An interesting discussion often arises when students are asked in what city they would want to live if they had to move, for example, to get a good job.  If they could get the proper visas, many choose New York City – no surprise here! – or other places like Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans  – even Portland, Oregon.  Favorite cities in other parts of the world are Paris, Rome, Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Montreal, and a number of others.

An effective job search requires an honest assessment of one’ skills, desired job settings or environment, and the rewards that are offered.

Among skills that are important are working well with people, computer literacy, understanding how people interact.

Work environment can include indoors/outdoors, office positions, city/suburbs/countryside.

Job rewards result from a decent living wage, medical benefits, retirement, getting to know people, seeing people learn.

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Depending on an English learner’s first language, descriptive adjectives are not difficult to form.  There is no singular and plural spelling, and masculine/feminine/neuter gender remain the same:  for example, tasty hot dog – tasty hot dogs, friendly man, friendly woman, friendly child, friendly restaurant.  The same convenience applies to possessive adjectives:  his job/her job/their job/his jobs/her jobs/their jobs.

See, English is not always so difficult!

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On the topic of money and finances, Tuna, an Academy student from Istanbul, has put together some thoughts on spending:

                Managing money can be a difficult task at times.  It is always good to make a plan.

I have $2500 to spend on my new apartment.  There are certain things that I need.  The three most expensive that I will purchase will be a CD player, a video game player, and a large floor rug.  The least expensive will be a bookcase and a used couch.

I’ll enjoy designing my apartment.

 NEW YORK ENGLISH ACADEMY

The people of the United States observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 25 this year.  For many people, it may seem like a good opportunity to take advantage of department store discounts, but the significance of this holiday is in the remembrance of all military service members who have given their lives in defense of the country since its birth in 1776.  Among various commemorative events taking place in New York City, one of the most popular is Fleet Week.  The public is invited to tour several Navy ships docked at Hudson River piers.  Sailors in white uniforms come ashore to visit the Big Apple, some for the first time.  People offer their thanks to these service members when they encounter them on the street.

Students at New York English Academy practice writing in a number of styles, such as business, essay, formal, informal…

Since we are in a city famous for its Broadway, script and role-play dialogues are also appropriate, especially as acted out in the classroom in an amusing manner.

Here is an imaginary conversation between Luana (the Employer) from Brazil and Laure (the Boss in a medical facility) from France:

Luana:  Good morning, Ms. Laure, how are you?

Laure:  Good morning, Luana.  I’m fine…and you?

Luana:  I need to speak with you about my job.  You have time now?

Laure:  Yes, of course.  Come into my office.

Luana:  I think I work very well.  I have been working here for a long time.  I have saved many lives and I have a PhD.  Now I need a promotion.

Laure:  Yes, you are a good nurse and you have a lot of experience, but you already have many  advantages, like a good schedule, a good team, and the security of a health plan.  We don’t have enough money for you…so sorry.

Luana:  I need more money!  If you don’t give me this opportunity, I’ll have to get out of this hospital.

Laure:  Oh, OK…I’ll try to speak with my partners about a possible promotion for you.

Luana:  OK, I’ll wait for your answer.  Now I will return to save more lives.  See you!

Laure:  Good job!

 New York English Academy

Students in Level 2 have been talking and writing about the differences between organic and regular produce, locally-grown and well-traveled fruit and vegetables.

Class discussion brings about many opinions on the quality and expense of food to be found in New York City.  Ordinary supermarkets provide a large variety of produce from many parts of the world, but is this type of produce free of chemical preservatives?  Then there are “natural foods” stores which claim to have more healthful selections at greater expense.

Many New Yorkers shop at the Farmers’ Market in Manhattan’s Union Square to buy locally-grown produce.  Some students say that they have also found fresh, tasty items that are brought to the city from farms in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, upstate New York, and Long Island, available at a number of other similar markets throughout the five boroughs of NYC.

In this northeastern part of North America, farm vegetables are more readily obtainable from June until September.  New York State is famous for its apples, especially fresh and tasty in early autumn.  Do you think that there is any connection here with  “The Big Apple,” one of NYC’s nicknames?

                Farmers’ market food can be more expensive than what you would find in a supermarket.  However, the freshness and overall quality of local food here are usually superior to that of fruits and vegetables that have been shipped from countries halfway around the world, or even from Florida and California.

With study of this topic, new words and phrases were added to the students’ vocabulary:  local, pollute, environment, it’s worth it, in season, out of season, and many more.

 New York English Academy

Do you like living in a city, suburb, countryside? Why or why not?  Federica, who comes from Messina, Sicily, shares her thoughts on this topic.  (Her ESL teacher has checked her spelling, grammar, and punctuation and has offered corrections with light editing):

I like in a small town in the South of Italy.  Sometimes I think that is perfect for me.  I know all of my neighbors; the stores are [very] close to my house; there isn’t [much] traffic; and there is a great sense of community.  But often I have thought that it is so boring because nothing happens.  Maybe this is the reason [for me] to move myself [interesting expression!] from a small town to a metropolis like New York.  I like meeting different people from many countries and [hearing] different languages.

I love the architecture of [New York City].  It isn’t clean [the author’s opinion], I know, and it is noisy, but it is called “the city that never [sleeps]” for this reason!  I love walking in the street and raising my eyes to the sky to see the tall buildings.  It offers something new to do at all hours.  It’s so big, but there is a lot of public transportation to move [around] every part of the city.  It is [sometimes] not safe, especially in [certain] areas.  All big cities have [positive and negative aspects]; you have to take the best things!  At this time, I prefer to live in a big city.  Maybe, when I am old and tired, I will move to an isolated and quiet place like the countryside!

Your instructors at New York English Academy will help you improve your English skills in every area: speaking, listening, spelling, punctuation, grammar, reading, and – perhaps the most challenging of all – writing!

 New York English Academy

What do you pack when you are going to study English in New York City? And what do you leave at home? Many students make the mistake of packing too much (bringing things they don’t need) when preparing to study at New York English Academy, while other students do not pack essential items that make life easier.

Follow our list of what you should (and shouldn’t) bring with you to New York and you are one step closer to being completely prepared for your time as an ESL student in the Big Apple! (more…)

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC is often called “America’s Attic” because it contains a treasury of artifacts from well before the origins of the United States of America – and even before European colonization – up to the present day.

The National Museum of the American Indian in New York City, regularly visited by NYEA classes, is a branch of the Smithsonian housed in a former Customs House in Lower Manhattan, within a few minutes’ walk from our Academy.  There are many programs offered by this museum to illustrate the long history and the ongoing traditions of the original people of North and South America.

The cultures of the people that we mistakenly call “Indians” are presented in exhibits of artifacts and clothing, music and video, and often live presentations of dance.

                Level 2 classes have been studying and discussing endangered cultures and languages.  Do you know that there are more than 6000 languages in existence today?  And that a number of them are disappearing year by year?

In the United States and in many other countries, elders in various native communities attempt to keep their traditions and languages alive by instructing young people in their ways of life.  All too often, however, children and teens want to stay “Americanized” and resist the efforts of older people to persuade them to maintain ancient customs.

Come join us at our beautiful facility in the Wall Street/Financial District of New York City and learn more about these ancient cultures which originally came from Asia to the American continents more than 30,000 years ago.

 New York English Academy