English Learning Challenges

Dear Class,

This is Blog Session 10 and it is the last one this semester. Please write about the following:

a) How did you like this subject at university? What about the use of blogs?
b) What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
c) Outside the English Class, how much are you using English these days? Why for?


Wordcount: 300 words
Make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts.

Regards,


Belén

Preparing the Final Written Test

Dear Class,

Today you'll complete some exercises so you can practice for the final test, which is very important because it's the one you take to pass Level 4.
Complete the activities in this links:

Vocabulary:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_vocab.htm

Listening:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part2.htm

Reading:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/reading1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading2.htm

And more...

Reading:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading4.html

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_reading_part5.htm

Listening:

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part3.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_listening_part3.htm

Vocabulary:

http://www.examenglish.com/vocabulary/B1_vocabulary_topics.htm

Best,

Belén

Blog Session 9

Dear Class,

Please blog about your future job and -i n  y o u r  o w n  w o r d s- answer this:

a) What kind of job would you like to have? Describe
b) What aspects would you consider when choosing your job?
c) If you were asked in a job interview about your strengths and weaknesses, what would you say? 

Write 280 words minimum and as usual, leave comments on at least three of your classmates' blogs.

Best,

Belén

Blog Session 8 Instructions

Dear Class,

This is the last time you can choose the topic so I hope it's not too difficult to choose a theme that interests you. 
This time please write 260 words minimum and as usual, remember to make at least three comments on your classmates' posts.

Good luck, 

Belén

Blog Session 7

How green are you?

This is 2012 and I can’t believe how people are not yet aware of the importance of taking care of the planet we live in. I think people learn about “green issues” at school. Sometimes children learn how to make recycled paper and some others, they have workshops to learn some aspects of recycling. Environmental-friendly practices can be learnt at school and also at home. Since I was a little kid my parents, brother and sister taught me lots of things like not throwing my waste anywhere that’s not a bin.

I’ve always tried to be careful with the waste I produce. I use special bins (usually glass, plastic and organic bins) every time I can. Apart from that, I use water wisely -at least I try. I learnt that in Chiloé when I was 13. It was only when we spent more tan 2 weeks with a family in Nalhuitad, where they didn’t have tap water the moment I realised about the importance of using water wisely. I’m constantly thinking about ways to reduce my carbon footprint and transmitting the information so more people are aware.

I use my bike in the summer mostly. In Winter it’s too cold for me and too contaminated as well but as in Spring and Summer is more windy I tent to think that I’m not breathing so much smog. I don’t have a car so I’m always walking and taking the bus or the tube.

I support Greenpeace but only through the internet. I do that by signing emails requesting more laws or an action to stop some stupid objective of a millionaire company. I admire their mission so I think we should support any eco-organisations if it’s because they want to take care of the planet. I’d love to make tons of copies of “The 11^th Hour”, which is a documentary about the state of the Earth, considering air and water contamination mainly.

I think Santiago is missing more laws and public policies so people learn and participate in solving matters related to the environment. Our society needs to learn environmentally friendly practices so we can live more as a community.

Blog Session 7 Instructions

Dear Class,

Please ask yourselves how green you are and write about the following:

a) Where do people learn about environmentally friendly practices?

b) Have you incorporated recycling into your habits? Describe

c) Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?

d) Have you joined or supported any eco-organizations? Why/Why not?

e) What else have you done/would like to do?

f) What have you done to reduce your carbón footprint?

g) What’s missing in our society/Santiago regarding this issue?

Write 240 words mínimum and remember to make comments on at least three of your classmates’ blogs.

Best,

Belén

Blog Session 6

The human brain

I’ve always been interested in how the human body works. One of the reasons to be interested is that I practice sports, so why we sweat, stretch and how we can work out our muscles are intriguing facts about our bodies. Those, among other incredible facts like gestating as to have new generations. Sleeping, dancing, walking and reading are just some of the activities that have to do with the brain.

Biology and Education are closely related if we analyse the brain activity. As a teacher, when we study the way human beings learn, we study Psychology but unfortunately we didn’t study Neuroscience. Therefore, as this science has always caught my attention I wanted to learn more about it. A couple of years ago, because of the Masters programme I was studying, I had the chance to read lots of interesting papers about how the brain works when we read and how the way we stimulate the brain affects our learning process.

