SHARING FINAL PROJECTS

HELLO KIDS!

This is the final blog activity for this semester. It is very simple, during all the semester you have been working on different speaking projects. English I is working on their own lives and family; English IV on something that really inspired them on their careers; English V (both groups) have been working on debates of different topics and English VI is going to talk about their professional profiles.

Here is an example of a final presentation from English II in 2011. They had to hand-in a video, like English IV this semester, and the topic was to compare two cities. This is of more than 10 minutes but please remember that your videos or presentations are only of 3 minutes; debates have a different format. Let's watch it:

(Posted with permission of the author)

ACTIVITY

1. English I: Write about your life, family , hobbies etc.., Did you like English I?
2. English IV: Write about the most important thing of the topic of your video..Why is important for you? What are you going to show in the video?
3. English V: What have been the most interesting of the research process for the debates? What topic has been the most interesting for you? Why?
4. English VI: How the process of this semester have improved your personal & professional profile?

That's all!

Activity opened from November 3rd to November 18th

Music Can Change The World

Hello my amazing students!

This new activity has to do with the upcoming English Day. As many of you know the topic of this English Day is : Music Can Change The World. 
This is the offcial poster:

(Designed by Frank Palacio. Winner Logo Contest. English IV)

One of the examples of how Music can change the world is the band Queen.
As my best friend said: "Freddy Mecury is, by far, one of the best singers ever" (Because for many he is still alive through his music).

 His life and struggle has been an example of hardwork as an artist, and and example of strenght  as a fighter against AIDS. Thus, with his music  He and the band opened the world's eyes towards  this terrible disease but, most important, they promoted tolerance and respect for each other. In this way their music changed the world.

This is their song WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS performed in one iconic concert at Wembley Stadium in England, 1986.

Activity

Watch the video, follow the lyrics, try to identify grammar and vocabulary you know and search for new one.  Then, answer the following question:

In which ways has music changed your life?

Don't forget to write your full name and English Level in your comments.

Activity opened from October 1st to October 15th.

SEE YOU IN THE ENGLISH DAY!!

(Remember: English I and IV assistance that day is mandatory for you)

HAVE A GREAT AND MUSICAL WEEK!

ACTIVITY CLOSED!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING COMMENTS.

Fighting for a Dream !

Hello my wonderful students!!

This week we are going to talk about those times when you feel you can't make your dreams come true.  Maybe, because you don't feel sure about yourself or maybe  because you don't have people around to support you.

I have felt like this many times in my life. But I have learned that sometimes you have to be a little stubborn and keep fighting, and that you are going to find people who will help you....but sometimes they are not who you  expect, often life surprises you with strangers that become  friends :)

Let's watch a Pantene TV Ad from Thailand  about a deaf girl whose dream is playing violin...

Activity:

1) What do you think about the story of the video? 

2) Tell us your story about how you have fought for your own dreams!

Activity open from August 27th  to September 10th

REMEMBER TO WRITE YOUR FULL NAME AND LEVEL 

AT THE END OF YOUR ANSWER :)

ACTIVITY CLOSED

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTERESTING ANSWERS!

WELCOME!!!

Hello & Welcome!

This is the first post of this semester 2012-2. I'm absolutely happy to have you  collaborating in this this site in which I believe you can find a lot of interesting things and a place to express and to communicate with other people in English!

So, let's get into it!

The Olympics are over :( It is sad because it is one of my favorite events in the entire world. I think it is fantastic watching all these amazing athetles that worked so hard during the last years getting to that unique moment of their lives.

Let's watch a video of kids reacting to Olympics 2012:

Now, please answer this question: 

¿What do you think of the Olympics this year?

Activity open from August 13 to 26

REMEMBER TO WRITE YOUR FULL NAME AND LEVEL 

AT THE END OF YOUR ANSWER :)

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS! GOOD JOB! ACTIVITY CLOSED!

GOODBYE!!!

HELLO MY DEAREST AND WONDERFUL STUDENTS!


This is the last blog activity for this semester. :(


I want to use this last post to tell you: THANK YOU for letting me being your teacher , I want you to know how proud I feel of each one of you and your processes.


