English Learning Tips 8:Have Fun

According to the LEO Network, their most important piece of advice is to, above all, Have fun!

"Do something (anything)", they suggest. "If you don't do anything, you won't get anywhere. Make it your hobby, not a chore"

Spend your time, they suggest, on things that interest you:
* if you like cooking then buy an English-language cookbook or find recipes on the net and practice following the recipes;
* if you like watching movies then watch an English speaking movie;
* if you like listening to music, get a movie and watch it; it you like music buy a CD.

Find below links to the LEO Network comments on having fun and a list of things you can do to have fun with English from EnglishClub.com [go to the bottom of the page].

Links:
1. Have fun [LEO Network]
2. Fun With English Ideas [EnglishClub.com]

English Learning Tips 7:Join a ConversationGroup

One of the best ways to improve your English language ability is to join a conversation club or a discussion group According to the SimplyASEP Blogspot: "...learners who belong to language clubs have a lot more opportunity to use their English in an interesting way. They can learn form other members of the club and can also help others to learn too." Further, they note: ".. learners who are involved in a conversation club generally improve faster than those who aren't."

If your interested in forming a convresation group or club let me know and I will do all I can do to help you. Groups can involve people of the same or different levels, be loose or highly structure, be genral or focused on particular interests. Find below links to the Simply ASEP Blogspot's reference to Converstaions Groups; the program of an English Salon that has been running in the American State of Illinois since 2001; and article from the leaders of the same group on how to start a group of your own; and, the online chat room organized by the LEO Network.

Links:
1. Join a Conversation Club [simplyasep.blogspot.com]
2. The Illinois English Salon Program [elginsalon.org]
3. Starting a Conversation Saloon [elginsalon.org]
3. On-Line English Chat Room [LEONetwork.com]

Message from SimonExam Subject Reminder

Dear Guys [and Girls for students from the women's college], I'm just writing to let you know that I posted information about the topic that will be covered in the exam a couple of weeks ago here. The subject as I said then will be the mouth [or 'oral cavity'] and the picture to the left basically is a reflection of what will be covered in the reading and listening in the exam.

On a somewhat different matter, I have included links below to a couple of medical-terminology-books you may find useful. If you have trouble downloading the books you can get them off me in class.

Links:
1. Medical-Terminology-Dummies-[EnglishTips.org]
2. Medical-Terminology:-An-Illustrated Guide-[EnglishTips.org]
3. Medical-Terminlogy-Simplified [English.Tips.org]

English Learning Tools 7:Learning Style Quizes

As noted in the last post, one way to improve your English is to find out what kind of learner you are. The next issue would appear to be therefore how do you do this.

One of the best ways ways to find out what kind of learner you are is to complete a Learning Style Quiz. These can be found both online and in various English Learning textbooks.

Find below links to: a language specific Learning Style Quiz from V A R K -learn.com [n.b. : V A R K stands for: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinaesthetic]; a Quiz from the 1stoped.com website you can download; and, a general Learning Style Quiz from Education Planner.org

Links:
1. VARK English Learning Style Questionaire [VARK-learn.com]
2. How do you like to learn [1StopEd.com]
3. Discovering Your Learning Style [EducationPlanner.org]

English Learning Tips 6:Find Out What Type of Leanrner You Are

Just as there are different ways to get from Jeddah to Taif, there are different ways to learn. One tip put forward by many observers of lnguage learning is that it is useful, as the people at the LEO Network have stated, "to find out what kind of learner you are in order to better understand how to learn more effectively".

While there are a number of typologies of learner styles, most of them make distinctions between: Visual Learners; Auditory Learners; and Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners. Among the other type of leaners that that been identified are: Global Learners, and Analytic Leaners.

While one could write much on this topic, Judie Haynes has noted that while, for example, Auditory Learners are to recall what they hear and oral instructions; learn by listening and speaking; enjoy talking and interviewing; are phonetic readers who enjoy oral reading, choral reading, and listening to recorded books; and, learn best by: interviewing and debating; participating on panels; giving oral reports; and participating in oral discussions of written material, Visual Learners are able to recall what they see and written instructions.; are sight readers who enjoy reading silently or have material presented to them in a video; and learn by observing and with: computer graphics; maps, graphs and charts; cartoons; posters; diagrams; graphic organizers; text with a lot of pictures.

