Blogging my learning process

September 3rd

Surfing in Internet I’m listening to the BBC Radio 5. Simon Mayo speaks to his Scottish guest about Caribbean cuisine and restaurants in the UK.
After that British news follows. Crime in London, West Midlands and Chelsea discussed. (Time: 30min.)
The ideas are in not in learning vocabulary or get detailed information about the subject. The idea is in hearing how the native speak and getting the larger picture of what’s talked about. Switch to the Radio 4. Open Country is on air. The talk goes about the caves –their beauty and mysterious atmosphere (listening to birds, hearing people voices). The BBC journalist travels though the region with different people: historian, photographer… (Time: 25 min.)
Today the aims of my leaning in English classes have been listed. Not only language skills are included. Look below:

AIMS FOR MY LEARNING

1. Have a British Academic pronunciation.

2. Speak with no pause longer then a second.
3. Be able to use the informal and formal registers.
4. Be able to read fictional books of the English and American authors from the 19th century till now.
5. Face only several unknown words in the newspapers and magazines on all topics apart from technique and economics.
6. Have no spelling mistakes.
7. Do not translate grammar and lexical structures from Russian.
8. Be able to structure a 300-500-word essay.
9. Know the most popular set phrases.
10. Understand for 99% the speech of the English.
11. Be good at summarising, self-promotion, persuading and portfolio-building.
12. Use a dictionary on its limits.


Overlooking Bernard Shaw’s play The Devil’s Disciple I read in August I write several words out I like, giving them explanation in English or accompanying them with examples from the Longman dictionary. The procedure helps me remembering them.
Here you find the book:
http://www.archive.org/details/threeplaysforpur00shawrich

These are:

- wretched
- drop off
- You’ve plenty of excuses.
- good-for-nothing
- disgrace
- Leave everything on my shoulders.
- downright
- I mean no harm.
- The scum of the earth.
- wretch
- merciful
- in mourning
- idle
- chatter
- In the presence of smb.
- humble