Just blogging

Role playing job interviews

2012-01-26T09:49:00.003+01:00

Activity that gives the students a chance to practice their conversational English skills using discussion and role play.

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Well done!

A worthy new year's resolution: find your truth

2012-01-18T09:47:00.004+01:00

(By Natalie Kemp)

New Year’s resolutions so often fail because they are statements about altering behaviours in order to accomplish something. “I want to stop overeating and to lose twenty pounds,” or “I will to be more attentive to my spouse,” or “I will be a better parent,” are admirable goals, but they are commonly forgotten by February.

Why? That’s because resolving to achieve something ignores one central fact: You are the person who has been running your life while you gained weight or disregarded your spouse ... and since you are still the one in control, it’s unlikely you will be able to arrive at your intended destination without examining your self—the inner set of emotions and beliefs that define your self-concept and the way you experience and understand the world around you.

See, the real hurdles between you and anything you want isn’t just “stick-to-it-ness” or determination. It’s also about finding out the truth about why you have strived in the past and fallen short.

There are people who can’t lose weight because they don’t think they’re worthy of being fit or attractive.

There are people who can’t start a business because the family lore was about people who had tried to do it and failed.

There are people who can’t show enough love to their children because they have never admitted they weren’t loved well-enough themselves and want to avoid reproducing the past.

A single New Year’s resolution may be the silver bullet that changes your life forever: Resolve to find your personal truth.

Resolve to start admitting what you really feel about people in your life.

Resolve to start admitting what you really feel about yourself—even the negative things—so that you can identify the areas of strength you can build on, and others you genuinely need to change.

Resolve to start saying more about what you really believe—spiritually and politically and ethically and morally—because to the extent that you declare your truth, you start living with honesty and conviction. And an honest person with conviction, who admits that being 30 pounds overweight is a sign of complacency, is a person who truly is ready to get fit. And once she decides to change her life in accordance with the truth, her physical fitness will become contagious to every aspect of her being.

This journey toward one’s own truth won’t be easy, but it is the most important journey you can take in your life.

Take just one step in the direction of your personal truth and you may get hooked on the whole journey. It’s the silver bullet you have been looking for that can slay the dragons of indecision and self-defeatism you have been fighting all your life.

Adapted from Fox News

Answer the following questions according to the information in the text. Use your own words:

1. Why do New Year's resolutions often fail?

2. What should you do so as to change behaviours you don't like?

3. According to the article, What's the most important journey you can take in your life?

Fin in the text synonyms for the following words:

Firm decision
Considerate
Aim
Improbable
Opinion
Obstacle
Endeavor
Deserving
Tradition
Escape from
Feelings
Belief
Trip
Addicted
kill

Topic to discuss in class

New Year's Resolutions

Composition

It is important to get to kow yourself in order to be happy and enjoy life. What do you think about it?

My favourite holiday

2012-01-11T12:00:00.000+01:00

It's difficult to practice speaking when you have so many students in class. So, podcasts have become a very useful tool since they give us a great chance to learn English and improve this important skill.

I usually suggest a topic to them and then, we work on it, practice the pronunciation, record it and finally upload the recording to sites such as Divshare or Ivoox.

On this ocassion, they had to talk about their favourite or last holiday including the following information:

1. Where, when and how they went.
2. Who they went with.
3. How long it was.
4. What they did over there.
5. What they bought as souveniers for family and friends.
6. If they had any problems.

(By all the students)

(By Cris)

All I want for Christmas is you

2011-12-22T11:33:00.001+01:00

All I want for Christmas is you by Mariah Carey

Lord Tennyson

2011-12-19T18:20:00.000+01:00

( By Florencia)

Background music: Aenon by Celestial Aenon project
Biography:
The literature network
PoemHunter
The Victorian Web
Wikipedia

Tennyson is best known for In Memoriam A.H.H., an elegy to a friend, Arthur Hallam, who died young. Written between 1833 and 1850, its tone of regret and lost reached a very wide audience in the second half of the century. When Queen Victoria became widow on the death of her husband, Albert, in 1861 In Memoriam became her favourite text, and Tennyson became the nation's favourite poet.

(By Maksym and Domingo)

Background music: First steps by Galdson.

Tennyson became the national poet and when something historic, like the Crimean War happened, it was Tennyson who wrote about it: The Charge of the Light Brigade (published in 1855).

The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava by William Simpson (1855).

ESL Advent Calendar

2011-12-14T10:10:00.000+01:00

Great activities for English students related to Christmas! Don't miss them!

Via twitter

Limericks

2011-12-12T10:30:00.001+01:00

Great contribution by the students for our project on the 19th century:

Edwar Lear became famous for his nonsense poems, often in a rhyming form called a limerick. A book of nonsense (1845) was his most famous work, followed by many books of travel writings and by three more volumes of nonsense in the 1870 s.
Lear´s poems are still read and enjoyed by many readers.

A Form of Poetry? Limerick Poems? Limericks the genre?

The form of poetry referred to as Limerick poems have received bad press and the Limerick poems haven’t a good place in the 'cultivated poetry'. There are three types:
• The content of many limericks is often of a bawdy and humorous nature.
• A Limerick as a poetry form is by nature simple and short - limericks only have five lines.
• And finally the somewhat dubious history of limericks have contributed to the critics attitudes.

Limericks - The History

he Limerick poems appeared on the 14th century. The poems were used in Nursery Rhymes and other poems for children but the Limerick poems are shorts and vulgars. The poems were used by drunkards for centuries.

Where does the term 'Limerick' come from?

The word derives from the Irish town of Limerick. Apparently, a pub song based on the refrain "Will you come up to Limerick?" where, of course, such songs or 'Limericks' were sung.

Limericks - The form

Limericks consist of five anapaestic lines.
Lines 1, 2, and 5 of Limericks have seven to ten syllables and rhyme with one another.
Lines 3 and 4 of Limericks have five to seven syllables and also rhyme with each other.

Limerick

There was an Old Man in a tree,
Who was horribly bored by a Bee;
When they said, 'Does it buzz?'
He replied, 'Yes, it does!'
'It's a regular brute of a Bee!'

Limerick

There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'

Limerick created by some students

There was a boy from Spain
Who goes with his courage by a train
Because in the night
He had a hard fight
And now he feels pain

(By Fran Miranda)

Sources:
Background music
Picture
Information

Brochures

2011-12-05T09:00:00.003+01:00

A brochure is a kind of leaflet advertisement. It plays an important role in the tourist industry as they have become one of the best ways of promoting a destination.

