Business Spotlight talking about two different styles of socialising and making small talk. He describes them as Peach and Coconut. Watch the video and decide whether you are a Peach or a coconut.

There are more videos you can watch and learn from at: http://www.business-spotlight.de/language-skills/videos

I hope you enjoy these and develop your listening and business skills.

Here are some more Business English Activities.

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Nik Peachey

A New Video Dictionary Definition Each Day

Improving your knowledge of words and enlarging your vocabulary is a very important part of language learning. It's also very important to understand how words are used and what 'real' people think they mean. Words can have a very personal meaning for many people.

In today's daily activity you will find out how to learn more about new words each day and also enjoy watching and listening to videos of people telling your what the word's personal meaning is to them.

Task:

Go to: http://www.wordia.com/ here you will see the words that have been added each day this month. Just put your mouse over a day to see what the word is for that day. Click on the day and you will see a video with a person talking about the word.

To get a new video sent to you everyday, just add your email address to the subscription field and each day you will be sent a link to the newest word.

You can also use the site to search for words. This is a good way to extend your knowledge of words you already know and compare your understanding of the word to that of the person in the video.

Along side each word you also get a dictionary definition and some suggestions for related words that you can explore.

If you like this site and you have a favourite English word you can also register for free, and add your own definitions and videos about English words that you like. You will need to have a YouTube account though. Just click 'Sign Up' on the left of the screen.

I hope you enjoy using this tool to extend your knowledge of words and improve your listening. Here are some more daily vocabulary building activities.

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Nik Peachey

50 Word Stories

Writing creative stories is a great way to practice your English and get the chance to use a wide range of vocabulary and different sentence forms. Creative writing can take a long time though.

In today's activity we look an idea from the DailyLit website. The challenge is to write a story in 50 words. No more no less. The story should still have a beginning a middle and an end.

Task:

To get some ideas for how to do this, looks at this page on the DailyLit site and read through some of the stories that users of the site have submitted.
Got to: http://dailylit.com/forums/other/etc/2009/03/18/50-word-challenge

If you are finding it difficult to start, you can find some great opening lines here to get your story started, just pick one. Story Starters
Try to write your own 50 word story. When you have finished you can post it to the DailyLit site. Just got to: http://dailylit.com/register and register for free. You just need to create your own username ans password.

I hope you enjoy writing your 50 word stories and post them to the site. Here can you can find 20+ more activities to improve your writing

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Nik Peachey

Writing an Essay in English

For many people writing an essay in their first language is a challenge, but writing one in a second language can be even more demanding and stressful. The key to good essay writing though in any language is good planning.

Today's activity looks at a tool called Essay Map to help you effectively plan your essay. It takes you through the processes involved in planning and at the end of the activity you can print up your plan to use it as a basis for you essay.

Task:

Before you begin you should think about the theme of your essay. You could to write about one of the topics from the lectures in our previous activity Listening to Lectures in English or you could watch a lecture on Academic Earth.
If you prefer to practice with an easier topic you could write about:
- : The challenges faced by young people in your country
- : Technology and the opportunities it offers for the future
- : The most interesting places in your country
- : Why you study English
When you have chosen a topic go to http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/essaymap/

Type in your name and the topic you are going to write about. Then go to the introduction and add a few sentences. Then click on the arrow to add main points

You only need to give brief sentences here. Remember this is only the plan and these are only the main areas you will cover when you write the essay.

Once you have these three main ideas you will be able to move on through the map and add the key points you want to include in each of these sections. Complete the whole of you plan and add a conclusion.
Then print out your plan. next comes the hard part. You need to sit down and actually turn your plan into an essay. Writing the essay though will now be much easier, as you have done the thinking part and now you just have to concentrate on the language and making your thoughts clear.

I hope you find this activity useful. Here can you can find 20+ more activities to improve your writing.

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Nik Peachey

I spotted the link to this site on the Micronarratives blog

Play Scary Girl

Studying and developing your English doesn't have to be just hard work, you can also have some fun while you do it.

Today's activity is a game that takes you on an adventure through a beautifully illustrated world. The world of Scary Girl

As you explore the world you'll need to read instructions and find out how to complete your tasks. This will help both with your reading and your vocabulary.

Task:

Go to: http://www.scarygirl.com/world.php This will take you to the beginning of the game. Wait for it to load and then click on 'Enter the World'

You will then be able to choose your level. Start with the easy level first.

You will see a brief introduction, then you will get your first instructions. Read the instructions and work your way through the game.

The game is quite long and has many levels so you may want to save your game and come back to it another day. To save your game click on the small TV screen.

You will then be given a menu of options. Select to save your game.

I hope you enjoy this game and learn some new vocabulary as well as enjoy reading through the tasks.

If you like this game here are some more games based activities.

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Nik Peachey

Listening to Lectures in English

For anyone thinking of studying abroad at a university in an English speaking country, one of the big challenges will be listening to lectures and taking notes. Today's activity will help you to practice and develop this skill using authentic lectures from The British Academy.

These lectures are around an hour long, but you don't have to listen to the lectures all at one time, in fact it might be better to listen in segments of around ten minutes until you build up your listening and note taking skills.

Task:

Go to the British Academy site at: http://britac.studyserve.com/home/default.asp and scroll down the list of lectures. Try to choose one that sounds interesting. I would recommend 'A Question of Culture' as the speaker has a good clear voice and speaks at a good steady pace.
When you find a lecture that interests you, click on the ear icon on the right.

This will show you a brief introduction to the lecture. You should read it first before you listen. Then get some paper and a pen ready to make notes.

Then click on the 'Hear lecture now' link and the audio player will open in a pop up window. It may take a little while to load. When it has finished, click on the 'Play' button and start listening and taking notes.

