Teaching & Academics
Language
ESL
Speak English Like a Native: Troubleshooting Course for ESL
4.0 (579 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
9,293 students enrolled

Speak English Like a Native: Troubleshooting Course for ESL

English language students, learn conversation skills with over 50 video lectures in this Basic English language course.
4.0 (579 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
9,293 students enrolled
Created by Gabby Wallace
Last updated 10/2016
English
Preview this course
Speak English Like a Native: Troubleshooting Course for ESL
Current price: $34.99 Original price: $49.99 Discount: 30% off
5 hours left at this price!
Buy now
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
This course includes
  • 5.5 hours on-demand video
  • 17 downloadable resources
  • Full lifetime access
  • Access on mobile and TV
  • Certificate of Completion
Training 5 or more people?

Get your team access to 4,000+ top Udemy courses anytime, anywhere.

Try Udemy for Business
What you'll learn
  • To troubleshoot selected topics in English as a Second Language
  • To improve key points in pronunciation
  • To understand typical conversation skills, phrases and idioms common in American English
  • To review confusing grammar points
  • To introduce independent study skills for life-long success
  • To add / review selected groups of words in your vocabulary
Requirements
  • Basic understanding of the English language
  • Watch video lectures online
  • Open pdf files for review
Description

This is an introduction to troubleshooting ESL skills: Basic English Language Course.  Its purpose is to fill in gaps in communication and give you knowledge of important topics like American culture and social skills, as well as trouble spots that are often skipped over in the English language classroom. It is a highly unique and extremely helpful smattering of solutions - but is not intended as a complete ESL course, nor is it for complete beginners.

Over the past 10 years of teaching adults and college students English as a Second Language, from my classes for beginners to intermediate and advanced students, I have made a note of common challenges. This collection of 60 of the best video lesson responses to these challenges are now organized in sequence with supporting materials and quizzes to help you, the learner, follow along and see your progress.

  • Includes a sampling of troubleshooting solutions across several  topics
  • This basic English language course includes 60 video lectures from 1 to 7 minutes long each, supplementary text materials (explanations to review and worksheets for practice), and quizzes
  • You can complete this basic English language course at your own pace. If you watch one video per weekday, you complete the course in 3 months. If you study intensely for 3-4 hours each day, you can complete the course in two days.

You will benefit from this Basic English Language Course if you are:

  • A high-beginner, intermediate or advanced English learner
  • Looking for a unique, engaging and easy to follow course
  • Looking for a springboard to accelerate your English skills for social, professional or personal reasons
  • Interested in American English culture, idioms and pronunciation

This course is not recommended for:

  • Very low level beginners in English
  • Students looking for a traditional, textbook-based, complete A-Z English course
  • Students under 13 years old
  • Students not interested in social situations, professional English use, or American English

Take this Basic English Language Course right now and improve your English skill. 

</p>
Who this course is for:
  • High beginner, intermediate or advanced English language learners
  • ESL learners who intend to use English in social, professional or academic settings
Course content
Expand all 78 lectures 05:43:27
+ – Introduction
3 lectures 05:33
In this lecture you will meet your lecturer and learn about what topics are included in the course. 
Meet Your Teacher and Course Topics
Preview 02:57
7 Steps to Fluency
Preview 01:28
Let's Meet!
Preview 01:08
+ – Listening
3 lectures 11:42
What is active listening and why is it important? Find out if it is different in your native language and in English.
Active Listening Skills
Preview 02:24
Active Listening Quiz
5 questions
5 Examples to Improve Your English Listening and Speaking
Preview 07:21
How to learn more and improve your English
01:57
+ – Speaking & Pronunciation
7 lectures 25:26
Why is volume important in communication? Have you ever thought about how to use your body to control your voice volume? Learn speaking tips from the Theater Department at my University!
Volume and Voice Control
02:23
R and L are challenging sounds for ESL students from several different language backgrounds. Take a look at how we use our mouth, tongue, teeth and lips to make the sounds correctly.
Challenging Sounds: R and L
02:54
P and B are challenging sounds for many English language learners. Learn the specific differences between them, how to use your mouth to produce each sound correctly, and practice with word pairs.
Challenging Sounds P vs. B
05:09

Shi and si can be difficult to differentiate for some ESL students. Take a look at some examples and learn the differences.