To read more about language learning and learning styles, see the links below to the Leon Networks discussion of the issue; Judie Haynes' article "Teach to Students' Learning Styles" on EverythingESL.net; and,

Links:
Understanding How You Learn [learnenglish.de]
Teach to Students' Learning Styles [everythingesl.net]

English Learning Tools 5:Flash Cards

It is often argued that vocabulary is the most essential element of communication. The more words you know, it is suggested, the more you can say and understand.

According to the VistaWide.com site,"the absolute best way to learn vocabulary is through the use of flash cards that you make yourself". "Purchase a set of 3 x 5 index cards", they suggest, "and cut them in half." [This, they argue, makes them small enough to carry everywhere]. Once you have done that, they continue: "Write a vocabulary word on the front and its English definition on the back. As you learn more information about each word (e.g. plural forms of nouns, principle parts of verbs), you can add these to the cards.

There are many ways you can use flash cards as a learning tool, VistaWide.com suggest. For example: "To help you learn and remember noun genders, you can color code the nouns by gender, either by using colored cards or colored ink". When studying, organize words in meaningful groups (e.g., by noun gender, in thematic categories, regular verbs vs. irregular verbs): "Shuffle the cards or groups, so that you use the stack(s) in a different order each time. Use the cards in both directions: first look at the foreign language words and try to recall the English definition. Then shuffle and look at the English definitions and attempt to remember the foreign language words. Flash cards offer many possibilities."

Find below links to: the Vista.Wide.com article of flash cards ; a website that provides already prepared flash cards for free; and, HospitalEnglish.com's page containing some sample Medical English Flash Cards.

Links:
Flash Cards [VistaWide.com]
Free ESL Flash Cards [eslflashcards.com]
Free Flash Cards [HospitalEnglish.com]

English Learning Tip 4 :Don't Overdo it

While it is important to study in order to learn English, a number of experts warn that you should not try and do too much at one time. In short, the message is: Don't Overdo It!

"Studying 15 minutes per day", the people at EGO-4U argue, "is more effective than studying 2 hours once every week."

"For a whole week", they suggest, "try studying 15 minutes each day. Not less. And definitively not more than that (even if you could)".

"You will see", they add, "that the following day, studying is much more fun, simply because you didn't push it to the limit the day before".

Their message: Know when to stop before you start.

Link:
Don't Overdo it [EGO-4U]

Medical Websites:AllHealthCare.com

AllHealthCare states that their aim is to bring people together...
"to provide resources and services to advance careers and take advantage of everything a community site has to offer. News, education resources, job search, career networking, advice, and mentorship are just a few of those benefits."

AllHealthCare is part of the Monster Worldwide The site aims to help its users improve their job searching, improve their health related knowledge by reading their many guides. It enables users to search for jobs or request references and network with other healthcare professionals and those interested in the healthcare industry by joining a group, starting a discussion, or sending a gift.

Link:
AllHealthCare.com

Medical Computer Games:Hospital Tycoon

According to the MobyGames.com web site, Hospital-Tycoon, ,is a level-based hospital management simulation where players can start on an empty building, and then assemble rooms with all kinds of material, from desks and file cabinets for the general diagnosis to the expensive ultra-scanners and x-rays to diagnose such bizarre diseases such as 'chimpanzeesis' or 'stressozombieac', and treat them with more or less bizarre machines like a normal hand pump. There several additional rooms, such as a staff room for your employees to rest, a research department to get the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies and a training room where consultants can teach a thing or two to rookies, making them capable doctors. The size and layout of each room can not be freely chosen but instead you've access to different room layouts like a 4x8 or a 12x12 to the available space. These rooms also come with a changing cubicle and a desk with a computer. Whatever additional medical item you place inside that room, defines it's function. So if you place a operation-table into it, it will automatically become a surgery. In addition to rooms, the player must provide seating for patients, vendor machines and generally a nice environment.

Find below links to the MobyGames web site where you can details about the game and how to buy it online; and, a website where you can download the game for free.

