MERRY XMAS

Hi everyone,

I wanna wish you a wonderful Christmas and that all your wishes come true next year: love, work, good luck, new friendships and new objectives for 2010.

Meanwhile, and before we come back to school, here's a great compilation of exercises and activities related to Christmas, created by the wonderful ISABEL PEREZ.

CHRISTMAS AT ISABEL PEREZ'S WEBSITE

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
Patricia

RECIPES for Intermediate

hi everyone,
this is for all my students, although it corresponds to what we've seen this class in intermediate groups: food and cooking methods.
You have videos, recipes and lots and lots of vocabulary!!! you can even try the recipes!!!
Enjoy!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes

ps I like Jamie Oliver, I love all his initiatives to promote good and healthy eating in the UK and worldwide.

POSSESSIVE AND GERUNDS: Uncomfortable about us working

Hi Advanced ones,
an example of one of the new structures we've seen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDKnpUZ2SZs
In the video, go to minute 1.12...and see how Hugh says:
INFORMAL:I'm starting to feel a bit uncomfortable about us working in such close proximity every day and me knowing so little about you..... It seems elitist and wrong...

He may have said as well(FORMAL): Our working in such close proximity every day and my knowing so little about you...

See you!!!

Some Culture

Hi everyone,
this is a post for both ADVANCED AND INTERMEDIATE students,

First of all, I want you guys to have a nice link to go to if you want to work a bit on the topic of THNKSGIVING: I really recommend Isabel Perez's website:


http://www.isabelperez.com/thanksgiving.htm

Please see the slide presentation (Powerpoint Presentation) on the Pilgrims...and then check out the rest of the information and exercises...

And also a website which may be more suitable for my people in ADVANCED groups. You can start by reading the FUN FACTS about THANKSGIVING, and then you can browse the rest of pages in this site:

http://www.history.com/content/thanksgiving

Enjoy!

THANKSGIVING

Hi everyone,
As you'll probably now, a very famous festivity is coming next Thursday. Lots and lots of people in the US celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourtht Thursday of November. We've talked about this today, and we will talk about it tomorrow. But here is a historical introduction to this holiday:

http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
We will be talking and doing things about this holiday during the whole week! See you guys in class!

On Accent and Pronunciation

Hi everyone,

Please watch this video in which a teacher explains some interesting things on accent and pronunciation.

If you're interested in what he says here, you can watch more of his videos at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/duncaninchina?gl=GB&hl=en-GB
Enjoy!!
Ps I wanna thank Paul Silles, another teacher of English
See you kids in class

Varieties of English

Hi everyone,
You'll flip out with this website, please click on any continent and the countries you're interested in to see how accent changes from country to country.You'll listen to the speaker reading the same text, but in a different accent every time.

I'm sure you'll like this!!!
Enjoy!
PS (Please check the Maltese accent as well)
ACCENT ARCHIVE: http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_atlas.php

Some Halloween Fun

Hi guys,
hope you have had a great start for our long weekend!!!
Here's a nice website where you can see a 30second smmary of very famous movies, among which you'll find summaries for different horror movies we always watch in Halloween.
Hope you like it! I think it is exhilarating!!!

http://www.angryalien.com/

-ED and -ING

Hi Intermediate students,
It's high time that I post something for YOU only.
Here is an online exercise where you can see if you understand the difference between ED/ ING adjectives...Remember the example on Dinio and how confusing night is for him ´:-)
Here is the exercise. After you have done it, check your mark to see how you did it!!!

http://www.better-english.com/grammar/adjing.htm

Hope you like it!
Patricia

First Reading

Hi Everybody,
Hope you're having a fantastic weekend...I have decided to pass to you a wonderful book that I have called "The Knight In Rusty Armor" by Robert Fisher.
By the way, it is not a compulsory reading, it is an OPTIONAL one. You don't have to read it if you don't want to.

I like it because it's easy to read, it's short (only 40 pages long) and has lots of great values...

If you want me to send it to you, please send me an email. I will also tell this in class when I see all my groups.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Dialects, Dialect, Dialects

Hi everyone,
We've been talking about the existence of numerous dialects and that it is possible for very different dialects to co-exist in villages that are very close to each other.

Please have a look at the website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recordings/index.shtml

Believe me: You're going to be simply amazed with the immense variety of forms you'll find!

And this one for some help with pronunciation:

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html

You'll find recordings where a woman utters the different sounds, and descriptions in order to produce the sounds yourselves!!
Enjoy
Patricia

Fancy Watching and Listening to Great Speeches?

Hi,
Hope you're having a wonderful Weekend. One of your classmates in the Advanced group I teach on Tuesday and Thursday told me to have a look at this website since it has lots of wonderful speeches on many different topics. I liked it a lot when I visited the site. So now I recommend you to check it out:

TED

There are many categories and speeches are organised according to topic. Besides, it you're getting a bit lost, you can read the subtitles in many different languages. Have a look at it, it's really worth visiting.
Thanks for the link!!!

See you guys next week.
Patricia

What are Mind Maps?

