Latest UPDADES

 Are you an auditory or visual learner? There are no such distinct styles. Anyway, if you have a preference for watching movies, looking at pictures or listening to the teacher rather than writing or reading when you study, then, you might belong to either of these two categories.

You will definitely retain more information using these types of visual aids. Whether you are a teacher or a student, you'll probably find my selection useful. For more episodes of the video lessons, please go to Extra Learning English or Popeye the Sailor

Learning English is Fun  (Episodes 1, 2, 3) - recommended level A2+

As a music lover you can either watch the original band's video or just listen to the track and read the lyrics.
EMF - the band
Unbelievable by EMF  - recommended level B2+

I do hope you'll use and enjoy both suggestions. Teachers and textbooks are unreplaceble, but the Internet is an endless source of ideas for both. So, why don't you work together to find what's best for you?

Any questions? We are ready to answer them.
Tomorrow's the New Year's Eve. I'll take the opportunity to wish you all "A happy, prosperous and successful 2013!"

Blended learning - a solution

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media

How to Write an Argumentative Essay

If you have just started preparing for an exam or doing your homework, here's a good video to watch. It provides good practice for listening and note-taking, so teachers can use it as a class activity, as well.

Start with this introduction:



and then go to the next video:
How to Write an Argumentative Essay

TED talks and the ESOL examinations

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.” - Henry David Thoreau
Do you remember the yesterday's question on Lexis offical Facebook page Oct. 6, 2012? Well, men go fishing, but they are not tweeting about it. They google for information and opportunities. They are overconfident, and overconfidence seems to be rewarded. Men tend to over-estimate their ability and they also negotiate harder. Good for them!
We won't stop looking at men as our role models for leadership. But the trend to adopt the tactics of men is not something I agree with. It 's just a relic from earlier feminist eras. Both men and women must be rewarded for the talents, abilities and qualifications they have.
Is there a science of achievement? Did you achieve your goals? Watch this great TED talk of Tony Robbins. The yesterday's post and the present one are recommended to Advanced students (B2, C1, C2) who are preparing for ESOL examinations. Both posts provide excellent Reading and Listening practice.
For lots of ideas for essays, read breaking news and opinion, articles on crime and comedy, lifestyle and entertainment in the Huffington Post.
And if you don't find what you need, scroll down to the bottom of this distinguished online newspaper and visit other papers, radio or TV channels and blogs. You'll definitely refine your writing style learning from the best writers in the world.

The American universities that rule the web

Created by: Best Education Sites

TOEFL vs. IELTS

In the following posts you are going to be introduced to the basics of these two exams. Which one should you take?

Admission College Interview (2) - The Secrets of Body Language

Do interviews matter? 
It depends on the school. In many cases it counts; undoubtedly, the interviewee can prove thoughtfulness, facility with words and commitment. Fewer and fewer former admission officers say that interviews are inefficient. More and more universities go back to the old times when interviews were not mandatory. Consequetly, candidates are now warned they cannot participate in the interview underprepared, without previous research and training.
What kind of questions can you expect?
There are typical questions and unexpected ones. The interviewer (college student, alumnus* or alumna, admisssion officer) decides. Anyway, it's not the questions you need to be afraid of; only 7 percent of the message is conveyed through words. The interviewer is looking for the real picture of you, trying to learn who you really are. The truth leaks out through the remaining 93 percent non-verbal communication. Make it profitable.

Watch this video and you'll understand why body language is crucial in business, politics, media, sales.
Length of video: 1:3o:13  
Is there any explanation for the college admisssion interviews to be in the focus again? Recent findings prove that written communication is limited in conveying feelings and attitudes. Is this why in modern communication (emails, memos or chat) young people mainly add emoticons? Isn't it a way to avoid misunderstanding? Isn't it why a face-to-face conversation is more reliable than any other type of communication?

This is a topic worth paying attention to. If you liked the topic, please subcribe to receive updates.

Glossary: 
alumnus *(male singular) = university graduate, former employee or member
alumna (female singular)
alumni (plural)

Admission college interviews (1)

Is it a required part of the application process?
Not always. Few colleges require an interview; in most cases it is optional. But it gives you a chance to show you are something else than numbers (exam scores, hours of volunteer work etc.) and words (the statement, the recommendations etc).
Moreover, it is an informational tool; for the college to find out more about the student and for the student to learn more about the college.

