YouTube can be used to study English. First, click here to see a page I made that shows you how to download videos from YouTube. I made it on a Macintosh computer but it works the same way on Windows.
There are many ways that you can use YouTube to study English. Here are some videos of songs that show all of the lyrics as subtitles: Bob Dylan singing "Blowin in the Wind", Mariah Carey singing "Without You", or Billy Joel singing "Piano Man".
December 2, 2008
November 25, 2008
More resources
Hello everyone!
I've been so busy reading and commenting on your blogs that I have not been able to write in my blog. Today, though, I would like to briefly introduce some more resources that you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy these!
I've been so busy reading and commenting on your blogs that I have not been able to write in my blog. Today, though, I would like to briefly introduce some more resources that you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy these!
October 6, 2008
How to write a summary
Download the audio
Some of you are writing summaries of what you have read.
The best way to write a summary is to try to write the most important points without looking at what you read at all. After you finish writing the summary in your own words, it is a good idea to look at the story you read to see if there are any special expressions that it would be good to use in your summary. After you have checked for special expressions that you would like to use, go back and reread your summary several times to see if you think the English is correct and that it is easy to understand.
A method that I would NOT recommend is to copy the whole text you would like to summarize and then try to cut out sentences and phrases that you don't need in order to make it shorter. This method does not work well but, unfortunately, it seems that some of you are trying to write your summaries in this way.
September 30, 2008
Fall Semester
Some of you who are taking this class this semester also took the class in the spring and some of you are beginning today. I would like to welcome those of you who are new to the class. I'm also happy to see those of you who are returning.
Whether you are new to the class or returning, all of you will need to use a blog to keep a record of your study this semester. I will help those of you who are new make your blogs in our first class. Each post to your blog should include the following:
I will give you more information about how to write your blog entries in class. For those of you who are new to class this fall, please begin by reading what I wrote in this blog during the spring semester. You may write in your blogs about what I have written in my blog.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you this semester.
By the way, this blog entry contains 295 words.
Whether you are new to the class or returning, all of you will need to use a blog to keep a record of your study this semester. I will help those of you who are new make your blogs in our first class. Each post to your blog should include the following:
- Information about what you were reading
- Notes on a few new words that you learned
- A brief summary and or comments about what you read
- An estimate of the number of words you read
I will give you more information about how to write your blog entries in class. For those of you who are new to class this fall, please begin by reading what I wrote in this blog during the spring semester. You may write in your blogs about what I have written in my blog.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you this semester.
By the way, this blog entry contains 295 words.
June 24, 2008
July 8th
On July 8th, I would like to present a short lecture about how to study English. The lecture will be held in Room 1432. So, do not go to the computer room on that day; please go directly to Room 1432.
I will talk about what you have written on your blogs about studying English and what I have noticed about your study of English over the semester.
By the way, later that afternoon I will need to give a presentation in Yatsushiro so I will end the class earlier than usual.
I will talk about what you have written on your blogs about studying English and what I have noticed about your study of English over the semester.
By the way, later that afternoon I will need to give a presentation in Yatsushiro so I will end the class earlier than usual.
Please write about your experience
We are rapidly approaching the end of the semester. Before the semester ends I would like you to write on your blog about your experience this semester. Here are some things you might write about:
英語で書く方が望ましいと思いますが、日本語で書いてもいいです。
- Do you feel you have made progress?
- Did you listen to what you read?
- Did you try using an English-English dictionary?
- Do you feel that you learned anything this semester about how to study English?
- What difficulties did you have?
- What would you like me to do differently next semester?
- How much time did you spend on this class this semester?
英語で書く方が望ましいと思いますが、日本語で書いてもいいです。
June 17, 2008
Song lyrics
Song lyrics can be difficult to understand. For that reason, studying song lyrics may not always be the best way to learn English. On the other hand, if you listen to certain English songs a lot, it's a good idea to learn the English you hear in those songs. In this short essay, I'd like to explain these two points.
In regard to why song lyrics are difficult, we need to understand that song lyrics are poetry. In poetry, meaning is often expressed indirectly or with very little context to help you understand the exact meaning. Written English that is not poetry (for example, stories, essays, news articles, letters, etc.) is called "prose". In prose, meaning is usually expressed more directly and in more detail. So, if you are looking for something to read that will be easy to understand, you should look for prose, not song lyrics or other kinds of poetry.
As I wrote above, however, if you are already listening to an English song, it's probably a good idea to learn the meaning of some of the expressions used in the song, particularly if it's a song that you really like and listen to frequently. When you come across a lyric that is difficult just ask me or another native speaker of English. Don't be surprised, however, if even a native speaker isn't sure of the meaning. Poetry can be very difficult!
Finally, if you listen to songs on an iPod, you can put the lyrics into the iPod so that you can read them as you listen. If you would like to know how to do this, please ask me.
In regard to why song lyrics are difficult, we need to understand that song lyrics are poetry. In poetry, meaning is often expressed indirectly or with very little context to help you understand the exact meaning. Written English that is not poetry (for example, stories, essays, news articles, letters, etc.) is called "prose". In prose, meaning is usually expressed more directly and in more detail. So, if you are looking for something to read that will be easy to understand, you should look for prose, not song lyrics or other kinds of poetry.
As I wrote above, however, if you are already listening to an English song, it's probably a good idea to learn the meaning of some of the expressions used in the song, particularly if it's a song that you really like and listen to frequently. When you come across a lyric that is difficult just ask me or another native speaker of English. Don't be surprised, however, if even a native speaker isn't sure of the meaning. Poetry can be very difficult!
Finally, if you listen to songs on an iPod, you can put the lyrics into the iPod so that you can read them as you listen. If you would like to know how to do this, please ask me.
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