The human brain is a complex organ and as human beings we are supposed to be the only ones to know something about the way the brain works. With that skill, Pierre Paul Broca (1824-1880), a French pioneer doctor was able to draw a map of the brain and consequently, he discovered a small area in the left hemisphere, which controls the production of language. And, I guess that 100 billion neurons in our brains* are responsible for language, communication and many other aspects of our lives.

*http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/facts-about-your-brain/7038?image=2

Blog Session 6 Instructions

Dear Class,

Today, it's time for a free post. That means you are in charge of finding what to blog about.

Here you have a very complete link you can use to organise your ideas, once you have chosen your topic:

http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/guest-posts/three-writing-tips-for-building-an-outline

Remember to leave comments on at least 3 of your classmates' posts and this time you need to write 230 words minimum.

Good luck,

Belén

Blog Session 5 Instructions

Dear Class,

Today I'll offer you some tips on summarising so you can post without using google translator.
For today's post you have to use your own words. In academic writing there are some things we need to bear in mind. Apart from using our own words, we need to include the main points and avoid interpretations.

Visit this link in case you want to read more:
http://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/Support/Heat/index.php?page=489

Please go to: www.guardian.co.uk and

a) Select a piece of news connected to your field and/or your future career.
b) Write a summary of it on 220 words minimum 250 maximum
c) Provide the link to your piece of news
d) Remember to leave comments on at least three of your classmates' posts.

Good luck,


Belén

Blog Session 4

Documentaries

I really enjoy watching films as well as documentaries and documentaries unlike films are meant to document some aspects of reality. A couple of friends have created their own documentaries so I’ve seen what it takes to actually complete one. I like documentaries because I think we can learn a lot about so many different things in a more dynamic way. Also, I like documentaries because, as a translator, I could work subtitling a film and that’s an interesting job to have.

I do remember “Nanook of the North” (1922) even though it’s not my favourite one, it’s an interesting documentary considering the year it was filmed and also, it’s considered to be the first anthropological documentary film ever. There you can see the life of Inuit Eskimos, Nannok and his family.

What I really like about documentaries is that they’re non-fictional motion pictures so we should see real life and real experiences. I don’t have one single favourite documentary but here I left you the trailer of the latest I watched:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnOArGfIR0c

If interested in Chilean documentaries, please watch “La batalla de Chile” by Patricio Guzmán and you can also check this blog if you want more information:

http://documentaleschilenos.wordpress.com/

Blog Session 4 Instructions

Themed post

Dear Class,

Today you can choose the topic to post in your blogs. This is the first out of three themed posts so, hope you can find an interesting topic!
This time you must write 200 words minimum and remember to make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts.

As we need to organise what we're going to say, think about what you want to say about the topic. Some people find useful the Writer's 5 Ws (and sometimes H for "How"), which corresponds to:
What, why, when, where and who, and sometimes how.

For example, if you want to write about your favourite film, you can write three paragraphs to say a) what is the film about, b) why you like it and c) when and where it was filmed.

If you have problems finding a theme, check this out:

http://www.thewritesource.com/writing_topics/


Good luck,

Belén

Blog Session 3 Instructions

Dear Class,

Today you have to choose your best holiday ever. Please write the following:

My best holiday

a) When you travelled
b) People you were with
c) Where you travelled
d) Things you did
e) Reasons why these holidays were so good
f) Include images

Write 190 words minimum and remember to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates' posts.

Good luck,

Belén

Blog Session 3

My best holiday

Considering the length, I have to say that my best holiday was one that lasted a month and a half, and travelling on my own was quite an exciting experience. I travelled to Europe  in 2004 and I spent most of the time in Belgium, in the capital city Brussels. From there I travelled to other cities in Belgium like Liége and Bruges. And by bus, by car or by train I visited London, Paris and Amsterdam too.

Apart from getting around old and beautiful cities, I visited friends and they were very nice with me. I stayed with them, sometimes for two nights some others for a week depending on who I was visiting. I spent 6 films, so I got plenty of black and white pictures from that trip. I spent money going to museums, and all of them where so interesting... I’m sure I would have visited more museums if I had had more money.

