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ESL/EFL Feedback & Requests for Help
Acknowledgements of all
feedback regarding errors are on the relevant pages
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THIS PAGE IS BEING
DISCONTINUED; HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING THIS
SUBJECT
CREATE YOUR OWN FORUM
Click on either of the following links to start your own
forum to discuss subjects featured on this website and I will add a link
to your forum on this page
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IDIOMS OF
COMPARISON
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To Whom it may concern (Izzie I guess),
We were wondering if you could help us out of our dilemma. We have been trying to find out the correct idiom for
blunt, ie: "as Blunt as a...?" If you could help us, that would be fantastic.
Kind regards, Kate
Bibi's Comment: I can find no trace of anything relevant on the net and must assume it does not
exist, unless one of our readers can provide an answer.
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GENERAL
FEEDBACK
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From : aravinth nsp <aravinthnsp@hotmail.com>
Sent : 15 November 2004 10:48:46
Subject : wanting information for developing spoken english
Respected Sir, I am Aravinth from India. I would like details for
development of spoken English. Thanking you Yours faithfully
N.SP.Aravinth.
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your email message.
If you require help with spoken English, the following page may be
of use.
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/tips-speaking.htm
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From : hilda
verduzco
Sent : 17 November 2004 21:05:46
Subject : info Thanks
Hello Ms. Bibi: I am an English teacher and I would like to know if you
can help me find some web sites in English general exercises, grammar,
listening com. voc. games, songs etc. in beginners, and intermediates.
I would really appreciate your help. I sent you an e-mail from my friend
Georgina the French teacher she told me that she wants the material for
beginners. I hope you understand what I mean Georgina is in France and I
am Hilda in England. Have a good day and God bless you. Hilda
Bibi's Reply: My website has a links page which may
help you <www.musicalenglishlessons.org/LINKS.htm>
; otherwise, you will just have to use one of the search engines
to locate more material by typing in the grammar practice you are
seeking. Good luck with your search.
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From : hilda
verduzco on behalf of Georgina
Sent : 17 November 2004 21:00:38
Subject : important info
Hello Ms. Bibi:I am a French teacher and I would like to know if you can
send me some web sites in French. I need some free material in French.
For example some exercises in listening com, grammar, voc. games, songs,
flash cards etc in French. I would really appreciate your help.Thanks
for your attention. Georgina
Bibi's Reply: I am sorry, but I cannot help you
with websites for free material in French; however, if you go to
the following link next month, there will be a link to a website with a
translation of a Beatles’ song. http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/beatles/index.htm
Good luck in your search for ideas
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From: "Neve Mary" <maryneve@tomah.k12.wi.us
Subject: website
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2004 14:46:09 -0600
Hello Ms. Baxter! I love your website and wonder if I may send to
you some of the sheets I have created from examples from this
site. I have had great success with them and would like to share
what I have done for others. Mary Ortner Neve
Bibi's Comment: Thank you for
your kind words and I feel proud to have provided you with some
inspiration. I am intrigued to see how you have developed the
ideas and would love to share them with others. I look
forward to receiving and publishing them on your behalf. Please
provide some information about your background too, if you have no
objection.
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-
From:
"CONTACTOS COLOMBIA (PILAR BOTERO)" contactoscolombia@epm.net.co>
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Subject:
thanks
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Date:
Fri, 12 Nov 2004 18:34:18
-0500
I
am from Colombia, my name is Pilar Botero, actually teaching English.
The school <www.marymount.edu.co>
was founded by some nuns from an Irish catholic community. They're not
here anymore, 15 years ago they left the country and sold the school to
the parents. The nuns used to be the teachers (in English) for every
subject taught there and when they left, the school had to change for a
while and to have only some subjects in English. Now the girls have
improved a lot again and some subjects are taught now in English again.
Some Canadian, British and American teachers are here now. Nice
and useful site. Best regards Pilar
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for the very
interesting and surprising information about your school. Thank
you too for your kind words regarding my website; I am very
pleased that you find the website useful and I wish you every success
with your students.
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From: "Sandra Teibtner" <santei@mehari.de
Subject: comment
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 08:31:59 +0200
Dear Bibi Baxter, Congratulations! This is a great help! The ideas
you have about what teachers can do with songs are wonderful. And
as I was checking what offers there were in Spanish, I discovered a
little misspelling in the word COLOMBIA. You see, Columbia (with u) is a
state in USA, and the former word is the country in South America -it
happens very frequently, though. Nevertheless, it made me very
happy to see that even material for Spanish as a second / third
language is being offered. Have a great time working with music!
Sincerely, Sandra Teibtner (in Germany)
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your
encouragement. I am very glad you find the ideas useful.
Thank you too for pointing out my spelling error, which I have now corrected.
