KVHS Course: English C1

This course is offered by Joachim Körner through Kreisvolkshochschule Harz for advanced learners of English. It is designed as a conversation class based on current topics and events.

Online Practice:

• Join our Duolingo Classroom
• BBC Learning English App
• English Practice

Getting Started

Vocabulary

• English in a Minute (VOA)
• New York Times Picture Prompts
• VOA: Words and their stories
• Game: Wordshake (to exit hit esc)

Grammar

• BBC: Six Minute Grammar
• Fortgeschritten Englischübungen
• VOA English Everyday Grammar
• Advanced Grammar Exercises

Linguistic Advice

• Wonderopolis: Things we wonder about daily
• Ditch these 10 phrases that make you look insecure and arrogant
• Phrases to avoid in Business English
• Avoid these cringeworthy phrases that annoy your coworkers
• How to start and end your professional emails
• 10 phrases that make you sound passive aggressive in the workplace
• English Phrases for any situation
• What English native speakers really mean

Class Discussion Topics:

• Survival: Group Activities
  • Jamestown / Moon
  • What was life like in Jamestown?
  • Jamestown Review
  • Jamestown Game Rags to Riches
  • What would it be like to live on the moon?
  • 10 fascinating Facts about the Moon
  • Moon Trivia Matching Game
  • Answers for the Survival on the Moon
  • Earth and Moon Challenge Board
• Solar Eclipse
  • Guide to Eclipse Vocabulary
  • Listening Exercise (Vocabulary)
  • PBS Newshour: What we need to know ahead ...
  • VOA News: America Prepares (Text)
  • NASA Trailer April 8, 2024
  • NASA Animation: the actual path of the Solar Eclipse
  • NASA watch live (starting 19:00 our time)
  • Game: Rags to Riches: Eclipse 8,2024
• Is Coffee  beneficial? (Introduction)
  • Coffee around the world
  • The history of Coffee
  • 6 Minute English on Coffee
  • Ordering Coffee at Starbucks
  • Why is Coffee called "Java"?
  • Why do we call Coffee" A Cup of Joe"?
  • Coffee's Hidden Health Benefits, a Podcast
  • Challenge Board: Coffee
  • A Game of Coffee Jokes
  • Coffee Trivia Game
• Play Codenames online (join either team Blue or Red as Operative or Spymaster)
• Podcast for a New Year: No.1 Neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart
• ESL Questions about Dogs
  • Lost Dog (A short story)
  • Lost Dogs and Drones (PBS Video)
  • Song "Salty Dog" (two versions)
    • Bluegrass
      • lyrics
    • Rock
      • lyrics
  • "Dog" idioms game
• Henry Winkler, a TV actor's struggle with Dyslexia
  • The Best of "the Fonz"
• How the COVID Lockdown saved the Tedeschi Trucks Band
  • The Story of Layla and Majnun
  • The Story behind: "Layla"
  • "Layla"lyrics
• Lincoln Center Poet in Residence: Mahogany L. Brown
  • Michael Rosen Poetry (e.g. "The space on the page", "Words are ours" , ...  )
    • Text: "Words are ours"
  • Meditation Ritual (starting 31:00)
  • One of my favorite Poems
• Local Theatres fighting for Survival
  • Discussion Questions
• Homesitting and Teaching English
  • Video: House Sitting Horror Story
• What is AI?
  • The Risks and Promise of Artificial Intelligence (60 Minutes Video)
  • Lesson Plan: AI
  • Discussion Questions
• Mardi Gras
  • Reading : Mardi Gras
  • Preparing for Mardi Gras
  • Paul Simon: Take me to ...
  • Questions about MG
  • "Dat Talk" New Orleans Accent
  • Why I should wear a costume
• Rejection is good for you
  • Psychologigal study
    • TED Talk: How to deal with Rejection
  • 10 Benefits of Rejection
  • The funniest rejection letter
• Happiness
  • An 85-year Harvard Study
    • The Harvard Gazette with TED Talk
  • Why are Finland and Denmark the Happiest Countries in the World?
• Shopping
  • Are you a Smart Shopper?
• AI
  • AI and the Future of Art
• March is Women's Month
  • The Ultimate famous Women Trivia Quiz
  • Role Models
• Protect our Oceans
  • TED Talk Sylvia Earle
  • Should we stop eating fish

Reading

• ESL Jokes
• 100 Famous Americans
• American Culture and Customs

Writing

• Writing a Business Letter

Literature

• Audiobooks
  • Audiobooks for English Language Learners
• British (BC)
  • C.Rose, The Broken Mirror ... and Lots of Good Luck (B1)
  • Excerpt: Dickens, A Christmas Carol (C1)
  • Excerpts: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and the Regency World (C1/C2)
  • Excerpts: Dickens, David Copperfield (C1)
  • W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw (B2)
    • Film Adaptation (1988)
• Irish
  • Novelist Sally Rooney on modern Irish Writing (BC)
  • The Guardian: The Irish Short Story (G/C1
• American Short Stories (VOA)
  • Poestories.com
  • Mark Twain, Luck (C1)
    • Lucky Man Dogface; Videolesson
    • The TikTok Video
  • O.Henry, Transients in Arcadia (B2)
  • O.Henry, The Gift of the Magi (A Christmas Story)
    • Vocabulary: The Gift of the Magi
    • Questions and Vocabulary
    • Lesson Plan and Story Telling
    • Listening (simplified version)
  • Ambrose Bierce, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (C1)
    • Original Version with Audio
    • Vocabulary
    • short film
  • Dr. Seuss: And I think that I saw it on Mulberry Street
• Famous Quotations Explored
  • Shakepeare Speak
• Other Stories as Lessons
  • Alberto's New Neighbours (BC/B2)
  • Bad Blood (BC/C1)
• Storytelling Activities

Audio Lessons

• Listen in English (by topic)
  • The Science of Pain

Video/Film Lessons

• Listen in English: Entire Movies/TV Shows
  • Emily in Paris (Series)
  • The Intern (Movie)
• Videos and Films for ESL
• Short Films for Discussion
  • Snack Attack
    • In the News
• Pixar Films for Language Classes

Music Lessons

• Music for ESL
• Songs listed by topics
• ESL Songs by Topic (Grammar or Vocabulary)

Games to learn and improve your English

• ESL 67 free ESL Games
• The Secret of Monkey Island
  • Walk Through
• Balderdash

Other Lesson Materials

• Proprofs Quizzes
  • ESL Discussion Questions by Topics
    • Weather
  • IELST Quizzes
  • English C1/2
  • Which Beatle are you?
  • What instrument would you play in a rock band?

• Films and TV-Shows for ESL
• Picture Stories for Class Conversations
• 20 Minute Discussion Questions
• English Grammar Exercises (online)

© joachimkoerner@gmail.com  09 -January - 2023