We have been making some formatting changes to improve readability. I have also started moving the Vocabulary and Sample Sentences from the transcript page to the main activity page to make the lessons easier to navigate.
In addition to formatting changes, we have also been working on creating more listening activities for the site. Here are the ones we posted in January:
As I have stated before, I started my website 28 years ago in 1998, and I never thought I would still be running AND developing my website after all this time, and yet, last year saw some of the greatest changes and additions to my site. Here is a short list of developments in no particular order.
Variable speed control – This feature was really huge in adding the ability for users to control the audio playback of conversations for more fine-tuned listening. Take a look at this feature in action – https://www.esl-lab.com/easy/family-recreation/.
Grammar Lessons – Although the main focus has been on listening, I wanted to expand its application to grammar as it relates to listening and speaking. There are 55 lessons at three levels (https://www.esl-lab.com/grammar/). There is also a section of problematic word pairs that often trip up students.
Agree/Disagree Statements – Teachers often look for warm-up activities to spark conversation. Now, most of my listening conversations have time.
Social media content – We have been publishing social media content to inform and promote my website content.
Social media reels – I have also been experimenting with short learning ideas and tips in the form of short video reels, now found on different platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Numerous website enhancements – We have spent a lot of time adjusting website formatting issues, style changes, and navigation tweaks to improve content usability.
Content organization – We made a big change in how the listening activities are organized. For 25+ years, they were arranged in alphabetical order, but that didn’t help visitors find what they want and need. This past year, we rearranged the order of activities by topic. I think it makes more sense to have it that way. Take a look – https://www.esl-lab.com/easy/.
Many more tweaks have been made, and we look forward to more exciting changes in 2026.
It has been an eventful year! We have made significant additions, changes, and revisions to the website, perhaps the most in any single year. As examples, we added the new Grammar Lessons section to the site, created a large number of new audio activities, and variable speed control (Yeah!) to most lessons so you can have greater control over the audio playback. This has been a requested feature for years, and we were able to make that happen. A giant leap in new functionality.
This year, my oldest child has created engaging social media posts, revised webpages, tweaking code, and brainstormed new ideas. Aubrey has done recordings for years, and it is great to have this kind of support to make the website’s content more engaging and accessible.
We’re excited to continue making more content and adding new features next year.
In the last few years, we have made it a tradition to share a list of our holiday-related listening activities. I hope you will find it useful in your study or teaching.
We are working on making some minor updates to the formatting of the website content to improve readability. We have also posted several new listening activities this month. Check them out:
I am currently working on the additional content for the grammar section that I mentioned in our last update. We are on track to start publishing the new lessons in the next couple of weeks. These short lessons will focus on common grammar mistakes, starting with words that are often confused (for example, effect vs. affect).
Links for “Next” and “Previous” lessons have been added to the grammar section, most of the listening activities, and the English culture videos. This will also be added to other sections of the website.
The listening activities have been updated to group them by category. Alphabetical order is still available for those who prefer the old order.
Variable speed control has also been added to all listening activities on the site to give students and teachers more control over audio playback. I am also working on making some minor formatting changes across the site to improve readability.
In content news, we are working on adding new listening activities to the site. We are also looking at adding some more content to the grammar section of the website. Check out: Could I Have Your Name, Please?
Several important changes are happening on my site.
First of all, I am going back to some of my classic recordings and restoring the audio (removing background noise, clips, hisses, and so forth) to provide the best audio quality possible.
Here is one example.
The old audio file with our son, Joshua.
The restored audio file. Do you hear a difference?
This will be a slow process over time, starting with the easy section, but I am committed to giving teachers and learners the best possible experience.
In addition, a great deal happened over the summer, and here are two major updates to my website. First, I have added a new grammar section with over 50 new lessons, audio recordings, explanations, self-assessments, and games.
The other upgrade has been adding variable speed control to many of my listening activities, so teachers and students have greater control over the audio playback. I have started this process with the easy and intermediate listening activities, and this will spread across the website over time.
Over the summer, I developed my newest section of my website on grammar, focused on improving students listening and speaking skills by seeing connections between grammatical accuracy and comprehension.
Here is a video tutorial on how to use these lessons. Enjoy!
Summertime is often when I find time to relax and also find opportunities to generate new ideas for future projects . . . and this summer has been no different. Our family spent time at a high-mountain lake and had a family reunion in a cabin in the perfect location to play games, go for a hike, and go tubing down a river.
That said, I have also been working a brand new section of my website that focuses on the connection between grammar and listening/speaking, and these activities will be available in August. Stay tuned.
One of the newest additions to my website is a section of pre-listening questions that stimulate discussion. Here is one example for the listening activity, A Fun Day. These should help energize your classes with lively discussion and learning.
Speak Up, Take a Stand! Instructions for Getting the Conversation Started
These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.
In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and self-assess your progress.
Watching TV together is a good family activity.
It’s always better to go outside for fun and not stay inside.
Going on a picnic is always fun, no matter the weather.
Playing video games together is a great family bonding activity.
It’s better to plan a fun family activity ahead of time than do it without planning.
Everyone in the family should do the same activity, even if they don’t like it.
Playing sports together is the best way to have fun as a family.
Ah, spring is in full spring with summer heating up here in Utah. Just like spring, I have been pondering new ideas for the future.
First of all, I’ve added new pre-listening discussion questions, designed to engage students in coversation before they do my listening activities. Watch this video for more details:
Also, I am considering packaging some of my content into bundles or individual lessons that teachers could purchase for educational or commercial use. This is an exploratory survey to determine the interest and viability of such a project.
Each lesson would contain the media file (MP3 or MP4) and the activities for each lesson (pre-listening exercise, vocabulary, comprehension questions, post-listening questions, and transcript) as found on my website, and will also include additional material.
No personal information is collected as part of this survey, and you are NOT required to leave your email unless you want to be contacted.
Whatever I decide, my websites will continue to provide free access for everyone just like I have done for the past 27 years.