A good brochure includes the main attractions tourists will be interested in visiting and it must be attractive and eye-catching, with colourful pictures of the adverstised place and the different activities that people can do and enjoy over there. Geographical location, climate conditions, language etc can also be provided in order to help people prepare for their destination in advance.

The most common types of single-sheet brochures are the bi-fold (a single sheet printed on both sides and folded into halves) and the tri-fold (the same, but folded into thirds).
A bi-fold brochure results in four panels (two panels on each side), while a tri-fold results in six panels (three panels on each side).

Brochures are often printed using four colour process on thick gloss paper to give an impression of quality. Compared with a flyer or a handbill, a brochure usually uses higher-quality paper, more colour, and is folded.

Above, some brochure samples made by my students ( they were told to design just the main page).

Places we have been to

2011-11-28T10:00:00.001+01:00

( By students from VC in Travel Agency)

Background music: Destiny by Galdson from Jamendo
Image from here

Reported speech

2011-11-24T10:00:00.002+01:00

Useful links:

Statements
Questions
Requests
Mixed exercises: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

The Victorian Age

2011-11-22T10:48:00.000+01:00

We go on with our collaborative project on the nineteenth century. This is the first English post for this school year.

For further information have a look at our wiki

Halloween

2011-10-28T09:42:00.007+02:00

Free resources in the Oxford Halloween corner and below a powerpoint presentation that our language assistant from New Zealand, Natalie Kemp, created for our students.
I love her accent! Enjoy it and the pictures we took at our English Halloween breakfast!

(By Natalie Kemp)

Thanks Natalie for letting me post your work!

The end of ETA

2011-10-24T18:06:00.015+02:00

( By Natalie Kemp)

The Basque terrorist group ETA, which over 43 years has been responsible for 829 killings in Spain and France, announced on Thursday that it has decided to put an end to its violent struggle and called on the governments of both countries to initiate a dialogue that would lead to a peaceful political solution for a Basque independent state.

In a video statement published online by the pro-independence newspapers Gara and Berria, ETA said that it has taken "a clear, firm and definite commitment" to "end the armed confrontation."

The move comes just four days after an international peace conference held in San Sebastián, where the Basque nationalist parties and the region’s Socialist group were joined by six international mediators: former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan; former Irish premier, Bertie Ahern; Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams; Pierre Joxe of France, Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway; and Jonathan Powell of Britain.

The Spanish central Government and the conservative opposition party, Partido Popular, refused to attend and practically ignored the conference, declaring that there will be no negotiation or concessions until the terrorist group has announced its dissolution and given up its arms for good.

Meanwhile the radical pro-independence groups who took part in the conference showed their satisfaction at the conclusions reached by the international negotiators. As well as calling for an end to the violence these recommend that Spain and France agree to talk to ETA as soon as it makes a definitive declaration of the “cessation of all armed action”.

Addressing the nation, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero welcomed the announcement, but said that the victims and violence can never be forgotten.
"Ours will be a democracy without terrorism but never without memory," Zapatero said.

The ceasefire announcement is seen as a victory for Zapatero's outgoing Socialist government, which failed at behind-the-scenes negotiations with ETA after it called a ceasefire in 2006. Zapatero broke off the talks when ETA set off a bomb at Madrid's Barajas Airport killing two Ecuatorian nationals.
Since then, ETA has been dealt a series of blows by the governments of Spain and France, being four of its leaders arrested between 2008 and 2009.

Popular Party (PP) leader Mariano Rajoy called the announcement "good news" because it signifies that violence has disappeared from the lives of Spaniards.

It is a day to celebrate democracy's great victory," Rubalcaba said, calling on all the parties to unite and work together for peace in the Basque Country.
He also gave thanks to French President Nicolas Sarkozy for cooperating in the fight against terrorism.

Despite Rajoy's position, the initial PP reaction was not as positive. Ignacio Cosidó, the PP spokesman for interior affairs, said that the ETA announcement "wasn't worth anything" because the Basque terrorists have not said whether they will turn in their weapons.

In the Basque Country, Basque National Party leader Iñigo Urkullu said that the ETA ceasefire announcement was "the only news that we had been waiting for."
"At last we are going to be able to turn the page and wake up each morning without being frightened," he told reporters. Referring to the victims, he said: "The Basque Country has crushed violence. The Basque Country doesn't owe anything to ETA."

Adapted from El País in English and Sur in English

Answer the following questions using your own words:

1.What did the Basque terrorist group ETA announce on Thursday?
2. what does Zapatero mean when he says: "Ours will be a democracy without terrorism but never without memory" ?
3. Why did the Basque National Party leader say when he learnt about ETA announcement?

True or false? Justify your answers:

1. The Spanish central Government and the conservative opposition party attended the conference held in San Sebastián .
2. Negotiations with ETA got broken because four of its military leaders were arrested.
3. All the politicians have the same positive attitude towards ETA decision of abandoning its armed activity.

Composition

What's your opinion about ETA ceasefire announcement ?

Multiple Intelligences

2011-10-19T18:48:00.013+02:00

Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences was first put forward in 1983.

Gardner, a psychologist, researcher, educator and scholar at The School of Education in the University of Harvard began to explore his interest in human cognition in the context of Poject Zero. In his book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, he challenges the standard view of education in the fact that it opposes the notion of intelligence as a unitary capacity made up of linguistic and logical-mathematical abilities exclusively; besides, according to this theory, intelligence is not a fixed capacity -something we are born with and we cannot do much about-, but rather a continually evolving process throughout a person's lifetime.

Investigations carried out by Gardner and his collaborators in the areas of cognitive science, of developmental psychology, and of neuroscience - he carried out studies with patients who had suffered brain damage, with talented people, with normal children and with people from different cultures - led them to some conclusions regarding the nature and characteristics of human intelligence that are becoming more and more popular nowadays although not completely accepted by everyone.
Among these conclusions we would like to emphasize the following ones that offer a global summary of his theory :

-Intelligence is made of distinct units of intellectual development that may function in isolation or in conjunction with each other.

-It is an amalgam of abilities that allow the individual to solve problems and situations

-It can be defined as "the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural settings" (Gardner & Hatch, 1989)

-Each person has a particular strength in each area and a singular, unique blend of dynamic intelligences

-All (eight) intelligences are needed to function productively in society

-It is an interaction between biological proclivities and opportunities for learning in a particular context; we are all born possessing the eight intelligences, but we differ in the particular intelligence profile we are born with; besides, Gardner is convinced that we all can achieve a reasonably high level of performance in all areas of intelligences with the appropriate stimulation, encouragement and instruction.

