About our Skype Speaking Club

[zymbronia]

Once I started to answer questions about our Speaking Club. I'd like to open this thread to talk about it here.
First of all I would like to remind you that the Skype Speaking Club still exists and is functioning. We currently have four-five sessions a week within my part of the club.
Vitaly provides Advanced Grammar in Use on Thursdays, and Cliff has several sessions a week within his part of the club.
There are also many groups for free chats, however, it is rarely that somebody could initiate a call in those groups.

I invite initiative people to create some new groups and moderate them within the club.

Also after the ceartain event, about which everybody knows, I made up a group of efl.ru members who I hadn't remove from my contact list and this group exists.

Why did I remove a lot of the members -- it is my rule -- I maintain my groups which are divided by topics within 25 participants, and those who haven't turned up without a good reason for over one month must leave the club.

Of course if somebody requests me to add him/her but they didn't answer to my "Hello" for a couple of days - I will remove them immideately without waiting one month. There have been about 200 + people who requested me to add them and never answered to my "Hello".

That is all. There are some rules which I left on efl.ru, and don't want to make up them again. Usually everybody is polite and I didn't have to apply any other rule but this one about regular participation.

Should you have any questions - please ask me and I will be happy to answer them.
My Skype corresponds to my nickname here.

Usually I conduct meetings after work. It could be somewhere between 8.30 and 10 moscow time. A meeting lasts for 1,5-2.5 hours.

I usually invite those who know at least 500 words and basic grammar, but they must be really hardworking to catch up with the others.

Now I can maintain a group for elementary students, but I am afraid that starting from May 1 I will have to limit the number of meetings as I will start my gardening and have less time to talk, but if you decide to moderate some groups - the show will go on without me. It is up to the members how to organise the club.

Good Luck!

[gavenkoa]

Where is a schedule and a description of group activities?

Is it OK not to be present all of 2.5 hours? Is it rude to visit and leave meeting in the middle of session to you?

[gavenkoa]

And one technical question about Skype - when you start call do you make it for all people in list?

Do you maintain separate groups for different activities? So I can join interesting me sessions without been disturbed rest of the time?

[zymbronia]

Is it OK not to be present all of 2.5 hours? Is it rude to visit and leave meeting in the middle of session to you?

If you cannot be in time, you can join after the beginning and leave before the end. It is OK. You don't even have to warn that you are leaving - just leave.
You don't have to stay 2,5 hours. One hour is OK for little practice.

Where is a schedule and a description of group activities?

I don't want to advertise the club at the moment. I'll think of it. Everybody who is participating can see the schedule in our special group "Announcement Group"
I don't explain what we do as I don't have any interests in our activities. Anyway, I have noticed that those people to whom I tried to explain everything, they don't usually participate. I had kept explaining to people our activities for hours and hours and then they said "We don't like. Ciao.", So this September I decided not to explain anything to anybody. Come and see and make your choice.

And one technical question about Skype - when you start call do you make it for all people in list?

I call only a specific group whose members are eager to discuss or do a specific topic and I try to maintain such groups within 10-25 members, so that we have 3-7 people for each session to participate.
I don't call a group of 50 or 100 people - I usually put some messges there.

So I can join interesting me sessions without been disturbed rest of the time?

More or less.
If you put your Slype in red mode you won't be disturbed in any way at any time. You could just see messages but won't hear them coming.

By the way, you said you participated in the club for a while, even though I don't remember you. Are you making fun now by asking me questions?

[tourist]

а Вы там все Гари Потера обсуждаете уже третий год ? Или четвертый?
Вот тоска наверное.

[zymbronia]

Currently we are retelling "His Dark Materials". I can agree that it could be dull to the extend, still it is a good speaking practice. I didn't count how many years we retold the seven Harry Potter's books, maybe it was three years or something like that but eventually we finished it and moved on with some other books.

[gavenkoa]

By the way, you said you participated in the club for a while, even though I don't remember you. Are you making fun now by asking me questions?

No, I told that I practiced with individuals that I found in EFL.RU. I've never been in your speaking club.

Having that there are separate groups for different activities (like group for Harry on Wednesdays and group for tongue twister at Mo/Th) it's make sense to join already sustained groups then look for individuals elsewhere, especially when EFL.RU died which has good enough scores in search engines to bring newcomers constantly which may serve as practice partners...

[zymbronia]

I can give an approximate schedule of our club for next week. However, I haven't verified it thoughoughly. So it could be somehow different.
9 March, Friday, 20.30-22.30 msk, Preintermediate Group. Azar, Chapter 9, 20,000_Leagues_Under_the_Sea-Jules_Verne Chapters 6-10
10 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 55,56, 57
11 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XIV-XVII
12 March, Monday, 21.00-23.00 msk, Upstream Advanced, SB Unit 5,
13 March, Tuesday, 20.30-22.30 msk. Beginner’s Challenge. Instant Discussions. Unit 11
15 March, Thursday, 20.30-22.30 msk, Preintermediate Group. Azar, Chapter 9,
16 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 58,59, 60
17 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XVII-XX


The schedule will be about the same till the end om March or longer. After the time in Ukraine has changed, I will shift the time of meetings as well. In summer time I will start all evening meetings at 10 pm msk or later. However, everybody can set up their own groups or conduct any meetings in the existing groups.

[Tatianka48]

Could you add me, please? You are working with my favourite book - Upstream. Must I attend all sessions or only the ones of my level?

