Trump Targets North Korea, Iran, Venezuela in UN Speech

  U.S. President Donald Trump warned world leaders of “rogue regimes” with powerful weapons in his first address before the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday. The president had his strongest words for North Korea, which faces U.N. sanctions because of its continuing missile and nuclear programs. He said, if the U.S. is threatened, “We will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” He also called the North Korean leader, who often attends missile tests, “rocket man” saying he was on “a suicide mission.” North Korea did not immediately answer comments in the speech. Trump thanked China and Russia for voting to sanction North Korea. But the president added, "It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would arm, supply and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict." Iran, Cuba and Venezuela The nuclear deal with Iran was another one of the president’s main targets. Trump said the 2015 deal, which released billions of dollars to Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, did not help the U.S. He said it was one of the worse and most one-sided transactions in U.S. history. He called the deal an embarrassment and suggested that the U.S. would reconsider the international agreement. “I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it,” he said. Speaking of countries closer to the U.S., Trump said he would not end U.S. sanctions on Cuba. Trump especially criticized the government in Venezuela saying its leader had pushed a “failed ideology” on its people. “We cannot stand by and watch,” Trump said. And he called on other Latin America countries to help deal with the crisis there. Trump explains America first policy The speech was an attempt to explain the “America First” policy that Trump has offered since he campaigned for the U.S. presidency. A main theme of the speech was to call for all members of the United Nations to strengthen their own sovereignty. He told the assembly that he would put America first, “Just as you, as the leaders of other countries, should put your citizens first.” He told the leaders and diplomats from 193 member nations: “I will defend America’s interests above all else.” But he also noted, “But in fulfilling our obligations to other nations we also realize it’s in everyone’s interest to seek a future where all nations can be sovereign, prosperous and secure.” He identified conflict in Ukraine and disagreements in the South China Sea as threats to sovereignty. The U.S. president opened his comments by praising gains in the American economy including record high stock market values and employment numbers. Trump also praised the U.S. military. He said with a budget of almost $700 billion it would soon “be the strongest it has ever been.” Immense promise and great peril The president noted that world leaders face economic promise but also many dangers. “We meet at a time of both immense promise and great peril,” he said. He praised U.S. gains made against the extremist group ISIS in Syria and other places saying the U.S. had made more progress in a few months than it had in many previous years. Trump called for a political solution that honors the will of the Syrian people. The Syrian conflict has caused millions of refugees to flee violence in that country. Trump thanked Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon for hosting refugees. But Trump added warnings about uncontrolled migration as being deeply unfair to both the sending and receiving country. The U.S. president spoke for about 41 minutes with few breaks for clapping from the audience of world leaders and diplomats. Trump is from New York, a place he called his “hometown.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the General Assembly meeting. In his comments, he also warned of the danger of North Korea’s weapons. Guterres said world crises need answers that are developed cooperatively. “We are a world in pieces,” Guterres said. “We need to be a world at peace.”   Mario Ritter wrote this story for VOA Learning English with some materials from Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   regime –n. a government, a ruling group sanction –n. measure put in place to cause a country to obey international law, usually by limiting or banning trade imperil –v. to put in danger transaction –n. an business exchange or deal obligations –n. things that are required to be done by law, custom or agreement sovereign –adj. having independent power to govern prosperous –adj. to have success immense –adj. to a great degree, very large We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Explainer: Grand Jury

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Dealing With Back-to-School Stress: Part 2

