Welcome and Opening Remarks
Parents arrive and are greeted by school staff or the principal, followed by an opening speech outlining the meeting's agenda and purpose.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
agenda
A list of topics or items to be discussed in a meeting. Use it when talking about plans for a gathering, like 'What's on the agenda today?'
objectives
The main goals or purposes of an event or activity. It's useful in formal settings, such as 'The objectives of this meeting are to discuss progress.'
literacy
The ability to read and write. In school contexts, it refers to programs that improve these skills, like 'The literacy program helps kids read better.'
fundraising
Activities to collect money for a cause, such as school events. Say it like 'We're doing fundraising for new books.'
volunteering
Offering your time and help without pay, often for community events. Common in sentences like 'I'm interested in volunteering at the fair.'
sign-up
To register or join something, often by writing your name on a list. Use it as 'There's a sign-up sheet for volunteers.'
contributions
Things you give, like time, money, or effort, to help a group. In meetings, say 'Your contributions make a big difference.'
invaluable
Extremely useful or important, with no real price. It's polite in thanks, like 'Your support is invaluable to us.'
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Good evening, everyone! Welcome to our annual parent meeting.
This is a polite greeting to start a formal evening event. Use it to welcome people warmly. 'Good evening' is for after 6 PM, and 'annual' means it happens every year.
We're so glad you could all make it tonight.
Expresses happiness that people attended. 'Make it' is an idiom meaning to arrive or succeed in coming. Useful for showing appreciation in meetings.
Our main objectives are to discuss upcoming school events.
Introduces the goals of the meeting using 'objectives' and infinitive 'to discuss.' It's a formal way to outline plans; replace with your topics for similar situations.
That sounds like a full agenda.
Comments on a busy schedule positively. 'Sounds like' expresses opinion based on hearing; useful for responding to plans in conversations.
Will there be an opportunity to sign up for volunteering?
Asks about chances to join an activity. It's a polite question using future tense 'will' and 'opportunity' for possibilities; great for inquiring at events.
Before we dive into the specifics, I'd like to thank our Parent-Teacher Association.
Transitions to main topics while giving thanks. 'Dive into' is an idiom for starting deeply; 'I'd like to' is polite for expressing wishes. Use to structure speeches.