Using VOA Learning English/Special English in American Spaces Produced by ECA/A/L, Office of English Language Programs

Description: VOA Learning English/Special English (LearningEnglish.voanews.com) is a site that provides engaging and interesting content based on news and information. Special English is “special” because stories are read at a slower rate of speech than regular VOA English programs. Also, the stories are written at the intermediate and upper-beginner level, and in some cases at lower levels. The content changes regularly. There is something for everyone of all ages and fields of interest, whether learning or teaching English. Additionally, users can access content on foreign policy issues to review, discuss, or debate.

The site provides text and audio (MP3 files) so learners can read and listen to the stories to maximize learning. The social media support is wide-ranging: VOA Learning English has a Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, and a YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/voalearningenglish). Short, captioned videos allow learners to watch and hear a report while reading the rolling script.

The main site has a built-in dictionary (click on any word in any story), a WordBook app for iPhone and Android, podcasts, RSS feeds, and much more.

For lovers of slang and vocabulary, and cultural meanings in an American context, there is the weekly program Words and Their Stories (for example, an episode on "grapevine" featured terms with "grape" in them: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/words-and-their-stories-grapevine/1613738.html)

Those who are interested in American English and linguistics can also use Wordmaster, an entertaining and informative show about language, with audio and texts of interviews in regular speed English. Archives are at http://learningenglish.voanews.com/search/?k=wordmaster#article

Do you want students to learn English through the discussion of current events in the news, including U.S. foreign policy topics? Use the daily "As It Is" news scripts and audio files posted on the home page of VOA Learning English.

Explore the site! Regular use of Learning English will help teachers and learners use and improve their English, while learning about a broad range of topics, in an innovative and creative way.

Technical Requirements for Group Use: Computer access and Internet connection. Printer if available. The stories can be printed or downloaded to a flash drive or burned onto CD or DVD. A good Internet connection will allow users to browse and listen to stories and watch the YouTube channel.  

Technical Requirements for Individual Use: Computer, smartphone or mobile device with Internet access.

Audio Files: You will find the audio controls on the left side of each story, under MULTIMEDIA, below the social media icons. You have a choice to play a story or download an MP3. An audio player appears when you click on either "listen" or "download."

Text of Stories: The easiest way to use this offline is to cut and paste the text into a word processing document.

Needs Assessment: What do your students need or want to know? What is their area of specialization? Browse the site or enter keywords in the search box and choose stories to use.

Using Special English 

4. Decide what activities go best with the story or for your class. Activities like discussion groups, giving speeches based on the topic, vocabulary study, and word games are some of the many options.

5. Now try the YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/voalearningenglish). How can you best use this resource? Over 1,000 short captioned videos on many different subjects are available.

6. Gather participants to use the material. Take this opportunity to preview ECA’s American English website (http://americanenglish.state.gov/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AmericanEnglishatState) as resources to use. Ask participants to "like" the Facebook page. This will 
give you a way to organize activities in advance of the arrival of Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur products, integrating these into American Spaces and other venues.
7. Organize a lesson around a Special English story. You may wish to focus on the story itself, reactions to it, or aspects of the language presented in it. This is a good way to work in foreign policy topics and promote discussion as relates to learners’ lives.

8. Let students work online or explore how they can use the stories working from their mobile devices or CDs you burn for this purpose (or on computers where you have downloaded a number of text/audio files.)

9. You or your participants may be able to take part in a Skype call-in show with VOA in Washington. Watch the VOA Learning English Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/voalearningenglish) for details.