Would you like to find out the strongest aspects of your intelligence? Then, take one of these tests and tell me about it.

Accelerated learning. What is my personal learning style?

Birminghan grid for learning.

For further information visit:

Europass

2011-10-09T19:28:00.010+02:00

"Opening doors to learning and working in Europe"

If you want to enrol in an education or training programme, look for a job or get experience abroad, it is important to be able to make your skills and competences clearly understood.

Europass is a new way to help you make your skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe.

They have also published a video to present the Europass documents.

Foreign women coming for fertility treatment

2011-09-26T19:20:00.021+02:00

(By Natalie Kemp)

Sun, sea and sand, food, festivals, cultural heritage... There are many reasons why foreign visitors have been coming to the Costa del Sol for decades. But these are not the only ones. In recent years a new attraction has joined the list: assisted reproduction. Every year around a thousand foreign women visit Malaga to undergo treatment in its fertility clinics.

According to data from the European Fertility Society, some 25,000 women travel to other countries every year for assisted reproduction treatment. Approximately a third of them, come to Spain, mainly to Madrid, Barcelona, Levante and the Costa del Sol.

The practice has become known as reproductive or fertility tourism (a term specialists are not fond of), and in some clinics the demand from abroad far exceeds that from local residents, reaching 70 per cent or 80 in some of them.

Spanish legislation (almost all techniques are permitted here, except commercial surrogacy and gender selection) and the growing prestige of the clinics are the main reasons behind the increasing numbers of foreign couples who turn to Malaga’s specialists to become parents.

They come from a wide range of countries: from Belgium, France, Norway or Germany and even Australia and the United States. However the majority are from the UK and, especially, Italy. In fact since the Berlusconi government banned the donation of both eggs and semen in 2004, the numbers of Italian visitors have increased. In the case of Britain, donation is permitted but a change in the law a couple of years ago meant that donor anonymity is no longer guaranteed. This has resulted in a fall in the number of receivers and especially voluntary donors and waiting lists are longer.

Carmen Calatayud, president of the National Association of Assisted Reproduction Clinics, states: “Although at first the main reason that brought foreigners to Spain for treatment was the Assisted Reproduction Law, which was much more progressive than in other countries, the quality of care, professionalism and good results from our centres have made the demand for treatment from foreigners increase”. The head of the Assisted Reproduction unit at Hospiten, Emilia Ocón, adds that “important infrastructure, hotel services and the climate combine to make Malaga the ideal place to come to for a few days for fertility treatment”.

The average cost of this type of treatment is around 5,000 euros. Nevertheless there seems to be no shortage of foreign couples prepared to pay the sum, plus their travel and accommodation costs. The success rate makes it worth it, the average is around 60 per cent, although this rises to 70 per cent in the case of donated eggs, the most effective and most common treatment among foreign patients, along with semen donation.

The majority of foreigners who come to Malaga for fertility treatment are heterosexual but there are also homosexuals and single women.

Carmen Calatayud points out that the women seeking treatment tend to be over 40 (the average age is 43) for egg donations and over 37 for other treatments. Patients over the age of 50 are not normally accepted, according to the recommendations of the Reproduction Commission.

Adapted from Sur in English

Many couples wait to have a baby for a long time and when they want, it's too late. What do you think about it?.
If you had problems to have a baby, would you undergo a fertility treatment?
What will your life be like in 2030 ? What will you be doing? Where will you be working? Will you have a family?.

"I don't feel like doin' anything"

2011-09-20T20:25:00.011+02:00

Welcome to a new school year!

Let's start our classes by listening to this song by Bruno Mars and doing the following activities about it:

Have a look at the photocopy below and fill in the blanks with the right verbs.
In pairs, translate the song into Spanish.
Tell us what you would feel like doing today.
Sing along and enjoy!

Have a nice holiday!

2011-06-29T18:00:00.001+02:00

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

Woah Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean,
You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen.
I guess if you say so
I have to pack ma things and go. (That's right)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

well baby, listen baby, don't ya treat me this-a way
Cause I'll be back on my feet some day.
(Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood)
(you ain't got no money you just ain't no good.)
Well, I guess if you say so
I'd have to pack my things and go. (That's right)

(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)
What you say?
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.)
(Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.)

well!!
(don't you come back no more.)
you must be joking?
(don't you come back no more.)
what you trying to do to me?
(don't you come back no more.)
i came to talk it over
(don't you come back no more.)
i thaught we had a better understanding
(don't you come back no more.)
oh baby dont be so chicken
(don't you come back no more.)
you dont want to see me cry x2
(don't you come back no more.)
oh baby it isnt fair
ooh yeahh.

( By Ray Charles)

Edgar Allan Poe

2011-06-27T19:35:00.006+02:00

His life:

(By Elena, Raquel and Manuel )

Background music: Torley on piano.

Some of his stories:

(By Laura, Pablo and George)

(By Antonio Aguilar)

Background music : Andantino Affettuoso by Aufklarung

(By José and Laura)

Background music : Goneback by Owen

Pride and Prejudice dubbed

2011-06-13T17:48:00.005+02:00

One of the scenes of this romantic film dubbed by José and Laura.
Amazing, isn't it?.

Two weddings in Pride and Prejudice

2011-06-08T10:14:00.006+02:00

After reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, one of the assignments to do was to design wedding invitations for the main characters in the novel.
Here, you are the ones made by Raquel and Clara.

(By Raquel Jiménez)

(Background music: Torley on piano)

(By Clara López)

(Background music: Rebirth by Greendjohn )

Their opinion about it: Glogster

Frank Miller's Frankenstein

2011-06-06T10:10:00.003+02:00

Amazing contribution to our project by one of my students.

For further information click here

P.S Thanks a lot, Adrián. I really hope that someday your dreams will come true :)

Surveys

2011-05-31T18:12:00.000+02:00

When talking about tourism, surveys play an important role, since they give us the opportunity to get to know our clients' likes, preferences and their opinions about different services with the aim of trying to improve them depending on the information collected through this kind of research.
That's why one of the projects for the English class in the VTC in Travel Agency was to get the students to produce a questionnaire and ask travellers to answer it so that they could also practice questionnaire tactics and polite questions, but due to lack of time we had to make do with just the first part... next school year, perhaps.

A bit of English. The Terminal

2011-05-23T21:34:00.001+02:00

"A bit of English" is an interesting site to learn English. You can find videos with subtitles, songs, online lessons, tips...
Here, you can watch some excerpts from the film The Terminal starring Tom Hanks.
The film is about a man trapped at New York's John International Airport F. Kennedy when he is denied entry into The United States and he can not return to his country due to a revolution.
I think it can be useful for you to revise vocabulary and structures concerning airports.

