Vocabulary Journal

Make a vocabulary journal is a good way to memorize new words and learn more about it.

My teacher Amber show to us this nice vocabulary journal, I think is fun and helps too much in your learning process.

To make one you have to:

1- Write the word that you want to memorize.

2- Write the pronunciation in International Phonetic Alphabet

3- Write synonims and antonyms of this word.

4- Create sentences using the word.

5- Draw something about to explain the meaning of the word.

It is important to use a good dictionary to make a great vocabulary journal so, here is three links from web that could help you when you need to learn new words and their meaning.

I recommend  www.visualwords.com because you can learn a lot of synonims and words related in with a fun and colorful system.

You can find the meaning of any word easily in www.wordreferences.com    

Halloween in Chicago

HALLOWEEN in CHICAGO

Halloween in the U.S is a very fun day because everybody likes to dress up and party, decorate their houses with scary stuff and kids use to make the "trick or treat". In my home country is not very important but people there sometimes dress up at the weekend to go to party.

Last weekend I went to a Latin club with my friends, there was a Halloween party with a lot of people wearing amazing and funny costumes. I dressed up like Minnie Mouse, I think it was very cute comic.

I saw another Minnie's there, also I saw witches, monsters, nurses, doctors, sirens, vampires and several scary costumes. I took a lot of pictures with random people in the club because I wanted to have memories about my first Halloween party in Chicago.

Next wednesday is the real halloween day, so I will go to the school with my costume to have fun with my classmates.

I am sure it will be really scary day!

3 weeks in Chicago

Well, I have been in Chicago for 3 weeks and I think I love this city. I feel lucky because I'm staying with a host family and I just LOVE them, they are very nice and friendly, I can practice my english every night during dinner, they are available to help me anytime and they support me when I need it. The house is very cute and my room is big and comfortable.

About school, I love to go to there everyday, because my classes are very fun, my teachers are very nice and my new friends are very friendly, so I'm having a lot of fun during my learning process.

Talking about the american people, I believe they are very different from latin people, because they are serious, but I think they are gentle too. American people have different manners but I like it, they are really punctuals and hard workers, they do not like "to touch" and they say "excuse me" a lot of times =)

I'm expecting a lot of good things about my trip and I think it's a good beginning! I'M VERY HAPPY HERE!

I LOVE CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IPA's experience

IPA means International Phonetic Alphabet, it works to learn how pronounce the words perfectly and know the sounds of the syllables.

We are learning about this because it is very important to know how to pronounce every english words.

In my language (spanish) we pronounce letters totally different so, sometimes its not easy for me because people do not understand me when I can't pronounce a word very well.

I think, during my english course I will learn to pronounce perfectly, but, it will happen only, if I talking and listening a lot, I mean, practicing with teachers, friends, host family and random people. =)

I Love learn english!

Check it out  these websites that is helping me to learn english everyday!
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/

My biggest challenge in learning learning english

First, to be in EF Chicago is a big challenge for me because it' s the first time that I'm studyng a new language. I only was learning through music, watching movies and practicing a little bit with online strangers, so, to be here in the United States it's very important.

I have to learn more grammar, organize the words, verbs and subject in a sentence it's very difficult for me. Also, I need to speak more fluent, so I have to practice a lot, participating in long conversations to get more confident and be assertive in my speech.

Actually I can celebrate that I feel less shy to speak in front of other people. I like to participate in class and my classmates and teachers can understand me.

OBJECTIVES1. Speak faster and fluentHow? Practicing with other people2. Learn many new wordsHow? Finding new words and meanings3. Improve my pronunciationHow? Making recordings and listening4. Read and talk with more confidence
How? Reading everyday