Saturday 31 October 2009

EOIS' Claims

Hi there!
Here's one more article recently published in El País dealing with a hot issue regarding Official Schools of Languages and I thought it can be of great interest to you, students, and us, teachers.
It's obviously in Spanish, but please leave your comments or feelings about it in the comments section in English =]
I'd like to know your point of view!

Murcian Mules Rule

Hi everyone!
I hope you're enjoying your Halloween weekend as much as you can, but don't forget we have a class on Monday, as usual!
Now, a colleague from the school in Lorca, Conchita Díez de Revenga, has sent me a very interesting link with an article published a few days ago in the British paper The Guardian about... Murcian mules!! Yes, I was surprised too.
Whoever could imagine that NATO* soldiers love them...? Well, click on the link below and read it. If you have questions, just let me know and I'll be glad to explain.


 * NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Thursday 29 October 2009

Sports: Skiing

Hi there!!

Some people really enjoy skiing (not me, though :P) and since we've been talking about sports for some days now, I'd like to share with you here a pdf document with vocabulary related to skiing (from the Hot English magazine).Click here to download your copy and here to download the mp3 file that goes with it so that you can listen to the conversation (it's AmE).

Enjoy!!!

Sunday 25 October 2009

History of Halloween: The Haunted History of All Hallows' Eve

Hi there folks!
Halloween is round the corner, as you already know. We'll do something about it on Thursday, so make sure to come to class. You won't regret it! =]
Now, just to get you in the mood and also to learn about the history behind the holiday, here's a very interesting listening activity I created last year with a great video I found on www.history.com.
Click on the links below for the file with the exercises and the video
 
When you're done with the activities, you can leave your answers in the comments section.

I hope you like it and learn from it!!

Oh, and it's American English!! 

Wednesday 21 October 2009

Websites for Listening Practice

Hi there!!
I know EFL (or ESL) students often struggle with listening. I understand it can be quite trying, so I'm posting here a link for you to download a document with a sample list of some of the most famous websites for listening practice.
This document was created by American teacher Randall Davis and I couldn't thank him enough for letting other people use, edit and download it! 
I've edited it slightly and I hope it can be useful to you!!!

Oh, and I will tell you about podcasts in class in due time!

And, needless to say, if you know of yet more useful websites for listening practice, don't hesitate to tell me!

Monday 19 October 2009

Very useful site to supplement your Student's Book

Hi again!
I've found a 
very useful site to supplement your student's book. It was created by Eugenia Ortega at Educantabria. Don't forget to check it out!! They might restrain the access to the site in the future, so make sure you don't miss it now.

Cheers!!

Silent Letters

Hi there!!
Today we'll do some pronunciation practice on silent letters in words related to food, so I'm leaving you here a link for you to download a sheet dealing with this. Make sure to print it, read it and keep it for future reference. It might be a good idea too to highlight those words that are more common for everyday use.

Once you have the sheet, you may want to visit the BBC Skillswise site to take a quiz, play a game, etc, about silent letters by clicking here.

Enjoy!! :)

Saturday 17 October 2009

Ordering in a restaurant and more

Hello again!
Click here to watch an interesting video on how to order in a restaurant. As you can plainly see, it's American English*, but very useful anyway!
Remember on Monday you'll be role-playing that same situation.

I got this tip from my colleague Ainhoa Aguilera, teacher at the EOI Totana. Click on the link to visit her blog for NI1 too! I'm also posting the link on the right-hand side of this site, under My Blog List.

Hope it helps!

* check is AmE for bill.

Eat it

Hi there again!
I'm sure you know the famous Beat it by Michael Jackson. But what about Eat it? Here's the music video and you can read the lyrics below.

Enjoy!

How come you're always such a fussy young man?
Don't want no Captain Crunch, don't want no Raisin Bran
Well, don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan
So eat it, just eat it (prrr)

Don't wanna argue, I don't wanna debate
Don't want to hear about what kind of food you hate ooh
You won't get no dessert 'till you clean off your plate
So eat it, don't you tell me you're full

Just eat it, eat it , eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn't matter , it's broiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it, ooh

Your table manners are a cryin' young shame
You're playin' with your food like it's some kind of game
Now, if you starve to death, you'll just have yourself to blame
So eat it, just eat it (prr)(burp)

You better listen, better do what you're told ooh
You haven't even touched your tuna casserole ooh
You better chow down or it's gonna get cold
So eat it

I don't care if you're full
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Open up your mouth and feed it
Have some more yogurt, have some more spam
It doesn't matter if it's fresh or canned
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Don't you make me repeat it
Have a banana, have a whole bunch
It doesn't matter what you have for lunch
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
(hoh hoh hoh hoh hoh)

Eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
If it's gettin' cold, reheat it
Have a big dinner, have a light snack
If you don't like it you can't send it back
Just eat it, eat it, (woohoo) eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it (oh lord)
Have some more chicken,(woohoo) have some more pie (woohoo)
It doesn't matter , it's broiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Don't you make me repeat it (oh no)
Have a banana,(woohoo) have a whole bunch
It doesn't matter what you had for lunch
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it

Thursday 15 October 2009

Balloon adrift with a six-year-old inside

Hi there!
Have you heard the astonishing news (to say the very least) about a six-year-old flying away alone in a helium balloon in Denver, USA?