Click on the image and enjoy!

Relative Clauses

2011-05-06T10:10:00.001+02:00

Useful links:

Explanation in Spanish

Grammar and exercises

More exercises: here, here and here

Self-test quizz

Defining relative clauses

Non-defining relative clauses

An interactive tour of The Alhambra

2011-05-03T09:10:00.000+02:00

Really interesting! Don't miss it and enjoy!

Activities on Frankestein

2011-04-29T09:05:00.003+02:00

Assignments on Wiki

Frankestein in five pictures

Letter to Mary Shelley

(by Laura)

Background music: Ware Liefde (True love) by Kendra Spronger from Jamendo.
What they think about it: e- glogster 1 , e-glogster 2

The monster's diary

(by Vaninna)

Background music: Hope by Kendra Springer from Jamendo.
Reflecting on it: e-glogster.

Some questions about the novel

Their opinion about the task: e-glogster

All the activities by the students on our collaborative project

Frankenstein

2011-04-27T09:02:00.002+02:00

Thanks, Ana, for letting me post your work.

About hotels (2)

2011-04-25T09:05:00.003+02:00

See the activity here

The smallest hotels in the world

The most expensive hotels in the world

The most unusual hotels in the world

She walks in Beauty

2011-03-31T10:10:00.000+02:00

Another brilliant contribution to our project by some students from the Vocational training course in Sign Language.
I read the poem and they performed it in American Sign Language.

She Walks in Beauty
by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Oral exam

2011-03-28T09:59:00.000+02:00

The final oral exam will be in May. Here, the questions so that you can have enough time in advance to prepare it.

About hotels

2011-03-23T09:46:00.006+01:00

(Inle lake view resort Hotel- Myanmar (Burma)
( Image from ITE)

For your next assignment, you have to choose one of the following options:

Imagine you are designing your own new two-or three-star hotel.

Decide:
1. Its location: beach, citycenter...
2. The guests you are expecting: business people, families ...
3. Facilities: 24-hour room service, air conditioning, minibar... tennis court, children's playground, restaurants, sauna, fitness center...

By the way, what will it be called?

Use the internet to find information about places to stay.
Get information about :

* The smallest hotel you can find
* The most expensive hotel
* The most unusual hotel

Don't forget to include pictures so that we can have a look at them!

Finally, share your descriptions and findings with us and post them on your blog!

A widow bird sate mourning for her love

2011-03-14T11:58:00.000+01:00

In this poem Percy Bysshe Shelley tells us about deep feelings through descriptions of the world of nature. The cold, the bare trees, the lack of motion, communicate feelings of waste because a love has died.

A widow bird sate mourning for her Love
Upon a wintry bough;
The frozen wind crept on above,
The freezing stream below.

There was no leaf upon the forest bare,
No flower upon the ground,
And little motion in the air
Except the mill-wheel's sound.

( by Vaninna)
(Background music by George Higgins and José Vera)

The video below is the poem being performed in American Sign Language by some students from a Higher Vocational Training Course in Sign Language. Enjoy it!.

What's your favourite means of transport?

2011-03-07T17:44:00.001+01:00

Background music: ST - EVDLS Parte 2 - 01 - Arco-Iris De Cristal by Santiago Trigueros from Jamendo

English and tourism

2011-02-18T19:13:00.000+01:00

My students start blogging! I'm so pleased with them!

Talking about holidays

2011-02-16T21:05:00.000+01:00

The students had to do an assigment for the class concerning their favourite holiday and including the following information:
Destination
Duration
Kind of holiday
Means of transport
Activities
Value for money

Background music from Jamendo

Have a laugh!

2011-02-14T10:05:00.000+01:00

Designing itineraries

2011-02-10T09:05:00.000+01:00

Another project my students prepared for the class was the design of a package tour. They had to make decisions about:
The name of the tour
Different possible dates
When and where it begins and ends
Places to visit
Type of accomodation
Places to overnight in
Services and meal included in the price
Activities
Basic price ...

Here, two amazing sample itineraries by Celine Fernández and Rosa Gaitán, respectively.

Charles Dickens

2011-02-07T09:30:00.003+01:00

Following a proposal made by Juan Ignacio Castro via twitter, we have carried out some projects so as to celebrate the bicentenary of Charles Dickens's birth.
We hope you like them!

(By María Leal)

Destination: Lisbon

2011-01-31T09:30:00.002+01:00

The students had to describe a tourist destination, using the following information: location and geographical features, climate, main attractions and its importance as a tourist destination.

Well done, Mónica!

Keats

2011-01-28T09:30:00.000+01:00

Reading poems and studying literature in our English classes.

Ode to A Grecian Urn

Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunt about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal - yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied,
For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,
For ever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

(English History)

Thinking about what they have done and learnt. Glogfolio: 5mentarios

Ode to Autumn

Images from Wikipedia
Background music, Cantabile: Dream by Terry Snow from Jamendo

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

(The Literature Network)

Their learning reflections on the activity. Glogfolio: Parlyn

Some other works by my students in our collaborative project.

Learn languages for free

2011-01-26T09:30:00.004+01:00

My student, Ana Molina, talked to me about Busuu. She sent me an e-mail and this is what she wrote:

" I send you too a web: www.busuu.com

It is a free online community for learning languages. You can connect for free with native speakers worldwide. I have learnt a lot with this web.
You can learn English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese or Russian. I have started to learn Italian.

In Busuu all the users can correct the exercises of other users or contact other speakers to share their doubts. In addition there are units of learning, with phrases and vocabulary represented by images and sounds recorded by artists' professional voices speaking their own language.

I encourage you to try the page. I assure you that you will like it"

Now, it's my turn to encourage you to go and have a look at it, because she's right. I find it really interesting and I hope you also will.

Would you like to go on a package holiday?

2011-01-24T09:30:00.003+01:00

By my students studying to become travel agents.

Images from ITE
Background music: Angels of hope by Roger Subirana from Jamendo

Happy Xmas!

2010-12-19T21:35:00.007+01:00

I already posted this song some years ago in order to wish you Happy Christmas and this year, I wanted to look for another one so as to do the same... impossible! I couldn't find a better one!.

So, here you are, again, This is Christmas (war is over), the most beautiful Christmas song I've ever heard.