Links:
1. Hospital-Tycoon-Product Details-[MobyGames.com]
2. Hospital-Tycoon-Download-Links-[twistysdownload.com]

English Learning Tips 3:Treat Yourself

As I noted in my last post, setting goals is a good way of Learning English. It is important however to stay motivated to meet the goals you set. One way of doing this, according to a number of websites, is to treat yourself when you have reached your goal or done what you have set out to do. As the English-Grammar-Online-4U web site notes:

Everybody notices what you failed to do. But nobody appreciates what you succeeded to do. That's rather frustrating, isn't it? Appreciation is always a good motivation. And if nobody else appreciates your efforts, you'll have to do it yourself.

Therefore, they suggest, after setting a target / goal for day, the week or the term "also set a reward for yourself that you can look forward".

For example. if you achieve the goal you have set, they suggest, you might treat yourself to:

• a new computer game
  
• a visit to somewhere special
  
• a short trip to London

If it's a long-term target, they suggest, write your reward down on a piece of paper and hang it up in a place where it catches your eye. This sure will be a good motivation. Find below links to the EGO4you.com site on treating yourself to a treat; and an article on 'giving yourself motivation with rewards' from ESLTeachersBoard.com

Links:
1. Treat yourself to Something Good [EGO4U.com]
2. Give Yourself Motivation With Rewards [ESLTeachersBoard.com]

English Learning Tips 2:Set Yourself Achievable Goals

According to the LEO Network website, one good way of learning English effectively is to set yourself achievable goals. Among the goals they suggest you could set are:

* Join an English course (and attend regularly).
* Do your homework.
* Read a book a month.
* Learn a new word every day.
* Visit an English speaking forum every day.
* Read a news article on the net every day.
* Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
* Watch an English film at least once a month.
* Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.

Have a goal to aim for, it is suggested is better than simply just drifting along hoping that improvements in your English will occur magically. Find below links to: the LEO Network article that mentions Goal setting; some hints about how to set goals on the SimplyESL.com website; and an online Lesson and Quiz from the site CanadianImmigrant.ca

Links:
Set Yourself Achievable Goals [Leo Network]
Goal Setting [SimplyESL.com]
Setting Goals for Learning [CanadianImmigrant.ca]

Medical Compter GamesTheme Hospital

According to the information on the Moby-Games website, Theme-Hospital "is a level-based hospital management simulation where players have to start on an empty building, and then assemble rooms with all kinds of material, from desks and file cabinets for the general diagnosis to the expensive ultra-scanners and x-rays to diagnose such bizarre diseases such as Bloaty Head, Slack Songue or Alien DNA, and treat them with with even more bizarre machines like an Head Inflator or a DNA fixer."

"There are", the website notes: "several additional rooms, such as a staff room for your employees to rest, a toilet so that patients don't have to relieve themselves in the corridors, a research department to get the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies and a training room where consultants can teach a thing or two to rookies, making them capable doctors. The size and layout of each room can be set by the player, according to the available space. In addition to rooms, the player must provide radiators, seating for patients and drink machines".

Find below links to the Moby-Games website where copies of the games can be purchased for downloading; and, a link to a page where the game can be downloaded for free.

p.s. I have been able to successfully download the game from the given website but have been unable to complete the unzipping of the ISO zipped file. If any of you are successful in getting the game up and running, let me know.

Links:
Theme-Hospital [Moby-Games]
Theme-Hospital download links

Message from Simon:ENT's Update and Other News

I am just writing to let you know that there may be a slight problem in making posts over the next couple of days. I am currently in Sharorah and am having problems with my Mobily connect USB [apparently STC is king here!!!]. I will however try my best.

On another matter, I have decided to divide my English Learning Tips into two with one set of posts on 'Tips' and another on 'Tools'. As a result I may change the Headings of some of the posts I have made in the last week.

p.s. the photo to the left is a shot of downtown Sharorah.

English Learning Tip 1:Conduct Learning 'Backlog Analyses

As English Grammar Online 4U notes, it is frustrating that its often "the same mistakes that prevent you from getting that better mark in your English tests". How then can you unlearn those mistakes they ask. One clue, they suggest is "don’t try too much at a time". "Instead", they argue, "concentrate on just one typical mistake. 1. Go through the explanations and exercises in your grammar reference or textbook; 2. look out for that specific grammar aspect; 3.Write down the category, and the,
4. start unlearning it.

