ORAL PRESENTATION

Dear all, time has come for you to develop and put into practice your oral skills. Starting Tuesday 2nd February, one of you will kick off the lesson with an exposition every day. You are free to choose the topic and the lenght is a maximum of 5 minutes. Try to choose a topic that motivates you so it makes it easier for you to address the class and deliver your presentation.

Please click here to have a look at the schedule and if you alreay have a date of  your, send me an email and I will book the date. Volunteers are welcome!

English courses

-Learning English in Salamanca? Could that be possible. Clik here to know more about it.
-If you are a techer and are interested in "Estancia de inmersión lingüísitca" click here to get the imformation.

Update and info

1)Dear all, in case you are interested in taking the "pruebas de certificación" or "pruebas libres" for a different language that you are currently studying, ckick here for information. Deadline for applications is 15th February 2010.

2) Do you need the definite school calendar? Click here to check it or download it.

3) Interested in music? Here are two great sites for you:

http://www.saberingles.com.ar/songs/index.html

http://www.subingles.com/inicio

Decisions and choices

On lesson 6A we talked about decisions, choices and making one's mind up. Here is a clip based on the introduction of a cult film "Trainspotting", it is all about choices. Do you think we might be overwhelmed with choices in life? Have a look at this video.

Here is another clip on how to make decisions. It is very short and simple, therefore, can you write on the comment section:
1) Where is the lady from? 2)The name of the company 3)the three steps she suggestes in order to make good decisions.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15th. It is one of three United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person.
King was the chief spokesman of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968.
The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

If you are in a hurry this is a fragment of the speech and you can check the full text by clicking here.

If you have time, you can listen and read King's full speech:

(part 1)

(part 2)

How to make a successful yard/garage sale?

Have you ever heard the term garage sale or yard sale? It's a very peculiar aspect of American culture. Yesterday we talked in class about sorting stuff out and which things to keep, which things to throw away and which things to give away. Another option is selling them.
Here is a video to help you out on planning a successful yard sale. Watch it carefully.

Did you find it interesting? Hope you did. If you want to know more on the subject click here and read the wikipedia entry on the topic. After watching the video and reading the article feel free to do this activities (I   will post the activities asap*)


asap= as soon as possible

New Year's resolutions

-I am sure most of you started the year with the best of intentions and a great list of New Year's Resolutions.
-According to the wikipedia: "A New Year's resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned."
-Most of the New Year's Resolutions deal with these topics: lose weight , get organized, save money, improve grades, get a better job, get fit, eat right, drink less alcohol , quit smoking, reduce stress , take a trip, volunteer to help others, etc.
-Have a look at this document and you will find nice tips in order to write your New Year's Resolutions.
Please, after careful thinking, write on the comment sections your New Year's Resolutions.... ok, I will go first.

In order to get some ideas, have a look at this video

It's Christmas time!!!!

Do your remember our friend Jack and how he showed us about Halloween town?
Well, this time he has chosen the Christmas tree....have a look a what he finds

And of course, a Christmas classic, Let it snow!!!

Christmas party

Please, come to our Christmas Party. It will take place on Thursday 17th December at the Assambley Hall (salón de actos).
Starting at 19.00 you will find food, drinks, quizzes and Christmas Carols!!!
 Plus someone mentioned Singstar!!! Ready to display your singing skills?????

Family is more than welcome.

Exam information

Oral Thursday 10th December

Reading+Listening+Writing Tuesday 15th December

for other dates check here.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DECEMBER ORAL EXAM
Students will be called every 15 minutes in pairs. You will recieve 2 different  handouts.
1) Monologue: you are expected to speak for 3 or 4 minutes on the topic on the card. You will find some questions to be used as guidelines.
2)Dialogue: you will be assigned a role in a conversation and you will be given some prompts that you are to follow and maintain a conversation for 5 minutes.
The exam will be recorded so you can listen to your performance later on.
Here are some ideas for the exam:
-The secret of happiness
-Love and hate relationships (mobiles/computers/tv, etc)
-Feelings
-At a barbacue
-Are we living too fast?
-How could we slow down?
-Cooking
-Sleeping  patterns
-Giving and receiving advice
-Giving and receiving recommendations
-Holidays
-Ways of travelling
-Work

HERE IS THE LIST WITH NAMES AND TIMES FOR THE ORAL EXAM
DECEMBER 10TH 2009
16:00 Francisco Ríos & Alicia Hidalgo
16:15 Cristina García & Laura Tomillo
16:30 Mar Luque& Silvia Benitez
16:45 Eugenia Giraldo & Julio Rivera
17:00 Pilar del Pozo & Francisca Pérez
17:15 Teresa Fernández & Charo López
17:30 Macarena Paneque & Diego Caballero &Fran Espinosa
17:45 Gloria Cobano& Rosa García
DECEMBER 16TH 2009
17:00 Samuel Campano & Marta Ruiz
DECEMBER 17TH 2009,
17:30 Alfonso Torrelo &  Quino Roncero
17:45 Eva García & Joaquín González
18:00 Clara Vázquez

