How to Use this Site:

Assignments:  In this area you will find class notes, worksheets or articles we did in class that you missed or may want to repeat at home. 

How to find your assignments:

•Your assignments will be listed under "Current Assignments" or "Past Due Assignments" heading by date and title.

•Click once on the bold title of the assignment you want to review to open any articles, class notes, or worksheets.

•On the next page you should see the date of the assignment at the top, any directions to guide you and then the links to the actual worksheets, classnotes or articles in light blue.  Click once on the title of the document you want to open.  

• Note:  Categories are: Class Notes, Opening Worksheet, Computer Lab or Listening Activity
• Note:  The file will open allowing you to read, print or copy the assignment.  If the file opens on top of your page, once you are finished in order to close use the "go back" arrow and not the "X" to close your file.  If the file downloads into a new page you will need to open just the file (this should be in the bottom left part of your screen) to see the document.  To close this file you will need to use the "X" because there won't be a "go back" arrow.

Calendar:  In this area you will find learning targets and homework assignments for the day.

How to find your assignments:

•In the date box click on the title you want to open.

• Learning Targets will show in a gray box.
• Homework assignments will show in a blue box.

Classroom Photos:  This is a work in progress!

Helpful Resources

Apps:

REMIND App:  This app is for quick and easy texting between teacher and student.  It is a free app and can be found in your app store. I have set up each class by name and each has a specific code.  (The following codes will become active for the 2018-19 school year.)

• Monday/Wednesday AM: @cf72d3
• Monday/Wednesday PM: @7gf7cf
• Tuesday/Thursday AM: @2f9bbk

"The English Pronunciation Tutor" Mobile App:  This is an app you may purchase to help you with English pronunciation. 

• Pronunciation App Info

"Stand Out" Book Resources:

Listening activities:  www.ngl.cengage.com/sites/stand-out/student

Helpful Websites:

Websites:

Adult & Family Education website:  www.web-esl.com

Practice your listening skills while listening to music:  www.lyricstraining.com 

Improve your reading skills:  www.ReadTheory.org - login in using your assigned user name and password

Improve your keyboarding skills:  www.Typing.com - you may set up an account to save your progress

Pronunciation Doctor with Dr. Marsha Chan: Pronunciation Doctor

New website for listening skills, spelling, and lots of grammar practice: www.agendaweb.org

Vocabulary practice and quick spelling checks: WordMom.com

Dave's ESL Cafe (a great place to practice all things English): Daves ESL Cafe

English Club (here you can find many different ways to practice and learn English): English Club

Free Rice (here you can practice English vocabulary & grammar, plus other subjects) all while you help put a stop to World Hunger: FreeRice 

Reading Skills for Today's Adults at Marshall Education (Good place to find leveled articles to read):  Marshall Education Reading Skills for Adults

Student Recommended Resources:

Articles you read & listen to focusing on current news & science:  VOA = Voice of America

More grammar & vocabulary practice (Note: the pronunciation section is British English not American English): BBC Learning English

GOOGLE ONLINE FEATURES:

Google Account:

• You will need a gmail (Google) account to access the Google Classroom and other features.
• You may use an existing gmail account or create a new gmail account. 

Google Classroom Codes:

• M/W am:  xxcrhex
• M/W pm:  tm6veul
• T/Th am: gkitrsd

Google Docs:

• You can use Google Docs to share your writing with your teacher.  
• Take the link for step by step direction to use this Google feature:  Google Docs for Writing

Google Voice to Text:

• You can use Google Docs App with the Voice to Text feature to visually see how your pronunciation and enunciation in English is progressing. 
• Take the link for directions on using this Google feature: Using Google Docs Text to Voice

Google Translator:

•  Practicing pronunciation using Google Translator: 
• 1.  Select your first language (ex: Vietnamese to English), 2. Record the word you want to practice in your language, 3. Listen to the word in English, 4. Switch the translator to English to your first language (ex: English to Vietnamese), 5. Say the word, until it is correctly shown in English.

VOCABULARY

Here is where you can find vocabulary words we chose to learn and practice in our classroom.    

Click on the link below to get to the document you desire.  It will download in a new window and you will need to open it.  You should find the link in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen.  Click on the link to open and then you can print if you wish.

2018-19 Link:  Vocabulary Words

2019-20 Link:  Vocabulary for 2020

Grammar Gallery

Here is where you can find grammar we have learned or reviewed in our classroom.  I hope these tips and hints will help you increase your English grammar confidence.

Take the link for a helpful grammar website:  Grammar Bytes.  Choose the area you wish to work on and link to the activities, exercises and other tools available on this website.

