How to learn English? (30/30 Challenge)

[casafon]

Hi, torsten
I´have read your projetct of teaching English by menas of skype. Have also thought of giving the possibility to meet english speaking people on Skype ? It would be possible to make something like a "tandem": someone who wants to improve his italian, which is my native language, could meet me on skype and we could talk either in italian end in english. I´ve thought of it because I´m learning english watching the CNN, but it´s only a passive way of learning. In my experience this is not enough, because you need to listen to your voice speaking english and to try to communicate with people.
Bye
Paolo

[Torsten]

Hi Paolo,

Benvenuto and welcome to our forum! It's great to have you on board. I love the sound of the Italian language and the intonation Italians speak with. As for your question, yes I do think that using Skype to practice your language skills is an excellent idea and of course we can start a tandem learning project. The first step would be to describe the advantages of learning Italian through Skype. In addition it would be great if you could tell us more about yourself --when and why did you start to learn English and why do you want to help others learn Italian? Then, we should create a glossary with basic phrases in Italian so learners have something to work with.

What do you think?
Thanks,
Torsten
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[casafon]

Well,
first something about me. I´m learning English for several reasons. Firstly, I need it for my studies. I´m a researcher in hitsory and I it would be great if I could be able to write some articles in English. Secondly, but not of secondary importance, I love english and american literaure, and I´d like to read it in the original language, which I can do by now only with difficulty. And last but not least, it would be nice if I could communicate with people fluently in english.
I tought that through a forum like this I could reach people who want to learn italian and make a tandem. I can´t exactly immagine how to accomplish that. Maybe it would be possible to get contact with similar forum of italian learners, and see if there is some english there. Or are thinking of creating an "italian forum" on this internet site.
Actually I´ve thaught Italian to foreigners for some years, and so I think that I could be a good partner in tandem exchange.
ciao Paolo

[Nola]

Hi Torsten
I am a new comer here in the forum. I love your idea so much and I'd like to share you all that project. It's wonderful, but I'm afraid if it is still working or not cause the last date was in 2006 and now we are in 2008. Hope to be in your project list.

Nola

[Torsten]

Hi Nola,

It's great to hear you like the project. It's never too late to get started and you can enroll right away if you like. What do you think?

Regards,
Torsten
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TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Nola]

Hi Torsten
What a wonderful idea to share you that listening project! The problem is in finding good topics to talk about so, could you please support me with some listening websites?
Thank you

Nola
_________________
Nola

[Torsten]

Hi Nola,

You can google "free internet radio stations" or "free podcasts" to find listening materials. If you have access to English language radio or TV you can listen to English programs every day. In addition, you can buy audio books from Audible.com or other stores.

Let me know what you think.
Regards,
Torsten
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TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Concrete Man]

I accept the challenge

[parisa]

i will done all the things you said. thank you for your helping. you realy motivated me

[geeta]

Hi

Thanks for guiding me. I will try it out 30/30.

[Thiendungvn]

Thanks Torsten!
I really thank for your good Idea! My listenning Einglish skill is very bad. I will begin plan 30/30 for every morning. I hope get more help from you to improve my English skill.
Good luck for you!

[nianiote]

Hi Torsten!

I'm new here. I've decided to follow the 30/30 program from now on.
Today, I listened to the BBC World Service for more than 30 minutes.
The main topic was the arrestation of the Serbian fugitive Radoban Karazich (sorry, I don't know the exact spelling). He was said to be the "Ossama Ben Laden" of Europe.
He was responsible of massacres in two cities during the Serbia/Bosnia conflict 10 years ago. He got arrested last night in a bus in
That's all I have to say for my first post. I'll try to write a lot more tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for your review!

[Ralf]

Hi nianote,

Excellent work, keep it up!

Cheers,

Ralf
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[nianiote]

Thank you Ralf, I'll do my best.

This morning, I listened the news on BBC World Service. There was not really a major topic.
The Serbian criminal said he would handle his own defense by himself at the court. There were some reactions from people in Bosnia about his arrestation. The US Democrat Candidate Barack Obama was to made a visit in both Israel and Palestine. I don't remember the other topics, I have a bad memory
But after the world news, there was a city expert who described the differences in the current growth of cities in China and Africa. On one hand, in Africa, 54% of the economy is still informal, and the cities are not planned at all. People populate the burbs instead of the city itself. On the other hand, in China, the government has enough money to plan.

I watched Sky News this evening. A hurricane called Dolly hit Texas coasts at a speed of 11 miles per hour. Electricity was cut for many houses. At a sports meeting, Asafa powell won a 100m sprint against Bolt.
But what got my attention the most was an incredible story of insurance fraud in England. 6 years ago, the Darwin couple have faked the death of the husband John, to have the wife Ana touch the insurance policy money: 250,000£. John was supposed to have disappeared at sea on his canoe, whereas his wife hid him in their huge house.
They had a flashy lifestyle, built over lots of debts.
John went to panama, and changed his name to John Jones. He got a new passport, new driver license and even bought a catamaran. his wife later joined him in panama and they went to buy a house. The director of the house-selling company even took a picture with both of them. John wanted to live with his wife in panama, and I didn't get exactly why but he needed his true identity back.
He then left panama and went back to england, claiming he had lost memory all this time. But the police found the picture previously taken in panama on the house-selling company website, and knew he was lying. John and Ana were arrested and charged for insurance fraud.
At the court, Ana claimed she wasn't aware of the plot from the start, that she was manipulated by her husband, and that she didn't particularly enjoyed the money. Unfortunately for them, Sky News investigators uncovered tangible proofs against her: records of email communications and skype audio calls between, pictures of ana buying fancy car, etc.
The jury sentenced them to 6 years of jail

I'm exhausted, thanks for the review.

[Sveta]

Hello, I would like to know how can i improve my spoken English? In writting form i understand almost all, but have some problems with spoken((( Maybe you can suggest me something.