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From: "Fam. Corro Pedroza" <bernieyrosie@axtel.net>
Subject: thanks
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 01:16:00 -0500
Bibi my name is Bernardo Corro I am an English teacher from Monterrey
Mexico, I´m so happy when I saw your page for the first time, thank you
for sharing so many ideas for my class, my students are so happy when I
apply all you GREAT ideas, thanks again. Bernie
Bibi's Reply: Thank you very much for your
heartening message. It is good to hear from you and I am glad my
website is of use to you and your students. May you have many more
successful lessons.
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From: "Laura Spina" <lauramspina@ecolan.com
Subject: From Argentina
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 23:45:40 -0300
Dear Ms Bibi Baxter, It was such a great e-encounter to find your really
interesting site. I am a teacher of English in Argentina. My home
town is Mar del Plata, far south in Argentina. We are working with
Fabiana - my colleague and friend - with music in the classroom and we
think we will be having a full ticket with your connection. Bibi,
we need some material regarding social and historical background to
songs. Maybe you can guide us to some other links. Appreciate your
response. Can we send the worksheets we are trying with our students on
different songs? Thanks indeed for your magnificent work.
Kindest regards from Argentina, Laura Spina, University of Mar del Plata
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your
heartening message. I am so glad my website is of use to you.
To find the background of songs, use the search engines and type
in: THE SONG TITLE + THE SINGER/GROUP'S NAME. This should
take you to fan sites, reviews, etc. You may need to reverse the
song title and singer in order to bring up a different list. Also,
try different search engines. You can find some at the bottom of my links page:
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/LINKS.htm
Incidentally, I will be happy to
publish your music ideas too, but please proof-read them before sending
them. Incidentally, I cannot publish Beatles' lyrics in full.
This is because I used to sell Beatles' lyrics + ESL ideas.
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From:
Hyams, Phil <P.J.E.Hyams@hszuyd.nl>
Sent: woensdag 7 april 2004 17:22
Subject: British Legal Profession
Mrs Baxter, Last year we used a text by J.F.Mortimer on the British
legal profession for classwork at the Maastricht School of Translation
and Interpreting and were hoping to use it again this year.
Unfortunately we have lost the original digital version, and apparently
it has also been removed from your site. Is there any chance that you
still have it stashed away somewhere and that you might be prepared to
send it to me? I realise of course that you may well have better
things to do than search through old files, but I would nevertheless be
very grateful if you could help. Yours sincerely, Phil Hyams
Bibi's
Reply: It is heartening to know that this text has been useful and
doubt heartening to know you will be using it again. This text can
be found on www.musicalenglishlessons.org/vocabulary/legal.htm
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From : <HarenM309@aol.com>
Sent : 13 April 2004 18:19:53
To : musicalenglishlessons@hotmail.com
Subject : comments regarding your articles
Hello Bibi, My name is Monica and I
am a 3rd grade teacher in New York State in the United States. I
found several of your articles while doing reseach on using
popular music to help students write poetry. I am interested in
learning more about your foundation, "Music English Lessons"
and was wondering if you could direct me to a site. The first
article I read was about using music to teach and how it may be the
perfect medium. My research so far has included a survey the students
filled out asking questions about what makes music popular, why they
choose a particular song as a favorite and are there differences between
the genders as to what is popular. From there I had students bring
in popular music and I found the lyrics online. We first discussed
what emotions songs can express and then read lyrics and picked out
certain words or phrases that expressed the emotions. From here,
the students wrote their own poetry, without any particular format and
had to explain what emotions they were expressing. I found that these
students' poetry showed a deeper expression of "voice" in
their writing than in the past. We also talked some about
"poetry jams" and how poets act out their poems with great
emotions. The students also enjoyed this phase. Although
your article gave me some good insights, especially how emotions are so
important to learning, I feel I would like some examples of such lessons
you discussed in your article. Any comments or help from you would
be welcomed.
Bibi's Comment: Thank you
for your valid feedback. I was extremely interested to read about your activities in
class and I have included them on this page for the benefit of other
teachers. The following URLS should answer your queries
about examples of lessons with songs.
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm
will give you an overview of exercises available on the website
and the language points which are practised.
The word SONG is shown if lyrics are used.
Instructions are given on the actual page.
More challenging exercises for
songs can be found at the following URLS:-
Monica's comments on the second
article she read, can be found on www.musicalenglishlessons.org/feedback/music+violence.htm
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From: BillatIom@aol.com
Subject: Comment
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2004 06:54:22 EST
Hello Bibi, After navigating your website, I would like to say that I
find it innovative and comprehensive. It is well laid out and easy
to move around. The subjects you choose are thought-provoking and
you have a knack of extracting the major discussion points from a text.
Well done! Keep up the good work, it can
only be beneficial. I wonder if you get any feedback about the
effect of the stories and poems, from readers or organisations. Is
it popular in other countries? Keep well. William
Bolton
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your kind words.