- John Lennon Lyrics

A piece of good news

2010-12-19T13:17:00.011+01:00

Our collaborative blog Enredando en el Instituto has been given the second prize by the Ministry of Education through the Institute of Educational Tecnology, whose awards are considered to be some of the most prestigious ones in Spain regarding education and the use of ICT in the classroom.

It's for me a pleasure and an honour to share these awards with such good professionals and such great works. This prize makes me feel eager to go on working in the same way and get involved in similar projects, actually we are carrying out another one, this time on the nineteenth century, Seguimos enredando. Un paseo por el siglo XIX.

I would like to congratulate the other winners and take this opportunity to say thanks to my students for their great effort and my colleagues and friends José Luis and Rosa for sharing their experiences and ideas with me. I love working with them, we learn a lot and have fun together, and although it is much time consuming, we also know that is rewarding and really worthwhile.

Life is great! :))

What country would you like to visit?

2010-12-14T14:05:00.008+01:00

By my students from the Higher Vocational Course in Travel Agency.

Background music: Disabled emotions suite - Part 1 by Zero project from Jamendo

Interesting sites

2010-12-08T19:33:00.001+01:00

Dear students,
the pages I talked to you about:

Lyrics training

An interesting site that will help you improve your pronunciation in an enjoyable way through the music.

Just, choose a song, select a level (Beginner, intermediate or expert), listen to the music and fill in the missing words. If you are right the video goes on but if you get stumped, then the video will stop playing until you write the correct word.

English Central

Another site to learn English while watching videos. It allows you to record your voice and get feedback on your pronunciation. It's great fun!

Well, I hope you find them interesting! See you in class!

A brief introduction to Romanticism

2010-11-22T18:05:00.001+01:00

A good summary about the main characteristics of Romanticism by my High School students.
A good start for our project

(By George, Nuria, Clara, Raquel, Pastor, Laura, Antonio, Cristina, Juan and Alejandro)

Background music: Disabled emotions by Zero Project from Jamendo

PodEnglish channel

2010-11-17T18:25:00.008+01:00

Lots of English video lessons from beginner to advanced that will help you learn English.

I find them quite interesting and I hope you also will. Have a look!

Beginner Level

Elementary Level

Pre-intermediate level

Intermediate Level

Upper Intermediate Level

Get that job

2010-11-08T21:00:00.001+01:00

A very interesting site with lots of activities, quizzes and tips on things like how to find a job, write a good CV and cover letter or succeed at an interview.
You can go through it step by step, from "Job Search" to "Interviews" or you can go straight to the part you are most interested in.
Come on, have a look! It will be of great help to you.

Los versos de Miguel Hernández inundan la Red

2010-10-30T09:30:00.002+02:00

Hoy se cumplen 100 años del nacimiento de Miguel Hernández, poeta al que hemos ido recordando en Internet con numerosas actividades. Hagamos que la Red se inunde con sus versos.

Nanas de la cebolla

La cebolla es escarcha
cerrada y pobre.
Escarcha de tus días
y de mis noches.
Hambre y cebolla,
hielo negro y escarcha
grande y redonda.

En la cuna del hambre
mi niño estaba.
Con sangre de cebolla
se amamantaba.
Pero tu sangre,
escarchada de azúcar,
cebolla y hambre.

Una mujer morena
resuelta en luna
se derrama hilo a hilo
sobre la cuna.
Ríete, niño,
que te traigo la luna
cuando es preciso.

Alondra de mi casa,
ríete mucho.
Es tu risa en tus ojos
la luz del mundo.
Ríete tanto
que mi alma al oírte
bata el espacio.

Tu risa me hace libre,
me pone alas.
Soledades me quita,
cárcel me arranca.
Boca que vuela,
corazón que en tus labios
relampaguea.

Es tu risa la espada
más victoriosa,
vencedor de las flores
y las alondras
Rival del sol.
Porvenir de mis huesos
y de mi amor.

La carne aleteante,
súbito el párpado,
el vivir como nunca
coloreado.
¡Cuánto jilguero
se remonta, aletea,
desde tu cuerpo!

Desperté de ser niño:
nunca despiertes.
Triste llevo la boca:
ríete siempre.
Siempre en la cuna,
defendiendo la risa
pluma por pluma.

Ser de vuelo tan lato,
tan extendido,
que tu carne es el cielo
recién nacido.
¡Si yo pudiera
remontarme al origen
de tu carrera!

Al octavo mes ríes
con cinco azahares.
Con cinco diminutas
ferocidades.
Con cinco dientes
como cinco jazmines
adolescentes.

Frontera de los besos
serán mañana,
cuando en la dentadura
sientas un arma.
Sientas un fuego
correr dientes abajo
buscando el centro.

Vuela niño en la doble
luna del pecho:
él, triste de cebolla,
tú, satisfecho.
No te derrumbes.
No sepas lo que pasa ni
lo que ocurre.

En la grabación del audio han participado profesores, miembros del equipo directivo, personal no docente, alumn@s, mis hijos (me hacía ilusión) y yo misma.
Muchísimas gracias a Marisol, Ramiro, Lola, Lola, Juan, María, Judith, Antonio, Yeray y a Aida.

A prank phone call

2010-10-20T21:25:00.000+02:00

Becky is sick of her school and decides to get rid of it. How? Well, she calls a demolition company in Dublin. She wants to demolish her school with her teachers in it!

What about you? Are you tired of your school and teachers?
(Via Tres tizas)

Funny job interview

2010-10-14T16:34:00.001+02:00

Look at what can happen during the interview if you include a little white lie on your resumé or CV.

Worst Job Interview Ever - Click here for more blooper videos

A golden rule: always tell the truth and be honest.

CVs and cover letters

2010-10-14T16:32:00.000+02:00

When applying for a job, you usually send a curriculum vitae (CV), in the USA called resumé, and a cover letter. They are very important documents because they are the first impression you give.
Here are a few suggestions.

CVs and Cover letters

Jason Mraz. I'm yours.

2010-09-30T17:40:00.001+02:00

My friend Ana told me about this song and I loved it. Sing along and enjoy!

Ready to get started?

2010-09-27T20:06:00.001+02:00

Hello everybody!

How are you? Very happy to get back to work after an enjoyable and restful holiday. What about you? Did you have a nice summer? Well, I hope so, because it's time to start working!. We've got many activities to do, graded readers to read and projects to work on!.
Do you remember our project on the 18th century? this year we'll focus on the 19th century, from 1800 to 1832 and we'll see some romantic writers such as Keats, Shelley, Lord Byron, Mary Shelly, Jane Austen, Allan Poe etc..
Would you like to see what we are going to do? Have a look at our wiki. I think it's going to be quite interesting , we'll have good fun and I'm sure you'll like it. By the way, here you are the new blog we've already set up for the Romantic age, cool, isn't it?.
So, are you ready to get started?

