Volunteer Social
Contents
How can I help my one-on-one
conversation partners with their English?
 How can I have a great conversation in
English?
 How can I improve my English?
 What online resources can help me with
my English?
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Tips for Conversation Leaders
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Get to know your conversation partner’s
interests
Identify the level of readiness and build on
with new things step by step
Know your partner’s learning strengths and
preferences
Incorporate all the language aspects into
your lesson
Make it challenging, but not too challenging
Create friendly, encouraging and curiositystimulating learning environment
Resources
www.eslflow.com
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk
http://www.onestopenglish.com
http://www.waze.net/oea
http://www.englishclub.com
http://www.eslgold.com
http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/less
on-plans
 http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslprintables-worksheets.html
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How to improve my conversation
skills?
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Don’t be shy and self-conscious!
Communication errors can be solved.
A conversation is an interactive activity
involving listening and speaking from both
parties.
It’s all about listening and asking questions.
Do some research!
Lulls are normal.
If a conversation is going wrong, it may not
be your fault.
How to introduce myself?
Greet with smile
 Maintain eye contact
 Give a firm handshake
 Tell your name
 Ask for the other person’s name
 Repeat the other person’s name
 Never draw a negative picture of
yourself
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How to have a great
conversation?
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Relax and forget about yourself
Listen
Ask questions
Use a friendly tone
Choose your words and questions carefully
Avoid controversial and intimate topics as well
as arguments
Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his
thought, nor speak on top of it
Compliment the other person
Thank for a great conversation
How to handle a difficult
question?
Personal, intimate question
I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.
 Question you don’t know the answer
I have no idea.
 Question you didn’t catch
Can you repeat the question?
 Question you don’t understand because of
unfamiliar words or question structure
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would
you mind telling it in different words?/What do you
mean by…?/What does…mean?
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How to avoid awkward lulls?
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Move on to another topic
Ask questions for clarity
Find common interests
Compliment the other person
Observe any visual clues to draw a topic
out
If an awkward lull happens, correct it by
saying the following: I am thinking of what
we have just talked about. And paraphrase
what you have been talking about.
How can I improve my English?
Be active and set goals for improving
your English!
 A language is not only speaking, but a
combination of speaking, listening,
reading and writing, including grammar.
 Use different learning styles such as
visual, auditory and kinesthetic to
achieve your objectives.
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Resources
Learn English Free Online:
http://www.learnenglish.de
 Learn American English Online:
www.learnamericanenglishonline.com
 Learn Languages for Free Online:
http://www.busuu.com
 English Club:
http://www.busuu.com
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How to improve speaking?
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Listening and reading aloud
Writing
Networking and making friends
Greeting people on the street
Having small talks in public
Watching foreign movies with English
subtitles
Joining one-on-one conversations,
conversation and common interest groups
Resources
Daily Conversations:
http://www.worldenglishclub.com/dailyenglish-conversations
 EBooks:
http://www.gutenberg.org
 Phrases and Expressions for Speaking:
http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.
html
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How to improve listening?
Speaking to English speakers
 Watching TV and movies
 Listening to radio
 Reading audio books
 Singing English songs
 Practicing pronunciation
 Joining conversation groups/one-on-one
conversations
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Resources
Listening Lab:
http://www.esl-lab.com
 Listening Activities:
http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html
 Audio Books:
http://librivox.org
http://www.audiobooks.org
http://www.audiobooks.net
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How to improve comprehension?
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Reading picture books or comics
Reading newspapers and magazines
Asking questions during conversations
Watching TV and movies
Browsing English websites
Consulting dictionaries
Constantly learning new words
Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
Knowing grammar
Resources
Idioms:
http://www.idiomconnection.com
 Slang Words:
http://www.eslcafe.com/slang/list.html
 Reading Comprehension Exercises:
http://www.englishcorner.vacau.com/reading/read
ing.html
 Listening Comprehension Exercises:
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/
 Vocabulary Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il
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How to improve pronunciation?
Listening to native English and imitating
 Reading along with audio books
 Speaking, being corrected or asking for
correct pronunciation and repeating after
 Paying attention to letter combination
sounds, stressed syllables, word linkage
and intonation
 Training speech organs position, shape
and movement of English sounds
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Resources
Accent School:
http://www.accentschool.com/run_software.html
 Some Pronunciation Rules:
http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/index.htm
http://www.fonetiks.org
 Pronunciation Exercises:
http://www.pronunciationworkshop.com/pronunciationexercises.htm
http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunciation.html
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/pronex/pronex.htm
http://www.manythings.org/pp/
 Dictionaries with Pronunciation:
http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://www.howjsay.com
http://www.thefreedictionary.com
http://dictionary.cambridge.org
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How to improve grammar?
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Reading, listening, writing and speaking
Using subject-verb structure
Differentiating questions from statements
Understanding parts of speech
Practicing verb tenses
Knowing words beyond their meaning
Learning phrasal verbs
Doing grammar exercises
Quizzing yourself
Resources
English Grammar Exercises and Tests:
http://world-english.org
 English Grammar:
http://www.manythings.org/e/grammar.html
 English Grammar Quizzes:
http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/
http://a4esl.org/a/v.html
 English Study Zone:
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/elc/studyzone/
 English Grammar Rules and Exercises:
http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm
 Phrasal Verbs:
http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/verb_preposition.html
http://www.learn-english-today.com/phrasal-verbs/phrasal-verb-list.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm
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How to improve reading?
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Reading audio books
Watching movies with subtitles
Listening to songs and following their lyrics
Learning letter/letter combination sounds
Stressing words correctly
Paying attention to punctuation signs
Slowing down and pronouncing every
single word as well as word endings
Resources
Listen and Read Along:
http://www.manythings.org/listen
 Phonics Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/phonics
http://www.familylearning.org.uk/phonics_ga
mes.html
 Songs and Lyrics:
http://www.isabelperez.com/songs.htm
http://www.songsforteaching.com/esleflesol.ht
m
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How to improve writing?
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Reading, listening and speaking
Learning English grammar and vocabulary
Understanding the basic subject-verb
sentence structure
Using correct spelling
Analyzing frequently misspelled words
Making use of grammar and spell check
Punctuating correctly
Blogging, text messaging or having pen
friends
Resources
Blogging Sites:
www.blogger.com
www.blogtopsites.com
 ESL Blogging:
http://www.eslgo.com/conversation/
 Spelling Games:
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/spelling
 Punctuation Rules:
http://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/blues/writing/punctuation.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-English-Punctuation-Correctly
http://esl.about.com/od/englishgrammar/a/a_punctuation.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/a/pu
nctrules.htm
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