LET'S TALK!

We will have FOUR TEAMS in our class: WHITE TEAM, YELLOW TEAM, ORANGE TEAM, and BLUE TEAM. Find your name from the list below.

Last Name	First Name	Team			Last Name	First Name	Team
Davalos	Sandra	Blue			Anikana	Liubov	White
Leon Roa	Daniela	Blue			Anikana	Maria	White
Marin	Yoseli	Blue			Barrera	Anthony	Orange
Novobranets	Ievgen	Blue			Bekker	Eileen (Ru)	Orange
Ogando	Anny	Blue			Boufares	Tahar	White
Rodriguez Mendez	Gladys	Blue			Caballa	Henry (Peru)	White
Solano	Natalia	Blue			Cao	Rosie	Orange
Tanimura	Masayasu (Masa)	Blue			Choi	Myung Cha	Yellow
Barrera	Anthony	Orange			Cruz	Mildred	Orange
Bekker	Eileen (Ru)	Orange			Davalos	Sandra	Blue
Cao	Rosie	Orange			DeCastro	Pamela	White
Cruz	Mildred	Orange			Dmytro	Malinnikov	Orange
Dmytro	Malinnikov	Orange			Flores	Fortino	Orange
Flores	Fortino	Orange			Ikeda	Yukari	Orange
Ikeda	Yukari	Orange			Jimenez	Josefina	Yellow
Kim	Svira (Uzbek.)	Orange			Kim	Felix	Yellow
Momeni	Azar	Orange			Kim	Svira (Uzbek.)	Orange
Yu	Francois (Fangqiang)	Orange			Leon Roa	Daniela	Blue
Anikana	Liubov	White			Liu	Xiuling	White
Anikana	Maria	White			Marin	Yoseli	Blue
Boufares	Tahar	White			Matin	MD Abdul	Yellow
Caballa	Henry (Peru)	White			Momeni	Azar	Orange
DeCastro	Pamela	White			Novobranets	Ievgen	Blue
Liu	Xiuling	White			Nunez Abreu	Andrino	Yellow
Rostami	Jila	White			Ogando	Anny	Blue
Wu	Karen	White			Rodriguez Mendez	Gladys	Blue
Yuan	Li Jun (Ch)	White			Rostami	Jila	White
Sansal	Merien	White			Sansal	Boualem	Yellow
Choi	Myung Cha	Yellow			Sansal	Meriam	White
Jimenez	Josefina	Yellow			Solano	Natalia	Blue
Kim	Felix	Yellow			Tanimura	Masayasu (Masa)	Blue
Matin	MD Abdul	Yellow			Tepale	Rosa	Yellow
Nunez Abreu	Andrino	Yellow			Ward (Oyama)	Michiyo (Jp)	Yellow
Sansal	Boualem	Yellow			Wu	Karen	White
Tepale	Rosa	Yellow			Yu	Francois (Fangqiang)	Orange
Ward (Oyama)	Michiyo (Jp)	Yellow			Yuan	Li Jun (Ch)	White

SATURDAY MARCH 28, 2015

1. What do you think about the weather this winter? Do you think our weather is changing? Why do you think it is or is not?

2. Do you think the economy is getting better or worse? Are you feeling better off and have a higher standard of living than your did, say, 5 years ago? Why is this?

3. What do you do to stay healthy? Are there things that Americans should do to become part of a healthier nation?

4. Families in some countries have many children - maybe 6, 7, or 8. In other countries they have one or two children. What do you think is the ideal family size? Why? Do you think the government has any role in regulating the number of children a family may have?

5. Spring is here - it started last Saturday. What plans do you have for the spring and summer? And for the next couple of years (couple = 2)?

MARCH 21, 2015

Welcome to Roger, Annie, Renee and Sara.

Our topic today: TIME MANAGEMENT and TIME SAVING DEVICES

1. Would you say you manage your time well? How could you improve?

2. Do you think such devices as Microwaves, dishwashers, and washing machines help you manage your time? What are the main advantages when using these applicances? And disdvantages?