I am glad you approve of the way in which I have presented your
stories. I am also relieved to know you found the website easy
to navigate.
I do have feedback and used to feature it all on
one page, but I have now categorised it onto specific pages, as follows:
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From : MARSH, ALEEN M <AMARSH@fccj.edu>
Sent : 22 January 2004 18:39:16
I just wanted to tell you that I love your website. It’s great!
Thank you for this. Aleen Marsh Professor of ESOL
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your feedback.
Aleen.
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From: "Steve Smallwood"
Subject: Hi
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:00:36 +0000
Stumbled across your site whilst trying to find a good piece of popular
music to teach the past simple to an elementary group. Still searching!
Anyway keep up the great work and I will now be a regular visitor to
your site.
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for those kind words,
Steve
You may find what you are seeking on our index
page
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From : Paul
Mills
Sent : 19 December 2003
Subject : Book reviews
I would like to write a couple of book reviews for your website. I
am located in London, and the books are easily gotten via the web.
Is this okay? Cheers, Paul Mills, England.
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for writing.
Yes, I am willing to print book reviews if you write them;
however, perhaps you could first confirm the types of books you will be
reviewing, so I can determine their suitability for this website.
I am reluctant to include anything encouraging visitors to purchase
books, which are too sex orientated, or contain excessive expletives;
however, if your reviews are clinical about these subjects, they may be
considered suitable.
Such reviews may encourage learners to try them. Perhaps you could
also help me by listing the type of language they contain (ie: slang?
swearing? formal speech? plain English?) and whether they are about the
future, past, present.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004
Hi Bibi, I would like to review a new book on the German language called
Mastering German Vocabulary. It is supposed to come out in
March sometime, and, as you stated that I should get in contact you
before doing a review, I now do so. I hope the book shall be good
enough for your website to be reviewed. I also would like your
website details as the publicist would like to know them too.
Cheers, Paul Mills (London)
Bibi's Reply: A review on Mastering German
Vocabulary sounds fine. When you submit the review, would you
also send me the list of chapters? What details do you require
about the website exactly? Maybe the publisher is worried about
copyright restrictions, but you can have your work published elsewhere
as well as my website. You will still own the copyright. The
following webpage might give the information required by your publisher
URL: www.musicalenglishlessons.org/authors.htm
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As I am printing one of your free esl practice, I just
would like to thank you for your site. This is really
interesting and a good fun too. I will give your address to my
students. They are French adults muttering English songs as they don't
either know or understand the lyrics. Therefore, not only will I
give them the lyrics but also teach a little of English. Xmas
approaching, it is going to be a good opportunity to practise, and sing
with a big S. Thank you. Pascale
Joubert, a teacher of English somewhere in France, near
Fontainebleau
Bibi's Reply: Thank you very much for your
heartening feedback, Pascale. I hope your students enjoy the
website too. Bibi
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Thank you very much for a very helpful website, by
the way. I find your worksheets useful. Regards, Frances
English (U.S.)
Bibi's Comment: I am very grateful to you for pointing out my
glaring error on the writing
tips page. I create most of my pages in the early hours when
the house is quiet, but errors do get through. I will be
correcting it today. I am really glad my website is
proving useful to you. Feedback helps me to gauge whether I am
providing the right things or not. It would be useful to know in
which country you are based. With best wishes - Bibi
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My name is Agostina and I'm from Argentina. I teach
English at a secondary school and I've chosen to do a listening
activity with the song " I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor. I
tried looking in your web page, but it was useless, I couldn't find
it. I would be grateful if you could send me any activity
related to this song or any suggestion. It is an adolescent
course (upper-intermediate) Can you suggent another interesting song
to work with them? Where can I look for worsheets in the
internet? Many thanks in advance. Agostina :)
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your message. Although I have not
created lessons as yet for 'I Will Survive', I will create one for
next month. Meanwhile, please look at the following web-page on my
website. www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm
It shows a whole range of worksheets for songs. All the exercises are
useful and fun, but particularly suitable for adolescents are: Shakira,
Avril Lavigne, Kelly Osborne, Good Charlotte, Eminem, Chumbawumba. Good luck with your class
October 2003: New page created as promised.
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-gloriagaynor.htm
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Hi! My name is Betina and I´m from Argentina. I´ve been
teaching English for 5 years and I´m so glad with your web site! It´s
fantastic and VERY useful!!! Thank you very much. And ...... GO ON!!!! Betina
Bibi's Reply: Thank you very much for your
kind words. I am glad you like the website. It is
a very enjoyable hobby for me. Thank you for taking the
trouble to write.
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Please note that in the Not Recommended section you
ascribe the Novel Pilgrim's Progress to Chaucer. Chaucer wrote
Catebury Tales and John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress. Mark
C Ross Bibi's Reply: Thank you for pointing out this
error. Feedback regarding errors is usually acknowledged on the
relevant page; an exception has been made in this case, as this
feedback contained additional information of worth.