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. It is back-to-school time in the United States. Back-to-school stress is different for different ages. Younger children may feel scared to leave their families. Making new friends and dealing with bullying can also cause stress for students. Older students may stress about their appearances, grades and getting into college. School events and programs can help reduce stress Many schools have events and programs that can help to cut down on student stress. Some offer open houses. At these events, parents can meet the teachers and see where their children are learning. At the start of a school year, many schools invite students and their families to orientations. These events give everyone a chance to become more familiar with the environment. Families can practice their school commute. Students can find out where their classrooms are located. The American Psychological Association says parents can better help their children if they meet teachers and classmates and know the daily routine and school environment. For younger children, seeing their parents in their classroom can help make it seem more familiar. And even older students can benefit from events and activities that make the school seem like a friendly place. Making connections in the classroom Many schools have mentoring programs. In these programs, older students help younger ones understand the rules and culture of the school. Communicating with students is also good advice for teachers. Mary Anne Aidala began teaching in the New York school system in 1962. She retired 39 years later, in 2001. Ms. Aidala suggests that teachers share details about themselves. These personal conversations can help to create meaningful connections in the classroom. They can also reduce nervousness and stress among the students. Ms. Aidala adds that teachers should also invite children to talk about their families and describe what they did over the summer. “Well, the teacher has to be very open. The teacher has to tell them something also about herself, so they feel a connection. And then you can ask them if they want to share some of the things that they did in July and August with their families or friends, or camp experiences, activities that they were in and places that they might have visited.” The American Psychological Association also reminds parents to talk to their children. Ask them what they liked about their past school experiences. And then find ways to have similar experiences in the new school year. The APA adds that, sometimes, stress of the school year is too much for you and your child to handle on your own. If that happens, find a mental health professional to talk to. Don’t schedule to many activities for your children Carrie Anne Tocci is an educational consultant who has worked with families to help their children to succeed in school. Ms. Tocci advises parents to: not over-schedule your child with extracurricular activities use technology to remind you of events and to keep schedules organized and to set clear goals “Well, starting the new school year, we want to be mindful about not overloading our schedule. So, only the extracurricular activities that are mandatory. I also recommend using technology when it’s helpful, you might want to use the reminders app on your phone and your child’s phone, maybe Google Calendar, sync your phone with Google Calendar … and to have specific goals and to visualize those goals with your child.” Ms. Tocci also suggests that if someone in the family has a learning style close to that of the student, that person could help with homework. This relationship may help cut down on stress.  Take a break! Everyone needs a break from work. Family meals and outings can help everyone relax. A family game night or walk in a park together can give parents and children a chance to have fun as a family. Education adviser Carrie Anne Tocci also reminds parents to let their children take a break while doing homework. She says if a student has hours of homework to complete, taking several 10-minute breaks can reduce stress. Ms. Tocci adds that taking breaks while studying can help a student remember, or retain, what they have learned.   “It's really, really important to take breaks. If you don’t take breaks, we’re more likely to create more stress. And research shows you’re more likely to retain information that way.” The teenagers who responded to the APA survey listed the ways they like to unwind or relax. The top most common ways are: listening to music (67%) playing video games (46%) going online (43%) spending time with family or friends (43%) exercising or walking (37%) And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.   If you are a student, teacher or parent, how do you reduce your stress during back-to-school time? Let us know in the comments sections. Anna Matteo wrote this piece with reports and surveys from the American Psychological Association and other websites. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding with this short quiz. ​_______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   open house – n. an event in which an organization (such as a school or company) invites the public to visit in order to see the things that happen there orientation – n. the process of giving new and returning students (and sometimes their families) training and information about the school environment, rules, process and expectations mentor – n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person extracurricular – adj. extra activities that are not part of the regular schedule of school classes mandatory – adj. required by a law or rule specific – adj. precise or exact visualize – v. form a mental picture; imagine retain – v. to keep something in your memory especially for a long period of time

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Protests Continue After 80 Arrests in St. Louis

