Lorena from Brazil - A valid video for learning English?

Throughout Real English®, you will find non-native speakers of English from time to time. However, they don't make any mistakes when they speak, for videos used in the Lessons. 
This is different. Lorena makes some obvious mistakes which are typical of "Upper Intermediate" students.


Students seem to identify with other speakers of English as a Second Language. I think it's a motivator to include the non-native speakers. On the other hand, is it valid to present a student with a video of mistakes?! Maybe it is, if you edit in the video in a certain way.  I don't know. You're the judge:

The EVO Video 2010 Session is in Week 4 of 6

The 2010 Tesol-Sponsored EVO Video Session has been a great success so far. So called "competitors" become colleagues, all of us teaching English (ESL - EFL) online in very different ways, and helping other teachers in a collaborative effort. Here's the team:

Jennifer Lebedev (Jennifer ESL), (also moderating Week 5)

Dave Sconda (English Meeting), 

Sarah Lilburn (The Daily English Show), 

Mike Marzio (Real English) (also moderated Week 2)

Moderators: Cora Chen, ESL instructor,

Branka Marceta representing USALearns, (is moderating this week!) and 

Ryan Detwiler, creator of EslVideo.com! (moderated last week). 

Jennifer will be the next to begin her week in 5 days - on Monday, Feb 8, 2010.

My First Video in HD

The Kodak Zi8, at $160, is an amazing product. Not so long ago, an HD camera cost thousands of dollars, and it weighed 136 times as much. Kodak was really smart to include external microphone capability. It allows me to plug in an adapter and then to use my professional XLR microphones.

So after having used 9 different cameras on the Real English project since 1992, here's the tenth one. The smallest, the most convenient, but always with a tripod and external microphone(s).

In order to really appreciate the difference, you have to have a good graphics card and a good screen. Then you have to click on "720p" HD and the little button to the right of the quality settings to go Full Screen (or click on "720p" and then double click on the video to go full screen).


  So let's have a look at the first result: an interview of Joey Voss in "Sobe" (South Beach Miami - Miami Beach, Florida, USA),  one of the rare lively parts of Florida in my experience. Like an oasis of Washington Square Park at the tip of a big swamp.

EVO Video 2010 News

I have not had time to pay attention to the Real English Blog because all of the most recent activities are first on the landing page of my site, to ensure that many people see the latest news, in this case about the EVO Video 2010 Workshop which has so far been a great success.

I have been working with Branka of USA Learns, Jennifer of JenniferESL, Sarah the most prolific creator of The Daily English Show, Dave of English Meeting, and my fellow co-mod for the last few years, Ryan of ESL Video. Cora Chen is helping to moderate and has been invlauable.

Jeff Lebow, EFL Bridges, interviews Jennifer (Jennifer ESL) and Dave (EnglishMeeting.com):

Jeff interviews Sarah (The Daily English Show) and Mike (Real English):

Join the EVO Video 2010 Workshop

My Video Classroom 2.0 !

Teachers, are you looking for resources that will save you prep time, enhance your lessons, and expand teaching and learning beyond the classroom walls? Learn about the Tesol-sponsored Electronic Village Online (EVO) workshops. I am helping moderate the Video workshop with 4 distinguished colleagues, and Jeff Lebow, the EFL world's premier interviewer and talk show host of EFL Bridges will be interviewing the most prominent ESL/EFL video creators on the web.

Look at this incredible lineup of presenters, moderators and interviewees:
Branka Marceta: USA Learns and MyEFA.
Jennifer Lebedev: English with Jennifer on YouTube and her exercises at EnglishCafé.
Sarah Lilburn: creator of The Daily English Show and her blog and site.
Dave Sconda: His lesson site English Meeting is designed for both teachers and students, and also check out his YouTube channel.
Ryan Detwiler: creator of ESL Video
Cora Chen: ESL Instructor at the City College of San Francisco
Michael Marzio: Real English.

The moderators are Ryan, Cora, Branka, Jennifer, and Mike.
Dave, Jennifer, Sarah and Mike will be interviewed at EFL Bridges by Jeff.

If you are not already familiar with most of these presenters/moderators, you will have many online treasure troves of multi-media content to discover! This volunteer effort is created for EFL/ESL teachers by fellow educators who share a passion for teaching, language learning, and video.


Some important notes:
- To register to participate, for free of course, go to our Wiki's Front Page. Click on the link and join our Yahoo Group.
- The sessions last 6 weeks, with a different moderator for weeks 2 through 5.
- Be sure to check out our Syllabus and the other links you find in the right side of all of our Wiki pages.

Please do all the assignments you will be given during the 6 weeks. In order to really benefit from this workshop, the assignments are essential. The show begins January 11. Organizational items are found on the Wiki, and the many discussions will take place at our Yahoo Group.

If you are interested in video for your classroom, you won't want to miss this event!

Real English and the US Department of Labor

Real English® is participating in a US Department of Labor program called Tools for America’s Job Seekers Challenge.

As part of this effort, the Department of Labor has invited professionals, job seekers, and the general public to help them identify the best online job search and career advancement tools from among those submitted to the site. English is obviously essential for many job seekers with insufficient English language skills.

Please participate in this effort by visiting the Challenge Web site and the Real English submission: http://www.dolchallenge.ideascale.com/a/dtd/20450-5847

The Challenge is open through January 15th so please review the Real English site at http://www.real-english.com/new-lessons.asp
if you are not already familiar with it.

Kindly forward this link to anyone you feel may be interested in participating.

Thank you for your time.

New Videos from South Beach Miami Coming Soon

I just got back from a trip to the USA and will soon be logging and editing my first HD footage. Will post again here when the first videos are up on the Real English site.

In the meantime, check out the very recent Walk Score edits and lessons. Why walk? What's WalkScore? For beginners and intermediate students.