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Hello Friends,
This year our meetings and classes are off to a great start. I look forward to seeing you every week on Zoom and learning with you. Welcome!
Fun, Fieldtrips, and Foolishness:
We talk about many things we wanted to know more about and to experience.
Salt Creek Ranch: Horseback riding and a road trip from Indy. These are guided trail rides, not instruction.
Made in America by Bill Bryson: a book about American English and how it became what it is today. Bill Bryson writes funny books about American culture, history, and ideas. Check it out at your library.
American English and Culture
Labor Day marks the end of summer culturally and officially (September 1 meteorological fall). Most pools close and (but splash pads may stay open a bit longer).
Questions in the News
Vaccinations became the hot topic of the week. Here are some of the questions in the news. Are they open ended questions? Should they be open ended questions or should they be closed (or close ended) questions?
- Who should make the decisions when it comes to using vaccinations as preventive medicine?
- Does the government decide?
- If so, is this a state or federal issue?
- Are all vaccinations equal? Do they have the same status?
- Are vaccinations for the health of the community or for the health of the individual?
Learning Skills
Learning is what you are made to do and you do it without even trying or giving it a thought. You are efficient, effective, and elegant learners. You naturally learn and use what you learn every day. Trying to duplicate what we do naturally (like with AI) takes a vast amount of input and energy and AI cannot chew gum at the same time! Our brains and bodies work together to gather, store, and synthesize. You do you!
International Friends Meeting Notes
Join us! Click here to register.
International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom
Meetings begin on Monday, September 8. Join this interesting discussion group. Read in your home language and talk in English (mostly). The Bible is a great resource: it is translated in most languages, it covers history
September 8: Exodus 13-15 offer both a great move forward as well as a recap of what this book is all about. Join us! The stories are exciting and very human.
American English and Culture: Thursday, 9-11:00 AM, Zoom
It is good to be back together again on Zoom. Our Friends (really family) are all over Indiana and the globe. We had a great time talking about why and how we do what we do. Understanding why something works (in learning English or any language for that matter) makes us even more efficient and effective because we can recognize what we are doing and accept. We set goals and expectations for the class and for each other.
- Class discussion content is often set on the fly. What do you want or need to know or talk about.
- Language rules (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, etc.) are covered as needed when needed. Everyone has a voice and responsibility to observe and offer insight.
The chat notes were "odd" from Zoom. Look for an email with the complete notes from September 4. We are looking into why these notes were missing...or we could not find them.
September 11: Bring words or phrases that are interesting. Try them out and play with them. Make sentences, puns and word plays, and pictures.
American English and Culture: Thursday, 7-8:30 PM, CLC, Carmel, room 102
We came together for our first meeting. Everyone worked hard learning names and what everyone liked and liked to do. We had great discussions and made good connections. Everyone learned to pronounce "soccer" like an American. Everyone did great job stepping to the front to lead the class. Each person brought something new to the class discussion and to the board. I am glad that I will not have to work this year! Did you know that you learned:
- First person pronoun use?
- Second person pronoun use?
- Concept formation and substitution?
- Simple and complex questioning?
- Things you have in common with each other?
- A whole bunch of new words?
September 11: Listen for questions. Key words: Who, what, when, where, why, how, whose. These questions cannot be answered with a simple choice (yes or no, pick from one, he did it), but need explanation. Notice that American English is a language of more.
Make lists of the words you use in your life. Check your phone texts. Check your emails. Listen to what you say at home. What are those words (in English or not...)? These make up your personal vocabulary list. Bring them to our meeting next week.
Look at our "Language Learning Basics" tab at the top of the webpage for a quick reference.
American English for Kids: Thursday, 6:00-6:30 PM, private Zoom
Welcome back Friends! We had a nice meeting where we caught up with our summer. We heard about a beach in Japan where it is rumored that you can find jade and sea glass. We used the magic of sharing the screen to see what these things look like. Sports fans, do you know what a knockout or elimination tournament is?
As a bonus, the moms took a few minutes to meet and catch up.
Words and Phrases
as a bonus: something extra
check it out: a pun! Check it out can mean take a look at something or it can mean that you borrow something from a library, or gym, etc.
do:
- made to do: created for job or used for something as a short term solution
- do you do: how or what is your experience or opinion or way to get something done
- you do you: be yourself, act in a way natural for you
hot topic: a subject that is being discussed, written about, debated, or just enjoyed by a community
if so: assuming the previous statement is true, then what [is your opinion, what happens, etc.]
set on the fly: established at the moment
stepping to the front: standing before everyone to talk or lead a conversation
synthesis: combine ideas and concepts into new ideas and theories
try them out: work with something to see how it fits
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