Wednesday 27 July 2011

Narrow Listening - Dutch

This is for Dutch Learners

An alternative to Vocabulary Lists

What is Narrow Listening?


Narrow listening is listening to lots of material based on the same subject. An example will be watching 10 videos on the weather.

Why?

Listen to lots of material on the same subject will mean lots of repetition of vocabulary. This makes it easier to guess the meaning of words. Also you get to hear the words in context.

How?

Google translate can give you the basic words you need to do a search. I do my searches on Youtube.

For Best Results.

Watch videos on things that really interest you. Also, if you know the subject well in your own language, then it will make it easier to learn in another language. Remember fun (interest) makes you learn faster.

It was much harder finding groups of similar videos in Dutch than it was in English. Anyway, below are a few examples.


Some Examples

Veggiebende is a channel on vegetables. There are several videoes on the life of a plant. I find these very easy to understand. There are 26 videos on the Channel but some videos are not in Dutch - best to skip these.

">

RatatouilleTV have 100s of videos online. They have lots on Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Museum

Bruyters is a channel that have makeup demostrations and videos related to Miss Belgium. I've only seen one video in this servies.

http://youtu.be/M2JXXD1sOAo

Other Ideas

To see similar videos - use the suggestions column on the righthand side.

Weather Forecasts

Police stuff and bicycles

Monday 25 July 2011

Narrow Listening - English

Free Photos Here



















This is for English Learners

An alternative to Vocabulary Lists

What is Narrow Listening?


Narrow listening is listening to lots of material based on the same subject. An example will be watching 10 videos on the weather.

Why?

Listen to lots of material on the same subject will mean lots of repetition of vocabulary. This makes it easier to guess the meaning of words. Also you get to hear the words in context.

How?

Google translate can give you the basic words you need to do a search. I do my searches on Youtube.

For Best Results.

Watch videos on things that really interest you. Also, if you know the subject well in your own language, then it will make it easier to learn in another language. Remember that fun and interesting stuff makes you learn faster.

Some Examples

Snapfactory Channel on Youtube.

They have a photography channel with 172 videos. They look at different aspects of photography from a photography shooting session to how to use a light meter.

Photography Video

TotalBeautyTV

This Channel is dedicated to makeup and doing your hair. They have 111 videos. Women will probably get more from this as many women use makeup on a daily bases.

Makeup Experts

DIY

This Channel is also dedicated to beauty but uses natural ingredients. They have a 158 videos.

Makeup the natural way

Scotty Kilmer

This Channel is about maintaining and fixing your car. If you’re a mechanic or really interested in cars then this is a channel for you. There are 122 videos in the channel.

Fixing your Car

Other ideas.

With these videos, you can use the ‘suggestions’ on the righthand side of the screen, to see more videos.

UK weather

UK Weather forecast


US weather

USA weather forecast

News earthquakes

News link on Earthquakes

How to play American Football

Learn how to play American Football

How to get a girlfriend

How to get a girlfriend if you're a nerd

Other articles for English Resources

Lingq English Reading Material

Easy English Videos - Watch and Learn

English Reading on Youtube

Wednesday 20 July 2011

English - Reading on Youtube

Free Photos



















Some English reading resources that are on Youtube

Beginners and Elementary

Channel Appuseries

This Channel has lots of children stories and rhymes on video. There are pictures to help you understand and the text is read with a clear voice.

The Ginger Bread Man



Childrenworld2u

This channel has short videos conversations. The conversations use simple language.

Daily Conversation

World English Club

World English has everyday conversations on video. They only provide text.

Short conversations with text

Douglas King

This is from a book on rhymes. The meaning can be guessed from the pictures. The language flows easily and is good to read along to.



Teacher Phil

He has lots of videos on line. He reads and uses pictures to help with comprehension. He also describes the pictures.

Teacher Phil - vacations

Intermediate (possibly advance)

Easy Reader Jack

In this video Jack reads a book called 'Bicycle Shop Murder'. To read along with the video, you need to go to his website. Sound quality is not so good on this video.

Bicycle Shop Murder Video

Other articles for English Resources

Lingq English Reading Material

Easy English Videos - Watch and Learn

Friday 15 July 2011

More Dutch Language Resources

There should be something for everyone here.


Dutch fun with Sesame Street or Sesamstraat. I find this hilarious.



Talking Website

Dutch culture in Audio. The Rijksmuseum has many of its pages put into audio. The audio follows the words, so it’s pretty useful. The voice is a little metallic but it's a Dutch voice.

Rijksmuseum website education page

Children Stories

Audio only

Mixture of audio children stories

Story and Audio

These two websites should be really good. They have lots of children stories and the audio. Though, I have a problem with the site. I can’t get the audio to work with some of the stories. The one story that I did get the audio to work with, didn't match the story exactly.

Grimm stories

Andersen Stories

Sexy Dutch

A story about the most beautiful bottom in the Netherlands.

The most beautiful bum in the Netherlands

There’s also a video of a journalist who isn’t a bottom man but a breast man. He goes round looking for the perfect breasts.

Journalist looks for perfect breast.

Previous Dutch Resources

Easy Dutch Youtube Videos


Songs, TV for Dutch learners and more

Monday 11 July 2011

Language Learning – Beyond the Text Book

Free Photos



















English (insert Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and of course, the world’s no. one language Dutch) is not a text book!!!
I’ve heard many times ‘English is boring, English is difficult’, usually from little kids but also from adults too. But what they call ‘English’ isn’t English at all. The English they are talking about is the over analysed ‘English’ that they are taught in schools. Where a simple sentence is made into a complicated beast thanks to too much grammar explanation and not enough actual use of English.

So let’s get this straight. English is not boring. English is WONDERFUL (any language is). And in so many amazing ways.

Movies. Hollywood, British. God dam it, even Australia has produced many fine movies. If you’re bored with your textbook, why not watch a movie in English.

TV seriesEnglish TV made easier. Yabla English TV, TV with subtitles in some languages.

Games – set the mode to English and get the language drummed into you whilst you fight ghosts, conquer the world and become beautiful.

Audio Books

Comics - A crazy one and a visual list of English comics

Youtube - Look and learn English Videos.


Music

If you’re getting bored of English (or whatever language you are study) it time to look at your material. Are you just using a text book? Text books are noted for their boringness, if you’re bored of them get some real English. English that you enjoy.

It’s not a sin!