Tag Archives: learn English

Boost your vocabulary

Summer school 2018 has finished, but your new ‘school year’ has just begun. We hope that after studying in Ludlow this summer you’re feeling more confident about writing and speaking in English and more motivated than ever. In this blog we’ll remind you of some tips on how to boost your vocabulary.

Boost = improve or increase quickly

Question:

What do these 3 photos of summer school classrooms  ‘have in common’?

Answer: 

In each class the students are using their vocabulary boxes to boost (improve) their vocabulary.

Are you still using your vocabulary box? 

We hope you are. It’s simple, remember?

  • Record:

    Write down each new useful vocabulary item (words and phrases) on a small piece of paper

  • Box:

    Put the vocabulary items in the box.

  • Practise:

    At least once a week take the words out the box and practise them.

  • Tips: 

(1) Categorise:

Tip (throw) all the items on the table and sort them according to topic areas.  This activity is even more useful if you discuss with a friend why you have put each word into which group. 

(2) Explain:

Focus on the meaning of the new items:

  • Recall (remember) why the item was important in the text where you found it.
  • Make up (create) a new sentence containing the item
  • Put a translation on the back of each piece of paper. Put the pieces of paper upside down. Look at the translation. Recall and say the item in English (also good for pronunciation).
  • Make up (create) a strange story containing all the words.  The stranger the story, the more you will remember the items.
  • Which word means…? Provide a definition and see if your friend can say the word or phrase.

(3) Record

After you’ve sorted all of the vocabulary items into groups, write them in your notebook. Include the pronunciation and an example sentence.

- Which ways are best for you? 
- What other ways do you use to practise and remember the vocabulary from your vocabulary box?

Practice makes perfect

Remember: the more often you review your vocabulary, the faster and deeper you will learn it. If you can review the words once a day, you will learn very quickly.

Imagine how much vocabulary you will learn if you use your vocabulary box every day until the start of the next summer school  on Thursday 11th July 2019!

Don’t just imagine. Let’s start now. 

Other pages you might be interested in:

Dates for summer school 2019 
Get Ahead study choices 2019

 

Definition: 

In common: to have something in common with somebody or something =  to have something the same: the same interests, the same characteristics, the same ideas 

We have a lot in common: we both like dance.  

Mediterranean countries have a lot in common: they all have fantastic food.

 

Best summer school nationality mix

We work hard to create the best summer school nationality mix. Last year at More Than English we welcomed students from 16 countries on one campus:

  • Brazil
  • Lebanon
  • UK
  • Russia
  • Ukraine
  • Lithuania
  • Czech Republic
  • Mongolia
  • Croatia
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Switzerland
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
Best summer school nationality mix

For a better immersion experience, we look very carefully at the nationality mix when we organise:

  • Classes for English lessons
  • Accommodation
  • Teams on the activity programme

Of course, in addition to nationality, we also look carefully at level of English and age when we organise students into groups for lessons and activities. The same is true when we organise the best combinations of individual students to share bedrooms in the residences.

British students on summer school

Learning to work together in international teams is an essential 21st century skill for all young people around the world. Moreover, what is just as important as how much English you know is what you can do with the English you know. British children need to develop skills such as Speech Making, Film Making and Debating Skills just as much as students who speak English as a foreign language. All British children do Get Ahead study options with international students. Some British children take part in high level (B2, C1 and C2) English classes.

Nationality limits

We have strict limits on the number of students we accept from each country. That means it is important to book early.

Designed for individuals

Having the best summer school nationality mix is not the only important ingredient for creating a complete English immersion environment. Another important point is the fact that we only accept individual students never groups. This means that when students arrive they are ‘all in the same boat’. In other words, they have to make new friends from other countries.

Design your course today

Everybody is different: that is why at More Than English you can design your own programme choosing your own excursions and study options. To design your perfect summer school experience use our Online Course Builder and reserve your place today.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Teenage Global Citizens

 

Reaching the hand of friendship around the world

Which good causes are you most interested in?

Is it the protection of the environment? Is it helping the poorest in society? Is it medical research? Is it something completely different?

Part of becoming a global citizen is understanding the problems of  people on the other side of the world. Every country around the world has its problems. Last month, when we were in Brazil, we took the opportunity to ask Brazilian students to write reports advising us which Brazilian ‘good cause’ they thought most needed the support of More Than English students this summer.