Hi everyone,
I have been talking this week about a very useful strategy that you can use when you have to organise your ideas and the information you have to develop on a certain topic...It may therefore be quite useful if you have to prepare a presentation or write the draft for a composition...

If you see some examples, then you may confirm whether this strategy would be useful for you or not...

Here you have a text form the Wikipedia explaining what mind maps are:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

And below there are some examples of mind maps for developing the ideas on different concepts...REMEMBER: YOU have to work with a wide range of strategies and learning techniques till you find out those which are most suitable for you!!!!

Common European Framework

Hi everyone,
Hope you're enjoying a fantastic weekend, I'd like you to check this out,
It is the online version in English of the CEFR( Common European Framework), a document that explains what students are supposed to do at each stage and level of competence.

http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/CADRE_EN.asp

Have a look at it, it's interesting!!!!
Happy weekend!

And Examples of the Exam

And here you have some examples of the exam from the EEOOIIs at Pais Vasco Official Schools.

http://www.eoi-bilbo.net/es/departamento.php?Departamento=Inglés&Id_Departamento=3&Id_Seccion=76

These were taken from EOI Bilbao. Thanks for that, because at the website for EEOOIIs in Madrid, the examples of the exam uploaded are terribly old!!!

C U!!

William Shakespeare's Works

Hi students,
I have just found this website with the links to Shakespeare's complete works...

Hope you like it, sometimes it's difficult with some words, but start reading short pieces, and you'll see how you end up understanding...
eg when you see the words thee thee thee, several times, you'll understand it means you, thy means your etc...


http://shakespeare.mit.edu/

Enjoy!!

Intermediate One: Exam Practice

Hi guys,
I wanted to post also something for you people at Intermediate One....some links for you to practice the four skills...all right??

LISTENING:
http://www.newsinslowenglish.com/
podcasts: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/ (those in radio four are nice for practicing comprehension, other radios are music and stuff)
And another page:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-podcast-english-listening-downloads-archive.htm
ALL SKILLS:
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
CNN's stories: http://www.literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
http://www.elllo.org/
READING:
QUIZZES: http://www.eslpartyland.com/quiz%20center/quiz.htm
Isabel perez's great materials: http://www.isabelperez.com/tests.htm
REALLY WORTH SEEING!!!!: http://www.eoi1zaragoza.org/dping140.php

See you on Thursday!!!
Patricia

INTERMEDIATE TWO: EXAM PRACTICE

Hi students!!!
Here you can find the links to the model of exam in the Autonomous Region of Cataluña.

Hope it's useful for you...after you've done the exercises you can click in order to correct your exam instantly:

READING COMPREHENSION:
http://phobos.xtec.net/eoi/index.php?module=detic_portal&ref=an_el_ce
LISTENING COMPREHENSION:
http://phobos.xtec.net/eoi/index.php?module=detic_portal&ref=an_el_co
EXAMPLES OF:
WRITING: http://phobos.xtec.net/eoi/index.php?module=detic_portal&ref=an_el_ee
SPEAKING: http://phobos.xtec.net/eoi/index.php?module=detic_portal&ref=an_el_eo

Hope you like the links!!!
See you next week!!! And remember to have glucose from time to time, for the brains!!
Patricia

THE GRAMMAR AQUARIUM

Hi everyone,
Look at this wonderful link to a "GRAMMAR AQUARIUM":

http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/freeexercises.htm#MODAL

You have activities to practise tenses, MODAL verbs, a little bit of everything,I hope you like it and that you enjoy with the exercises.

ps. Thanks a lot to Monica Stacconi. I saw this link in her wonderful blog,Thanks!!!

LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN

Hi guys,
Good evening. There were some requests this evening for some links to practice your listening skills, so here you are:

BREAKINGNEWSENGLISH(an excellent page): http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

AUDIO BOOKS: http://www.oculture.com/2006/10/audio_book_podc.html

LA MANSION DEL INGLÉS: http://www.mansioningles.com/listening00.htm

RANDALL'S LAB (American English): http://www.esl-lab.com/

A GREAT SITE!!! (ELLLO): http://www.elllo.org/


CAROLINE BROWN'S EBSITE: http://www.carolinebrownlisteninglessons.com/

PODCASTS:

NPR'S: http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php

BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/directory/

CNN: http://www.cnn.com/services/podcasting/

http://podcast.com/

I hope you like the links!!! Please work work work...
Have a nice weekend
Patricia

Barack Obama's inaugural address in full

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm

INTERMEDIATE ONE AND TWO, BOOKS TO INCREASE VOCABULARY

Hi everyone,
Please have a look at the link below. It is a wonderful book for you to increase your vocabulary:
INTERMEDIATE ONE
English Book - English Vocabulary in Use Pre Cambridge

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Academic Work Exams & Quizzes curso grammar

I hope you like them as much as I do..

LinkS at: INTERMEDIATE ONE:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2993107/English-Book-English-Vocabulary-in-Use-Pre-Cambridge
INTERMEDIATE TWO.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/244237/English-Vocabulary-in-Use-Upper-Intermediate-Advanced

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3827721/CambridgeEnglish-Advanced-Grammar-in-UseTo download, just give an email account and a password, and click on the download button.