Try taking notes for around 5 - 10 mins. At first you can use the pause button so tat you have time to write. You may also want to do some background research on the topic to help you understand. You could do this by taking some keywords from the introduction and searching Wikipedia for more information.
Try to do this for about 10 mins each day. This will soon start to develop your listening and note taking skills.

Good luck. Try some more listening activities

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Nik Peachey

I spotted the link to this site on the Micronarratives blog

Quick Reading Activity

Reading in a foreign language can often seem a bit boring and time consuming, but it is a key way to improve your vocabulary and understanding of grammar and word order.

In today's activity I'd like to show that reading doesn't have to be dull and that you can improve your English using just a short daily activity, that will also help you learn more about the world and keep in touch with the news.

This activity uses a part of The BBC News website called In Pictures. The site shows you interesting pictures that have a sentence about each one describing what is happening. Most of the pictures are in sequences, so you can read about a topic or just select pictures of the day each day. Reading in this way is quick, you have wonderful images to help you understand the text and you can still develop your vocabulary.

Task:

Go to the BBC In Pictures feature find an image that looks interesting. There are a few to choose from or you could just click on the image sequence from the previous day. Here is the sequence from 15th April In Pictures

Once you click on the image it should take you to the start of the sequence. Read the descriptive sentence, make a note of any new words, then go to the next image.

Here are a few sequences you might find interesting;

Life in a squat looks at how people in the UK who can't afford rent live.
Kora maker looks at the life of a man who makes musical instruments
Women's lives in northern Iraq looks at Women's lives in northern Iraq!
Easter worldwide shows how Easter was celebrated in different countries

If you enjoy taking photographs and would like to see your own photographs on the BBC website, there is some information here about where to send them: Your Portfolio In Focus

I hope you enjoyed this activity and the images. Try to come back to the site every day just for a few minutes and read about the pictures. This will help your English develop and also keep you informed about the world so that you are a better conversationalist. If you like pictures and images, here are some more image based activities.

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Nik Peachey

Your English Personality

Taking personality tests is a great way to find out a bit more about yourself, improve your vocabulary and learn some new questions. It's also quite good fun.

Today's activity is a personality test which includes 41 questions. At the end of the test you get some information about your personality and the types of job that will suit you.

Task:

Go to: http://www.41q.com/ and click on 'Start' You will then see the first question and choice of two answers. You must select one of the answers to get the next question.

Work through the answers and at the end you will get information about your personality type. Tip: If you have any problems with vocabulary and you want to check the meanings of any of the words, you can simply go to Google.com and types define: your word and it will give you a definition of the word.

Hope you enjoy this activity and find something new about yourself. Here are some more Quiz activities

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Nik Peachey

Chatting to Strangers

I was always told never to talk to strangers, but if you are careful, chatting to strangers online can be a good way to practice your English.

First, things you should never tell someone online are:

Your address
Your telephone number
Never agree to meet with someone you have met online

When using an online chat site to practice your English, it might be better to invent a fictional personality to use. The chat site that we are going to use for today's activity is called Omegle and it allows you to chat anonymously in English with a total stranger.

Task:

Before you go to the chat site, decide what information you would like to share and what you would like to know. It is good to think of a few things before you start as it can sometimes be difficult to get conversations started.
Things you could discuss are;
Sport
The culture of the country
The weather
A good film you have seen recently
Taste in music or art
Jobs or studies
It's good idea to have a few questions prepared on any of the topics you want to talk about.
The information you share doesn't have to be true, but if you use your own experiences, you are more likely to have things to say.
When you have 6 or 7 questions ready got to: http://omegle.com/ and click the 'Start a chat' button.

One of the first things you may be asked is; "asl?" which means age, sex (Are you male or female?), and location.
Remember: You don't have to be honest about these and never give anyone your exact location, a country or town should be enough to get conversation started.

If at any time you feel uncomfortable with the person you are chatting with or if they ask questions you don't like, simply click on 'Disconnect' and you can start a new conversation with someone else.
It might take a few attempts to get a conversation going, but don't be discouraged. It's all good practice.

Well I hope you have a good chat and find somethings out about other countries and cultures.

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Nik Peachey

How Words are Used Together

Reading regularly is not only a great way to improve your vocabulary and learn new things, but also a good opportunity to develop your understanding of how words work together and which words are commonly used together.

Today's activity is aimed at helping you raise your awareness of this and should help you to create simple 'Cloze' activities that you can use to quickly revise texts and get a deeper knowledge of the lexical relationships in them. The activity uses a tool called a Cloze test creator.

Task:

You can either use a text that you have studied before or you can find something that interests you on a website like BBC news or the British Council's LearnEnglish site.
This article on Surfing might be appropriate or you could search for something more suitable in the magazine archive
Open the Cloze test creator and copy and paste the text that you have read into the text field. You don't need to use the whole text, just a couple of paragraphs should be enough.

Select 'Interactive' and 'No clues', then select which features of the text you would like to test yourself on.

You could just make it random and click on 'Submit Query'

The website will now produce an interactive activity for you. You can then type the missing words into the text. If you get the words right you will score points, if they are the wrong word they will be red.

You can use this tool to convert any text into a cloze test activity like this. This is an excellent way to test and improve your English. I hope you enjoy it. To do find more reading activities just click this link: Reading activities

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Nik Peachey

Daily English Activities

Pages

Write Your English Resume

Culture and Small Talk

A New Video Dictionary Definition Each Day

50 Word Stories

Writing an Essay in English

Play Scary Girl

Listening to Lectures in English

Quick Reading Activity

Your English Personality

Chatting to Strangers

How Words are Used Together

My Books & Lesson Plans

My Free Newsletter