This process, they suggest, can be called 'backlog analysis'. The term 'backlog analysis' comes from the field of business and refers to 'unfinished work or orders that have been received but are either incomplete or in the process of completion'. [see: dylanwan.wordpress.com] To help in the process of analyzing your 'backlog' of unaddressed English errors, English Grammar Online 4U have provided a Backlog Analysis Checklist you can unload [see below. They have also provide a link on their website to some discussions of some the most common recurring errors English learners make [e.g. some/any and much/many, negative sentences and pronouns.

Find below links to 1. EGO4U's Backlog Analysis Form; 2. EGO's List of Typical English Mistakes; 3. The LEO Network [LEON]'s List of Common Mistakes and Confusing Words in English and 4. A series of Tests and Quizes devised by the LEON to help you analysis whether you understand these issues or nor.

Links:
1. Backlog Analysis form(PDF format)
2. EGO4U's List of Links to Typical English Mistakes
3. LEON's Mistakes and Confusing Words in English; and
4. LEON's English Mistakes Tests and Quizes

English Learning Tools 5:Board Games

Another way to make learning English more fun is to practice your English by playing board- games. A board-game, as Wikipedia notes, is "a game in which counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a 'board' (a premarked surface usually specific to that game)" .While good old fashioned commercially available board games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, Risk and Cluedo [a murder mystery game] are fine for practising English you can also find on the market board games specifically designed to help students improve their English [the most well know of these being 'Word Up' [see picture to the left].

While games such as Monopoly, Cluedo and Word Up will end up costing anywhere between 60-100 Riyals, you can also download a whole range of board games from the internet for free from the various ESL [English as a Second Language] sites. The Board Games on these sites are often ideal for improving ones communicative English grammar, structure and vocabulary. They often include high quality printable game boards and rules and are aimed at 'beginner', 'pre-intermediate' and 'intermediate' level students. To play most of these games, you will need dice and chips [made of plastic ..not potatoes].

Finally, it is worth noting that one can find on the market a number of games with medical themes. Perhaps the most famous two of these are Pandemic and Medical Monopoly. While in the former [Pandemic], players are supposed to help each other control outbreaks of diseases around the world and search for cures against them, in the later [Medical Monopoly] you play a doctor running a hospital attempting to get more patients by being skilled at diagnostics and spending your funds wisely on acquiring the right kinds of drugs, equipment and organs for transplants, etc...

Find below links to some of the free online board games at the Lantern Fish and ESL Galaxy websites; a link to a site where you can download some board-games designed to accompany the Let's-Talk series of ESL textbooks; and a zipped file of four sample 'free' games.

1. Lantern Fish ESL Board Games
2. ESL Galaxy.com Communicative ESL Board Games
3. 'Let's-Talk'-Board-Games,
4. 'Conditionals', 'Past-Tense-Talk', 'Cutting-Edge-Revision' & Let's-Talk-12

English Learning Tips 4:Personal Word Journals

According to John's ESL Community web site, one of the key things you need to, on the one hand, express your thoughts, ideas and feelings clearly, and on the other, be understood by those to whom you are speaking, is a good vocabulary. According to them, the best way to improve your vocabulary is to read as reading, they argue, "introduces you to words and phrases that are used regularly by native speakers". As you encounter these words and phrases, they suggest, you should write them in a personal word journal and then try to use them in an original sentence. Once you are sure you are using the word or phrase correctly, practice using it by writing more sentences using the word or phrase in different contexts and/or using it in a conversation.

While writing a word down on paper can be a tedious [ie. boring] task, there are a number of tools and software on the web to make the process if not easier then at least a bit more interesting. With respect to tools for example you might check out the Vocabulary Builder tool on the John's ESL Community site itself [see the first link below. In terms of software, you could download the_SuperMemo software developed by our friends at _antimoon.com. A link to a site where you can download the software and read some information on the software and how to use it is also located below.