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You have a very nice and useful site. I would like to
point out a small problem and make a suggestion. It took some time to
understand that after clicking on any link, one should scroll down the
page to view the page. May I suggest that this may be mentioned at the
top of the page.
best regards and thank you D
Jairath
Bibi's Reply: Thank you very
much for your valuable feedback. I have now made the top border
much smaller by putting the main menu at the bottom of the page and would
like your opinion on this.
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Good day my name is Heléne. Someone
recently asked me about a proverb about idle hands and for the life of
me I can't think what it is. The only one I come up with
repeatedly is 'Idle minds is the devil's playground'. Your help
would be greatly appreciated. Helene
Brown, Zanzibar
Bibi's Reply: The one you thinking of is: The Devil finds
work for idle hands. Other proverbs can be found on: www.musicalenglishlessons.org/proverbs.htm
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SUBJECT: Teaching English in
non-western cultures
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SENDER: David
Bray (Please reply direct to
David with a copy to Bibi)
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REMOVAL DATE FOR THIS
LETTER: 31st December 2003
My name is David Bray, an English teacher in
California. In a month or so I will be travelling to Rwanda to
tutor adult students in American English. I have taught some
pre-teen language classes at our southern
border with Mexico, but 4 years is the extent of my ESL
experience. I am generally a secondary school English teacher
(literature, composition and grammar). Can you give me some sites
where I might gain some insight into teaching English in non-Western
cultures? Rwanda is Anglo- and Franco-phone, so I'm assuming most
of the students will have a working knowledge of English. I'm
certain you are a very busy woman, but I thank you for any help you
might be able to send my way.
Bibi's Reply: In addition to
teaching visitors who have come from all over the world to the UK, I
have taught in France and Germany, but I do not have the specific
experience you are just about to acquire. It sounds fascinating and if
you are willing to keep a diary and send bulletins, I will publish them
for the benefit of other teachers. Meanwhile, I will publish your
message in the hope that other teachers can offer you advice. My advice on a general basis is to make every learning point relevant to
the lives of your students until you can gauge the extent of their
global knowledge. Avoid introducing radical ideas until the
students feel at ease with you. Links to more websites with free
materials can be found on
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/LINKS.htm
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Dear Ms Baxter, Just a very
short note to thank you for the great service you are providing
free of charge to struggling teachers the world over. I
lived in England for many years and am now back in Brazil -São Paulo- I am
trying to make a living working as an English Language Instructor
for business people. The content of your site is of sterling value.
And I Thank You on behalf of all teachers all over the world. God bless.
Elivan Souza,
Brazil Bibi's
Reply: Thank you very much for your heartening feedback.
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SUBJECT: Reading Strategies
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SENDER: Gerard
Raj, Ipoh, Malaysia (Please reply direct to Gerard with a copy to Bibi)
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RECEIVED: 7th October
2003
ESL students who come
from different mediums of instruction use reading strategies differently
to comprehend texts.
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Does sociocultural
interference influence the way students process text ?
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Can anyone give me
some examples of the types of reading strategies students from
different mediums of
instructions use?
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Will I be right in
saying, for example, that students from the Chinese medium of
education might use strategies like 'memorizing' and 'rote
learning' whereas students from the English medium of education
might not?
Bibi's Comment:
I am happy to include your interesting question on my website. The
answer is, of course, yes, so I would love to hear the detailed answers. Meanwhile,
please send me the name of your town & country.
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Hi there, I've just stumbled
across your really nice site. I'm looking for a similar site for
learning Spanish - do you know any? Thanks, yours Martin
Gerkin, Germany Bibi's Reply: Try www.musicalspanish.com
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hi when i came first to
america i didn't cpeak english so good. but my esol teacher helped me so
much with movies , books, and some fun worksheet Lorena &
Krisela Bibi's Reply: Nice to hear from you.
Good luck with your studies.
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Hallo, I wanting to meet man
from West Europe/North America/Asian? Men in mine Country not so
well. Practice English I must
do. Lenina, Kiev
Bibi's Reply: Good luck, Lenina!
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Dear Bibi-- I'm
just beginning to look at your Beatles worksheets in preparation for
teaching a class I'm developing for the YWCA called Learning English
Through Music. It's going to be a wonderful class, and I think
your materials will be very helpful. As a crazed grammar nut,
though, I feel compelled to point out a grammatical error to you, in
hopes that you might be able to fix it before any new CDs are printed:
A Hard Day's Night: Exercise 2A - Comprehension
#4a "He should lay still...." should
be "He should lie still...."
Thanks again. I look forward to making productive and fun use of
your materials. Dot Westgate Bibi's Reply: My apologies for
the error and my gratitude for the feedback. This error has now
been corrected for all future orders.