The following people need to contact me and manifest whether they are going to do the exams or not
-Cansino López, Inmaculada
-Carrasco Congregado, Susana
-Guevara Góngora, Adelaida
-Hidalgo Moreno, Roberto
-Konir, Ksenija
-Mason-Elliot Sempere, Victoria
-Moreno  Montero, María de la Caridad
-Muñiz Pérez, Cristina
-Rogríguez Oyega, Juan Manuel
-Sánchez Morgado, Elena

OSL Library

The Official School of Languages has finally opened its library. You can find it on the second floor on the left section of the builing (we teach on the right one).
Remember to take your library card with a photograph.
The OSL library opened on December 4th, click for information and timetables.
You can also have a look at this video where a student asks for "Second World War books"...see what happens!

Thanksiving

Think how hard it is to be a turkey on Thanksgiving!!!


And of course a new and Thanksgiving like version of the hit I will survive

If you are interested in knowing more things about Thanksgiving click here.

Have a look at this video explaining what Thanksgiving is about

Listen and practice "used to"

Here are a couple of songs for you to practice.

Viva la Vida activity.

This is the song with different photographs and album covers from The Cramberries, the Irish group.

If you want to watch the original video click here.
Just my imagination activity

Listening test and more practice

Last day we did a listening on Roxana Saberi. The results were excellent (it was a listening designed for the final exam of NB), and yes, I confess!!! The last question was a tricky one!!!
Click on the words in bold if you want to download the activity, the audio, the correction.

Here is a video on Roxana Saberi and Hillary Clinton once the journalist was released.

You can't hurry love (The Supremes)

Last Thursday we worked on this song (see students book page 114), here is the song with different photographs of the group.

If you want to sing along here are the lyrics (sorry, I did not choose this colour)


Feel like singing it? Get the lyrics and press play on this karaoke.

PUNCTUATION

If you want to know more on punctuation please click here

You can also have a look at this short video con punctuation

.

HOMEWORK UNIT 2

Think of something you would like to sell.
As  pre-writing questions think about

-What it is.

-How much it is and whether you would take a near offer.

-How and when possible buyers can contact you.

Then write a notice on the comment section (DO NOT FORGET TO WRITE YOUR NAME)

*use your notes from the pre-writing questions

*organise  your notice and make it interesting

*use abbreviations

*read and check for mistakes

*publish it on the comments sections.

Room change!!!!!!!

We are moving from room 10 to room 6 on the floor below. I will leave a  note on the door of both rooms so that you don't get confused.
Remember your new room is NUMBER 6

Giving advice, lesson 2D

Here are three problems that I have found looking at Mrs Web advice webpage. Please read them carefuly and select one of them to be answered by you. Give the one you prefer some thougth and write your advice on the comment section. If you do not know how to leave a comment click here.

1. Dear Mrs. Web

My best friend and I like to dress and act punk. My parents don’t like it because they say that it is not good for me spiritually and some of the ideas go against our family faith. I like dressing in black and promise them I won't go too far. But they tell me that I cannot wear all black and stud belts and necklaces. How can I deal with this? I don’t want to follow their rules.

2.Dear Mrs. Web,

My father is moving in with my nine-year-old son and me. Dad recently had a stroke and is now partially disabled. Dad will need some help around the house and it will be great to have him there when my son comes home from school. My son loves Dad but is upset that he has had to move out of his room to a corner of the living room. We just don’t have anymore space.

3.Dear Mrs. Web,

My sister is coming for her annual visit next month with her three children. She has taken up smoking in a misguided attempt to lose weight; she is now fat and smelly. We don’t allow smoking in our house. What should we do?

Tips: in order to write your advice please check pages 22 and 23 from  your text book. You can also check this video clip as a lesson

How to publish comments on the blog

Some of you have already used the comment .section at least once. In case you are not 100% sure or it is your first time, please follow these instructions:
1. Click on "Comments" below the text or the post you have just read. A new window should pop up.
2. Scroll down until you find the "Leave your comment" section.
3. Write your text in the space given and indicate your group and full name.
4. When finished, check for spelling and grammar mistakes.
5. Type in the sequence of letters/numbers in the "word verification" box. Press "enter" when you finish.
6. Choose an identity. If you have a Google/Gmail account, you can use it to identify yourself. Otherwise, choose "Name/URL". You will then see two boxes. Write your name in the first box.
7. Click on "Publish your comment"
8. Be patient, your comment might not be there immediately.  DON'T submit your text several times in a row because it won't work.