Challenging Sounds: Shi and Si
03:35

Choose "True" if the words are homophones (pronounced the same) or "False" if they are not.

Pronounced the same?
29 questions
Watch this quick video lecture that illustrates a misunderstanding between Gabby and a salon staff person from India, where vowels are often pronounced shorter than in American English. Practice your understanding of long and short vowels with the supplementary materials below.
Long vs. Short Vowel Sounds
02:01
Do the words rhyme? Select True or False.
Rhyming pairs
9 questions
Learn a few of the rules for stressed syllables. You will understand a pattern that can help you pronounce many other similar words.
Improve Your Stress & Intonation
05:32
We have touched on stress in individual words. Now let's look at stress in a phrase or sentence. Stress creates a rhythm in a phrase, and sometimes that changes how we pronounce words together. See one example in the lecture, then practice with the supplementary materials.
Linking Sounds in a Phrase
03:52
+ – Best Conversation Skills
9 lectures 28:09
The last lecture in our conversation section deals with how to smoothly end a conversation. Learn three commonly used phrases.
How to End a Conversation
03:32

Top tips on how to prepare for a successful interview.

Tips for Job or College Interviews
2 pages
Generally the most difficult interview question, "Why did you leave your last job?", can be the question that makes or breaks your chance for success. See an example of how to answer in a positive way.
How to Answer the Toughest Interview Question
02:48
"Actually," "like" and "you know"... these words are commonly used as fillers, words that fill in silence, show that you are thinking, and hold your place in a conversation. Even though they don't have any meaning as fillers, they are really useful!
Fillers - Actually, Like and You Know
03:17
These are not the typically shopping phrases you learn in English class. You will learn a phrase that is commonly used in the US but that most foreign students do not understand. Let's troubleshoot and get it down!
Phrases for Shopping
02:21

Love or loathe it we all have to do it. This quiz helps you to sound natural when out shopping.

Going Shopping
5 questions
This lecture will help you to deliver your ideas in an organized way.
How to Organize a Formal Conversation or Presentation
02:21
Some people and cultures enjoy expressing their opinions directly, while others prefer an indirect communication style. Americans generally prefer direct "low context" communication. Learn more in this lecture.
Express Your Point Quickly
04:15
This lecture will give you the tools to deal with difficult questions.
Presentation Skills - Defer Questions
04:23
How can you give your opinion directly when it is negative? Learn how to honestly and tactfully express a negative reaction.
Give Your Opinion, Feedback, Criticism
05:12
+ – Vocabulary
4 lectures 16:07
Learn a few small words that add a big punch to your descriptions.
Intensifier Vocabulary
04:03
Wow your audience! Use adjectives that set your descriptions apart from the over-used descriptors "good" and "nice."
Describe an Experience
06:23
What is a collocation? Why are collocations important? In order to speak naturally and to be quickly understood by others, you should understand what collocations are. In this lecture, you will see a few common examples.
Common Words that Go Together
02:53

Which words commonly go together?

Collocations
12 questions
What difference does the little word "at" make? Actually, it completely changes the meaning of this phrase! Learn how in this short, focused lecture.
Transitions: First vs. At First
02:48
+ – Phrasal Verbs
2 lectures 05:08
You may think you know these verbs, but be careful with the little prepositions that come after! The little words make a big difference. Let's troubleshoot three of the most common and most often forgotten phrasal verbs.
Common Verbs that Need Prepositions After
02:56
This is one example of a phrasal verb, included here because it has so many uses, yet I've found that many ESL students don't use it. Watch the lecture to see how to use it, and try it out in your next conversation.
Phrasal Verb: To Break Down
02:12

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition to complete the phrasal verb. Leave blank if the verb does not take a preposition after.

