communicative English Courses
LEARN Through STORY
Short Video, News Story, TV Drama, TED TALKS...
Humans learn through story. We have done so since the time of the earliest cave paintings, through the myth making cultures of the ancient world and up to now, the time of the internet and instant global communication.
Any time you speak; however grand or humble, whether you are giving a speech or ordering pizza, you are performing a conjuring act. You pull thoughts and ideas from the air and mix them into a new spoken form. This is an act of creation.
You need to be creative and to be able to ‘play’ with English in order to use it well. If you want to persuade someone of something; or sell something, or tell a lie, or seduce someone, or simply shoot the breeze with someone, the more creative you can be, the better.
I offer speaking courses that use story in the form of TV drama; TED talks, news, and short video as their primary resource. The innovative lessons within each course are designed to help you draw out and develop the creative skills essential to successful spoken communication in English. Get in touch for a free consultation on the best course to meet your needs.
Go beyond the textbook.
Exciting TV-quality drama. These highly engaging, multi-level resources were professionally produced especially for English language learners. The story is a world we can explore. What occurred in the past? What is happening now? What might happen in the future? There are characters to analyze; plot points to discuss, and if you like, alternate storylines to develop. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then this course might be a good fit for you.
Each episode is approximately 5 minutes long and is one of 5-6 episodes that make one series. Currently there are more than ten drama series available at varying levels from A2 - C1 (Upper Beginner -Pre Advanced).We spend 2-4 lessons on each episode. The lessons are supported with extensive worksheets covering grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and extension exercises. That said, the story itself is our main resource.
This is a speaking course that uses short dramatic video; TV commercials, info graphics and even still images as its primary resource. The innovative lessons within the course are designed to help you draw out and develop the skills essential to successful spoken communication in English.
In addition to vastly improving your speaking skills you will also work on listening, reading and writing. These are one-to-one lessons and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
Watch, listen to and read, up-to-date news stories modified to match five different levels from beginner to advanced. Discover new words, new expressions and new ideas in context. Make connections to real-world events and make learning English so much more exciting and motivating!
Perfect for business people; students, independent learners, and anyone who wants to learn English in context. •There are plenty of news sites on the internet you can access to feed your extensive reading and listening program. Check out the blog for a list of sites and articles on how you can study on your own. •My course on REAL NEWS is designed to help you manage the intensive side of your learning.
From water-cooler talk, to online conferencing, to the stage ...
Are you a business person wanting to improve your presentation and meeting skills? Build your business potential! Improve your confidence and improve your productivity. Make yourself a valuable asset to your team!
The TED TALKS 21 Century Communication course will inspire you and give you insight into how the best presenters in the world use story to get their message across. Develop the skills you need to communicate your ideas effectively. You will learn not only from world class presentations but also from our own 'real English' discussions as we explore the "Big Ideas" of global significance presented on the TED TALKS stage.
Discover a new world in English
Are you an English teacher who wants to be a role model for your own students? Are you a student who needs to polish your academic listening, reading or writing skills? Are you a business person who needs to present a product in a way customers can understand? Are you an independent learner exploring the world through language and pushing your own personal boundaries?
The National Geographic English Learning program is one of the most stimulating language programs available. It checks all the boxes; authentic, compelling and relevant well told stories. The engaging material is highly motivating and motivation leads to success. Not only is the material 'real', so is the discussion that comes out of the texts. (This is an important feature of Storyful English philosophy) Thought provoking content exercises our critical thinking muscle (the brain) and this is when the 'real' language emerges.
Focus on topics of interest to you: travel, history, business and money, food and diet, health, education and work, leisure, entertainment, as you learn vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation in context. Study masterful presentations, articles and video and develop the confidence to communicate your own ideas. Actively express yourself and build your potential at school, work, and play.