Let's begin with this reading comprehension. Don't forget to click on the picture in order to make it bigger and be able to do the exercise.

Are these statements true or false?

1. This is an e-mail that Nina is writing to Alison.
a)True b) False.

2. She has been to Rome recently and has just come back from Portugal.
a)True b) False.

3. She is quite disappointed about having spent all her savings on this trip to Portugal.
a)True b) False.

4. The beaches remain unspoilt by the tourism.
a)True b) False.

5. She thinks that Portuguese people are lovely but she doesn’t like their food very much.
a)True b) False.

6. She was in a hotel just five minutes’ walk from the beach and very close to the town.
a)True b) False.

7. She hardly ever went to the town in the evenings.
a)True b) False.

8. She is a bit worried about her friend since there’s no way to be in touch with her.
a)True b) False.

What about you? Where did you go in summer? What did you do? Did you have a good time? Come on, go ahead and leave your comments here!

Summer holidays!

2010-06-30T16:41:00.001+02:00

Look forward to a holiday!

We're all going on a summer holiday
no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
no more worries for me or you,
for a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly
we're going where the sea is blue.
we've all seen it on the movies,
now let's see if it's true.

Everybody has a summer holiday
doin' things they always wanted to
So we're going on a summer holiday,
to make our dreams come true
for me and you.
for me and you.

I'll see you in September, have a nice summer and take care!

Gulliver in the country of the Houyhnhnms

2010-06-29T20:22:00.001+02:00

Based on Gulliver's travels

( By Iván Rojas and Álvaro Pérez )

Background music : Forest of the unicorns by Zero-project from Jamendo

Gulliver in the island of Laputa

2010-06-29T10:06:00.000+02:00

Based on Gulliver's travels

Images :
Laputa map
Wikipedia

( By all the students from 1BS2)

Background music : Awakening by Zero-project from Jamendo

Gulliver in Brobdingnag

2010-06-28T23:55:00.000+02:00

Based on Gulliver's travels

Images :
Gulliver entertaining the residents of Brobdingnag
The king of Brobdingnag and Gulliver
Wikipedia

( By María Leal)

Background music : Dance of the Fairies by Zero-project from Jamendo

Gulliver in Lilliput

2010-06-22T22:49:00.000+02:00

Based on Gulliver's travels
Images from Gulliver's travels and Wikipedia

( By all the students from 1BS1)

Background music : Moon Waltz by Zero project from Jamendo

Robinson Crusoe in five pictures

2010-06-16T20:00:00.000+02:00

The written project

Some activities created by the students:

Robinson Crusoe in four pictures

2010-06-14T17:05:00.000+02:00

I would like to post here all the works my students from Bachillerato have done about some English books we have read during the course.
Let's start with Robinson Crusoe

The written project

Some activities created by the students:

We got it!

2010-06-08T18:27:00.000+02:00

Yes, third prize for Enredando en el instituto at the Espiral Edublogs Awards 2010. Quite excited about it and very proud of our students who have made a great effort throughout the course. They have worked hard and they deserved it.

Rosa, José Luis and I went to Madrid to pick up the bronze spinning top and it was a fantastic experience:
. An opening interesting talk by Alfonso Alcántara and a very emotional ceremony on being given the awards.
. Marcos Cadenato from "Tres tizas" (blog I love and follow) was there, I didn't know him personally and I met him at last!
. Víctor Cuevas was over there as well! another blogger I have been following for a long time.
. I made new friends, lovely people and great teachers who are making a difference in their classes: Massimo Pennesi, Estrella López, Diego Sobrino, José Hernández, Ana Mariño, Juan Ignacio Castro and Manuel Alonso Rosa.

After this event and experience, there's absolutely no doubt about the right track to follow. Education is changing and fortunately, there's no turning back, it's unstoppable.

Grammar exercises

2010-05-28T19:32:00.001+02:00

Hi guys,
just for you: useful site with lots of exercises online.

Please, study for the exam!
See you on Monday!

Samuel Richardson

2010-05-19T12:59:00.000+02:00

Glog created by Judith Campoy and María Leal.
Cool, isn't it?

English workshop

2010-05-13T00:35:00.000+02:00

The Primary School, José Moreno Villa held its cultural week by the end of April and I volunteered for giving an English workshop to kids aged 6 and 7.

The workshop consisted of creating a small English book and illustrating it with pictures of themselves, their family and favourite monster. No time for much more! As a warming activity they watched a Sesame street video clip and then, for two hours they were drawing and colouring while I was recording them in English.

We had great fun and the kids were so lovely! nothing to do with the students over 16 I'm used to, the fact is that you consume a lot of energy drawing their attention and getting them to carry out the different tasks but, no doubt, it is much more rewarding; they like everything you do, are eager to collaborate in all the activities you suggest and learn so quickly!

A very interesting and enjoyable experience!

1A

Have a look!

Keep in touch !

2010-05-04T21:32:00.000+02:00

Dear students,
It was great to be your teacher. Thanks for sharing your work, feelings and emotions with me and letting me learn from you. We worked hard but we also had great fun, didn't we? Here, the out-takes as I promised you.
I wish you the best.
Take care!

Ok, Ok, you were right, I miss you ... a little bit ... well, a lot!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

They are worthwhile

2010-04-26T21:53:00.000+02:00

I have received this award from three different blogs, Cerro de las lombardas, Valme's English Corner and Colonial Nuggets.

Thank you very much for two reasons:
The first one, for thinking that my blog is worth visiting.
The second one for giving me the opportunitty to meet other teachers and their interesting blogs!
And, last but not the least, let me congratulate you on your blogs, you are doing a great job!.

Well, it's my turn. I have to choose ten blogs, uf, quite difficult. Well, this is my list:

1. Blog en curso
2. Anna's blog
3. English for you, Rosa's blog
4. Enjoy learning English
5. English in Guía-Básico
6. Eoio's advanced students
7. Talk to learn: EOI Almeria conversation club.
8. Our Advanced English blog
9. Inglés_turismo_09_10
10. Learning English in Brunete

Storytelling: "Inviting friends home for a meal"

2010-04-26T13:22:00.000+02:00

Background music: Les cordes de l'âme by Adragante from Jamendo

Storytelling: "My best holiday"

2010-04-22T20:45:00.000+02:00

Background music: Dance of the fairies by Zero-project from Jamendo

Digital storytelling

2010-04-13T18:57:00.001+02:00

It is the process of using computer-based tools to tell stories. Personal narratives are turned into multimedia experiences that can combine recorded voice, still and moving images, video, music or other different sounds.
Advancements in technology have given everyone the opportunity to be a digital storyteller. Stories can be created by people everywhere, on any subject, and shared all over the world.