Do interviews matter?
Yes, because you show you're interested.
What's in a handshake ? How important is it to establish eye contact? What about voice inflection?

What kind of information and knowledge is the interviewer looking for?
There are as many different questions as there are interviewers.
1.  What can you tell me about yourself?
2.  Why are you interested in our college?
3.  Why do you want to major in.....?
4.  Do your school grades reflect your effort?
5.  Is there anything you did previously that you'd like to change?
6.  Can you recommend a book to me?
7.  What do you do in your free time?
8.  Who do you most admire in your family?
9.  What is your biggest weakness?
10. Why do you want to go to college?

In the next post:

• Answers to the questions above
• Solutions to succeed in your interview
• If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask

Why learn languages?

If you want to start learning a foreign language or improve your language skills, define your expectations first.
Read more about:

• learning styles
• online learning
• Burlington English method
• language centres
• Trinity College London ESOL certificate
• other ESOL certificates

Updates on ESOL examinations

Not only is English useful, but it also gives you a lot of satisfaction. There is one problem though; due to the social changes, English grammar and vocabulary are changing. Consequently, learners need to regularly refresh their skills.

You might find it hard to understand the acronyms and abbreviations related to this activity. The definitions for the most often used ones and many more will definitely help you become familiar with the terminology.

Read more....

UPDATES on Creative Writing

Do you want to participate in a creative writing contest or develop your writing skills for academic purposes (exams, essays etc.)? Start practising; this will encourage you to write and maybe realize your dream of becoming a writer, a journalist, reporter etc.. If you need a coach, we are available for free consultations, so don’t hesitate to submit your questions or stories.  Until then, here are a few tips for winning contests.








Are you preparing for an international certificate exam? If you are interested to improve your English or get the latest information about the best test, books and courses, go to ESOL EXAMINATIONS.

The Personal Essay (Part 3)

3. What does a common statement consist of? 


A typical personal statement will consist of the following:

◙ An introductory paragraph in which you can provide the main theme of the essay: the course of study you are applying, how you got interested, what motivates you. The first sentences are very important; whether the tone and message are provoking you might grab attention from the start. You might start by talking about how you began interested in your discipline, about some activities you got involved in and how they motivate you.

◙ 2-4 body paragraphs (according to the required length of the essay from 250 to 1,500 words) that develop your theme through examples and experiences. It is here you can give a summary of your educational background: your interests, skills, prizes, awards, your future goals.

                                                                                             Good reads

Try to persuade the admission officer that you are the kind of person they are looking for, that you are unique, that you have a distinct personality. Give reasons for wanting to attend the school. The detailed evidence will support the statement made in the introduction.

Each paragraph should have a meaningful sentence that provides the transitions. Transitions start the paragraph and suggest its theme. The paragraph ends with resolutions – statements that connect the facts in the current paragraph. The beginning and ending statements give the essay a clear, logical structure that is easy to understand.

◙ The conclusion that summarizes the most important information without repeating sentences or paragraphs. If you run out of imagination and can’t find a natural end, just mention again what your ambitions are and what you have to offer.

4. Do's and Don'ts
Do:
• Prepare an outline, create a draft or as many as necessary.
• Make sure your essay has a theme or a thesis.
• Provide evidence to support your claims.
• To draw attention, make your introduction unique, start with an unexpected sentence.
• Write clearly, logically and make sure the statement is easy to comprehend. Be concise, organized and coherent.
• Be honest, confident and mainly be yourself.
• Be interesting and positive.
• Write about yourself and use examples from your own life experiences.
• Alternate long and short sentences.
• Discuss your future goals, hopes and expectations.
• Mention hobbies, past jobs, community service, or research experience, skills.
• Use the first person (I…).
• Mention weaknesses without making excuses. Don’t exaggerate. Be positive.
• Discuss why you're interested in the school.
• Give examples to demonstrate your abilities.
• Proofread and revise your statement or ask a friend or a tutor to proofread your essay.

 Don’t: 
• Make grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes.
• Be repetitive, wordy, don’t use big words or informal language, jargon, slang or inappropriate jokes.
• Be boring.
• Generalize or include clichés. Be creative and original.
• Be defensive or arrogant.
• Complain or focus on other people.
• Discuss politics or religion.
• Give excuses for low school grades.
• Make lists of accomplishments, awards, skills, or personal qualities. Give examples.
• Write an autobiography, summarize your CV or mention information that has already been included in the application.
• Forget to proofread. Don’t rely on your computer for spell checking.
• Don’t start your essay with “I was born…” or “My name is …”.
• Don’t use a fancy font or colored background.

