Connect with English
A Night Out/First Day of Class (#109)
Pt. 1- Rebecca and Alberto meet Alberto's family, the Mendozas, who are now close to retiring from their family restaurant. Alberto has a divorced brother, Ramon, with a young son, Alex. Ramon suggests Rebecca take a job with his son's after-school program.
Grammar lessons: can and could (ability, possibility); can you/could you/would you (requests); can, could, and may (permission).
Pt. 2- Rebecca finds her first day of classes at the San Francisco College of Music intimidating and expensive. She likes the after-school program a lot and meets Alex and his friend Vincent Wang. Meanwhile, Alberto is working on a deal with some investors who want to buy his parents' restaurant.
Grammar review: direct object nouns and pronouns; grammar lessons: direct object infinitives: affirmative and negative statements; direct object infinitives: yes/no questions and short answers. [26 minutes]
This show aired...
Information For Teachers
- Grade Levels
- 9-12+
- Curricular Areas
- Literacy & Languages
- Adult Education
- Series Length
- 25 episodes
- Average Episode Length
- 26 minutes
- Record Rights
- Record only; no duplication allowed
- Visit the Website for Teacher Resources
- http://www.learner.org/resourc...
Visit the IPTV Education website to access timely, relevant resources for your classroom.
Series Description: Through the story of Rebecca, an aspiring singer, this English language learner (ELL) series touches on life's important issues: leaving home, parenting, education, work, love, success, and loss. All of the characters use meaningful, natural language that students can put to work immediately in their own lives. Each episode features dialogue that is slightly slowed down and subtly simplified. Key lines are repeated, idioms paraphrased, and important events retold. There are constant visual clues to meaning, such as written signs, notes, and documents. Closed captioning may be used as a teaching and literacy resource.
Watch it Online http: //www.learner.org/resources/series71.html
All Upcoming Episodes
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Unexpected Offers/The Audition (#122)
Pt. 1- Ramon sends Alex to Los Angeles for Christmas. Vincent Wang considers a job offer in Taiwan. Ramon visits Rebecca to deliver a gift from Alex. He starts to invite Rebecca to spend... [26 minutes]
- Sun, May 26, 3:00 AM on IPTV
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Dreamcatcher/Gifts (#123)
Pt. 1- When Rebecca returns from her audition, Nancy advises her to clear up the situation with the Mendoza brothers, or the family history of two brothers estranged over a woman will repeat... [26 minutes]
- Sun, May 26, 3:30 AM on IPTV
-
True Love/Friendship (#124)
Pt. 1- Rebecca and Ramon exchange Christmas gifts--and a kiss. Ramon suggests they spend New Year's together. Back in Illinois, Brendan and Anne suggest that Kevin visit his sister for the... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 2, 3:00 AM on IPTV
-
The Lost Boys/A Very Good Year (#125)
Pt. 1- Alex and Vincent go ice skating on their big night, and Alex falls and hurts his ankle. Meanwhile, their families search everywhere for them. Finally, Mrs. Wang receives a call from the... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 2, 3:30 AM on IPTV
-
Introduction/Rebecca's Dream (#101)
Viewers meet Rebecca Casey, an aspiring young singer. We also meet her boyfriend Matt, who doesn't think much of her dream, and her brother Kevin, who doesn't think much about the future at all.... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 9, 3:00 AM on IPTV
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Differences/A Visit to the Doctor (#102)
Pt. 1 finds Rebecca applying to music schools. Her father, a widowed, disabled firefighter, worries that she is choosing a chancy career, and that Kevin may not graduate. Rebecca's best friend... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 9, 3:30 AM on IPTV
-
Celebrations/Breaking the News (#103)
Pt. 1- Kevin graduates from high school, and Rebecca is accepted into the San Francisco College of Music. After telling Sandy the good news, she plans to confront her father about his health.... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 16, 3:00 AM on IPTV
-
Saying Goodbye/Leaving Home (#104)
Pt. 1- Rebecca gives her final music lesson while her father secretly goes shopping for a car to give her. After her last softball game, the team gives Rebecca a farewell present, and Rebecca... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 16, 3:30 AM on IPTV
-
The Stranger/The Motel (#105)
Pt. 1- When Rebecca reaches the Southwest in her cross-country drive, the car breaks down on a deserted road. She worries when a stranger approaches. He turns out to be a photographer, Alberto, who... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 23, 3:00 AM on IPTV
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Negotiations/Photos and Farewells (#106)
Pt. 1- The car repairs will cost $800 so Rebecca sells the car to the garage for $550 and plans to take the bus all the way to San Francisco. Grammar lessons: simple present tense, yes/no... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 23, 3:30 AM on IPTV
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A New Home/Meet The Discussion Group (#107)
Pt. 1- Rebecca arrives in San Francisco, and is surprised to discover that her godmother Nancy keeps other boarders and that she will have to pay rent as well. Grammar lessons: simple past tense,... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 30, 3:00 AM on IPTV
-
Job Hunting/A Bad Day (#108)
Pt. 1- Rebecca has a difficult time getting used to life with other boarders at Nancy's house. At school, Rebecca learns that her work-study program has been canceled so she goes on a job... [26 minutes]
- Sun, June 30, 3:30 AM on IPTV
Past Episodes
These episodes of Connect with English aired in the last few months on Iowa Public Television.
- The Pressure's On/Sharing Feelings (#121)
- Thanksgiving/Starting Over (#120)
- Changes/The Farm (#119)
- A Breakdown/A Call for Help (#118)
- A Box of Memories/The Missing Car (#117)
- Grief/Life Goes On (#116)
- Bad News/Brothers (#115)
- Review/The Emergency (#114)
- The Retirement Party/The Phone Call (#113)
- A Difficult Decision/Guitar Lessons (#112)
- The Picnic/Prejudice (#111)
- Casey at the Bat/The Art Gallery (#110)
- A Night Out/First Day of Class (#109)
- Job Hunting/A Bad Day (#108)
- A New Home/Meet The Discussion Group (#107)
- Negotiations/Photos and Farewells (#106)
- The Stranger/The Motel (#105)
- Saying Goodbye/Leaving Home (#104)
- Celebrations/Breaking the News (#103)
- Differences/A Visit to the Doctor (#102)
- Introduction/Rebecca's Dream (#101)
- The Lost Boys/A Very Good Year (#125)
- True Love/Friendship (#124)
- Dreamcatcher/Gifts (#123)
- Unexpected Offers/The Audition (#122)