The most important reason to consider this my best holiday was the fact that I was on my own but also, the chance I had to visit different countries in a bit more than a month. I’m afraid I have no pictures to upload as I didn’t take digital photos and I haven’t scanned them either.

Blog Session 2 Instructions

Dear Class,

Travelling is one topic connected with today's post about "A country you'd like to visit"

Please include:

a) Which country would you like to visit? Why?
b) What do you know about it?
c) What would you like to do there?
d) Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain

Remember to make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts. 
Word count: 170 words minimum

Blog Session 2

A country you'd like to visit

It’s incredibly difficult to choose one single country I’d like to visit because I want to visit at least two in every continent. One country I’d love to visit is Angola, in Africa, because this continent is one of the most interesting in so many respects. I know very little about Angola but when I go, I’ll visit the capital city Luanda. I heard about this place because my first capoeira teacher is from there and I know they speak Portuguese because Portugal invaded that part of Africa. I also know it’s a poor place but not as poor as many others in that continent.

When I’m there, I’d like to visit Miguel and Zeferino, -my first capoeira teacher and his cousin- as well as their families. They’re both from there and they’re currently working there too. Apart from that, I’d love to go to the beach, walk around the city, dance zouk and practice Portuguese.

Although I haven’t been there yet, I’d like to work, to study and live there. As a teacher I could work teaching Spanish and/or English and I could also study there and if I’d live there, I’ll try to find a place near the Atlantic Ocean.

Blog Session 1 Instructions

First Term: Good and bad points

Dear Class,

Write about your experiences during the first term of 2012.

Describe:
a) What you studied/learnt
b) The sports and free time activities you did
c) The challenges/problems you had to face
d) Others (family, friends, etc.)

Write 150 words minimum and remember to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates' posts.

Good luck!

Belén

Blog Session 1

First Term: Good and bad points

Every experience during the first term of 2012 was quite good actually. Not only because it was my birthday and I love that date but in general. I studied English and Portuguese on my own and I learnt more about the history of the city where I live because I also work in tourism. In terms of work, I studied for the first time with students from Escuela de Gobierno, where they study Public Administration and Political Science. It was a good experience and I enjoyed my courses there. I also got to understand why they where on strike at the end of the semester for more than a moth...

I practiced yoga, a bit of capoeira and zumba as usual but I wish I had had more time to practiced yoga though. I managed to practice at least one of these physical activities once a week. And this term, I’m planning to continue with my belly dance lessons. 

I think the hardest thing was to face the disease of my youngest nephew Tomás. He was in the hospital for more than a week when he was 2 months old; he got the syncytial virus and it was dangerous because he also has Down syndrome. Fortunately, he’s fine now and I hope he doesn’t get that virus again.

Welcome back to English!

Dear Class,

Before you start blogging, please write an introduction post.
Include your name, age, career you study, family, hobbies and others.

Best,


Belén 

A bit about me

My full name is María Belén Farías Gutiérrez but nobody calls me María Belén. I’m Belén, a single Chilean woman, I’m 32 years-old and I live in Santiago. I’m from Chile and I was born in the capital city, on a rainy day, on May 22^nd, 1979. We’re a five-member family, my parents plus my brother, sister and I; and both my sister and brother are older than me. My brother Felipe is the oldest and then my oldest sister, Male, which makes me the youngest. I also have a younger step-brother, Mauricio, who’s 16 and a younger half-sister, Mariajosé, who’s 4. My parents got divorced in 2004 and in the same year I left home and went travelling to Europe for a couple of months so I could visit some of my friends there.

I studied in the same school for twelve years and I’m still in contact with most of my classmates. After that, when I was 17, I worked sporadically and studied English for a year because I didn’t know what to study as a career but I finally decided I wanted to be a translator. I graduated as a translator in 2001 and then studied Pedagogía en inglés so I became an English teacher in 2005.

I really like music and sports. I play capoeira, practice yoga and rock climbing but I can’t go climbing as often as I’d like to. I love dancing too and I don’t mind trying to learn new rhythms. I enjoy singing and I try to learn new songs in different languages. Also, I’ve tried to learn how to play some instruments but regularly I just play the tambourine.