How to create your digital story:

1. Select a topic and create a folder on your computer where you can store the materials you find.
2. Search for image and audio resources such as pictures, maps, photos, music, interviews, talks, sound effects etc...
3. Try to find informational content, which might come from websites, word documents, PowerPoint presentations...
4. Select the images, audio, content and text you would like to use for your digital story and think of the purpose of your story.
5. Write a script that will be used as narration in your digital story.
6. Use a microphone and record the narration of your script.
7. Import images, audio and narration into the video editing program you use.
8. Finish your digital story by saving it as a video file.

Websites of interest:

The Central for Digital Storytelling. An international non-profit research organization dedicated to assisting people in using digital media to tell stories. It provides many examples of them.

Resources on the topic of Digital Stories

Art, Storytelling, Technology an education

Free online resources for images, sounds.... Technology, techniques and resources.

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. PowerPoint slideshows.

Storytelling Web 2.0

Everything about Digital Storytelling. Information, resources, examples etc...

The background music in the story is Amazing Graceb by Adragante from Jamendo

British Prime Ministers

2010-04-10T11:24:00.000+02:00

Biographies written by my students for our project on the 18th century

In Spanish:

( By Ana, Elías, Nuria, Miguel Angel, Náyade, José Francisco y Noelia)

In Spanish:

( By Meliza, Iván, José Manuel, Rocío, Estela, Sandra y María)

Videos in ISL (2)

2010-03-25T13:23:00.001+01:00

A promise is a promise. Three left and here you are.

They Dance Alone

Great! I really love them!

Videos in ISL (1)

2010-03-22T13:24:00.001+01:00

A promise is a promise

Nice to meet you, Pirri. Thanks for taking part in the activity and congratulations! you sing beautifully!

They are amazing, don't you agree?

Textbooks?...What for?

2010-03-16T19:36:00.000+01:00

Do you really think that with textbooks in our classes, students would be able to imagine and create works like the ones below?
Students from the Vocational Course in Spanish Sign Language, as one of their final assignments, had to perform an English song in International Sign language.
An enjoyable way of learning English and adapted to their studies and needs:
. They learn vocabulary, grammar and expressions by working on the lyrics.
. They practise pronunciation.
. Finally, they perform the songs.

A real pleasure to share them with you.

Amazing, isn't it?

The other students' works coming soon.

Los blogs y la Web 2.0 como herramienta didáctica

2010-03-07T16:21:00.000+01:00

Mi experiencia en Sevilla ha sido una auténtica gozada. Por muchos motivos:

. Unos profesores estupendos deseosos de aprender.
. Conocer, por fin, a Mar Gallego, a quien llevo leyendo muchos años y por la que siento un gran respeto y admiración.
. Conocer también a Isabel y a Paco Ponce. Personas encantadoras. Junto con Mar, trabajamos el año pasado, en la puesta en práctica de una Webquest sobre Las mujeres en la Edad Media que ellos habían elaborado.
. Nuestras charlas, compartiendo inquietudes, intereses y experiencias. Parecíamos amigas de toda la vida.
. Mi paseo por El Real Álcazar de Sevilla con una guía de lujo.
. La hospitalidad de Mar y Alfredo.
He vuelto llena de vida y energía. ¡Gracias!

Aquí, os dejo la presentación para el curso en el CEP de Sevilla, que he subido a Authorstream ya que a diferencia de Slideshare, mantiene las transiciones y los links.

Los blogs y la Web 2.0 como herramienta

See more presentations by anarosaleda | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

Imagine in sign language

2010-02-22T11:27:00.001+01:00

Teaching is amazing!. You never stop learning.

ASL videos

2010-02-17T18:34:00.000+01:00

Some useful videos for you:

Introductions

Signing goodbye

Colours in ASL

Are there many differences between American and Spanish sign language? And between American and International sign language?

Watch this fantastic video: "I Gotta Felling" by The Black Eyed Peas, performed in sign language by Stephen Torrence and Shawn Bracketty.

Now, choose a song you like, perform it in International sign language and record a video. What's this for? That'll be your next project!

My wonders

2010-02-10T19:48:00.000+01:00

Talking to students about the wonders of the modern world.

Well done!

What makes you happy?

2010-02-02T18:08:00.000+01:00

This is what I asked my students and this is what they answered:

Background music: Vortice dei cori celestiali by Alba Giordana from Jamendo

Thanks, José Luis, for inspiring me with your activity

Going to the doctor's

2010-01-26T00:09:00.002+01:00

Do you know how to arrange an appointment with the doctor and how to explain how you feel?

In this lesson online you will also learn a lot about illnesses, health care etc.

ELLA (English Language Lab Asturias) is a wonderful site for learning English and its main aim is to promote the use of new technologies in our English classes.

From here, congratulations on this interesting project!

Pronunciation of regular verbs

2010-01-21T16:37:00.002+01:00

Have a look at the following presentation

View more presentations from anarosaleda.

Now, let's have some practice

What they study and their plans for the future

2010-01-13T00:16:00.001+01:00

Auld Lang Syne

2009-12-21T09:59:00.000+01:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Meanings

auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two

This is a song English and American people will hear this New Year’s Eve. It is called Auld Lang Syne and it is the traditional music played during the New Year’s celebration.
Auld Lang Syne is an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends. Auld Lang Syne literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."
No one knows who wrote the poem first. However, a version by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared in a songbook three years later.

In English

(By María Leal )

In Spanish

(By Francisco José García)

All the students singing together

Sources used:

The song lyrics
Singing part of the song with its translation into Modern English

Via La Rosaleda- MiraCosta College

Cultural differences

2009-12-17T14:11:00.001+01:00

It's a good idea to be aware of the differences in culture between our country and some other countries. When travelling or working abroad, we should know the social customs so as not to make any mistakes or offend anyone.
Below, my students from the Vocational Course in Spanish Sign Language talking about misunderstandings

Social Customs Quizz

2009-12-15T21:39:00.001+01:00

My students watched these presentations and created this quizz.

social_customs

Dos and don'ts of job Interviews

2009-12-08T23:42:00.001+01:00

My students didn't feel like recording a typical job interview video and this is what they decided to do instead

Good job!