This list of words and phrases will help you with the right vocabulary.
Words that make a difference

The Personal Essay - The Most Common Mistakes

1. Why in most cases the essay is the most important part of the college application?

For a majority of schools your grade point average and test scores are the most important for being admitted and for earning scholarships. More prestigious schools, because of the huge number of highly successful applicants, take essays, recommendations, awards, volunteer work and different kinds of extra-curricular activities into account. Dedicated volunteer work over a long period of time can be a strong topic. A day or a week experience is just about experience not about you.

2. What are the common mistakes you can make?
  
Inconsistency  Your essay is not the story of your life; it’s a strategic marketing message that should add value to your application. Cover all the themes that will help the admission officer get the whole picture of you. The personal essay must fit with the overall message, not resume the aspects described in your CV.
Too many themes  Don’t jam too many topics; you don’t have all the qualities in the world. Demonstrate your potential by emphasizing the personal qualities the college admission committees are looking for.
Being broad  Using clichés and generic examples will not help you create a clear, impactful, realistic picture of yourself. Describe real situations at school or at work, give enough details so that you can explicitly communicate in written what kind of person you really are. Instead of vague generalitites, give names of people, organizations and locations, projects you’ve been involved in etc. The college admission committees want to find out about your initiatives, how competitive you are, if you can work efficiently in a team, if you can get along with the others, if you have a sense of humour, confidence, strength of character, motivated and genuinely interested in your personal development.
Flowery language Don’t be overcreative: avoid using fancy words, don’t brag about your successes. Write about them in an indirect way so that you do not appear to be boastful.
Careless errors Proofread your essay or ask a friend to do that for you; minor mistakes might make you look careless and disorganized.
Wordy, long-winded sentences Keep them short, direct and to the point. Don’t exceed the word upper limit.
Lack of structure Create an outline and follow it. Your essay needs a beginning, a middle and a conclusion. Avoid repetition and most importantly, use transitional sentences to link the paragraphs.
Inappropriate words and structures You are writing an academic essay; choose the vocabulary from the right layer of the English language (formal or neutral words).
Overuse of passives Up to a point, passive structures are recommended, but too many such sentences make understanding difficult as they are longer and harder to read. Experts say that the best balance is 20% passive voice if you want to emphasize the result. This will make the essay sound objective and the story more personal.
Grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes Don’t entirely rely on on -line dictionaries, spelling and grammar checkers! (To be continued )

Next topics:
3. What does a common statement consist of?
4. Do's and Don'ts

What's wrong with having a conversation?

"What's wrong? It takes place in real time and you can't control what you're gonna say."
If you're excited by technology, be honest and answer this question: Has your life improved?

The Personal Essay

Writing a good essay is not an easy task, but if you manage to be convincing, it will well complement your application. It takes time and hard work. Many applicants might be tempted to plagiarize. Big mistake! The essay can be perfect in terms of cohesion and language, but it does not answer the specified topic you are supposed to compose on as mentioned in some applications.

 It’s worth trying to write your own statement. Making an attempt is challenging and rewarding. To be successful, you need to know the specific requirements of the college you want to go to. Mostly, applications require almost the same type of essay.

 Nevertheless, some colleges request an autobiographical statement, others provide firm guidelines. You should use your creativity to tailor it to match the programme, to demonstrate how your abilities match the college programme. Avoid writing a generic essay.

  The length of the essay differs from 500 words to 1,500, from on-page essay to a two-page personal statement. If you have more than one page, number them and write your name on each of them. Use the type of font that makes your essay readable (Bookman or Times New Roman, Arial). Use no more than a 12-point size font or smaller than a 10-point size. Use the one inch standard margins.