SATURDAY MARCH 7, 2014

Let's Talk about city life and the community using TIME CLAUSES UNTIL and AS SOON AS

Example:
What will you do after class today? As soon as class is finished I will go pick up my daughter from school.

1. What will you do after class today?

2. What sort of things do you usually do at weekends?

3. Have you made plans to visit your country this year?

4. What do you think is the most important things children can learn at school? And from their parents or grandparents?

5. What is your favorite season of the year? Why do you like it so much? Can you describe what happens when the seasons change?

6. Describe a part of your childhood when you were happy. What made this period in your life so good?


The Community.

1. New York City has great parks, schools, and Libraries. What do you think are the most important community services for a city?



2. Which community services do you, and your children if you have any, use in New York?



3. How do community services in the U.S. compare with community services in your country?



4. Being a police office or firefighter are tough and stressful jobs - but ther provide an essential community service. Would you support a friend of family member who was thinking about a career in one of these important services?



5. Many people volunteer their time in the community. Some work in hospitals or schools, some in the library or at museums. If you have some free time, would you like to volunteer? Where would you offer your services? Why?



6. Many times older people are left to stand on the subway or bus, while young people or children are occupying seats. What do you think of this situation? How would you change it if you could? Do you think everyone has the right to sit down, even if more needy people are forced to stand?

crowded indian train.jpg

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 21
Topic: Health and Stress

1. Stress is often a reaction to changing events in our lives. When have you (or someone you know) experienced stress?

2. What do you think are the best ways to control stress?

3. Is life in the U.S. more stressful than life in your country? Is it less stressful? Or is it about the same?

4. What are some of things about New York City that you find stressful? What do you think should be done to alleviate stress?

5.

6.

7.

8.





SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7
Topic: HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND LIEFSTYLE.
We will be joined by Sara, Rene, Roger and Annie who will be your conversation leaders from 12:15 to 1:15pm.
YOUR CONVERSATION LEADER WILL FACILITATE DISCUSSION ABOUT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. American society wants for very little. Do you think Americans appreciate how fortunate they are?
2. If you could change one thing about your own personal lifestyle, what would it be? And why?
3. People say that Americans are too concerned about work and money, and don't pay enough attention to family and home life. Do you agree? Why? Why not?
4. Many people become addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, etc. Do you addiction is a disease? Or is it a habit that people should be able to control? Do you think the government should pick up the tab for treating addicts?
5. What do you think is the ideal family size? Why?
6. Life in the US can be very stressful. What are some things you do to keep your stress levels down?
7. Some cities are introducing laws which limit the size of sugary drinks to 16oz. NYC tried to do this but the law did not pass. Do you think it's a good idea to limit the amount of sugar in the public diet? Do you think the government has the right to pass such laws/ Why? Why not?
8. Comparing the lifestyle in your country and here in the U.S., which would you say is more healthy?
9. Obesity and Diabetes are big problems in many western countries. Why do you think this is? What do you think should be done about it?



SATURDAY JANUARY 31, 2015

CLASS WILL BE GROUPED INTO FOUR TEAMS - EACH WILL SPEND TIME DISCUSSING A NEW TOPIC EACH WEEK. This week's topic: Welcome to America! Please try to talk as much as you can - it will help you to learn and improve your English.

1. People come to America for many different reasons. Why did you come to this country?

2. What's the first thing you noticed when you arrived in the US for the very first time?

3. Is New York the same as you expected, or different? Why?

4. What's the most difficult thing about arriving in a new city or country? What are your experiences?

5. Why did you decide to study English at the New York Public Library?

6. Was it easy or difficult to find somewhere to live?

7. Do you think you will stay in the United States for a long time? Or do you have other plans?

8. What do you think about the weather here in New York City?

9. What do you miss the most about your own country?