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ESL café English Lessons

Become fluent! Speak accurately!
Speak like a native English speaker!
Improve your writing skills!
Let's work on pronunciation!
Let's do it! English is a hoot!

Improve your English conversation skills

– Are you a small business owner, professional, student, traveler, or …?

– Do you have to participate in conference calls?

– Do you have to communicate by phone, on Skype, or an app?

– Do you have to prepare presentations?

You may want to improve your conversation skills.

– Improve your pronunciation!

– Learn to use those tricky English words.

– Learn new vocabulary.

– And much more … Just ask!

Make your writing pop!

– Are you a small business owner, professional, student, traveler, or blogger?

– Do you write apps, posts, articles, reviews, emails, food menus, reports, or…?

– Do you write emails or use chat?

– Do you have to prepare presentations?

We can help! Visit our services page. Find some free resources.

You have your style and let’s keep it that way!

– You may have a certain cachet, but your audience will also appreciate the respect you show them by dotting your ‘i’s and crossing your ‘t’s.

– If English is not your native tongue, why not have a fresh pair of eyes look over your work.

If you’re into English, this is the place to be!

Students, learners, business owners, managers, and all those interested in the English language are welcome and may want to take a look. Teachers, trainers, and tutors may also find this site useful and are always welcome here!

Improve your English. Visit our free resources page.

Accuracy or fluency? What is the goal?

– Accuracy means making very few mistakes. Your goal is to be grammatically accurate and use the right vocabulary.

Tip: Do not speak too slowly!

– Fluency means speaking easily and quickly. You don’t worry about always getting it right. Your goal is to communicate your message.

Tip: Do not allow errors to slow you down.

– Achieving a balance takes time, so don’t worry about making errors.

Try to spend time working on accuracy and the same amount of time working on fluency.

You will find a comfortable balance!

If you want to improve accuracy:

– Accept that everyone makes mistakes.

– If you hear yourself making an error, take the time to correct it.

– Make a note of “repeated” mistakes. When you make it again, take the time to correct yourself.

– Use grammar and vocabulary you know.

– Don’t be in a hurry to speak. Take your time and think about what you’re saying.

If you want to improve fluency:

– Communicate naturally.

– You may make a few errors, but your goal is to create a natural flow.

– Speak English as often as you can and with as many people as you can.

– Be confident! You know more English than you think.

– You may not always use the right words and verbs, but keep going!

– Practice. Practice. Practice. Stand in front of a mirror or record yourself. You can be your audience.

What’s your learning style?

– A visual learner prefers visual displays: diagrams, illustrated texts, videos, images, and graphics. They benefit from visual aids. Seeing is believing.

– A tactile/kinesthetic learner prefers a hands-on approach. They learn by doing and participating in physical activities. They like to move and touch. They like to take objects apart and put them back together. Easily distracted, they enjoy staying active. Doing is learning.

– An auditory learner prefers discussion, listening to others, talking things through, and repetition. They notice speech patterns, tone, pitch, and nuances. Information has little meaning until it is heard/spoken. They may benefit from radio programs, reading aloud, audio books, and lively discussions. Hearing is believing.

– A read/write learner is an avid reader and great note-taker. They translate abstract concepts into words. Reading opens minds.

Solitary or Social?

– Learners can be solitary. They prefer to learn alone. They are more introverted and independent.

– Learners can be social. They enjoy learning in groups. The more, the merrier.

Linear or Non-linear?

– Learners can be logical. They want to understand the reason. They use logic and appreciate structure. They are linear learners who prefer to follows logical steps. Textbooks provide the necessary structure because they are logically sequenced and linear. Building blocks may be the way to go!

– Learners can be non-linear. We are by nature non-linear learners and as children learn best through direct experience and by dealing with whatever comes up. Non-linear learners look for patterns, make connections, and construct knowledge. What is being learned can be understood in any order. “Relatable” is key. Websites are non-linear and may be more useful than textbooks. Websites allow learners to identify patterns and make connections regardless of sequence and order.

    Learning style and you

    We can all be a little bit of each.

    – Whatever your learning style, just remember to take your time and have fun with the language.

    – Set achievable goals. Learn a new word everyday.

    – Choose reading topics that interest you.

    – Watch how-to videos that interest you.

    – Bake a lasagna. English recipe please!

    – Read comics. Make a video.

    – Read a children’s book. You can find some online.

    – Visit a library. Participate in story time!

    – Write a story. Read aloud. Record yourself.

    – Chat with English speakers.