Preparing for your Skype call

How to introduce myself?

Greet with smile

Maintain eye contact

Tell them your name

Ask for the other person’s name

Repeat the other person’s name

How to have a great conversation?

Relax and forget about yourself

Listen

Ask questions

Use a friendly tone

Choose your words and questions carefully

Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his thought, nor speak on top of it

Compliment the other person

Thank them for a great conversation

How to handle a difficult question?

Personal, intimate question

I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.

Question you don’t know the answer

I have no idea. Question you didn’t catch

Can you repeat the question? Question you don’t understand because of

unfamiliar words or question structure

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you mind telling it in different words?/What do you mean by…?/What does…mean?

How to improve speaking?

Listening and reading aloud

Writing

Networking and making friends

Greeting people on the street

Having small talks in public

Watching foreign movies with English subtitles

Joining one-on-one conversations, conversation and common interest groups

Resources

Daily Conversations:

http://www.worldenglishclub.com/daily-english-conversations

EBooks:

http://www.gutenberg.org

Phrases and Expressions for Speaking:

http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.html

How to improve listening?

Speaking to English speakers

Watching TV and movies

Listening to radio

Reading audio books

Singing English songs

Practicing pronunciation

Joining conversation groups/one-on-one conversations

Resources

Listening Lab:

http://www.esl-lab.com

Listening Activities:

http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html

Audio Books:

http://librivox.org

http://www.audiobooks.org

http://www.audiobooks.net

How to improve comprehension?

Reading picture books or comics

Reading newspapers and magazines

Asking questions during conversations

Watching TV and movies

Browsing English websites

Consulting dictionaries

Constantly learning new words

Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms

Knowing grammar

Resources

Idioms:

http://www.idiomconnection.com

Slang Words:

http://www.eslcafe.com/slang/list.html

Reading Comprehension Exercises:

http://www.englishcorner.vacau.com/reading/reading.html

Listening Comprehension Exercises:

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/

Vocabulary Games:

http://www.vocabulary.co.il

How to improve pronunciation?

Listening to native English and imitating

Reading along with audio books

Speaking, being corrected or asking for correct pronunciation and repeating after

Paying attention to letter combination sounds, stressed syllables, word linkage and intonation

Training speech organs position, shape and movement of English sounds

Resources Accent School:

http://www.accentschool.com/run_software.html Some Pronunciation Rules:

http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/index.htm

http://www.fonetiks.org Pronunciation Exercises:

http://www.pronunciationworkshop.com/pronunciationexercises.htm

http://www.englishmedialab.com/pronunciation.html

http://www.learnersdictionary.com/pronex/pronex.htm

http://www.manythings.org/pp/ Dictionaries with Pronunciation:

http://www.merriam-webster.com

http://www.howjsay.com

http://www.thefreedictionary.com

http://dictionary.cambridge.org

How to improve grammar?

Reading, listening, writing and speaking

Using subject-verb structure

Differentiating questions from statements

Understanding parts of speech

Practicing verb tenses

Knowing words beyond their meaning

Learning phrasal verbs

Doing grammar exercises

Quizzing yourself

Resources

www.eslflow.com

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

http://www.onestopenglish.com

http://www.waze.net/oea

http://www.englishclub.com

http://www.eslgold.com

http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-printables-worksheets.html