Funny Job Interview

2009-11-24T00:27:00.001+01:00

Look at what can happen during the interview if you include a little white lie in your resumé or CV.

Worst Job Interview Ever - Click here for more blooper videos

Remember: always tell the truth and be honest. This is a golden rule.

CVs and Cover letters

2009-11-17T23:03:00.000+01:00

Ainhoa, Belén, Laura, Almudena, Natalia, Menchu, Angélica, Guada, Jhonathan, Aixa, Marina, Almudena, a great job!

The place where we live

2009-11-09T14:56:00.000+01:00

My students created a video and a powerpoint presentation about Málaga.
We hope you enjoy it!

By Ainhoa, Belén, Laura, Almudena, Natalia, Menchu, Angélica, Guada, Jhonathan, Aixa, Marina, Almudena and Ernesto.
Well done!

Halloween

2009-11-02T14:21:00.001+01:00

The students from the Vocational course in Catering serve breakfasts every Monday and Thursday at our school.
On thursdays, breakfasts are in English. The teachers giving lessons to them and our language and culture assistant, Kelly, are doing a good job. I can't think of a better way to get the students to learn and improve their English.
Last Thursday, it was a special day. The students and some teachers dressed up in costume so as to celebrate Halloween. We had some typical sweets and nice buscuits made by Kelly and while having breakfast we could also enjoy a powerpoint presentation created by Kelly for the occasion.

Halloween

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Introductions

2009-10-25T14:25:00.001+01:00

The other day we were recording videos for our ESL exchange project with students from MiraCosta College, in California. What fun!

La Rosaleda- MiraCosta College

My students' works

2009-10-18T22:14:00.000+02:00

I promised my students to post here some of the activities they did last May. We had just about a month to work on the Webquest How did women live in Middle Ages? and be able to take part in Educared awards.
Nearly all the students in my two Bachillerato groups volunteered for the project. They did a good job and made a great effort, bearing in mind that they were preparing exams at the same time.
It was also a pleasure for us to work with Mar Gallego, Isabel Alonso and with Francisco Ponce, whose students created a wiki and did some treasure hunts in French related to the same topic.
It has been one of the most rewarding and positive experience I've ever had. Collaboration, cooperation, creative learning, teamwork , contributions, enthusiasm... made us success in making a difference in our classes.

How women lived in Middle Ages

Música: Amazing Gracêb, por Adagrante, vía Jamendo

Middle Ages clothing

Música: les cordes de l'âme por, Adagrante, vía jamendo

Cooking Medieval recipes

Música: Bleuved Nébéleg, por Adragante , vía Jamendo

Middle Ages Women blog. The whole project.

Test your English

2009-10-04T22:44:00.001+02:00

Would you like to know how good you are at the different language skills?
The following tests will give you a general idea about your level of English

From British Council

Projects

2009-09-20T17:20:00.000+02:00

Back again and quite happy to start classes.
New challenges and projects for this school year.
In addition to Bachillerato courses I will be giving lessons to a Vocational Course in Sign Language. This is the first time and I'm quite busy looking for interesting material to be used with them. I met the students the other day and they are lovely. I have the feeling that we are going to learn a lot from each other.
And two projects ahead, the first one, a collaborative project on the eighteenth century with my friends and colleagues José Luis Gamboa and Rosa Lara. Social changes, Spanish and English literature posts will be the thread of a blog we have created and this time we would like to go a bit further, we want all the departments at our school to get involved in the project. We are quite excited about it. Here, the blog and wiki.
The second project, an ESL video exhange with Kristi Reyes and Eli Clarke, two teachers at MiraCosta Community College in Southern California. Our host will be Ryan Detwiler from ESL video who has already set up a blog in order to invite other teachers to join us.
Well, it looks promising, doesn't it? a great school year with interesting experiences and good fun.

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/analia_manetta/1387048794/

Happy summer!

2009-06-29T14:18:00.000+02:00

This summer we are thinking of going to Portugal again. Yes, again, we love this country.
Two years ago, we travelled to Lisbon, a charming and magic place you shouldn't miss. Last year we went to Vila Nova de Milfontes, a beautiful town on the Southwest coast, with little tourism and fascinating long and sandy beaches which are still unspoilt . Ideal for a family trip and for anyone looking for a relaxing and quiet holiday. You can't miss it either. And this year? well, we would like to go to the North, Aveiro, Porto, Bragança, Coimbra, Viana de Castelo. We have been said they are amazing places. I'll let you know.

Lisbon

This video about Lisbon is taken from Geobeats, an interesting site about destinations from all over the world. Hundred of worldwide filmmakers and hosts show us their cities and tell us about landmarks, activities, art, food, shoopping, nightlife, festivals, people...
Really useful for preparing activities for students and above all for those ones studying tourism and get them to know other places and cultures.

Vila Nova de Milfontes

And, What about you? What are you doing this summer?, Are you going anywhere on holiday? Well, whatever you do or wherever you go have a nice summer and enjoy ! I'll see you in September!

Take care

Ana

How to write an essay

2009-06-11T18:18:00.002+02:00

As "Selectividad" exam is just round the corner, here you are some tips that will help you improve your writing skills. Good luck!

Writing Tips

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What is a Webquest?

2009-05-17T21:00:00.000+02:00

I've been rather tied up lately. First, I've been working on the blog on Spanish and English literature. Second, finishing an online course about Moodle. Besides, I've become involved in an interesting project on this specific Webquest, How did women live in the Middle Ages ?.
My students from 1st Bachillerato and I will be working on it all this month long and as they don't know anything about Webquests, I've prepared this presentation for them and of course, for anyone who is interested in this useful "technique for Internet-based learning".

Open publication - Free publishing - More webquest

A day off

2009-05-11T17:59:00.000+02:00

On Wednesday, we're visiting Gibraltar. It will be great to have a day off and recharge batteries before the final exams get started.
We will have enough time to have fun and also do a workproject about our visit.
The project will consist of asking people some questions concerning Gibraltar and life over there.
Later on, with the information gathered in the interviews and your pictures, you will prepare a brief presentation and present it to your classmates.
In the end, we will talk about your opinion and impression on the trip.
Remember:
.You have a great opportunity to practise your English, don't miss it!.
. Be polite and respectful towards Gibraltarian people.

Enjoy the trip!

One more thing, be careful with the monkeys!

A Visit to Gibraltar A Visit to Gibraltar anarosaleda

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Thanks to my friends, Chío and Mariví, for sharing their materials with me.