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Dearest Bibi, While looking
for English study tips I came across your contact details and my heart
stopped (just for a while, of course). Let me start off by introducing
myself. My name is Myheshni Pillay, I am an eighteen year old girl who
is currently preparing to sit my A ' Levels in November. I am studying
Maths, Biology and English. I am an amateur writer and am drawn to the
prospect of turning professional (I have not gotten anything published
as yet). I have been working on two items for possible publication. One
is an essay which I had intended on entering in a competition but, due
to circumstances beyond my control, it was not entered. (And every time
I open my wardrobe it winks at me as if to remind me that it exists) The
other is my own dear little novelette, it is not yet complete as I have
not found the time to do so.
I would like to inquire about the procedures which you would you like me
to follow in order to get my work published. I am not sure whether I
understand which topics I am allowed to write on. My essay is on the
very controversial topic of reincarnation, throw in some imagination,
exaggeration and fiction and ...........voila! Please tell me if it will
be considered suitable reading material or if people from different
religions will find it offensive.
I tend to be a fiction freak, so my novelette is a fictitious one.
Aliens (or the thought of life on other planets) have always been
strangely appealing to me, I intend on integrating aliens into my
novelette. I am planning to write twenty chapters ( each one being two
to four pages ), at the moment I am hovering around the seventh chapter.
Myheshni (Sach)
Pillay Zimbabwe. Bibi's Reply: Your writing style is delightful. The novelette may be too long
for this website, but I will consider it; meanwhile, I am looking
forward to your essay on reincarnation.
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SUBJECT: Reading is
fundamental
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SENDER: Mrs.Brazier,
Park Community School,
Leigh Park, Havant, Hants PO9 5DS (Please post any
advice direct to Mrs.Brazier with an email copy to Bibi)
In September I will be taking over the
running of 'Reading is Fundamental' in my secondary school. This will
also include poetry and writing skills , writing on what they have
read. Any information you think will be useful or do you know of
any competitions that I can encourage the kids to enter? Where I
can get freebies like posters, bookmarks or even books? The kids
I work with are great but many have behaviour problems. Any help would
be appreciated.
Bibi's Reply: Details of many
free worksheets for use with modern commercial songs can be found at www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm
Even unmotivated students can be motivated by this type of practice. Reading
tips can be found at www.musicalenglishlessons.org/tips-writing.htm
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Hello, I am a French student
of French and English law in France and I wanted to tell you that your
site is very useful. Thank you. Nora,
France Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your feedback; I am glad
you have found this website useful.
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Great site. If only I knew
about this when I tried to become a teacher myself 5 years ago. Oh well,
as Fast Show's Unlucky Alf so eloquently puts it: 'Bugger!'
Do you also 'convert' spoken word arts
for educational purposes? Maybe you could have a go at Bill Hicks,
George Carlin, Chris Rock or Jello Biafra. Their material is political
and sometimes sexually explicit, but English speaking teens can probably
handle it if it is 'well framed'. If the sexually explicit part puts you
off, have a go at Noam Chomsky. Okay, he doesn't sing, but his
lectures are real brain candy. Recordings of his speeches on a vast
variety of topics are available online via peer to peer sharing
appliances like Kazaa.
Carry on me lads (and/or lassies), you're
doing a great job. keep up the good work (for if you don't, who
else
will?) Bart
Hollevoet, Belgium
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your
entertaining feedback. Glad you like the website. I will
have a look at the authors you suggest. Meanwhile, even though
comparison of language is a relevant exercise, I would not include
sexually explicit text; I will have to leave that to someone else,
as my site caters for all age-groups.
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hi, Bibi Baxter. Where
are you? me i`m fine.Your site it`s stupid and no verry funny
VERT19510
Bibi's Reply: I can't please all the people all the time, so I hope
you find what you are looking for - whatever that may be and whoever you
are
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i'm just writing to say thank
you for your awsome site!
i was in a rut and needed something quick. i found exactly what i
was looking for on your page - and then some. i had no previous nowledge
of it......which is too bad cuz it would have saved me some
headaches......better late then never. really, thanx a lot Marlena
Laska Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your
entertaining feedback; however, I must point out to other readers
that the punctuation, grammar and spelling in this message should not be
copied.
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SPEAKING PRACTICE |
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Hi, Please can you help me with the phonoligical features (word stress,
weak forms, contractions and linking) in the following sentences:
I am truly at a loss. Many thanks. Vx (England)
Bibi's Comment: Thank you for your interesting query.
The examples you have given are all out of context; however, I will work with just one sentence, in order to show that the stress changes according to the context. Words in capitals are stressed. You will see from the following how the stress can change according to the intonation; furthermore, weak vowels may become stressed ones for similar reasons.