  A racially mixed crowd of demonstrators marched quietly Monday morning in the American city of Saint Louis, Missouri. The demonstrators were protesting a court decision to drop charges against a white former police officer in the shooting death of a black man. The march followed three days of peaceful protests and three nights of violence in St. Louis. The unrest began when a judge said he found Jason Stockley not guilty in the 2011 death of Anthony Lamar Smith. The former officer had been charged with killing Smith after a car chase. Prosecutors accused Stockley of placing a gun on the body. They also said video recorded from his car during the chase captured the officer saying that he was planning to kill Smith. The judge ruled that the lawyers had failed to prove the shooting was not a justified use of force in self-defense. Protests started peacefully on Friday, with hundreds of people gathering in the streets of St. Louis. They held signs and shouted the words, “No justice, no peace.” Some made their way to police headquarters, calling for police resignations. On Sunday, more than 1,000 people had gathered at police headquarters and then marched without trouble through the center of the city. Protesters also marched through two shopping centers in a wealthy area of St. Louis County. By sunset, most protesters had gone home. Those who remained grew increasingly angry as they returned to downtown St. Louis. Along the way, they broke windows and damaged other property. Police accused some demonstrators of firing an unknown substance on officers. Police said they seized weapons and arrested more than 80 people after demonstrators ignored orders to leave the area. Police chief Larry O’Toole told reporters early Monday that some people attacked officers and threw stones at them. “We’re in control,” O’Toole said. “”This is our city, and we’re going to protect it.” Racial tension in the St. Louis area is not new. In August 2014, two weeks of protests began in Ferguson, Missouri, after a white police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man. That November, the decision not to charge the police officer fueled another week of protests. And a third protest was held in 2015 on the anniversary of Brown’s death. I’m Caty Weaver. This story is based on reports from the Associated Press and VOANews.com. George Grow adapted the information for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   prosecutor – n. the government lawyers that argue against the accused  

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Brazil Investigates Possible Killing of Uncontacted Tribe Members

The Brazilian government has opened an investigation into the deaths of 10 members of an uncontacted indigenous tribe. Gold miners reportedly killed the tribe members in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Officials in Amazonas opened the investigation after learning that the miners had talked about killing members of an uncontacted tribe. Brazil's National Indian Foundation said some of the miners were detained for questioning, but no deaths yet have been confirmed. The reports come on the week of the 10-year anniversary of the United Nations' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The document brings attention to the situation of indigenous people and creates standards for their survival and well-being. But advocates in Brazil say recognition of indigenous rights is making slow progress in the country. About 900,000 indigenous people live in Brazil. They are spread out among 300 tribes and speak many different languages. Indigenous tribes lack many basic rights, activists say Native people struggle in the South American nation. Leaders and advocates say many do not have property rights. They may face violence from miners, ranchers and loggers. And there is little money for protecting indigenous people’s interests. However, more than 10 percent of Brazil’s land is recognized territory for the indigenous population. Most of that land is in the rainforest of the Amazon River. The UN declaration offers support for land demarcation, which provides some form of land rights to indigenous people. Alberto Terena is a Brazilian indigenous leader. He told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, "We see our rights being violated all the time…We depend on the land to live.” He added, “With no demarcation, there is no health, no education. There is just a piece of land with heaps of people." Joana Chiavari is an expert at the Climate Policy Initiative in Brazil. She said the process of land demarcation, to protect indigenous land, has resulted in violence. Erika Yamada is a U.N. expert on indigenous rights. She said the number of killings of indigenous people in 25 nations increased by 100 percent to 281 in 2016 compared to the year before. She added that the number of killings in 2017 is, in her words, “likely to be even more alarming.” Some say invasions of indigenous territory have been increasing as Brazil cuts spending. Officials say the budget cuts are measures aimed at bringing Brazil out of its worst recession in decades. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Jonathan Evans adapted this story from VOANews and Reuters reports. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   standards –n. ideas about what is correct or acceptable advocate – n. a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy demarcation – n.  that which shows the limits or edges of something indigenous – adj. produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region or environment

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'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'Saturday Night Live' Win Big at Emmy Awards