Links:
1. John's ESL Community Vocabulary Builder [read the instruction first then click on the link in blue at the bottom]
2. antimoon.com's_SuperMemo_software link and instructions

Subject Resources:Mid-Term Exam Update

I have been having some emails regarding the subject of the exam and I am pleased to announce that I have decided that the topic that will be covered by the exam will be - as might be indicated by the picture to the left - the mouth. As a result the text and the listening for the exam will focus on the mouth as will the majority of the questions. As always, if you have any questions please phone or send an email. It would appear that at least some of you are able to leave messages on the blog so remember that that is always an option. Please remember if you send an email [and it is not abusive] to write your name and let me know which class you are in.

p.s. Today's message comes from Abha - a very nice city indeed.

English Learning Tools 3:Good English-English Dictionaries

According to our friends at antimoon.com, the most important thing that you will need when learning English is a good English dictionary. "Successful English learners", they write, "use their dictionaries all the time — that's how they learn to use new words". The adjective 'good' here is very important. "If you get a good English dictionary", the antimoon.com note, "you will be better than 90% of English learners." As they note while you may not believe it, "... most people (even people who want to learn English very much) simply go to a bookstore and buy the first dictionary they see.

So what, according to antimoon.com, should you be looking at when going to buy a dictionary? In brief, they note, it..
1. ....has to be an English-English dictionary.
2 ...must give phonetic transcriptions (pronunciations) for every word.
3. ...must give example sentences for every word, and,
4. ...should be a software dictionary.
With respect to using the dictionary, they note that "if you want to improve your speaking/writing ability", then it is important to remember to read the example sentences in your dictionary. These, they note, "...show you how to use a word and they program your brain with correct English".

Find below links to: 1. antimoon.com's page on Dictionaries and learning English; 2. a comparative review of dictionaries for English learners by Tomasz P. Szynalski; and 3. some links to some of the online editions of some of the most highly recommended dictionaries.

1. antimoon.com's page on Dictionaries and learning English;
2. a comparative review of dictionaries for English learners; and
3. Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary Online
Longman's Dictionary of Comtemporary English
Merriam-Websters Online English

EMP Web Resources:Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day: Health

Larry Ferlazzo is an English Language Educator who has been running a web site - larryferlazzo.edublogs.org - with the aim of providing a source for self-access by students. Many classes at the school in which he works it, including their daily after-school ESL computer lab. His hope is classes [and students] throughout the world will use it, too.

While Ferlazzo has broken up his site into a number if different topics, the one of particular interest for Medical Students in that entitle 'Health' [see the link below]. Under this heading you'll find links to lots of health related information sites - most of which have both text and audio. While some of these are fairly simple, many have quite valuable health related information in simple and easy to understand English.

Links:
Health [LarryFerlazzo.com]

English Learning Tools 2:Adventure Games

One interesting and fun way to learn or improve your English is the play Adventure Games. According to the ESL site antimoon.com, Adventure Games are "a kind of computer game which is similar to a movie. There is always a story and the main character (usually a person, such as a detective or a pirate). The difference is that you don't just watch — instead, you control the main character . You use your mouse or keyboard, and your character moves around in the game world, looks at things, picks them up, uses them, and talks to other character. Your character also talks to you. For example, when you tell him to look at something, he will tell you what he sees. You can then use this information to decide what to do next."

According to antimoon.com, as an English learner, "you want to see and hear lots of English sentences. Adventure games are ideal, because they are based on dialogue. Your character talks to himself, talks to you and talks to other characters. Everything depends on dialogue." When you play an adventure game, they suggest:
1. You program your brain with good English.
2. You improve your understanding of spoken English
3. You improve your pronunciation.
4. You increase your motivation.

Look below to find links to: the Antimoon.com introduction to the use of adventure games in learning English; the web site for "The_Secret_of_Monkey_Island" (one of the adventure games recommended by AntiMoon); a site where you can download a copy of "The_Secret_of_Monkey_Island" using rapidshare; and, a site with links to free online Adventure Games:

Links:
Learning English with Adventure Games [Antimoon.com]
The_Secret_of_Monkey_Island" [official site]
"The_Secret_of_Monkey_Island" [rapidshare]
Free online Adventure Games [AddictingGames.com]