tips for autonomous learning - natalialzammethodology • real materials (mostly) • free resources...

TIPS FOR AUTONOMOUS LEARNING

Natalia López Zamarvide,

CIFE Juan de Lanuza

(Zaragoza)

Natalia López Zamarvide, CIFE Juan de Lanuza (Zaragoza)

http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/

[email protected]

https://natalialzam.wordpress.com

/2015/03/01/eoi-calatayud/

Natalia López Zamarvide, CIFE Juan

de Lanuza (Zaragoza)


mailto:[email protected]

Methodology

• Real materials (mostly)

• Free resources

• Writing down, recording

• Making the most of time


• What’s my level of English?

• Reading

• Listening

• Writing

• Speaking

• Vocabulary / grammar

• Don’t be a tourist


IMMERSION


Use English in everyday life

–Mobile phone settings/

computer…

–Recipes

–Any internet search


1. MY LEVEL OF ENGLISH



1. Level of English http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/cual-es-mi-nivel-en-un-idioma/

• Common European Framework of Reference for

Languages (CEFR)

• DIALANG

• Instituto Nacional de Evaluación Educativa

(INEE) -preguntas de comprensión (desde A1

a B2)


http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/cual-es-mi-nivel-en-un-idioma/













http://www.oapee.es/oapee/inicio/iniciativas/portfolio/niveles-de-competencia.html

http://www.oapee.es/oapee/inicio/iniciativas/portfolio/niveles-de-competencia.html

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/researchenterprise/dialang/about

http://educalab.es/inee/evaluaciones-internacionales/eecl/preguntas-liberadaseecl/preguntas

Other tests

• https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/01/

21/duolingo-test-center-cual-es-mi-nivel-

de-ingles/

• http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis/prepar

ation-material (Aptis, British Council

certificate)


http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis/preparation-material


























2. READING COMPREHENSION



• Reading:

– To understand

– get information

– To improve writing / speaking

– For fun

• making notes, underlining,

highlighting>>>> incorporating expressions

into your vocabulary

• Types of texts:

– news

– literary

– pedagogical


news

• http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/

• http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/

• http://www.newsenglishlessons.com/ (B1)

• http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/ (B1)


http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/

http://www.newsenglishlessons.com/

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

Pedagogical texts

• http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading/readin

gcomprehension

• http://www.eslfast.com/

• http://www.5minuteenglish.com/reading.htm

• http://www.world-

english.org/english_reading.htm


http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading/readingcomprehension

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading/readingcomprehension

http://www.eslfast.com/

http://www.5minuteenglish.com/reading.htm

http://www.world-english.org/english_reading.htm



Literary texts

• http://www.world-english.org/stories.htm

(Classic short stories)

• Roald Dahl: Lamb to the Slaughter / The

Landlady

• Peter Ackroyd

(http://literature.britishcouncil.org/pete

r-ackroyd) (B2+)


http://www.world-english.org/stories.htm



http://www.depa.univ-paris8.fr/IMG/pdf/lamb_to_the_slaughter_by_roald_dahl-2.pdf

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/landlady_text.pdf

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/landlady_text.pdf

http://literature.britishcouncil.org/peter-ackroyd




3. LISTENING COMPREHENSION



Watch TV online

• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/12/1

6/ver-programas-tv-otros-paises-por-

internet/


http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/ver-programas-tv-otros-paises-por-internet/














http://hola.org/

Real videos subtitled in

English


http://watchinenglish.blogspot.com.es/

http://watchinenglish.blogspot.com.es/

Podcasts

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts

• http://learningenglish.voanews.com/podcast

/0.html


http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/podcast/0.html

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/podcast/0.html

BBC PODCASTS (A2-B1)

http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/bbc-podcasts/

• The English We Speak

• 6-minute English

• 6-minute Grammar

• 6-minute Vocabulary





http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/tae

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min



http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min_gram



http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min_vocab



BBC PODCASTS (B2) http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/bbc-podcasts/

– The Listening Project

– From Our Own Correspondent

– Woman’s Hour





http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/the-listening-project

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlq

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb

Digital radio

• Phone-ins

• News bulletins


Songs

• Musixmatch

• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/10/23/musixmatch-lyrics-

player/)


http://musixmatch.com/

http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/10/23/musixmatch-lyrics-player/