I can give an approximate schedule of our club for next week. However, I haven't verified it thoughoughly. So it could be somehow different.
9 March, Friday, 20.30-22.30 msk, Preintermediate Group. Azar, Chapter 9, 20,000_Leagues_Under_the_Sea-Jules_Verne Chapters 6-10
10 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 55,56, 57
11 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XIV-XVII
12 March, Monday, 21.00-23.00 msk, Upstream Advanced, SB Unit 5,
13 March, Tuesday, 20.30-22.30 msk. Beginner’s Challenge. Instant Discussions. Unit 11
15 March, Thursday, 20.30-22.30 msk, Preintermediate Group. Azar, Chapter 9,
16 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 58,59, 60
17 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XVII-XX


The schedule will be about the same till the end om March or longer. After the time in Ukraine has changed, I will shift the time of meetings as well. In summer time I will start all evening meetings at 10 pm msk or later. However, everybody can set up their own groups or conduct any meetings in the existing groups.

[zymbronia]

Can you request me in Skype?

[Tatianka48]

Can you request me in Skype?

sure

[IlyaShalnov]

Skype group for teachers and polyglots

Let us start a new group for teachers and polyglots, and for those who want to be a teacher or polyglot.

The sessions can start at 21.00 Moscow time (18.00 GMT) on Mondays. The topics will usually be prepared beforehand. The time can be changed.

It can begin as my or somebody’s lecture, but the moment somebody wants to discuss anything it will turn into a discussion. The moment we are through that discussion we can go back to the lecture. Everybody is welcome to share their knowledge or experience.

The first discussion(s) can be about this picture: http://shalnov-school.ru/images/Lingvomap.jpg
Actually, every object of this picture is a topic for a serious discussion. So, we do have what to talk about.

If you want to participate, please, knock to my Skype (ilyashalnov) and I will add you to the group.
And that is the link of the group: https://join.skype.com/oLzFZSxsropP

[zymbronia]

The schedule for next week

18 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XVII-XX
19 March, Monday, 21.00-23.00 msk, Upstream Advanced, SB Unit 5, Listenning p. 106, ex. 2. Multiple choice task
20 March, Tuesday, 20.30-22.30 msk. Beginner’s Challenge. Instant Discussions. Unit 12
24 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 61, 62, 63
25 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Northern Lights, Chapters XX-XXIII

[Katee]

25 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Northern Lights, Chapters XX-XXIII

Which book are you reading?

[zymbronia]

25 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Northern Lights, Chapters XX-XXIII

Next will be The Subtle Knife

[Olga-Belinda]

XX-

I was sure you had done with 20th chapter.

[zymbronia]

I was sure you had done with 20th chapter.

Why were you so sure? Didn't you leave after chapter XVIII? Anna retold Chapter XIX alone. Nobody would want to supprot her. We hesitated to decide whether we had to leave Chapter XIX for the next Sunday too. :) Peaple are losing interest in retelling Northern Lights, it seems.

[maximus]

Peaple are losing interest in retelling Northern Lights, it seems.

Maybe we must just start earlier ?

[zymbronia]

But you cannot start earlier, can you? Moreover, different people can start at different time. Additionally, when spring starts I will psovide my talks later, at about 10 pm msk, so get ready to this shift.

[IlyaShalnov]

For the next meeting (Monday, 22.00 Moscow time)

How to develop our memory and to learn many words

In order to make it rather a discussion than my lecture, here are some questions, statements, topics. Can you guess what they are about and share your thoughts about them?

1. To memorize means to forget the right way.
2. Memory is always involuntary. How can we motivate it?
3. Redundant movements and tensions vs. drawing on the void
4. Pictures, bright images, phonetic associations
5. Three modalities of NLP (three representational systems)
6. Associations
7. Memorizing vs. recalling?
8. How can we improve our recall?
9. We remember everything and forever. Can we prove or falsify this statement? What are the practical conclusions from that? What about right intervals for repeating? What about learning for the future?
10. Double rotation and time spacing (wide beam principle).
11. Vector graphic and memory
12. Phonetic associations
13. Etymology
14. Memorizing words while reading
15. How to activate vocabulary

[Tatianka48]

Zymbronia, could you please post the schedule for the coming week?

[zymbronia]

25 March, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material, Part II, Chapter XX-XXIII
26 March, Monday, 21.00-23.00 msk, Upstream Advanced, SB Unit 5, Next English in Use, p. 110
27 March, Tuesday, 20.30-22.30 msk. Beginner’s Challenge. Instant Discussions. Unit 13
29 March, Thursday, 22.00-24.00 msk. Vitaly's group. Advanced English in Use by Hewings. Units 84, 85
31 March, Saturday, 8.00-9.30 am. msk Phrasal Verbs in Use Units 64, 65, 66
1 April, Sunday, 9.00 pm. Msk His Dark Material

ПС: это приблизительное расписание. Что-то может меняться.

[aqvamarina]

Please could you renew scheduale.

[zymbronia]

8 June, Friday 22.00-24.00 msk His Dark Material, SUBTLE KNIFE, Chapters XVI-XVII
9 June, Saturday, 7.30-9.30 am. msk Enterprise Unit 2
11 June, Monday, 22.00-24.00 msk, Upstream Advanced, Unit 6, SB
12 June, Tuesday, 21.30-22.30 msk. Beginner’s Challenge. Instant Discussions Unit 21

[Арина]

zymbronia, подскажите, пожалуйста, действует ли еще Ваш клуб?