  This is What’s Trending Today… Hollywood honored its biggest stars of television Sunday night at the 69th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California. The Handmaid’s Tale was one of the night’s major winners.  It took the prize for best drama television series. And its star, Elizabeth Moss won for best lead actress in a drama series. She plays one of the few fertile women left in a totalitarian world. The best comedy series award went to Veep, a show about a fictional U.S. politician. It was the third win in a row for the series. Julia Louis Dreyfus, the star of Veep, won for best comedy actress for the sixth time in a row. She now has more Emmys for the same role than any other actor. Several other stars made Emmy history Sunday, as well. Lena Waithe became the first African-American woman to win for comedy writing. She won for her work on the Netflix show Master of None.  ​Donald Glover became the first African-American to win for comedy series directing. He earned the honor for his work on the show Atlanta. And Riz Ahmed became the first Asian man to win a best actor award. He won in the limited series or movie group for his work on The Night Of. He played a Pakistani/Iranian-American college student who is accused of murder. Saturday Night Live won the most Emmys of any show this year. It won the Emmy for best variety show. And the actors who play President Donald Trump and former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton -- Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon -- both won Emmys for supporting roles in a comedy. Trump a big part of show Trump was a major subject throughout the award show. Comedian Stephen Colbert was the host of the show. At the start, he made several jokes about Trump. He recalled the president’s comment about never having won an Emmy for his work on the reality TV show Celebrity Apprentice. Colbert joked that Trump would not have run for president if he had been able to win the top U.S. television award. The president’s former press secretary, Sean Spicer, made a surprise appearance Sunday night. He rolled out onto the stage on an electric version of the White House lectern, from where he used to take questions from members of the media. Another Saturday Night Live cast member, Melissa McCarthy, won an Emmy for playing Spicer. In her television impersonation of Spicer, she often used a motorized lectern. On Sunday night, Spicer himself declared this year’s awards show the most-watched Emmys ever, mocking his own false statement about a record audience for Trump’s inauguration in Washington eight months earlier. And that’s What’s Trending Today…   VOA News and the Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drama - n. a play, movie, television show, or radio show that is about a serious subject and is not meant to make the audience laugh totalitarian - adj. controlling the people of a country in a very strict way with complete power that cannot be opposed comedy - n. a play, movie, television program, novel, etc., that is meant to make people laugh fictional - adj. written stories about people and events that are not real : literature that tells stories which are imagined by the writer variety - n. a type of entertainment that has many short performances (such as dances, skits, and songs) which follow one another and that are not related lectern - n. a stand that holds a book, notes, etc., for someone who is reading, speaking, or teaching impersonate - v. to pretend to be (another person) mock - v. to laugh at or make fun of (someone or something) especially by copying an action or a way of behaving or speaking __________________________________________________________________ Full List of Emmy Award Winners:    Drama Series: “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Directing, Drama: Reed Morano, “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Actor, Drama Series: Sterling K. Brown, “This is Us.” Actress, Drama Series: Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Supporting Actor, Drama Series: John Lithgow, “The Crown.” Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Ann Dowd, “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Comedy Series: “Veep.” Directing, Comedy: Donald Glover, “Atlanta.” Actor, Comedy Series: Donald Glover, “Atlanta.” Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep.” Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, “Saturday Night Live.” Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live.” Variety Talk Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” Variety, Writing Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” Variety Sketch Series: “Saturday Night Live.” Writing, Drama: Bruce Miller, “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Limited Series: “Big Little Lies.” Directing, Limited Movie or Special: Jean-Marc Vallee, “Big Little Lies.” Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Riz Ahmed, “The Night Of.” Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies.” Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Alexander Skarsgard, “Big Little Lies.” Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies.” Writing, Limited Series, Movie or Special: Charlie Brooker, “Black Mirror: San Junipero.” Directing, Variety: Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live.” Writing, Comedy: Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe, “Master of None.” Reality Competition Program: “The Voice.” Television Movie: “Black Mirror.”