Learning a language is a wonderful path, and sometimes it is difficult I know,  but remember that the ultimate goal is to communicate and at the end all of you, no matter if you are finishing level III or IV or VI, have learned new things that I know you will keep with you forever.
Please forgive me for my craziness but you know that teaching is my passion and therefore, sometimes I can't help myself, I wish all of you could see how amazing and  incredibly intelligent you are!


Please never give up, keep your head up, be professionals and  be kind to each other!


I will see you around.
All my love...


Teacher Lina 




LAST ACTIVITY:
Answer the following question:


 ¿What do you think about our English Class III, IV or VI this semester? 
(Try to write without using translators, then you can check it in one, but try it first by yourself!)

Hello People!


This is the first of the two final blog activities of this semester!


As you know (and if you don't let me tell you) this is the week of THE SHORT ANIMATION FESTIVAL at Unitec!. I'm so proud of being part of  a small team in charge of organizing this and next semester events, all my groups that have class on May 4th MUST ATTEND !
For the others it is voluntary to attend but please note that during the event there will be some workshops that you can complete in order to have some extra points for this last term :)
So,  I really hope you all come and have fun!


By the way, one of the shorts that would be on screen that day  at 7:30pm is "ZERO". As my groups are form 6-7pm, 8-9pm and 9-10pm. I realized that maybe you will miss it and it is REALLY GOOD!  (If you need to, click in the link that appears on the top of the video, go directly to YouTube and please select ENGLISH subtitles at the CC button)

(This video belongs to Zealous Creative and it is used for academic purposes only,  any violation intended)

What do you think about the topic of the animation?

How do you think  we could  teach tolerance and respect towards the difference? Are you tolerant and respectful to people that think different from you?

This is the official poster, I'm going to send all the info to your mail feel free to share it !

ALSO, AFTER MAY 4TH PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ABOUT THE FESTIVAL .

 I WOULD LOVE TO READ YOUR OPINIONS

Activity open from April 30th to May 14th 2012

Do schools kill creativity?

Hello my dearest students!


As some of you know I have a very profund interest for education. Not just because I love to teach but because I love teaching. And also because I know that it is a very important issue for everybody.


At mornings, I work as researcher on this field studying its connection with digital culture. And because of that I have the privilege to work with great minds from different disciplines.


Today, I want to show you a talk by Sir Ken Robinson, one of the most important academics talking about how we should re-think education.


TED conferences have the slogan: "Ideas Worth Spreading" "Ideas that Change the World" and one of the most important quotes of this talk is : 


"If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original"

What do you think of this video? Do you agree with Sir Robinson? Why?

HINT:

If you don't understand Sir Robinson's English please : Click on the following link and choose the English Subtitles!

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Activity Open From March 29th to April 11th 

HAPPY HOLY WEEK

Addicted to Cherry!

Hello!!


I decided to change the day of publishing the activities on the blog to Wednesdays instead of Saturdays. So here's the new one:


As all we know, there are small, mild and critical addictions. Everyone is addicted to something or... someone, but it is very difficult to accept it. 


Of course some addictions can't be compared with others but let's talk about the minor addictions. 


In my case, I'm addicted to candies...:S Yes I am. Not to chocolates but candies, if they are  cherry flavored even better :) ahh... and cakes, now if  it is a cherry cupcake I can die! But I'm trying to quit or at least eat less candies per day. I don't want to get too fat or have  any more sugar blood problems. 


This is a funny and a little dramatic  French animation called "LE CAFÉ" about the dangers of getting addicted to coffee:

This is not the one that I originally posted, the previous one was removed and had better subtitles. SORRY!

Dir. Stephanie Marguerite & Emilie Tarascou / Music Oldelaf & Mr D / France / 2007 


So, coffee is not a problem for me because I don't drink coffee ;). What about you?

What are your small addictions?
(and what do you think of the video?)

Actvity open from March 21st to March 28th

What are you scared of?

Hello everyone!!
This is the first blog for  the second term!!! Yes, that's right, time flies and we are almost half way of our classes. Thank you for all the wonderful comments about Women's Day I really enjoyed reading them, I'll give you full feedback during this week along with your first term grades :).


