Class members will present their Focus Texts orally to the class right after the Thanksgiving Break. You can use the overhead projector as a podium for your materials if you want. You can even use the blackboard or projector for illustrations or for a list of key terms, if you wish. But do not use the overhead projector to project the text of your talk.
Please prepare an introduction to your text so that class members will understand generally what your text topic is about before you begin reading. If you already have such an introduction, fine. If not, you can comment on the source of the text. If you wish, you can also provide any other context that might be helpful, such as, "This is a conversation between ... and ..." or "This is a meditation on ..." or "This is a discussion of a particular type of ..., called ..." or "These are guidelines or procedures for ..." or "This is a description of the concept of ..." or "This passage deals with ... and draws a distinction between ... and ..." or "This outlines the steps in the process of ...", "My text traces the history of ...," etc. Try to think how you can help to orient your listeners to your reading.
When you have thought through your introduction, practice it as you would practice your focus text to be ready to make an oral presentation. That is, say your introduction aloud in private and inspect you utterances for accuracy and fluency. Prepare your introduction by focusing on the different aspects of pronunciation you have become familiar with -- rhythm (alternating stress of content words and function words, linking, and trimming), major stress of words and constructions like compound nouns, compound numbers, and phrasal verbs, and primary stress of sentences, paying attention to contrasts and new information, destressing after the primary stress and using appropriate intonation.
For the body of your focus text, practice by watching and imitating the way the native-speaker model presented your focus text in the video you have.
A clear oral presentation is one that has the following features:
The speaker looks at his/her notes but then looks at the audience to speak.
The speaker speaks much more slowly than in ordinary conversation. Practice pausing at message unit boundaries; don't rush. Remember that the material is entirely new to all of your listeners. You need to give your listeners time to process the content cognitively.
You will read through your text once.
Looking for local opportunities to take ESL classes, conversation classes, connect with tutors and conversation partners, find social gatherings with native speakers? There many in Champaign-Urbana - many for free and many for pay. Look at the bottom of this page for a summary of opportunities.
Listening and Speaking
If you would like a place to watch a popular TV series (Survivor) and talk about it with others, pop in on 'Reality' English that meets in 1022 FLB every Wednesday from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., starting January 27. And bring a friend.
Listening
If you have been looking for a good web-based site containing clear audio recordings for listening practice, listening comprehension quizzes, and vocabulary development, here are several recommendations for you.
1. The first is Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab at this site:
http://www.esl-lab.com/index.htm
On the homepage you will find a long list of Easy, Medium, and Difficult recordings on many topics of interest. They are recorded in American English. Most of them are short - some less than 1 minute. Each recording comes with a page on which you can do a pre-listening exercise, play the audio, then take a comprehension test to check your understanding.
In addition there are longer interviews and lectures, 20-minute vocabulary lessons, language learning and life tips, and long conversations.
The site requires the use of RealPlayer, which you already use for listening to streaming audio from our course web.
2. The second site is at this link:
http://international.ouc.bc.ca/takako/
This is very nice Canadian production with clear audio about the adventures of Takako in Vancouver BC. The 10 episodes run from 6 to 15 minutes long. In order to hear the audio, you have to download the latest free version of Multimedia Shockwave if you don't already have it installed.
You can watch the text as you listen. Vocabulary in the text that you may not know is highlighted. You can click on the highlighted words for quick definitions. A multiple-choice quiz is available after each episode.
3. The third site is called ELL - English Listening Lounge:
http://www.englishlistening.com/
In order to listen to most of the passages (more than 250 in all) you must pay to subscribe to this service. However, 30 complete listening passages are free. You can find them on the home page under "Guest Menus". Click on your level of listening (= speed of speaking) - New Listener Menu, Regular Listener Menu, Advanced Listener Menu. Each menu will take you to set of 10 passages. When you click on a particular passage, if it is free, you will see in red print in the right hand corner: This is a free passage.
Passages are unrehearsed, authentic speaking running from 30 seconds to 8 minutes long in clear Flash Streaming Audio. Depending on the length of the passage, 3-6 comprehension questions are available. You can also click to see an answer to each question. The full passage, in tiny print, is also accessible but without any vocabulary guidance.
On this page you will find notices of changes of content, date, procedures, any corrections that come to our attention, and things of general interest to all sections of the course. Check here from time to time to see what's new.