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Workers on Seasonal US Visas Tell of Abuses

  United States officials say the country needs more foreign workers to keep some American businesses from struggling. The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to make 15,000 additional H-2B visas available. It says businesses can use the visas to offer employment to temporary, non-agricultural foreign workers before the end of September. The decision comes as Congress is considering ways to fix the immigration system. Many lawmakers say they want to reform the system, while guaranteeing jobs for U.S. citizens. Yet many groups argue that current federal rules fail to protect foreign visa holders from discrimination and other abuses. The Center for Migrant Rights or CDM is one of them. It notes the rules do not protect the visa holders from job misrepresentation, payments to employment agencies and even cheating by an employer. American businesses use the H-2B visa when offering seasonal employment to non-immigrant foreign workers. But the work must not be agricultural. And, businesses must show evidence that there are not enough American workers willing and able to perform these services. Four women who came to the United States on H-2B visas were part of a group discussion last week in Washington, D.C. The CDM organized the event to raise awareness about a system it says often treats human beings like property. Adarelo Hernandez is a former H-2B worker from Hidalgo, Mexico. At the discussion, she said, "In the workplace, there were about 80 of us, women, and we had a hard time." Hernandez said she looked for a job for two years before finally receiving an H-2B visa to work at a chocolate packing factory in Louisiana. Inequality in the workplace Men who worked at the factory earned higher wages by carrying and handling boxes. Women, however, had to pack chocolates on assembly lines. Hernandez said the women were not given time away for sickness. "We weren't able to make complaints, because if we did make complaints, we were threatened by the manager," she said. "We were told we didn't have a right to file complaints, because we didn't have rights here in the United States." But, after four seasons as an H-2B visa worker, Hernandez and about 70 other workers fought for better work conditions. She said that although conditions improved, the company decided not to give her or her co-workers jobs again. The statement of Hernandez and 34 other worker stories is part of a report about gender inequality in U.S. labor migration programs. CDM and the University of Pennsylvania Transnational Legal Clinic worked together on the research. One suggestion in the report is that all temporary labor migration programs be required to follow the same rules and protections. The goal is to stop abusive employers and recruiters from avoiding legal punishment for worker abuse.   The Economic Policy Institute says about 1.4 million people are recruited to work in the U.S. each year through temporary work visas. These include: ·        H-1B for specialty jobs ·        H-2B ·        J-1, the exchange visitor program ·        and TN for Canadians and Mexicans in specialized jobs under the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA These visas may be different, but immigration and labor organizations report that recruited foreign workers face common abuses. In 2015, the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security took action against abuse within the H-2B system. Its hope was to prevent the abuse of workers and ensure that U.S. workers knew about available jobs. Rosa's story "Rosa" is a doctor who specializes in treating animals. She asked that her real name not be made public for fear of punishment. She was unable to join the CDM event because the U.S. government rejected her request for a tourist visa. But she provided a statement that was read during the event. "Although the U.S. government had no problem offering me a TN work visa at the employer's request, it won't allow me to visit the country as a tourist," Rosa's statement said. "Anyway, that's not going to stop me from sharing my story." Rosa is a former TN visa worker. She received permission for an animal scientist position in Wisconsin. She was excited about the chance to work at a place where she would use skills she gained as a graduate from a top Mexican university. Rosa says her employer was dishonest. They promised her specific wages and then failed to pay them, her statement said. They were also abusive. "The supervisors would yell at us constantly and tell us that our visa was only good for obeying orders," she said. "I cleaned animal troughs, unloaded them from trucks. As the only woman, they would also give me jobs they considered 'women's work,' cleaning the bathroom or the kitchen." Protecting American workers Rachel Micah-Jones is the head of CDM. She said foreign workers need protections, including the right to understand a written agreement before signing one with a U.S. company. Immigration conservatives agree about the need to protect visa workers, but they also express concern about the needs of American workers. Jessica Vaughan is director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies. She said she agrees these visa programs can be good. But, she says, there is a "big problem" with employers giving jobs to workers they can pay less and who may replace American and legal immigrant workers. Vaughan told VOA the solution is not necessarily to end the programs, but to change them and for government agencies to do a better job of enforcing laws. I'm Bruce Alpert. And I'm Alice Bryant.   Aline Barros reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   awareness - n. the act of knowing that a situation, condition or problem exists packing – adj. of or related to putting something into boxes or containers assembly line – n. a series of workers and machines in a factory by which a series of the same items is progressively put together complaint – n. a formal charge saying that someone has done something wrong gender – n. the state of being male or female recruiter – n. someone who finds suitable people to join or work at a company or organization yell – v. to say something very loudly because you are angry, surprised or trying to get someone's attention trough – n. a long, shallow container from which cows, pigs, horses and other animals eat or drink