• http://musicenglish.co.uk/

• http://www.lyricstraining.com/

• http://www.lyricsgaps.com/

• http://www.its-

teachers.com/interact/songs/default.asp


http://musicenglish.co.uk/

http://www.lyricstraining.com/

http://www.lyricsgaps.com/

http://www.its-teachers.com/interact/songs/default.asp



Films

• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/pelicu

las-para-aprender-ingles/

• http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/ (trailers

subtitled in English for people with hearing loss)

• http://www.simpleenglishvideos.com/

• http://cinema.clubefl.gr/

• http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/index.html

• http://www.multimedia-english.com/contenidos/listado/videos

• http://dvd-subtitles.com/trailers.html


http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/peliculas-para-aprender-ingles/








http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/

http://www.simpleenglishvideos.com/

http://cinema.clubefl.gr/

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/index.html

http://www.multimedia-english.com/contenidos/listado/videos



http://dvd-subtitles.com/trailers.html



TV shows

• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/09/1

7/series-para-aprender-ingles/

• Watch TV shows(online; free; English

subtitles): http://ororo.tv/en


http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/series-para-aprender-ingles/








http://ororo.tv/en

News

• http://www.newsinlevels.com/

(Euronews,transcription)

• http://www.englishblog.com/ (words that appear on

the media, updated almost daily)

• http://www.reuters.com/news/video/reuters-tv

(transcription)

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/ (BBC news for

children / teenagers- easier to understand)

• http://www.cnn.es/studentnews/ (transcribed and

subtitled)


http://www.newsinlevels.com/

http://www.englishblog.com/

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/reuters-tv



http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/

http://www.cnn.es/studentnews/

listening comprehension

exercises

• http://www.listenaminute.com/

• http://www.listen-and-write.com/

• http://www.examenglish.com/index.html


http://www.listenaminute.com/

http://www.listen-and-write.com/





http://www.examenglish.com/index.html

4. WRITING



DOs AND DON’Ts

Don’t just answer the

question

show off!

Don’t think about what you

want to say in Spanish (the

exact sentence) and then

translate

•What can I say in English?

•What ideas do I want to

express?


Tips for writing

• There’s no need to give your true opinion

about a topic>>> show your strategies, and

your level of English

• Draft- plan your writing (structure, guide

your text towards where you want it to go)


Tips for writing

• Simpler sentences than in Spanish (less

subordination)

• Use commas, colons, stops, full stops

• Group ideas in paragraphs

• Coherence inside the paragraph/between

paragraphs

• Use links properly

• Proper use of grammar and vocabulary

• Self-correction / external correction


Diccionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

• Bilingüe / MONOLINGÜE

• British / American / Learner’s / Advanced…

• Phonetics/ pronunciation

• Take the meaning / word you need (not

necessarily the first one)


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/


http://www.macmillandictionary.com/

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-cobuild-learners

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

LANGUAGE EXCHANGE ver también: http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/para-profesores-en-apuros/


http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/para-profesores-en-apuros/







5. SPEAKING



Tips

• Record yourself speaking

• Think in English/ talk to yourself in

English

• Speaking groups (people learning)


Language exchange with native

speakers

• Skype, e-mails, chats…

– http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/ (voice and text

Exchange)

– http://www.conversationexchange.com/ (live practice,

pen-pals and voice / text chats)

– http://www.sharedtalk.com/ (voice / text exchanges)

– Other websites:

http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/your-top-10-

language-exchange-websites-for-speaking-english-

fluently/


http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/

http://www.conversationexchange.com/

http://www.sharedtalk.com/

http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/your-top-10-language-exchange-websites-for-speaking-english-fluently/



















PRONUNCIATION

• Wrong pronunciation can hinder

understanding

• http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

• http://www.forvo.com/ (native speakers

have recorded themselves pronuncing words,

names, place names…)


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

http://www.forvo.com/

Tips for the exam

• = writing- use expressions that will make

you “look good” (show your level)

• Monologue: use of discourse markers (now

then, I mean, you know…).

• Interaction: it’s not 2 monologues, one

after another!


Expressions to use in an oral

test

• https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/02/

25/expressions-to-use-in-a-speaking-test-

monologue-interaction/

• http://mythatsenglish.blogspot.com.es/2014

/11/madrid-teacher-talking-about-

classifieds.html


https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/expressions-to-use-in-a-speaking-test-monologue-interaction/


















http://mythatsenglish.blogspot.com.es/2014/11/madrid-teacher-talking-about-classifieds.html










Interaction

• question tags, to engage the other speaker in the

conversation / give the floor / ask opinion

• Expressions such as don’t you think?

