Using YouTube to Improve Your Pronunciation

YouTube isn't just a place to find funny videos or shorts of your favorite TV shows. You can actually use YouTube to help you improve your speaking and pronunciation skills. The video below, which works on word stress, was created by an English teacher for speakers of other languages, and is a good example of how you can use the Internet, and web sites like YouTube, to work on your English skills.



To find more videos like this one, put "english pronunciation" in the search field of YouTube and click! A number of videos to help you work on your pronunciation will show up.

Submit Your Film and Promote Global Understanding

Pangea Day, an effort to bridge the differences between people all over the world and develop tolerance in our globalized society, is looking for original short films that tell a unique story, a story to drive people from different cultures and walks of life to compassion and understanding. Films should speak to inspirational themes such as anger, folklore, rituals, and affection. On May 10, 2008, these films will come together and be broadcast through Internet, mobile phones, television, and digital cinemas as a means to connect the world's people, who, so often, are separated by culture, borders, politics, and language.



From the Pangea Day web site:

From the dawn of time, humans have gathered around the village campfire to share their stories, a primal experience building community and creating strong emotion.

The world has shrunk, and today our village is global. But we haven't yet figured out how to listen to each other. Think of Pangea Day as a modern-day campfire. It will be a moment when we stop, gather together, and listen to each others' stories – using the most powerful story-telling technology our species has ever known: film.

We're looking for films that will make us laugh, cry, and gasp. They can be fiction, non-fiction, real-life, animation, or your own unique mixture. But they should hold our attention for every second. And above all, they should tell a story that someone else on the other side of the world will be able to relate to.

As you plan your film, try to imagine millions of people in different countries gathered around in the flickering light, waiting in hushed silence for your tale to start. What story will you tell? What images will you show them?

If you are an inspiring film director and would like to submit a film to be considered in this project, you can go here to learn more about the requirements. Films should be no longer than 5 minutes and can be submitted in any language, although English subtitles are a must (the web site gives directions on how to do this). Do so before February 15, 2008, in order to be considered for this year's event!
Good luck!

Just had to share another...

"I don't see why you have to have such a crazy language, anyway!"

Frustrated by English? You're not the only one! Have a look at this I Love Lucy short and have a good laugh at some of the inconsistencies of the English language.


Did you catch the quote by Ricky in the title above? Listen again and see if you can hear it.

Music Videos for Kids (and Beginners!)

Little kids will get a kick out of these videos made especially for them! Beginner adults may also like them. Best of all, there are Mac and PC versions. You can save the podcast on your own computer, too. Learn about colors, parts of the body, greetings, and the names of countries in English.
Have fun!

Grammarman to the Rescue!

Read about the adventures of Grammarman. Here are some cute comics that you can read along with. Good sound effects, too. For those who don't care for reading or who want listening practice, watch the movie! Here is a sample:



Go to the grammarman web site for more episodes.

More Videos for English Students

ESLVideo.com - This is a great web site for English students! Watch short videos, according to your level. Beginners included! The Smallest Restaurant in the World, Are You Married?, Ray's Indoor Bike Park - these are just some of the titles of the videos available. A great resource for teachers, also.

Misunderstandings...

The war in Iraq is objectionable, but no matter what your opinion is about it, you can't help but feel for what this guy is going through! Have you ever been misunderstood because of your "accent"? This is a funny video that any English speaker can relate to.

Do You Speak English?

Quite a funny little video! Shows how ridiculous the question "Do you speak English?" is.

Funny Videos

Some funny videos to practice your English with and get a laugh!

More on Listening Practice

CNN Stories Archive is a great place to test your listening and reading skills. You can read, listen to, or watch a clip of the news item. There are interactive activities to test comprehension. The story can be seen in its complete version or its abridged (shortened) version.

A Reason to Learn English

So, why learn English?