Example sentence: YOU SHOULD HAVE HELPED HER
- YOU should've helped her (stressing the subject)
- You SHOULD've helped her (stressing the obligation)
- You SHOULD've HELPED her (stressing the obligation and the action)
- You SHOULD've helped HER (stressing that there was one person in a group who was more eligible for help than the others.)
- YOU SHOULD HAVE HELPED HER (all words stressed in response to inadequate excuses and protests)
General intonation and stress for the other sentences is as follows:-
- He's infamous. He's INfamous
(fam mous both have the schwa pronunciation)
- If i'd seen him, i would have given him the message.
- If I'd SEEN him, I WOULD've GIven him the
MESsage.
- They've been going to Spain every summer since (summer) 1999.
- They've been GOing to SPAIN Ev-ery SUMmer since NINEteen
NINEty-NINE (Two identical words in the sentence are unacceptable in good written English)
I thought I had included practice for stress and intonation using lyrics on the website, but apparently not. I will add it soon for you - June or July hopefully. Meanwhile, there are tips on pronunciation and long v short vowels at
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/tips/speaking.htm
___________________________________________________________
Hey Bibi, Thank you so much for your swift response. I was provided no
context for the sentences i proved but could you suggest any concept
questions that may be effective in clarifying meaning to words in
capitals.
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He's INFAMOUS
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IF I'D SEEN him, i WOULD HAVE GIVEN him the message.
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You SHOULD HAVE HELPED her.
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They'VE BEEN GOING to Spain every summer since 1999.
Thank you so much for your
help.Vx
Bibi's Comment: Glad to help.
I've given a relevant selection by the sentences, as follows:-
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Ways to elicit: He's INFAMOUS
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In order to
elicit: IF I'D SEEN him, i WOULD HAVE GIVEN him the message.
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My mother gave me a message for Jeremy, but I did not see him yesterday. Therefore I didn't give him the message.
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I wish I had seen him, so I could have given him the message. If I..............., I...........................the message. (You could hum the intonation for them, or tap it out on the desk, or with your foot)
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My mother gave me a message for Jeremy yesterday.
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Did I see him (shake head)? (no)
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Did I give him the message (shake head)? (no)
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I wish I had seen him, so I could have given him the message. What would I have done if............?
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So, if I..............., I...........................the message. (You could hum the intonation for them, or tap it out on the desk, or with your foot)
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In order to
elicit: You SHOULD HAVE HELPED her.
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In order to elicit:
They'VE BEEN GOING to Spain every summer since 1999.
Hope my suggestions help. I recommend the toe-tapping, etc as a means of helping them to remember long sentences. Alternatively, I use my fingers to represent each word, so if they miss out a word, the finger stays down. Many people benefit from visual
stimuli like this when memorising.
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From: protus
fanyuy <protusfan@yahoo.com>
Subject: EXCELLENT WORK
Date: Tue, 8 Nov 2005 03:20:51 -0800 (PST)
I
write to express my profound joy. I feel blessed to have found your
website because it answers most of my previously unanswered questions
especially with the treatment of idioms.
I
am a Cameroonian presently in
China
helping
Chinese
High School
students improve on their oral English. I would be grateful if you could
give me some useful suggestions on Oral English teaching methods. Thanks
and continue with the wonderful work you are doing.
Bibi's
Reply: Thank
you very much for your kind words. I am glad my website is proving
useful to you.
Chinese
(and other oriental) speakers have special pronunciation problems, which
can be addressed satisfactorily (without surgery). I therefore
recommend the following webpage:
At
www.musicalenglishlessons.org/index-ex.htm
you will find a comprehensive list of exercises, listed according
to language practice. Of particular interest to you, will be:
If
your students are upper intermediate/advanced, the following will be of
particular use:
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LISTENING QUERIES |
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From: "Beatriz" <cochinerito@hotmail.com
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Subject: problems with the page
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Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2003 10:32:29
-0700
hi. well I was trying to make some
listening exercises from the page but i never heard anything, so I´d
like to know if that is the way the web page works Bibi's Reply: Sorry, but I do not have
a sound facility on this website yet. Hopefully, one day......
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I want to hear the
pronunciation Yellow
Flower Bibi's Reply: Sorry, but I do not have a sound
facility on this website yet. Hopefully, one day......
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YOUR COPYRIGHT QUERIES |
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From : Hursh Saha <hursh_saha@hotmail.com>
Sent : 11 April 2004 07:07:06
Subject : Hello, I have a one-off but important question to ask...
Hello, I am Hursh Saha from New Zealand and an author of ebooks. One
of the books I wrote contains part of the "We are the
champions" song. I'm not sure if it is exact but I was wondering
if that is okay. Is this song in the public domain for me to use in
order to publish my ebook online?