Phrasal Verbs Quiz
5 questions
+ – Idioms
4 lectures 12:50
"Make a Mistake" in Idioms
05:04
Sports idioms are very common in American English, the most popular of which come from baseball. Learn how to use several of them in this lecture.
"Baseball" Idioms
02:54
This sampling of idioms includes several that include the word "hat" as a central theme. These idioms are highly usable!
"Hat" Idioms
03:21
To See Eye to Eye
01:31

Fill in the blank with the word that best completes the idiom.

Idioms Quiz
7 questions
+ – Grammar Tips
10 lectures 36:02
Troubleshoot this common error: make sure that when you ask for a definition, you ask correctly!
Correct a Common Mistake - What means...?
02:40
My family "have" or "has" ?
02:10
A dead give away that you are not a native English speaker is the way that you express fractions. There is rarely enough time in traditional English language classes to learn fractions, so you may not know the correct way to express them. Watch and find out if you are correct!
Correct a Common Mistake Expressing Numbers
03:09
The prepositions "in" and "on" are often confused. Dates are a good spot to start troubleshooting.
In vs. On for Dates
02:58

Take this quiz to test your knowledge of some of the trickier ways we describe periods of time and quantities in English.

Numbers and Dates
10 questions
Do you speak English good or well? Find out in this lecture which is the grammatically correct expression.
Grammar Tip: Good vs. Well
03:31
What is the difference between specially and especially? Find out how to use them in this video lecture.
Specially vs. Especially
03:04

Modal verbs are tricky because the way we use them can vary depending on the context. Choose the most appropriate modal verb in each of these sentences:

Modal Verbs
8 questions
Find out how to use modals of different strengths.
Modal Verbs Explanation
06:54
My students often ask me for examples on how to use the present perfect. See several examples here.
Present Perfect Tense
04:34
Learn how to use "should" and "should have" in the context of taking a vacation.
How to Use Should vs. Should Have
03:43
To finish the section, here is a quick tip for more advanced structure in your sentences. Using clauses is considered an advanced grammatical device. Conquer this lecture and you will be an English super star!
Adjective Phrases & Clauses
03:19

Check your understanding of the grammar section. 

Grammar Quiz
10 questions
+ – Writing Tips
4 lectures 14:44
Learn a highly recommended way to organize your thoughts when you respond to a writing or speaking test prompt.
Tip for Tests and Responding to Prompts
03:45
If you are writing an academic paper, it is very important to cite sources accordingly. Even in conversation, you can make your speech more colorful by using different vocabulary to indicate who said something. Learn a few different ways to tell who said what in this lecture.
How to Quote Sources for a Paper
03:05
What is the best opening for your email or letter? Learn more here.
How to Start an Email or Letter
04:39
What is the best closing for your email or letter? Learn more here.
How to End an Email or Letter
03:15

Choose the most appropriate greeting for each of these examples:

How to address people when you're writing to them
10 questions
+ – Extra: Study Skills Tips
4 lectures 18:23
To begin our vocabulary building section in the study skills tips, here is a quick tip: keep a special notebook just for collecting vocabulary, which you can review anytime.
Study Tip: A Vocabulary Notebook
02:15
Connecting ideas helps us to remember them. Connect the vocabulary you already know to new vocabulary words and it will rapidly increase your active and passive vocabulary use and understanding. Learn how to make a Vocabulary Map.
Study Tip: How to Build Vocabulary
04:42
Organizing your vocabulary words will help you to remember them. You can organize them in many different ways on paper. Here's one way that you can start using today.
Organize Vocabulary by Connotation
04:27
Positive or Negative Connotation?
28 questions
Setting a clear goal helps us in many ways. You can stay focused and also see your progress. Learn how to make a SMART Goal in this lecture.
Set a SMART Goal
06:59
What is a SMART Goal?
6 questions