Speaking pairs

Dear NI1,
Find the time assigned on Monday 6th. Take into accound that there may be some changes on the pairs as you'll be tested with other NI1 students from the school. Good luck!

Room 14
16h

Luis A – Sara V

17h
Charo G – Rafael L

18:30

Cristina Martínez – Rubén M (Friday 3rd, 19:30, Selectividad)

Esther N – Jorge R.

Irene O. – Carmen G

19:30

Victoria A - Teresa B

Inma F. - Victoria F

Room 13

16h

Miguel Ángel A - César B

Javier F – Cristina Mediano

Isabel H - Inmaculada M

Cristina N - Beatriz O

20h

Rafael R

Friday 3rd

This is the schedule for the writing part on June 3rd.

NB1 17:30 Room 5
Reading - 17:30 - 18:25
Listening C - 18:30 - 18:50
Writing - 18:55 - 19:45

NI1 16:30 Room 10 (2nd floor)
Reading - 16:30 - 17:25 (Room 12)
Listening C - 17:30 - 17:55
Writing - 18:00 - 19:30

June Test

Dear NB1 students,

I'm sorry for those who didn't pass, but as you know, you still have another chance to pass your failing parts. I encourage you to try again. Don't give up!

For the written part, come on Friday 3rd at 17:30 in our classroom.
Speaking on Wednesday 1st.

This is the schedule for those who have to take the speaking exam again on June 1st next week:
17:30
- Manuela B & Antonio
- Teresa & Francisco P
- Pilar & Inmaculada R
18h
- Ana B & Daniel I
- Josefina y Alberto

The Present

Dear NB1 students,

Listen to a simple interview on how to make questions and answer about hobbies from Hot English Magazine.

And how about you?
- What is your hobby?
- How often do you do/play it?
- Where do you play/do it?
- Who do you play/do it with?
- When did you start?

Exam Results

Dear all,

I'll be posting the results of your exams at our classroom door on Thursday 26th at 17:30.

If you want to check your exams, come to the regular class on Friday 27th for Tuesday & Thursday group and on Monday 30th for Monday & Wednesday group.

Take it easy!

Functional language

Dear students,

I thought you may like to review some useful expressions for the speaking exam from englishathome.com

- Suggestions in English
- Making invitations
- Making appointments
- Agreeing in English
- Making predictions
- Talk about illness
- Talking about the holidays
- Giving your opinion

Seeking Approval

In this link from Hot English Magazine we can practice expressions which seek approval.

Read and listen and he next dialogue.
For Functional Language on how to seek approval, click here.

The Audacity of Hope

Dear NI1 students,

In this site you can listen and read at the same time to Obama talk about the Audacity of Hope.

This is a beautiful speech about his origins and the possibility of bettering yourself no matter where you are from.

Thanks

Dear NB1 students,

Thanks a lot for your nice comments on the class. They will help me to be a better teacher. I'm very pleased with your work through the whole year and I wish you all good luck!

You can also see here the key to the exercises from the coursebook, p.117:
Ex.1
1. David is going to buy a good bed.
2. She is going to drink more water.
3. Will is not going to live in another country.
4. I'm going to stop smoking.
Ex. 2
1. Who are you going with?
2. When are you going to make this trip?
3. How are you going to get there?
4. What are you going to do?

What about you? What are you going to do this summer? What are you going to do next school year? Write down a few sentences about your plans.

Obama Navy Seal Doll

Here is some fun news before the exam. Obama got a doll after he announced Osama's death, Rambama. For the transcript, visit Newsy

A SEAL (SEa, Air And Land team) is a special operation group in the USA navy.

June Exams

I'm only writing this because some students wanted me to post the dates for June.

NI1
Written Part: Friday 3rd at 16:30
Speaking Exam: Monday 6th at 16h

NB1
Written Part: Friday 3rd at 17:30
Speaking Exam: Wednesday 1st at 17:30

Key to NI1 assignments

This is the key to the last assignments for this course.
Hope you can self-correct yourselves.

