Facebook Weekly Review 29/7/13

29/7/13

Welcome to the fifth RLE Weekly Review, the only review guaranteed to keep you up-to-date with the greatest English learning community in the world. What’s been happening in the community this week?

Be Sure to Take Part in the First RLE Movie Marathon

Max Ahumada, from Argentina, has come up with an idea that has been revolutionizing the RLE community. He believes that making our own videos in English is a fun way to develop our speaking together. Also, watching and listening to the other members makes us less shy, since lots of people challenge themselves by speaking to the whole world. So, what are you waiting for? We’re looking forward to your video. But before you start it off, I suggest that you check out what some of the best RLE learners have said in English and in other languages:

• Chad Fishwick talks about the Real Life English Community

•  Grace Emma: ‘My first video‘

• Wagner Sodré and his first RLE video

• Laura Hill: Real Life English learner – My experience with English

• Sami Dous: ‘How I started learning English‘

• Guga Rocha – RLE report 1 – Why do I love languages? and RLE report 2 – Why do I love languages?

• Lorena Lopez gets rid of her shyness

• Ethan Zinho: ‘Find Someone to Inspire Your Language Learning‘

• Max Ahumada: Chillin’

•  Rodrigo Penna: Real Life English – Learning languages with Federer and Barça

Want to make comments on these videos? Check out their respective posts: Chad, Grace, Wagner, Laura, Sami, Guga, Lorena, Ethan, Max and Rodrigo.

What Would Become of Our Lives Without the Internet?

No Internet… no life? We can’t deny that Internet has brought us some really awesome advantages since it became part of our lives. On the other hand, many people claim that spending too much time surfing on the Internet, although we have a whale of a time chatting with online users, may be harmful for  so-called “real life”. As for me, I’ve met a great bunch of nice friends; also, I’ve been improving my English by participating in Google Hangouts, writing reviews, posting English tips on Facebook pages, and so on and so forth. In order to enrich this paragraph, I need Internet’s help to search for some amazing references which will shed light on the current theme. So, what about checking out the following texts related with Internet and its background and contemporary usefulness?

• Internet History
• The Invention of the Internet
• Uses of Internet nowadays
• Advantages of Using the Internet Nowadays

What do the RLE members think about the Internet? Could they do without the Internet?

“This is extremely possible. Some people would go nuts. If this happened I would want to be on my farm!” (by Shauna Sunshine Costa)

“I’d adapt. Newton didn’t need internet to know that acceleration is proportional to force. If Newton could do that without Wikipedia, why not us?” (by Roberto Aguado)

“I guess I would be more physically present in my relatives’ life.” (by Wagner Sodré)

Check out this post and let us know what you think.

Studying and Learning

According to Longman English Dictionary Online:

• To study: to spend time reading, going to classes etc in order to learn about a subject; to watch and examine something carefully over a period of time, in order to find out more about it; to spend a lot of time carefully examining or considering a plan, document, problem etc [= look at]
• To learn: to gain knowledge of a subject or skill, by experience, by studying it, or by being taught; to find out information or news by hearing it from someone else or reading it [= discover]

I’d like to let you know an experience of mine concerning studying and learning languages. Besides my native language (Portuguese), I speak English, Spanish and Catalan (at varying levels). As I’ve always worked on these languages, I mean, as I’ve always studied them a lot, I’ve succeeded in learning a considerable bunch of idioms and vocabulary, for instance. I believe we can’t learn a language (or whatever that comes to your mind) if we don’t put our heart in it. Making an effort is the best way guaranteed to revolutionize ourselves with effective and inspiring learning. Furthermore, we can learn from our experiences, because life is the best teacher we have. What have you learned from your success and failures so far?

