English File Beginner by Oxford University Press

OUP has recently published the beginner version of their English File video series. It's incredible in that they make a serious attempt to do spontaneous street interviews, just like Real English. You might call it Real English in slow motion.

I feel vaguely honored by this attempt to bring spontaneity to the classroom. It's the first time a Major EFL Publisher has done such a thing.

The other videos in this series are popular at my language school, but the higher levels of English File make obvious use of actors as opposed to ordinary people on the street.

I Sued the BBC

My lawyers did indeed send a registered letter to the BBC World Service in reference to thier use of "Real English" as a title of "their" English language learning program which they decided to call "Real English". More specifically it was a Chinese-orientated English - EFL - podcast.

After receiving correspondence from my lawyers, the BBC took down their podcast site. In other words, they apparently admitted that they should have at least checked out existing companies having the name they wanted to use, and should have chosen another name to begin with. At the same time I protected my baby, as it were.

Before the internet was able to handle video, we made interactive CD-ROMs including video. I began pursuing the idea of interviewing ordinary people in the streets to get a good sample of real English to bring back to the classroom. I did it. I still do it. In the early 90s, I purchased the mark "Real English" for all of Europe and for the USA, and a few other countries, and then made my first 3 Real English CDs with help from friends and employees, quickly followed by the DVDs and finally the Real English site. The site is my means of communication with English (ESL/EFL) teachers and students around the world.

I'm glad I trademarked Real English. I would not be able to protect myself with mere "copyright".

BTW, I really like the BBC. When I watch TV news in France on TV, I give equal time to CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera in English, and French channels.

The Walkscore Edit Begins

Real English makes an English Lesson (ESL/EFL) out of Walkscore TM.

I filmed for the Walkscore Edit for a long time. I have 2 hours of good videotape. The final official edit published by CNN on their web site is only 1 minute and 22 seconds long. I therefore have lots of video to help English Language Learners understand WalkScore and the people who talk about it.

Will repost when this big job is done. This is a preview.

New Welcome Message on the Real English site

Welcome to Real English®, a rare NO BULL site where everything is free and free-acces. Go directly to the lessons if you like. No sign up necessary. No Login necessary. Just original video and thoughtful English (ESL EFL) lessons for students & teachers.

Examples of Same Song WITH Video

I did a YouTube tour of existing videos using this song.

This one is the best for conveying meaning, with emphasis on "envy" and "greed".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNr6zRpEW3I

After watching this one, I see that "my job" is more than half done already, and makes me wonder if it"s time to change projects.

Here is a cartoon type video for the first 30 seconds of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtLg-f1XKfA

Here is one with funny "actresses":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fINQvuY7Yg



This is the first one, and obviously does not use the original soundtrack:

One Very Old, Very Cool Song Representing the Best in Authentic Materials for EFL ESL Students

As ESL/EFL Teachers, if we chose our "Authentic Materials" very carefully, there would be no need for ESL "methods", and not even for Real English which attempts to create accessible spontaneous, genuine content, which is nevertheless controlled, i.e. useable, accessible.
Here's one extraordinary example of genuine content which seems as if it were made for learning/teaching English: a song from 1946, the year of my birth. It's a gem for Verb Answer Tags and Comparatives. It doesn't get better than this.

It's as if Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton were singing a song for students who were beginning to study the nature of question and answer tags related to the modal verb used in the song, and the grammar of comparative adjectives and adverbs.

The song is from The Broadway Musical Annie Get Your Gun. The original was performed by Annie Oakley and Frank Butler and was composed by one of the greatest Broadway songsters, Irving Berlin.



Click on the play button above to listen. It started playing right away for me in Internet Explorer; Firefox and Chrome require Quicktime.

Irving Berlin's heirs are generous people who support non-profit educational uses of their copyrighted materials, so I COULD do a complete interactive lesson on the Real English site for this tune, working alone as usual. But I'd like to work with someone else for a change. Is anyone interested? If you are inspired by this piece, why not share ideas for its "exploitation", and share the result on our respective sites?


Lyrics begin after "...spittin' ":

Anything you can do,
I can do better.
I can do anything
Better than you.

No, you can't.
Yes, I can. No, you can't.
Yes, I can. No, you can't.
Yes, I can,
Yes, I can!

Anything you can be
I can be greater.
Sooner or later,
I'm greater than you.

No, you're not. Yes, I am.
No, you're not. Yes, I am.
No, you're NOT!. Yes, I am.
Yes, I am!

I can shoot a partridge
With a single cartridge.
I can get a sparrow
With a bow and arrow.
I can live on bread and cheese.
And only on that?
Yes.
So can a rat!
Any note you can reach
I can go higher.
I can sing anything
Higher than you.
No, you can't. (High)
Yes, I can. (Higher) No, you can't. (Higher)
Yes, I can. (Higher) No, you can't. (Higher)
Yes, I can. (Higher) No, you can't. (Higher)
Yes, I can. (Higher) No, you can't. (Higher)
Yes, I CAN! (Highest)

Anything you can buy
I can buy cheaper.
I can buy anything
Cheaper than you.

Fifty cents?
Forty cents! Thirty cents?
Twenty cents! No, you can't!
Yes, I can,
Yes, I can!
Anything you can say
I can say softer.
I can say anything
Softer than you.
No, you can't. (Softly)
Yes, I can. (Softer) No, you can't. (Softer)
Yes, I can. (Softer) No, you can't. (Softer)
Yes, I can. (Softer)
YES, I CAN! (Full volume)
I can drink my liquor
Faster than a flicker.
I can drink it quicker
And get even sicker!
I can open any safe.
Without bein' caught?
Sure.
That's what I thought--
you crook!
Any note you can hold
I can hold longer.
I can hold any note
Longer than you.

No, you can't.
Yes, I can No, you can't.
Yes, I can No, you can't.
Yes, I can
Yes, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I No, you C-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-N'T--
CA-A-A-A-N! (Cough, cough!)
Yes, you ca-a-a-an!

Anything you can wear
I can wear better.
In what you wear
I'd look better than you.
In my coat?
In your vest! In my shoes?
In your hat! No, you can't!
Yes, I can
Yes, I CAN!
Anything you say
I can say faster.
I can say anything
Faster than you.
No, you can't. (Fast)
Yes, I can. (Faster) No, you can't. (Faster)
Yes, I can. (Faster) Noyoucan't. (Faster)
YesIcan! (Fastest)
I can jump a hurdle.
I can wear a girdle.
I can knit a sweater.
I can fill it better!
I can do most anything!
Can you bake a pie? No.
Neither can I.
Anything you can sing
I can sing sweeter.
I can sing anything
Sweeter than you.
No, you can't. (Sweetly)
Yes, I can. (Sweeter) No, you can't. (Sweeter)
Yes, I can. (Sweeter) No, you can't. (Sweeter)
Yes, I can. (Sweeter) No, you can't, can't, can't (sweeter)
Yes, I can, can, can (Sugary)

Yes, I can! No, you can't!

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