I notice that this song is like a common saying and has been used in
several places already. It would most definitely be all over the web
and many newspaper and magazine articles have used its title as
well. Kind regards, Hursh Saha
Bibi's Comment: Thank you for
your email. Unfortunately, I am not sure how to contact the
copyright holders of the lyrics of songs by Queen. I make no
profit from my use of lyrics and I hope it helps to generate sales of
the songs themselves. I also acknowledge that the lyrics belong
to copyright holders. I must stress that if you make money from
lyrics, you are usually liable to prosecution if you do not pay
royalties.
Incidentally, the words:
'We are the champions!' is a chant, often used by football fans.
There is no copyright on those words.
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Hi Bibi,
How do I get permission to use your song material for an ESL textbbok
I'm writing? I would like to use your tense pages as is - with
colors and division. Is that possible? Thank you, Juliet,
Italy
Bibi's reply: I would be
grateful for an acknowledgement if you are using original ideas of mine. Something
which includes my name, country and website address wherever my ideas are
included would be adequate. e.g. "Worksheet ideas (or grammar
presentation) by Bibi Baxter, England, www.musicalenglishlessons.org
" Please send me details of which ideas you have used, how
you have used them and which country you are writing from. In
return, I will help you by advertising whatever you have created on this
high profile website.
LYRICS: I should point out here that if anyone
wants to use ideas involving lyrics, then permission and a copyright
licence must be sought. There is a special website to help you
with copyrights, but I do not have the address to hand. A
copyright licence can be obtained from Music Sales for the lyrics of
Beatles' songs.
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Dear
Ms. Bibi Baxter, I am a professor of English at Toyama University of
International Studies in Toyama, Japan. I am trying to find out how I
can request permission to reprint the lyrics of the Lennon/McCartney
song "She's Leaving Home", whose copyright is owned by
Northern Songs, Ltd., in an article I have written for publication in a
monthly (non-profit) academic magazine for English (as a foreign
language) teachers in Japan. I wonder if you can lead me to the direct
contacts I would need to seek this permission. Thank you very much. Prof.J.W.Porcaro,
Toyama University of International Studies, Japan Bibi's
Reply: Thank you for your enquiry. Northern Songs grant a license
to Music Sales Ltd who act as a go-between. You therefore need to
write to: Music Sales Ltd., Clearance (Third Party) Officer, 8/9,
Frith Street, London W1V-5TZ
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YOUR TEACHER TRAINING QUERIES |
From: "Michael Wade"
Subject: Greetings and Questions!
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2004 22:56:45 +0000
My name is Michael Wade and I am a graduate student at the University of
Texas at Austin. I recently discovered your website (musicalenglishlessons.org)
and I just finished reading your
article, "Seeking the Perfect Teaching Medium". It is with
that article that I have some questions and a favor to ask. I'm
currently working on my Master's Report on using "Music and Song to
teach Culture in the ESL Classroom" but I'm having a tough time
finding rigorous, scientific articles to add to my bibliography. I was
wondering if you have some recommendations or even a current
bibliography that you could share with me. I desperately need to get my
scientific/theoretical "muscle" stronger. :-) Any
suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated. Many, many thanks in
advance! Sincerely, Michael Wade
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately, I have no relevant bibliography which I can send to you.
When I wrote the article you mention, there were few books available
which advocated using music to teach, so I always created my own ideas
from the lyrics. I know of no books which provide theory about
this teaching method. On the other hand, you may find many
articles by teachers, providing teaching ideas for certain songs, but
they are scattered. I have seen such articles over the years, but
have not kept them. You could start by searching the archives of
The ELT News & Views (Argentina). their URL is www.eayrs.com/ELT/publications/ELTNewsandViews/index.html
In addition, The Cambridge English Course (A set of three books:
Stages I,II,III) contained ideas for songs; Headway and Meanings
Into Words may also have ideas. For the same reason, I have no
books about using music to teach; however, I did attend many
seminars about new teaching methods. I combined the ideas which I
learnt and applied them to music. I recommend that you go to the
Oxford University Press website and Cambridge too. They can
probably give you the titles of the relevant books you seek. Good luck
with your course. |
From: "Famiglia Impellizzeri"
Subject: Please help me, Bibi
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2003 18:19:44 +0200
Dear Bibi, I desperately need your help. I've never taught and would
like to do a teacher training course in London. I've recently ordered
EFL material, which has yet to arrive. In the meantime, I have to answer
this question: What would be the differences in teaching a group of
beginners and advanced learners?
If I've never taught and I've to read up on current methodology, how can
I reply within 150 words? Please say you'll help. Thanks and, just to
let you know, I'll be using your web pages to help me through my course!
Julie
Bibi's
Reply: I
am sure you will do very well as a teacher. One of the most
important ingredients is enthusiasm. I cannot do the work for you,
but I can give you some ideas. Presumably you have written the email
yourself, so your English is at a very high standard. Are you a
native speaker of English (which your email suggests) or are you an
advanced learner of English? If you are an advanced learner of
English, then it will be easier for you to answer this question.