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Before United Nations Meeting, US, South Korea, Japan Show Air Power

  The United States, South Korea and Japan carried out military exercises with warplanes over the Korean Peninsula Monday. At the same time, world leaders were gathering for the United Nations General Assembly meeting. Russia and China also began joint naval exercises in the area adding to the military presence near the Korean Peninsula. The actions follow North Korea’s test of a middle-range missile which flew over Japan Friday. The U.S. Defense Department said two bombers and four fighter planes flew over the Korean Peninsula and fired live weapons during a test. South Korean defense minister Song Young-moo said the joint exercises are being carried out “two to three times a month.” Later, the planes joined four Japanese F-2 fighter planes over the sea near the island of Kyushu, Japan. The U.S. Pacific Command said the exercises support “the ability to respond to any threat in the Indo-Asian Pacific theater at a moment’s notice.” The official Chinese news agency Xinhua said that Russia and China began naval exercises near the eastern port of Vladivostok. Xinhua online said the naval exercises are to extend to the Sea of Okhotsk, North of Japan. Reuters news service says the joint naval exercises are the second part of related maneuvers between the countries in the Baltic Sea. Tension remain high near the Korean Peninsula On September 3, North Korea carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council answered one week later by approving a resolution placing stronger sanctions on the North. The issue of North Korea is expected to be discussed during this week’s United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York. United States President Donald Trump has warned that he would not let North Korea threaten the U.S. or its allies. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, has said North Korea’s continued weapons tests present a serious security problem. “What is really important with North Korea is that we try and push through as many diplomatic options as we have,” she said. However, she added if economic pressure does not work, there might be little more that the U.N. can do. China and Russia have called for a diplomatic solution and restarting talks. On Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the most recent sanctions on North Korea were just approved. He called on all parties involved to put the sanctions into effect “strictly, rather than complicating the issue.” Lu added that China supports improved relations between the two Koreas. On September 11, the U.N. Security Council voted to place stronger restriction on North Korea. They include limits on North Korea’s oil imports and a ban on its exports of clothing products. The sanctions are meant to further pressure North Korea to end its nuclear and long-range missile programs. North Korea denounced the UN resolution calling it an “inhumane act of hostility” against its people, system and government. North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said the country would not give up its weapons programs. The UN sanctions appear to be having an economic effect on the country. Reuters news agency reports that prices for gasoline and diesel fuel appear to have increased sharply since the latest nuclear test. I’m Mario Ritter.   David Jones reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional material from Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sanction –n. measure put in place to cause a country to obey international law, usually by limiting or banning trade theater –n. an area, such as a large geographical area, where action takes place options –n. two or more possible actions that can be chosen from maneuvers –n. a set of planned movements or actions by military groups meant to show and develop skill We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.  

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Let's Teach English Unit 3: Speaking Skills and Pronunciation

Welcome to Let's Teach English. This series offers free online training for English language educators worldwide. Voice of America and the University of Oregon are partners on this project. In this lesson, the teacher show how to teach speaking skills. Summary In this lesson, the teacher helps students to overcome specific pronunciation problems.  We join the class near the beginning of the unit, as they are talking about photos of different women. They have learned the new words in a previous class. The teacher uses the learning strategy personalize. This strategy helps learners to relate new concepts to their own experiences. Students personalize as they identify their individual pronunciation challenges. The teacher offers methods to help them correctly pronounce their problem sounds.   Teacher Preparation Video Transcript This episode shows a model of teaching pronunciation. Click on the image below to download a pdf of the transcript.   Women Teaching Women English Text Click on the image below to download a pdf of the student text and teacher manual. At the end of the ten-unit course, the whole book will be available for download.​ Women Teaching Women English Listening These audio files go with Unit 1 of Women Teaching Women English. Click on the "Direct Link" button to the right of the player to download them. Conversation:   Reading: ​ What Do You Think? Let us know what you think about this course. Email us or write your comment in the comments section below. Poll   ​

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September 18, 2017

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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Lesson 3: I'm Here!

