Groundhog Day
February 2nd is a small, fun/silly holiday called Groundhog Day. You may see it mentioned on the news – especially during the weather report. According to legend:
- If the groundhog sees his shadow on Feb 2nd, there will be 6 more weeks of winter
- If he doesn’t see his shadow, there will be an early spring
The most famous groundhog is named Punxsutawney Phil – in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Did Phil see his shadow this year? Yes, he saw his shadow. Here’s the ceremony …
There’s also a popular romantic comedy movie called Groundhog Day that you might enjoy watching.
Pronouncing February
Is it FEB-ROO-ARY? or FEB-YOU-ARY? Both are acceptable, but it is more common to hear someone say FEB-YOU-ARY 
.
Here you can listen to a variety of people pronounce “February” on YouGlish.
And here’s a YouTube video about the different pronunciations…
Martin Luther King
Monday January 16th is the Martin Luther King Day holiday. Martin Luther King spent his life working for equal rights for African Americans, and all Americans. He was an important civil rights leader and minister whose work helped lead to new laws against racial discrimination.
King’s most famous speech was at a protest rally for equal rights – in front of 250,000 people in Washington DC in 1963, which became known as the “I Have a Dream” speech.
Here’s a link to the entire 17 minute speech on YouTube.
Spring 2023 ESL Classes at FAESL – New Student Lottery Information
>> The lottery signup for Spring 2023 English classes has closed.
Framingham Adult ESL will have a limited number of spaces for English classes in the Spring 2023 semester.
You can sign up for one or more of these 4 lotteries for a space in ESL class:
- Morning class (Tue, Wed, and Thu 8:45-10:45)
- Online
- In-person (in Framingham)
- Evening class (Tue and Thu 6:30-9:30)
- Online
- In-person (in Framingham)
> To enter a lottery, you must be able to attend all days, arrive to class on time, and live in Massachusetts
The link to register for the lottery is available now at the school’s website FAESL.ORG
Deadline to sign up is midnight Tuesday, January 3rd.
HiSet and Citizenship Classes
- HiSet (GED) Classes – on the school website, you can fill out a form, and someone will contact you with more information
- Citizenship Classes – on the school website, you can fill out a form and someone will contact you with more information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How will I know if I win?
There will be a drawing on Facebook live on Thursday, January 5th at 11am.
If your name is selected in any of the lotteries, the school will text or call you soon after the Facebook live drawing. - Do I need to watch the lottery on Facebook Live on January 5th?
NO – When you enter the lottery online you will include your phone number, and winners will be texted or called.
>> Note: Be careful to make sure that your phone number is correct. - If my name is selected in the lottery, what happens next?
You will be texted/called, asking you to come to the school for testing.
Note: Be sure to bring some identification (ID) to show that you are the person whose name was selected, and that you live in Massachusetts.
After testing, you will be assigned to one of these:- An English class of the time (AM/PM) and type (online/in-person) based on which lottery you entered and won
- Or – a waiting list
(You get a space in class as soon as possible and do not need to participate in more lotteries)
- When do the classes begin?
- Classes start on Tuesday, February 14th
NOTE: This is information only. It does not guarantee you a place in class.
One New Word Every Day
A good way to learn more English words is to study one new word every day. Here is a good website – The Britannica Dictionary (Previously called “Learner’s Dictionary”) that teaches you a new word or common expression every day. Start Today!
To make it easier to use on your phone or tablet, put a website shortcut button on your home screen that will go right to the Word of the Day. Here’s one way of how to do that for Apple and Android.
Many Cultures, One Heart
If you’re driving around Framingham, you will probably see one or more hearts, decorated by local artists. These represent the wide diversity of people in the city.
Here’s a 14-minute video about the painting/design of some of the hearts. And here’s a map of where to find them:
Organized by the Framingham Centre Common Cultural District
Wordle
WORDLE is a very popular free word game right now. Play on your computer or phone – with no app needed, and no ads. You can only play it once each day.
Goal – you try to figure out the secret 5-letter word by using up to six other 5-letter words.
You probably need a pretty good vocabulary to do well in this game.
Video showing how to play:
The Dead of Winter
The dead of winter means: the middle of winter, usually the coldest part
Here’s a word search puzzle with winter vocabulary.
You can also try it online here, where it will give you hints if you get stuck (by clicking on one of the words)