  General Tips

 When writing a personal statement, there are two aspects you have to pay attention to:
  - the content As you are selling yourself, make sure to draw the reader’s attention from the first sentences. Don’t be vague, avoid clichés. Emphasize concrete situations and the practical applications of your skills and abilities. Give the reader a picture of yourself: your achievements as a student, your practical skills, strengths, personality qualities.
  - the writing Avoid misspellings, punctuation and grammar mistakes. Don’t use informal language. Don’t use “big” words, don’t be pompous. Keep your sentences simple and to the point to avoid leaving the impression you are a show-off. A personal statement’s function is not only to give the reader an idea of who you are as a person and as a student, but it must also show your analytical, organizational, and writing skills among others; it’s your marketing message to the admissions committee.

  In the next post you’ll read about:
 1.Why in most cases the essay is the most important part of the college application?
 2.What are the common mistakes you can make?
 3.What does a common statement consist of?
 4.Dos and Don’ts

Vrei să studiezi în străinătate?

Reprezentanţi a zeci de institutii universitare din Europa, Asia si SUA vor fi in Bucuresti peste cateva zile. Incep recrutarile!!! Citeste detaliile!

                                                                                                                                                                     

 
Cum îţi poţi folosi cel mai bine cunoştinţele de limba engleză? In cadrul unui program de studiu în străinătate!

EDMUNDO te ajută gratuit să aplici la programele de master şi licenţă din cadrul a peste 50 de instituţii de învăţământ din Europa, America şi Asia. 

Te ajutăm să iţi alegi programul potrivit pentru tine, îţi spunem de ce documente ai nevoie, cum să le pregăteşti şi apoi îţi trimitem mai departe aplicaţia.

Te consiliem în absolut toate privințele: de la primele documente până la scara avionului și chiar mai departe, pe parcursul studiilor.

Cauta-ne !

http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/listening/audio-soap-opera/the-road-less-travelled-season-one/the-road-less-travelled-episode-1-the-phone-call-audio-and-activities/155348.article

IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS WITH One Stop English
http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/listening/audio-soap-opera/the-road-less-travelled-season-one/the-road-less-travelled-episode-1-the-phone-call-audio-and-activities/155348.article

Invatati limba engleza @casa, in weekend, la birou

Dragi cursanti si potentiali elevi Lexis, 

Ceea ce vrem sa va propunem la inceput de an este o strategie pe care noi o numim "blended learning". Este vorba de o combinatie: invatare la distanta, activitate independenta, dar controlata online de un profesor si un numar de lectii profesor-elev intr-un spatiu conventional (sala de clasa).

In felul acesta, dumneavoastra economisiti timp, va familiarizati treptat si va stabiliti ritmul propriu de invatare. Metoda este comoda si necostisitoare pentru cursant si va ajuta sa construiti treptat relatia cursant - profesor. Dupa aceasta faza veti putea incerca si un curs scurt (40, 60 sau 80 ore) profesor - elev si de ce nu, chiar integrarea intr-o grupa.

Daca propunerea noastra vi se pare potrivita, va rugam sa ne contactati pentru a discuta toate detaliile care va mai intereseaza sau pentru a programa o demonstratie la sediile noastre din Bucuresti, Brasov, Constanta, Pitesti, Ploiesti, Sibiu. 

Pret: 196 EURO (TVA inclus)

1.  Aplicaţia software unica pe plan mondial(curs complet pe diferite nivele pentru adulti - scris, citit, gramatica, dar - cel mai important - si de corectare permanenta a pronuntiei)

Echipamentul (cască + microfon)

2. 10 ore predare/ consultatii cu profesor

Pretul se refera la un curs cu durata de 3 luni de la data activarii aplicatiei.

Unul dintre avantajele acestui tip de curs este flexibilitatea programului de lucru:
• Nu depindeti de orarul scolii
• Nu sunteti nevoit sa va planificati un program fix de lucru.
• Aveti posibilitatea sa intrerupeti cursul, anuntand centrul de monitorizare, pe orice durata si sa reluati studiul atunci cand timpul va permite. In felul acesta, dispuneti de aplicatia achizitionata, pe o durata practic nelimitata, pana la finalizarea cursului.

De ce este BurlingtonEnglish un program unic?

Aplicatia sa adapteaza caracteristicilor vocale ale utilizatorului, in functie de limba materna, sex si varsta. In felul acesta, dificultatile de pronuntie sunt identificate si procesate pentru a se stabili cele mai potrivite demonstratii si instructiuni pentru imbunatatirea accentului.

Thomas Power on the problem with technology

Great speaker, thrilling topic
What's your opinion?


Ecademy.com