Let’s see what some Real Lifers said about this:

“Study is more like the physical actions of reading, researching, practicing with exercises, etc. Learning is the process in your mind, in you brain, when you understand what you have been reading, researching.” (by Lívia Ladeira)

“The difference is that you have fun when you’re learning. Studying is a obligation. I really love learning, when I go to bed I know something else.” (by Lorena Lopez Ramirez)

“I second that…I am not a big fan of studying myself….but I do love to learn. I love taking classes and I swallow every thing the teachers say……today I have learned patience. I live in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, a district heavily hit by the lack of organization on the Pope’s visit and last minute changes due to bad weather. My neighborhood (where the main altar is at the beach) is chaotic …. so many people we can literally hardly walk….so…patience…patience….patience…..” (by
Cecilia B. Silveira-Marroquin)

Did you like this theme? If so, check this post out.

Influential Factors in Communication

Laura A. Hill and Wagner Sodré have joined forces to think about the extent to which lack of linguistic proficiency, shyness and politeness affect oral communication. Even the top bananas of English learning have already struggled with communication problems. According to the previously mentioned RLE community members, some influential factors in oral communication are at stake:

• speakers may be unable to make use of idioms and slang;
• if people participating in a communicative process don’t share common cultural aspects, they are likely to fail to establish a conversation without misunderstandings;
• as many of us have been taught to speak formally, when it comes to talk with a teenager or even an old friend of ours, we find it tough to use less formal words and expressions;
• shyness must be taken into account if an interlocutor fails to open his/her mouth to express his/her thoughts and feelings.

So, how does one cope with the quoted communicative barriers? Here are some awesome tips provided by Real Life English website:

• Three Brazilian advantages to learning English (if you are Brazilian)
• Communication: the most important part of language learning (with video)
• Improving your cultural fluency in English
• How English is really spoken
• How to sound cooler when speaking English

If you want to make the most of this discussion, check out these posts: 1 and 2.

Inspiring Teachers are Something Else…

 

I strongly recommend that you read some Real Lifers’ experiences in regard to how their former teachers played a remarkable role in their lives. May their tales make you inspired.

“I will point out a teacher of English called Richard Vaughan. I’ve never met him, but I’ve learned from him through a CD/DVD course. He not only taught me the basics of English, but also what the learning of a second language should be like. There’s no magic tricks when it comes to mastering a second language, but hundreds of hours of dedication.” (by Max Ahumada)

“My boss (from Kiev). When I was a newbie in the job, I don’t have an inkling on SEO (Internet marketing). She’s kind, but a perfectionist. Not easy to get along with her, but I learned a great deal (from her). I wasn’t a fast learner, as I was more of the visual type, but she was patient. Maybe the only one (in the industry) who is aware that writing isn’t a routine, and I’m grateful (for that).” (by Francis Alger)

“My dear Linguistics professor at university, Isabel. She was fantastic, not only taught us brilliantly, but stimulated our creativeness on how to “teach” ourselves. She said she was only a guide, that we had to walk our own learning path after all, build our knowledge. Besides, we had to read at home a lot of linguistics texts: read them, she said, but not just read, be the co-authors, bring from the texts your own knowledge . Then at class, we had interesting and rich debates on the chosen subject. Miss her as a teacher and specially as a friend. Good times!” (by Nancy Valente)

“Indeed! It was my first teacher Tessa who really showed me the full enjoyment in learning other language and the amazing connection between. We need to award as a teachers or futrure teacher we may produce changes in others peoples life. Isn’t it increidible?. Teacher not only trasmit knowledge they are much more than that.” (by Sol Rocha Schiaverano)

Also, I recommend that you watch this priceless video, because every kid needs a champion.

What about sharing your thoughts with us? Check out this post and let us know more about you.

The Weekly Review – News Time

1. Share your favorite song with us! Check this post out for additional information. Also, check out the RLE Songs for Synergetic Learning on You Tube! We’re eager to select your song!
2. The second RLE QUOTES COMPETITION is about to start! Stay tuned!
3. Be sure to take part in the RLE VIDEO MARATHON! It’s the only English video marathon guaranteed to take your English to the next level.

That’s all for this week! Feel free to invite more friends to join the most revolutionary English learning community in the world! Also, be sure to check out the RLE Facebook page. Thanks for your support. Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Cheers!

Revolutionize your English learning; revolutionize yourself; revolutionize the whole world.