The Last Day of Pope Benedict

Watch and Listen for many stories in the news today about the Pope's retirement or resignation. It is unprecedented and historic, two words you will hear a lot today. There are questions. Criticisms. Problems.

Word in the news: SEQUESTRATION

Here's a word that confuses native speakers of English, too. Usually the word sequester refers to isolating a jury that is deciding if someone is guilty or innocent (or to a group of bishops meeting to decide the next pope..more on that in the near future. However, in the context of what is going on in Congress it means something completely different. Read THIS and discover the meaning that applies in Washington DC today. And if you'd like to add even one more definition in the mix, you can discover what the original Latin meaning is for FREE!

Oscars Recaps

WINNERS HOST The Fall

Oscar BUZZ

Besides the nominees and winners and losers, people will also be talking about THE RED CARPET, THE HOST, NOTABLE ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES (LISTEN...what is the implication of this short report) and THE LENGTH OF THE SHOW.

Focus: The Oscars and Foreign Films

1. There are 5 foreign films that are up for Best Foreign Film? What countries are represented? What's the point of this article? 2, THIS was interesting about Chinese films. In paragraph 5, what do "hobbles" and "hamstringing" mean?

On the Eve of the Oscars 2013

1. Check out this link at EW, and read what the predictions are for Sunday evening's Academy Awards ceremony. 2. How do the predictions compare to Yahoo! 3. Watch this Oscar Favorites, Underdogs and Snubs Video 4. Which category has the oldest and youngest nominees? 5. Vocabulary Practice about the Academy Awards. 6. This article has some interesting Oscar history.

Cruise Ship Comedy (and headlines review)

Remember the cruise ship that was stranded in the Gulf of Mexico last week? Watch this video from Saturday Night Live. This sketch or segment takes place on the cruise ship and shows some of the crew trying to cheer up the passengers. ????What FOUR headlines do they attempt to share with the passengers (beginning @ 1.41)and WHY do they decide not to???? To learn more about Saturday Night Live and their use of comedy and satire, click HERE and HERE.

How do you say that: Hair cuts!

Do you ever have problems when you want to get your hair cut, not sure how to explain what you want done? Here are a few helpful resources: 1. Explanation and Expressions in the Barber Shop 2. ESL Podcast: Listen to Conversation and Explanation 3. Conversation in the Hair Salon (for women) 4. BASIC VOCABULARY and INFO ABOUT BEAUTY SALONS AND BARBER SHOPS

Who will be the next Pope?

Following ongoing stories in the news is a great way to practice your English skills and also increase your vocabulary. The selection of the next pope will definitely be in the news the next few weeks. Here are some links to get you started. 1. How are popes chosen? 2. Who are the Candidates? 3. Conservative or Liberal? 4. Insider or Outsider? 5. African? Hispanic? Asian? or European

Oscars Hype Week

There will be a lot of stories about the Oscars this coming week.So keep your eyes open for talk of FRONT RUNNERS, UNDERDOGS as well continued talk of those SNUBBED. Find a website you like and keep up with the stories this week (one possibility is EW). 1. Zero Dark Thirty Former Favorite turned Long Shot What happened? What's the controversy?

Be OK with mistakes

The only way you are going to IMPROVE your English is to USE your English. Some language learners do not want to practice speaking with the English they have, because they know they will be making mistakes. BUT if you don't practice, you will not make much progress. I'd like to encourage you to always be on the look out for opportunities to speak English. If you are in the US, are there free ESL classes available in your community? Can you start or join a group of other language learners and meet once a week for lunch or dinner? Yes, it is ideal to get some native speaker input when learning a language. However, most of the people who are English speakers in this world, are not native speakers. SO it is still helpful to practice English with those who have accents or imperfect grammar. As you practice your English, COMMUNICATING your message is more important than grammatical or phonetic accuracy. Relax and don't worry about being perfect. Progress is the goal.

Saturday AM news

1. Shocking Twist: Blade-Runner arrested 2. Prison LOOMS for former Congressman 3. Horse-Meat Scandal Growing

Focused Friday Headlines

1. Meteor Strike Where? When? Damage? Injuries? Cleanup? 2. Valentine's Day Filibuster What's the fuss about? 3. State of the Union Aftermath Did President Obama really do some Cherry Picking?

Native vs. Second Language Learning

Take a moment to think about this question: Do you remember learning your native language? Probably not. The first language we learn is not really studied in a classroom. But we hear it spoken and modeled around us. We gradually come to understand what things mean and eventually how to communicate what we want. Learning another language is completely different, and completely unnatural. When you are growing as a child, you learn to crawl, walk and speak without really understanding what you are capable of, or how far you have to go to achieve your goal. Most parents and care givers accept your limitations and think it's cute when you reach certain landmarks. Although there may be challenges, it's usually a low stress process that eventually works itself out. With second language learning (or third or fourth for some of you), you are totally aware of your limitations and conscience of how far away your goal is. Now that you are an adult, it's very humbling because you sometimes feel like a child as you try and communicate in your new language. Sometimes you have to rely on the children in your life to make sure you understand or are being understood. I acknowledge the challenges you are facing, especially given the craziness of the English language. I applaud you for the courage to go forward and am here to help as you continue on your journey!

Week of February 11, 2013

1. What is the significance of the 4.9 "earthquake" on the Korean peninsula? 2. What were the "talking points" in President Obama's State of the Union Address? 3. What was the sudden resignation that caused "shock waves" around the world? 4. What's the latest on the ex-cop manhunt in California? 5. What is being referred to a "floating Petri dish" and where did it finally land?