• Expresssions such as no, not really (instead of a

plain “no”)

• Showing agreement: definitely, absolutely…

• Showing disagreement: I’m sorry to disagree but…

• Show that you agree partly, but still…: I see your

point, but…


Usual topics

• http://englishinguiaintermedio.wordpress.c

om/2014/01/21/topics-for-the-speaking-

test/


http://englishinguiaintermedio.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/topics-for-the-speaking-test/










6. VOCABULARY



• Supports production

• Active & passive vocabulary

• Vocabulary in context: lists without a

context, not very useful

• Sources: texts, articles, films, series,

radio, songs …


How?

• Writing down expressions / jotting them down

(notebook, Evernote…)

• Flashcards: http://quizlet.com/

• Mind maps:

– https://bubbl.us/ https:/

– /www.text2mindmap.com/

– http://popplet.com/

• Visual dictionary: http://visual.merriam-

webster.com/index.php

• How many words do you know?:

http://testyourvocab.com/

Natalia López Zamarvide, CIFE Juan de

Lanuza (Zaragoza)

http://quizlet.com/

https://bubbl.us/

https://www.text2mindmap.com/



http://popplet.com/

http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php



http://testyourvocab.com/

Expressions in context

• http://fraze.it/: find expressions, set

phrases, in real contexts

• Oxford Online Collocation Dictionary


http://fraze.it/

http://oxforddictionary.so8848.com/

7. GRAMMAR



Support for skills

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min_

gram (BBC 6-minute grammar, podcast)

• http://www.agendaweb.org/

• http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/

• http://www.roadtogrammar.com/welcome/winlo

ad.swf

• http://autoenglish.org/basicgrammar.htm

• Use of English : http://www.flo-

joe.co.uk/fce/students/tests/














http://www.agendaweb.org/







http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/











http://www.roadtogrammar.com/welcome/winload.swf










http://autoenglish.org/basicgrammar.htm







http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/tests/











• http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/

apps/learnenglish-grammar-uk-edition

• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/murphys-

english-grammar-in/id848215354?mt=8


http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/apps/learnenglish-grammar-uk-edition








https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/murphys-english-grammar-in/id848215354?mt=8







Resources organized by

categories

• https://delicious.com/natalialzam/


https://delicious.com/natalialzam/

8. DON’T BE A TOURIST



• “solo se aprende el idioma yendo al país”


LISTENING

• Watch a radio / TV show being recorded:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets/ (UK)

• http://www.applausestore.com/home (UK)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets/

http://www.applausestore.com/home

LISTENING & SPEAKING

• Greeters:

• http://www.globalgreeternetwork.info/

• http://www.londongreeters.org/

• Google the name of the town / city you’re

going to visti + greeter, for example,

“Canterbury Greeters”.


http://www.globalgreeternetwork.info/

http://www.londongreeters.org/

Londres: Ragged School Museum http://www.raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/


http://www.raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/

Londres: Alternative London

Tour http://www.alternativeldn.co.uk/


http://www.alternativeldn.co.uk/

Free walking tours

• Londres:

– http://www.gotomidtown.co.uk/walks/

– Free walking tours in Paddington:

http://www.inpaddington.com/walks

• Hastings:

– Old Hastings Preservation Society

• Bath:

– http://www.bathguides.org.uk/when-where.html


http://www.gotomidtown.co.uk/walks/

http://www.gotomidtown.co.uk/walks/

http://www.inpaddington.com/walks

http://www.ohps.org.uk/

http://www.bathguides.org.uk/when-where.html



Free guided tours (museums)

• http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/free-talks-tours/

• http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-

britain/daily-activities-and-events/free-daily-

guided-tours

• http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/planning_you

r_visit/free_tours_and_talks.aspx

• See museum websites


http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/free-talks-tours/





http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/daily-activities-and-events/free-daily-guided-tours

















http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/planning_your_visit/free_tours_and_talks.aspx

http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/planning_your_visit/free_tours_and_talks.aspx


http://watchinenglish.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/the-story-of-keep-calm-and-carry-on.html

















[email protected]

Natalia López Zamarvide

Asesora C. lingüística

CIFE “Juan de Lanuza”




mailto:[email protected]

tips for autonomous learning - natalialzammethodology • real materials (mostly) • free resources...

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