Languagelab.com Blog

Meet Millie Eames and the most comfortable place to speak English on the Internet

Something that many language students find difficult to master is the art of
‘small talk.’
In class we often practice talking about ‘important’ topics, such as politics, science, music and culture.
Or we practice more functional language, like checking into a hotel, making a complaint or going to the bank.
One thing that is often not covered is the small talk that happens constantly throughout our daily lives.

This is where Millie Eames, LanguagLab’s resident café owner and
manager can help you. Millie’s café is just like a real life café. It’s a place where you can go to listen to music, catch up
with friends and socialise just like you would in a café in your own country. The big difference is that everyone speaks in English.

Here’s a hint for those of you who are shy about speaking in English. Try going to the cafe and just listening to what people are
talking about. Make a list of the things that Millie says when she is greeting people and the questions she uses to start conversations.
Then, when you’re feeling more confident try using some of the expressions and questions yourself. You’ll find yourself chatting like a local in no time at all.

Click on the following links to download some helpful reference sheets that you can use if you’re not sure what to say to Millie when you meet her.

Elementary reference sheet for Millie
Intermediate reference sheet for Millie
Advanced reference sheet for Millie

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Using your inventory to learn English
To get the most out of your English classes at languagelab you need to know how to use your inventory. Your English teacher will often give you notecards you need to read or objects you need to wear or use. In this blog, I will help you find things in your inventory, create new folders and change the names of notecards and items.

Finding things.
Your teacher will often give you notecards in English class; these are really useful and important. They help you read information, discuss things with other students and explain your homework. When you take these you automatically save them.
First, open your inventory by clicking on the ‘my stuff’ button at the top right of your screen. Type the word in the search box at the top of your inventory, or click the ‘recent items’ tab where you should be able to see all your recent objects and notecards.

Keeping things in order
To keep your notecards in order you could put them in a new folder. To make a folder open your inventory and right click the top, then choose ‘create new folder’. You can now give this a name, for example ‘Important English Grammar’. You can drag and drop items into folders.

Changing Names – Renaming
Sometimes your teacher will ask you to fill in a notecard and save it, this might be part of a listening activity or a discussion, it might even be a grammar quiz. To remember which notecard it is, you can easily change the name. Find the item in your inventory and right click on it, now choose ‘rename’ from the menu. You can now write any new name you wish.

Giving other people objects and notecards
To give someone else a notecard, open your inventory, find the object and then drag and drop it on the person. This will give someone an item or notecard from your inventory.

Next week: Maps and Landmarks, finding your English Class

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Introducing Pebbles Kronfeld
Recently at LanguageLab our resident actress, Pebbles Kronfeld has been hosting a series of activities in which students have had the opportunity to practice their English while learning about important elements of English speaking people’s culture.

Here is an overview of a sketch comedy session with Pebbles and how it can be useful for improving your English skills.

Initially we read through the script of a sketch called Camel Spotting created by the famous Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Pebbles helped us with pronunciation and difficult vocabulary, as well as making sure that we understood the humour of the sketch. Understanding humour is a really important aspect of learning a language that is often overlooked in the classroom. It is one thing to be able to ask directions to your hotel but getting a joke is an entirely different kettle of fish.

After helping us to understand the script and the situation, Pebbles asked us to try and imagine how the different characters were feeling and exactly what they wanted to say when they were speaking. We then had to try to read the script aloud with the correct tone of voice to express this feeling. This is another really important skill to have when communicating in English. The tone of voice we use and the words that we stress in a sentence can completely change the meaning of what we are saying.

How many different meanings do you think the following sentence can have depending on which word in the sentence is given the most stress?

I don’t think he should get the job.

Click here for answers and examples.

To read more about Monty Python’s flying circus click here and to watch a YouTube clip of the comedy sketch that we practiced click here.

Next week: Find out how dropping in for a coffee at Millie’s café will have you chatting like a local in no time.

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How you look affects how you learn
Having an avatar that looks good makes you feel better. It makes you feel better and it helps the other students and teacher
respond to you well.
There might also be times when your languagelab teacher will ask you to wear something. This might be for fun or it might
be to take part in a role-play or an activity where you need to look differently. I sometimes ask my students to wear ‘word’
hats to answer questions or different jackets to pretend they are shop keepers.
Please don’t come to class naked or in a bikini, even in the virtual world other people can get offended.

How to change your clothes
In Language Lab you can make your avatar look like anything you want. This is what I did to myself in just a few minutes.
You can get loads of clothes in the two language lab clothing shops either Banana fashions or at Periwinkles

Everything is free and Donatella is on hand to give you some advice about what looks good.

How to save your appearance

Once you are happy with what you are wearing you can save it. Right click on yourself and you will see a circle menu,
choose ‘appearance’. You should see a next box like the one below, click ‘save as’, and you can save the clothes you are
wearing as a folder. Now you can drag that folder onto your avatar to change your appearance.

1. Put a sock in it.
2. Pull your socks up.
3. Keep your shirt on
4. Keep your mouth zipped
5. Put on your thinking cap

Next week:
Keeping your inventory in shape.

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Recently you may have heard the words ‘City People’ mentioned by teachers and other LanguageLab staff and students. If you have been reading this blog carefully, you will have seen several references to them.
You may be a seasoned City People user, or you may not have the faintest idea who they are and what we are talking about
when we mention them. Either way this weekly series of blogs is designed to help you find out more about the City People
and more specifically, how you can use them to help improve your English.

Before I start my introductions (one City Person character per week) I’d like to say a little more about myself.
My name is Sally Langer but I am also known by my Avatar’s name, Salsita Almendros. I am a qualified English teacher
and you can read more about my profile on our teacher’s profile page.
Aside from teaching formal English lessons at
Language Lab I also work with the City People to ensure that the activities they do will help our students to practice
speaking English.

You can read a short summary about the City People and what they do here,
but for more detailed information and up dates
keep an eye out for my weekly blog. If you have any questions or thoughts about the City People please leave them in the
comments.

Next week my first focus will be on Languagelab’s very own resident actor Pebbles Kronfeld who has been hosting a series of activities
in which students have had the opportunity to practice their English while learning about an important element of British culture.

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