Well, if you haven't, here's the video of the landing.
What do you think has happened to the child? 
How do you think this could possibly have happened? 
Leave your comments!



P.S. I'm lost for words... Let's hope he's all right.

Girls Just Wanna...

Hi there!
We've been talking about food and eating in class and I thought you might like some music to go with that. Here's a peculiar version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cindy Lauper, which was a big hit back in the early 80's. This version is by a peculiar singer and actor:
"Weird Al" Yankovic. (Click on the link to visit his site).
Feel free to leave your answers to the exercise below in the comments section.

Have fun!


Read the lyrics below and fill in the blanks with the missing words. (One word per blank. They all rhyme)
Girls Just Wanna Have 1………..

Some girls like to buy new 2………..
And others like driving trucks and wearing tattoos
There's only one thing that they all like a bunch*
Oh, girls, they wanna have 1...........
Oh, girls just wanna have 1...........

I know how to keep a woman satisfied
When I whip out my Diner's Card

 their eyes get so 3……..
They're always in the mood for something to munch
Oh, girls, they wanna have 1...........
Oh, girls just wanna have...

That's all they really want
Is some 1...........
Don't ask 'em to dinner or 4…………….

 or brunch
'Cause girls, they wanna have 1...........
Oh, girls just wanna have 1...........
Girls, they wanna
Wanna have 1...........
Girls wanna have

She eats like she got a hole in her 5…….
And I'm the one that always gets stuck with the 6……….**
Can't figure out how come they don't weigh a ton
Oh, girls, they wanna have 1...........
Oh, girls just wanna have...

That's all they really want
Is some 1...........
Don't know for certain

but I've got a hunch
Those girls, they wanna have 1...........
Oh, girls just wanna have 1...........

Girls, they wanna
Wanna have 1...........
Girls wanna have

They just wanna (x2)
Girls
They just wanna
(x2)
Girls just wanna have 1...........
Girls
Girls just wanna have 1...........
They just wanna
(x5)
They just wanna have 1...........!

Taken from the album Dare to Be Stupid
Released in 1985
* a lot
** bill (American English)
Now, what’s the right spelling of these words used in informal English?
Wanna: ……………………             ‘em: ……………..               ‘Cause: …………………….

Friday 9 October 2009

We are family

Hi there!
You can now watch the clip for We are family by Sister Sledge and do the activities in the handout I gave you on Wednesday.



Have fun!

Wednesday 7 October 2009

Hot English Subscription

Hi there!
This is just to give you some useful advice. If you subscribe to Hot English magazine online, you will get a lesson every week together with mp3 files for listening practice. 
It's really worth it, and it's also very easy, fast and, most importantly, free!!


Do it and improve your English at home! You won't regret it!


See you in class!

Tuesday 6 October 2009

He's a Family Guy

Hi again!
Do you like Peter Griffin and his peculiar family? Yes, I'm talking about the daily show Family Guy. I personally love it. It just makes me laugh every time I watch it. Granted, it's a bit crazy and surreal, but it's just hilarious, isn't it?

Well, the activity I'm proposing here is quite simple. If you know the show and its characters, try to describe them using the personality adjectives we've learnt (or any others). Just click on the Comments section below this post and leave your descriptions!

And watch the video below with a funny variation to the intro theme.

Which Friends character are you? and More!

Hi everyone!!
Yesterday we talked about personality adjectives, remember? Well, below is a funny quiz with which to review some of those adjectives plus new ones
Find out which Friends character you are!! 

Now, we also talked about family relations, so click on this link to the BBC Learning English Service about family vocabulary. When you've finished reading it, click on The quiz on the right-hand side and check how much you learnt!!
Enjoy!

Sunday 4 October 2009

Practice on Future Forms

Hi there folks!
We dealt with future forms in class last Wednesday, so I'm posting the links below for you to do further practice on them. They tend to be tricky for Spanish-speaking learners, so make sure you get them right! ;)
Explanations:
(scroll down until you see Future Forms)
Activities: 




Hope it helps!!

Saturday 3 October 2009

Entry Test Audio Track

Hi again!
I promised I would post here a link for you to download the audio we listened to in class when you took the entry test. I haven't forgotten, but unfortunately, I left it at the school, so I will upload it on this post next week.

What exactly is the Full Monty?

Hi again!
You might wonder why I chose The Full Monty as the blog title. Does it have anything to do with the famous film starring  Scottish actor Robert Carlyle?

Well, just click here and find out! :)

Remember to visit the BBC Learning English: Keep your English Up to Date site for the newest terms and expressions in the English language, such as facebook or supersize . It's fun and really interesting. I love it!!

Welcome Everyone!

Hi there everyone!!
First of all, I would like to welcome all of you, both my brand new NI1 Águilas students and my old Lorca students, to my new blog. 
I am thrilled to embark on this new experience in Águilas and I hope you are too!!

It is my wish that this blog helps you to improve your English skills easily and comfortably from home. 
Don't forget to take an active part, whether it is by making comments or suggestions, sending me interesting links, etc. Remember this blog has been created especially for you.



So...are you ready? Here we go!