Think of your expectations from English classes in the earlier years and
then the latter years of your studies. Initially, simple
vocabulary in order to perform everyday courteous functions was
important. Grammar & constructions dominate the intermediate
levels. Advanced constructions & advanced vocabulary for
special purposes are often required by advanced students. |
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YOUR QUERIES ABOUT JOBS & STUDIES
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From : Srisha Reddy <srilu_siri@rediffmail.com>
Sent : 06 April 2004 12:17:54
Subject : Request for Information
Hi, greetings, this is Naren from India. I am
student and my native language is "Telugu" and up to my
graduation, medium of instruction is telugu language only. Right
now I want to improve my speaking skills in English and I am also
interested in improving American pronunciation.... How can improve
my English and accent....please give me your valuable sugestions and
advice .. Naren....
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your email message.
I have never heard of 'Teluga'. If you were in England, I could
help you improve your pronunciation - but it would not be American
pronunciation. If you can afford to
visit America to attend English studies, then that will be the best
method for you to improve your American pronunciation. If
you cannot afford that, then there are many schools of English in India.
I suggest you attend one of those. If you cannot afford to do
this, then seek work within the school, so you have to speak to the
teachers as part of your job. (office work, etc.) Good luck with
your studies |
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hello, my name is yara i am looking
for a job in England and i d like to live and study there i am from
egypt also i am looking for a cheapest institutions in
england so can u help me to find what i want thank
u, marry christmas
Bibi's
Reply: Thank you for writing. Churchill House School of
English can help you to achieve your aim. They offer a wide range
of courses, work (in the school to pay for lessons) and cheap
accommodation. They also offer work experience in other fields of
work if you are interested.
Their website
address is: www.churchillhouse.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can send an email to john@churchillhouse.co.uk
and he will forward your email to the sales department. Your
written English is already reasonable. They are situated in
Ramsgate, which is very near Dover and the European continent.
I have worked
there, so I can recommend them, knowing they are very serious about
providing a quality service in all areas: accommodation, courses,
social activities, excursions, etc. You can mention my name if you
want.
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I am a student of the last form in a secondary school in
Poland. I would like to start studying in Great Britain as the English
high education system is very good. I a, looking for proper organisation
helping internationals students who do not have enough money for
studying. Could you help me? Yours faithfully Katarzyna Krzywania
Bibi's Reply: Churchill
House School of English offer work to student assistants wishing to
take exams in English.
Alternatively, there is an organisation called "Contact English". The owners are English and were based in
England, but are now based in Spain. They offer work experience
and English tuition to students from Eastern Europe. Good luck. |
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CAN YOU HELP?
LESSONS VIA EMAIL |
From: ahmed farj
Subject: ahmed farj
Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 05:10:23 -0800 (PST)
I need to learn English By email The mail its . Far9@yahoo.com
And thanks for you.
Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your email.
I am very sorry, but I do not give lessons via email and I am not sure
who does. However, I will include your request on my website and
maybe someone will contact you. Can you please send me details of
your town and country? |
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CAN YOU HELP? STUDENTS
WISHING TO HAVE THEIR WORK PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM |
From: viskljf oiurm <heartkingvictor@yahoo.com
To: musicalenglishlessons@hotmail.com
Subject: WANT YOUR HELP.
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004 05:35:42 -0700 (PDT)
Dear madam, I am victor johnson from INDIA. I am about to write a
book for which I am seeking an international publisher to publish it and
also to market it. The book will posses 500 pages more of which is
imaginary and inspiring. The name OF the story is PHAROAH, the
secrets of the throne. If you are interested in my work then I
kindly hope your help to complete my work. THANKING YOU YOURS TRULY,
VICTOR JOHNSON
Bibi's Reply: Unfortunately, I can only
publish short stories on my website. If you would like to write a
synopsis (any number up to 1,000 words), I would be willing to publish
it for you, along with your letter (in the hope that a book
publisher will see it and show interest.) Otherwise, I cannot
help.
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- From: "Julien
Sinyangwe" ZAMBIA
- Subject: Writing a Song Book
- RECEIVED: Tue, 16 Dec 2003
- REMOVAL DATE: 28th March 2004
I am an amateur African musician in a country
called Zambia, I wish to compile a song book in my local language and
publish all the songs I have so far written based on my experiences for
44 years. Would you please advise on the procedures I may have to
follow. Grateful Julian T Sinyangwe
Bibi's Reply: It depends upon why
you wish to compile the song book. Personal? Commercial?
Please scroll to next box to see my tips below. Whatever your reason, it sounds a
wonderful idea and I wish you luck with your project.
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Miscellaneous Feedback
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