Let's Learn English is a course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. There are 52 lessons. Every fifth lesson, there is a review of the previous lessons. Each week, there is a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email. Summary Anna is in her new apartment. She wants to cook dinner. She tries to call Marsha for help. Speaking Listen to the teacher in the video. Use your computer or phone to record yourself saying the words. Use this video to practice the new words for this lesson, learn how to answer the telephone, and practice asking for someone. Download the worksheet and practice speaking English by asking and answering questions about addresses.   Pronunciation Practice shortened sounds with the verb BE using this video.   Conversation   Anna: I am in my new apartment! Great! I live with Marsha. We’re roommates. I want to cook dinner. Oh! Hmmm. Is there a supermarket near here? Marsha knows. Marsha's work number is 555-8986. Man: Hello. Anna: Hello. Is this Marsha? It is Anna. Man: I am sorry. You have the wrong number. Anna: Oh. Is this 555-8986? Man: No. This is 555-8689. Anna: Oh. Excuse me! Man: Okay. 'Bye. Anna: One more time. 555-8986. Please be Marsha. Marsha: Hello. This is Marsha. Anna: Yes, Marsha. I want to cook dinner. Marsha: Excuse me? Anna? Is that you? Anna: Oh, yes. I am here! Marsha: Good. You are there. Anna: I want to find a supermarket. Marsha: Oh, okay. The supermarket is at 1500 Irving Street. It is near the apartment. Anna: Great! Goodbye! Marsha: Goodbye, Anna. (Later) Anna: There is a big supermarket on our street. And Marsha says I am a good cook! Until next time! Bye! Writing Click to download the Activity Sheet and practice writing the names and addresses of friends or classmates.  Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The strategy for this lesson is Look for Ways to Practice. Good language learners are always looking for new and different ways to practice using the language they want to learn. Here is an example of a learner who uses this strategy. Alex wants to be more confident when he speaks English. He downloads podcasts of conversations in English. When he is walking or riding in a car he listens and repeats each sentence he hears. He writes text messages and emails in English, using the new words he wants to learn. Every day he talks with anyone who will speak English with him. Sometimes people ask him, "Did you live in an English speaking country?" because he is so confident in using English. Alex laughs and says "Someday!" and looks for more ways to practice. For more information on using this strategy, see the Lesson Plan. How about you? How do you find ways to practice speaking English? Write us an email or leave a comment in the Comments section.   Listening Quiz See how well you understand the lesson by taking this quiz. Each question has a video. Play the video and choose the correct answer. __________________________________________________________________ New Words   cook - v. to prepare (food) for eating especially by using heat dinner - n. the main meal of the day excuse - v. to forgive someone for making a mistake or doing something wrong find - v. to get or discover something or someone that you are looking for here  - adv. in this place or at this location live - v. to have a home in a specified place near - adv. close to something or someone sorry - adj. feeling sorrow or regret supermarket - n. a store where customers can buy a variety of foods and household items there - adv. in that place or at that location want - v. to desire or wish for something wrong - adj.­ not suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose, situation, or person ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. This week, use it to practice writing addresses in English. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and resources. Send us an email if you have comments or questions.   Grammar focus: Place pronouns: here, there Topics: Apologizing: sorry, excuse me Learning Strategy: Look for Ways to Practice Speaking and Pronunciation focus: Contractions with BE; polite telephone expressions Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson. ​

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