Young and Educated in Europe, but desperate for jobs

Hi:

Europe's fiscal crisis has forced young people like Melissa Abadía to make painful adjustments and migrate to find jobs.

Young and educated in Europe, but desperate for jobs is an adapted text from the New York Times. We will read about a very current Spanish topic in English and then we will be commenting on it in class on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th. 
Have a good one!

The #1 ladies' detective agency book review

Hi there, 

I'd like you to start reading the new book to comment after Easter at home. This is an oral book review where you'll learn a bit about the characters and the series by Alexander McCall Smith. Happy reading!

Prediction for the Internet 20 years ago

Hi: 
Listen to Asimov's predictions on the future on education in the 90's again and complete the gaps. Wasn't he a visionary? Thanks to my colleague Susana for providing this exercise.

 

1. Asimov thinks there will be computers in the homes connected to ___________________ 
2. Nowadays learning is something _____________ on you. 
3. Through these machines, for the first time, we will have a ____________between the information source and the consumer.      
4. In the past tutors used to adapt their teaching to the _____________________ of the children. 
5. Eventually more and more people will _____________________ as happened with car and telephones. 
6. People think education is only for ____________________ 
7. If you make people _____________________learning, they will keep on doing it.

Reviewing

Hi,

Why not practice the grammar points lately dealt with in class?

1. Speculation and deduction
2. Expressing future plans and arrangements 
3. Future perfect and future continuous 
4. Have something done (1)
5. Reporting verbs
6. Have something done (2)
7. Intensifiers

Predictions

As Asimov does in many of his science fiction writings, make some predictions about the future:

• What will computers be able to do in 30 years' time?
• How will people meet new people /a couple in 30 years' time?

You may find the following language useful: 

In 30 years time/ by the year 2040 people/computers:

• May/might
• Won't probably/ probably won't/ definitely won't/ will be ...
• Are going to ...
• Are/ aren't likely to...

Drop your answers in the  "comment" below.

Speaking Task

This is a task you may try to accomplish at home or with a partner outside the classroom.
 

Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say

• when you went to this place
• where it was
• who you went with

and say why you liked it so much.

In this episode from IELTS Language Lab you’re to going to listen to Sara who tried Practice Test 1 on the subject of ‘holidays’. 

ASSESSMENT :
How well did Sara accomplish the task? How well did she do following these criteria?

• Grammatical Range and Accuracy
• Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
• Fluency and Coherence
• Pronunciation

Transcript: Download transcript (PDF)

Phoneblok

Hi, 

As a follow-up, I'm showing the video Rose commented on in class.

We can find a word that has recently been coined, CROWDSPEAKING. It refers to the fact that like-minded people speak in unison. To give expression to your own ideas by joining other people who think likewise.There are different online platforms to crowdspeak.

True Love

Hi,

I'd like you to read the following short tale by Asimov, True Love. This is a science fiction love story that we will be commenting on February 17th and 18th. 
This has been put forward to Feb 19th and 20th.

Calexico - Splitter

Hi: 

Listen to this song and try to transcribe the lyrics from phonetic symbols into English on the sheet I gave you in class. 

 

Have a super super good day!

Hi,

Your classmate Ángel got the courage to video himself and produce this nice oral book review  to share with you. 
Have a listen!

Story time

Hi, 

It's time to crack up a joke. Why don't you read these Hot English Magazine jokes and tell one to your partners when coming to class? 

You may also listen to them in this link.

Kissing Quotes

Happy Valentine!

Why not read some kissing quotes today?  You may also listen to them in this Hot English Magazine link. Have good day!
 

Freedom: I wish I knew

Hi,

Alicia, from Mond & Wed group, suggested these videos from a BBC programme called Freedom. 

This year the BBC is examining the concept of "freedom" and what it is: Freedom: What does it look like to you?

Human emotions can profoundly shape a musical performance - and in the mid 1960s, when Nina Simone recorded jazz pianist Billy Taylor's I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, she helped to secure the song's place at the heart of the American civil rights movement.
Freedom 2014: 'I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free'  

Bridges wash away in UK

Recent flooding in England leaves rural riverside villages isolated. After watching the video, try to copy as many new expressions as possible, for instance: "piece together"

Expressing likes and dislikes

Hi,

This presentation will help you use varied expressions when expressing likes and dislikes. 

 

34 Ang N2 3 Liking Disliking Preferences from schooly2

Sohi 2014 winter games opening ceremony

Have fun with this Russian video to promote the 2014 winter Olympics. 

  

[Verse 1: Pharrell]
Like the legend of the phoenix
All ends with beginnings
What keeps the planet spinning
The force from the beginning

Detrás del Espejo

Hi,

Your classmate Pepe Carballo invites you all to the premier of a short film  called "Detrás del Espejo". It'll take place next February 19, at 20:00 at Teatro La Jaramilla (Coslada). Access is free so it´s better to arrive half an hour earlier in order to find a place.

He says: "I would like to invite everybody to it; it´s a documentary short movie about the choreographer and dancer Mariano Cruceta, who will perform his new production called BPM before the projection of the movie."

Will you go? It's on a Wednesday. Unfortunatelly I'll be at work.

Isaac Asimov

Hi,

I'd like you to do a little bit of research before we read a short story by American writer Isaac Asimov.

WEBQUEST

• Find information about Isaac Asimov's life and writings.
• What are Asimov's main topics as a science fiction writer?
• What type of computers were there in the 70's?    

Language Assistants

This is a program from the Spanish Ministry of Education. It's meant for those young people studying a language degree who would like to work for a year abroad.
Auxiliares de conversación en centros educativos:
Resolución de 30 de enero de 2014, de la Secretaría de Estado de Educación, Formación Profesional y Universidades, por la que se convocan plazas para auxiliares de conversación en centros educativos para el curso académico 2014-2015.

When does adulthood start?

At what age do we become adults? Many people assume it’s 18. It's an age when many leave home for university and also when we can vote in elections the UK. Listen to this bbc six-minute-english programme.

And how about you? What are the signs of adulthood? When did you leave adolescense?

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Hi,

Today a great actor died at the age of 46. Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead of an apparent drug overdose in his Manhattan apartment, a needle stuck in his arm, sources tell CNN. These are his most memorable moments.

Oral Book Review

Hi,

This is an oral book review on "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time". Sara from Tuesday & Thursday group took the effort to record it. Isn't it wonderful? Anybody else?