Good luck!

At the doctor's

To get more practice about different common topics, listen to these BBC programs:

- At the doctor's
- Ethical Travel

Listen and read useful expressions at the doctor's here!

Passive Voice

Dear NI1 students,

In this video you can see some uses of the passive voice.
For more, visit Hot English TV.

Some grammar practice

Dear NB1 students,

In these links from Englisch Hilfen site you can find some extra practice about:

Comparative Adjectives 1
Comparative Adjectives 2
Position of Frequency adverbs 1
Position of Frequency Adverbs 2
Irregular verbs
Simple past
The/an/an
Articles 2

How to say the date?
What's the time?
Imperative, giving commands
Short answers with the verb to be
Short answers with "can"
was / were
some/ any

QUESTIONS
Question words
Ask for the underlined part
Ask for the underlined part 2
Answers and questions
Questions in the present continuous
Questions in the simple past
Questions in the present simple

FUTURE
going to future
will

Reported Speech

Dear NI1 students,

I'd like you to practice reported speech in these links from Englisch Hilfen:

- Reported Speech Quiz
- Reported Statements
- Reported Statements with time expressions
- Reported questions
- Reported questions with time expressions
- Reported Commands

A city guide

Dear NB1 students,

For this weekend, you have to write a city guide to a town you know very well.

Write about:

• Your town
• Places to visit
• The best shopping
• Where to stay
• How to travel

For a New York city Guide watch this video.
hustle and bustle= ajetreo de la ciudad

For more info read pages 82-3 from your workbook.

A cover letter

Are you looking for a job? The homework assignment for this weekend (May 7th & 8th) is to write a cover letter for one of these job advertisements, or the ones in your book.

Follow instructions on pg 86-87 from your workbook.

1. Teacher Needed: Tommy's Kindergarten needs 2 teacher/trainers to help with classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should have appropriate licenses. For more information visit Tommy's Kindergarten in Leicester Square No. 56.

2. Part Time work available: We are looking for retired adults who would like to work part time at the weekend. Responsibilities include answering the telephone and giving customer's information. For more information contact us by calling 897-980-7654.

3. University positions open: The University of Cumberland is looking for 4 teaching assistants to help with homework correction. Applicants should have a degree in one of the following: Political Science, Religion, Economics or History. Please contact the University of Cumberland for more information.

If you were a sailboat

This is a nice song by Katie Melua we sang in class. I learned about it on Ana del Pozo's website. In fact her blog is a great way to apply phonetics to songs.
To check your answer to the gap filling activity, go through this exercise!

Vocabulary

Probably the major differences between British and American English lies in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties for example:

Mean: American English - angry, bad humored, British English - not generous, tight fisted

Practice British & American with these exercises, 1, 2, 3, 4.
If in doubt, use this British to American vocabulary tool.

For more vocabulary practice, visit these sites:
Can you put the words used to talk about restaurants in the right spaces?
Can you put the rubbish in the correct recycle bin?

Informe Semanal

Thanks to my colleague Michel, I'm posting the link to the report on the Spanish TV about the Centenary of the Official Schools of Languages.

Besides there is currently an exhibition about the Centenary of the EOI at Centro Cultural Galileo.

If you are interested in a guided tour of such exhibition, I am visiting it on May 12th at 12:30. It will last 45 minutes. Would you like to come with me?
If you say yes, write an answer to this post, please.

Mon & Wed NI1 group

Dear NI1 students,

This is your schedule for the speaking exam on May 23rd & 25th.
Good luck to you all!

MONDAY 23RD 2011
15:30 – Ruben & Cristina L
15:50 - Sara & Rafael
16:10 - Victoria F & Teresa
16:30 - Jesús & Cristina M
16:50 - Esther N & Luis

WEDNESDAY 25TH 2001
15:30 - Irene & Victoria A
15:50 - Piedad & Charo
16:10 - Esther A & Carlos
16:30 - Pedro & Jorge
16:50 - Liu & Carmen
17:10 - Inma & Eva