The winning report was by Maria Luiza Oliveira Neves advocating support for  Instituto Nossa Senhora de Fatima (INSF). Read her report below. Which good cause does she suggest?

Report 

To: the Head teacher
From: Maria Luiza Oliveira Neves
Subject: good causes in Brazil
Date: 27-03-2017

Background:

The purpose of this report is to discuss about two good causes in Brazil and help the head teacher choose one to raise money for.

Fighting for the future

The world known favelas in Brazil are a set of poorly built dwellings that do not have full access to security and sewage treatment. There are millions of children without the proper education they need. In order to change that, the institution ‘’INSF - Instituto Nossa Senhora de Fátima’’ works on the development of children’s participation in society, through socio-educational activities, such as choir singing, theatre, sports and computer classes. In addition to that, they try to restore and strengthen family ties as well as rescue citizenship. However, to do so, INSF needs all the financial help they can get, to afford the educators, pedagogical professionals, supplies and cleaning materials. They are a non-profit religious institute trying their best to change a, believed to be, inevitable severe fate of these infants. Donating to this cause would definitely have a positive impact on the course of hundreds of children’s lives, taking them out of complete misery and giving them a priceless gift: hope.

Defending life

As for the reality of the people who have a drug addiction in Brazil, there is a non-profit social institute called ‘’Manassés’’, the main goal of which is to recover young people from the underworld of drugs. The residents go through a process of rehabilitation, recovery and social reinstatement, with safe methods for treatment. It is outrageous the amount of consequences the use of narcotics can bring, specially for those who are not economically stable in society. Knowing that, Manassés works with a 2-phased treatment, during approximately 9 months, and group activities. In terms of financial hurdles, they depend entirely on donations, so donating to this institute would bring back the lost lives of so many young people who are just starting their journey on this world. Supporting this cause means supporting the idea of finally having a society where the drugs are not sought to solve problems and we would all prosper in better conditions of life.

Summary and recommendation

Faced with two big issues, like the poverty inserted in Brazilian families and drug addiction situations, it is left an ultimate final question: which one would need more help, which one we should donate for? The answer to that is that both of them are equally urgent and equally needs attention, as well as compassion. However, seeing it from another perspective shows that children neglected from education would probably attract more donations. Narcotic addictions are, indeed, a chain of problems that can not be ignored, but providing education is the first step to accomplish a future fair and developed society. I would recommend choosing INSF to donate money for because of what they are doing to the future of these children and the future of our country – possibly our world.
Questions
Why we chose Maria’s report

The reason that Maria’s  report was so persuasive was a combination of the level of detail and the emotional engagement of the reader caused by use of short emotive phrases. A great example of this is when Maria summarised her reasons for supporting Instituto Nossa Senhora de Fatima (INSF) by saying that it would give “a priceless gift: hope.”  Maria’s report got our attention through excellent presentation of facts and through an appeal to our emotions.

More good causes

Here are some of the other things we learnt from other Brazilian teenagers about good causes in Brazil:

In her report, Victoria Lima wrote about the water crisis in Northern Brazil and a consequent 60% reduction in the number of crops planted.

Juliana Soares Borba put forward an argument that the key issue to tackle is extreme poverty focusing especially on the homeless.

Geovanna Vasconcelos focused on health provision, but challenged the idea that lack of money is the cause of problems blaming corruption instead.

Julia Vasconcelos identified Brazil’s rich inheritance in natural resources and raw materials and lamented the waste of potential that results when homeless children do not receive the education they deserve.

Linked to this, Tom Alvin described a mobile programme designed to help children called the Criança Esperança Programme and advocated support for SOS Children’s Villages which fosters orphan children.

Lunna Rayna outlined the work of Bola Pra Frente which uses the power of sport to teach children and teenagers who are exposed to criminality to become contributing citizens. However, she threw her support behind the 100% Animais Institute which supports animals that have been trafficked or deprived of their natural habitat.

Joao Felipe revealed the work of a wonderful charity called Casa do Amor which provides a stimulating environment for the elderly. Finally though, he gave priority to IMIP, a cancer hospital with limited funds.

Aleanna Lira underlined the importance of education in addressing inequality and warned against ignoring problems which left unsolved will “snowball”.

Social justice

If you are a teacher interested in whether English teaching and social justice should be combined, we highly recommend this lecture by the JJ Wilson at this April’s IATEFL Conference in Glasgow.

Special thanks to some very special teachers in Brazil

  • Renata Campos
  • Marilson
  • Israel Maciel