Now, the topic of this week is about normal things that really scare you or you feel afraid of but they are not really THAT terrible.
In my case, I'm scare of spiders ;s, I know it sounds silly for some people, but... when I was little, one night, trying to turn the light on I put my hand on one aughhh! It was horrible! I think a black spider is probably one of the most scary things in the world!


Let's see this video from an interview done by Ellen Degeneres to the actor Dennis Quaid where they discuss about things he finds very scary :)

Now, tell me: What are you scared or afraid of? bats, rats, spiders, snakes, bees, heights... and why??
Everybody has a least one thing they can't stand and there's always a story behind it!! So come on ! I told you mine now it's your turn!


Activity from March 11th to March 20th

Have an amazing (non-spider) week!!


ACTIVITY CLOSED!

WOMEN'S DAY

Hello!


This week, on March 9th people around the world will celebrate the International Women's Day. Therefore, the activity for this week is to make a comment about the video called: "500 Years of Female Portraits in Western Art"

I can't wait to read your comments!!! 

Activity open from March 04 to March 11th

Don't forget to sign every comment

Have a nice week!

THIS ACTIVITY IS CLOSED!!  CHECK THE NEW ONE :)

Hello Everyone!!


First, I want to say: THANK YOU for your comments !! You have been brave and generous for sharing your ideas and feelings with everybody. You are making of this blog and important and priceless collaborative English exercise. :)


Now, this week activity is very simple, relationships sometimes are very complicated we all know that, so let's read the quote below and answer this question: 


-Do you agree with Depp? and Why?

      Activity open from February 26th to March 4th 2012

" If you love two people at the same time,

choose the second one,

Because if you really loved the first one,

you wouldn't have fallen for the second"

-Johnny Depp

Don't forget to sign the comment with your name, level and class code! (Ex: Lina Parra English VI 355TN)

ALL THE BEST FOR THIS WEEK!!
This activity is closed :)

SONG OF THE WEEK!

Hello my amazing  students!


As you all know we did a reading exercise this week comparing two versions of the same song.
The song "I am Feeling Good" has more than 30 versions since it was originally composed in 1965. In class we listened to Nina Simone's version from 1965 and the version done by Muse in 2001 and we completed the lyrics.


Now, I want to invite you to share your opinions, some of you already did a composition exercise so you can use those ideas. For the rest of you remember that questions are:


1) Which version do you prefer: Nina Simone's version, Muse's version, both versions? and Why?
2) There are 44 years of difference between the two versions. What emotions can you find in them? Are they the same song or are they different and how?

Activity open from February 19th to 24th. 

 I found two very nice videos of these versions, you already have the lyrics, so please enjoy them!!




"Feeling Good" performed by Nina Simone, Album "I Put a Spell on You" (1965), Phillip Records. You tube user SambadaTed. Used only  for academic purposes.

"Feeling Good" performed by Muse. Album "Origin of Simmetry" (2001), Mushroom Records. You tube user RareMuseChannel. Used only  for academic purposes.

Don't forget to check the grammar links on the top-left of this page according to your needs.

REMEMBER! Sign all your comments with your name, Level and code of your class!                     
                                       HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND FEEL GOOD!! :)

- This activity is closed-

WELCOME !!!!

Hello everybody!


This is our blog. I changed the design  and a few things in order to make it more 2012. So in this space I hope you'll find a place to write openly and give your opinions and share everything you want. 


As it is mentioned at the top of the page, students from English III are expected to contribute all the time!!
And students from English IV and VI can also participate and maybe win some extrapoints ;)


So, let's begin!


As you probably  know people from USA and other countries celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th.  In our country we have "Día del Amor y la Amistad" that is on September. Nowadays, some people here in Colombia celebrate both days!


Let's watch this video made by students about legends, traditions and symbols of Valentine's Day and answer this question: What do you think of this celebration?
(Note: Video ends at min 6:00 the rest is music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmTk1XMZYKo&feature=fvwrel



Please WRITE YOUR COMMENTS AND INCLUDE THE COURSE AND  CLASS CODE
 (Ex: Lina Parra English III AN 614)
The best comments will win extra points from Feb 12th to Feb 17th

THIS ACTIVITY IS CLOSED