Parts of Speech:  Noun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb, Preposition, Conjuction, Interjection

Parts of Speech Grammar Chart

Adjective Clause:

• A group of words that are in a sentence giving us more information about a noun
• NOT a complete sentence, no subject in a clause
• describes a noun that comes before the clause using relative pronouns (or clue words)
  
  • Scroll down to Relative Pronouns
• Example: My mom is the person who has influenced me the most in my life.
• Link for more detailed notes: Adjective Clauses  

Adjective Questions:

• Comparative or Superlative adjectives
• Pattern = question word + subject (noun) + verb + adjective and/or noun?
• Choose the correct verb tense:
  • "to be" verb if there is only an adjective
  • "have" verb if there is an adjective + noun
  • Choose correct tense based on your subject (plural or singular)
• Example:  Which houses __________ yards? "to be" or "have" base verb?
• Example:  Which place __________ closer to your job? "to be" or "have" base verb?
• See attached notes to find out the correct answer!  Adjective Question format

Conjugating Verbs:

• "to be": Be Verb
• "to have": Have verb
• Do/Does/Did: Do, Does, Did

Contractions:

• English speakers (especially American English speakers) use contractions in their conversations!
• A contraction happens when two words are used to create one word, using an apostrophe.
• A few examples: I am becomes I'm, she is becomes she's, will not becomes won't
• Take the link to view a short list of the most common contractions: Contractions in English (this document will download and you will need to open it in a new file)

Contrary-to-fact Conditional Structure Patterns:

• Take the linke to view the pattern to express something that isn't true at the moment: Contrary-to-fact Conditional Patterns 

Direct vs. Indirect Speech Patterns:

• Present tense changes to Past tense
• Use pronouns
• See attached notes: Direct vs Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Objects:

• The direct object of a verb is the thing receiving the action.  To find the direct object ask: who or what is receivng the action?
• Example: My cat caught a mouse!  
  • Subject = cat
  • Verb = caught
  • Who or what received the action?
  • Direct Object = mouse
• The indirect object is the receipent of the direct object.  There must be a direct object to have an indirect object.
• First find the direct object and then ask who for/to or what for/to?
• Example: My cat caught a mouse for her kitten.  
  • Subject = cat
  • Verb = caught
  • Direct Object = mouse
  • Indirect Object = kitten
• Take the link for the video: Direct & Indirect Objects 

Modal Verbs:

• A type of auxiliary (or helping) verb that is used to express:
  • ability
  • possibility
  • permission
  • obligation
• See the chart for specific verbs and examples: Modal Verbs Chart
  • This chart will download and you will need to open it in a new window.

Passive Voice:

• We use passive voice for three main reasons:
  1. The subject is unknown
  2. To emphasize the object
  3. The subject is obvious from the context
• Take the links to review the passive voice and how we use it in English: Passive Voice with Diane or Active vs. Passive Voice
• Passive Voice game: Passive Voice Game Board with Answer Key
• Notes and examples:  Active Voice vs Passive Voice

Present Perfect Tense Patterns:

• Use Present Perfect when:
  • Something happened or didn't (did not) happen at an unspecified time in the past
  • Something happened more than once in the past and could possibly happen again in the future
  • Something started at a specific time in the past and continues in the present
• Take the link to see the patterns for positive and negative sentences and Yes/No and Wh- type questions: Present Perfect Tense Patterns

Present Perfect Continuous Tense Patterns:

• Use Present Perfect Continuous when:
  • You want to emphasize the length on an activity or to tell that it started in the past and still continues in the present
  • You want to show that an activity has been in progress recently
• Take the link to see the patterns for positive and negative sentences and Yes/No and Wh- type questions:  Present Perfect Continuous Tense
• When to use "for" and "since" in present perfect tenses:  Using For and Since

Pronouns (Subject and Object):

Proofreading Marks Handout: Proofreading Marks

Reading Strategies:

• Using Reading Strategies can help you comprehend what you read and become a more fluent and better reader.
• Reading Strategies, pg. 1 and Reading Strategies, pg. 2

Relative Pronouns:

• These connect the adjective clause to the noun
• Relative Pronouns

Used to Pattern:

• Used to + a base verb is used to tell about a past habit or experience that is no longer true or has changed.
• Used To Grammar Pattern

Questions

Embedded Questions

• We use embedded questions to find out information about something we don't know or understand.
• These are a polite way of getting information from someone.
• Embedded questions are two questions in one.
  • Introductory question
  • Embedded question
• Take the link to see the three basic patterns: Embedded Questions Patterns

Tag Questions

• Use tag questions when you want to check if something is true or to ask for agreement
• Tag questions use an auxiliary (helping) verb + subject pronoun
• Use the same verb tense in the sentence and the tag question
• Take the links to see patterns and examples of tag questions: Tag questions rules & patterns and Tag question examples
• Take the links for some online practice:
  •  Question Tags - Woodward English (you will need to turn on your speakers so you can listen and follow along)
  • Tag Questions - English Club (on this site you will read about tag questions)
  • After you finish reading you can take the quiz: Tag Questions Quiz - English Club
  • Tag Questions with Phil (in this presentation you will have an opportunity to listen, watch & attempt to answer the tags before the speaker does)

Wh- Questions:

• Wh- question words:
• Who, What, Where, When, Why and How
• Questions that begin with these words expect a detailed answer.

Yes / No Questions:

• Questions asked with the expectation of a "Yes" or "No" answer do not use "Wh-" format.
• Questions that begin with "Do" or "Does" expect a short answer, with no detail.
• See attached note on how to properly create a Yes/No question.  
• Yes or No questions using Do or Does