tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72897382755821869682024-03-06T07:27:58.321+00:00Fab Ideas for English TeachersA blog for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language.Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-77180451443129429412010-02-18T19:53:00.003+00:002010-02-18T20:03:27.850+00:001000 Visits!!! We´ve made it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUyi8-BWYH555WcDtwT0-XhSfNtuJcLC_dx93DY1IdBEtbZ6-fw5DFt_jLkiclyAfn67tkS6HupZhwNlkapTsEYDzHo3upxiTzSpWak6XX-tpjNqSy12iTsYPC4ciorAcl8N5JTUpiKg/s1600-h/thank.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439675746252197650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUyi8-BWYH555WcDtwT0-XhSfNtuJcLC_dx93DY1IdBEtbZ6-fw5DFt_jLkiclyAfn67tkS6HupZhwNlkapTsEYDzHo3upxiTzSpWak6XX-tpjNqSy12iTsYPC4ciorAcl8N5JTUpiKg/s320/thank.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>To everyone who is reading this blog....many thanks! I hope you are enjoying the ideas. Please post any ideas below for future posts - I appreciate your feedback. </strong></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-19326250270261337802010-01-30T18:25:00.005+00:002010-01-30T18:54:58.930+00:00Webquest of the Month<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMdCJ5u0845Jq8F-Dhr20AXUmLllgTitR6aWgqh5fBVJRE94x-gWxnZDOw248csJCPuAc5OB7ATYcP9cUNu2_7Yq6-k1U2LkkKvou795Q-0dNy8rVlcWLSBsUuGmP7HTRwq6EhhEMtbY/s1600-h/london_eye_twilight_april_2006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432608168469171890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMdCJ5u0845Jq8F-Dhr20AXUmLllgTitR6aWgqh5fBVJRE94x-gWxnZDOw248csJCPuAc5OB7ATYcP9cUNu2_7Yq6-k1U2LkkKvou795Q-0dNy8rVlcWLSBsUuGmP7HTRwq6EhhEMtbY/s320/london_eye_twilight_april_2006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">Here is a rather nice webquest on <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em><strong>London</strong></em></span> </span>which I used recently with my pre - intermediate students. It fits in well with many course book contents, and can also be used at Intermediate level.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/london.doc?attredirects=0&d=1">http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/london.doc?attredirects=0&d=1</a></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><br /><div></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-23840470078265872302010-01-30T17:47:00.006+00:002010-01-30T18:16:35.049+00:00Mathematical Competence<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMNR90PgCJf8Q3fxO3Y0dvCj8ptOqWBQ7Z8yEYSrgYMUIDbBieu9-vhjRoSWIXnVmi-AJ9hCQHHPGs-gxbNVfF9XqzrXNFoFAXe8GEgvGhaYaMqlmD2WNgX_oAwSadS3LUQbYxaxGspk/s1600-h/Maths-it+Logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432597185773886610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMNR90PgCJf8Q3fxO3Y0dvCj8ptOqWBQ7Z8yEYSrgYMUIDbBieu9-vhjRoSWIXnVmi-AJ9hCQHHPGs-gxbNVfF9XqzrXNFoFAXe8GEgvGhaYaMqlmD2WNgX_oAwSadS3LUQbYxaxGspk/s320/Maths-it+Logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">These days developing the <span style="color:#3366ff;">basic competences</span> (also known as the key skills) is the order of the day in schools and here are a few fun ideas to work on that most difficult of competences (well, for the average English teacher, that is!), the </span><span style="color:#3366ff;">mathematical competence: </span></div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Card Game</span></div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><div><br /></div><div></span></div><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><span style="color:#3366ff;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MT_ayj6wMzQC3Xd8w2ngYOEzBP3NlFb69_gNLGIM0n8M-pWhV_li1xGlY1yWPAykghG4f_s9U0d2xEQbC0X8p5ATEbAtMaHGx872yd_x8s4FsGo811gscL2igvhx8EKbuL8idlu1Mqw/s1600-h/dominoes1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432594009631114610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MT_ayj6wMzQC3Xd8w2ngYOEzBP3NlFb69_gNLGIM0n8M-pWhV_li1xGlY1yWPAykghG4f_s9U0d2xEQbC0X8p5ATEbAtMaHGx872yd_x8s4FsGo811gscL2igvhx8EKbuL8idlu1Mqw/s320/dominoes1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Fraction dominoes<br /></span></em>Prepare sets of <span style="color:#3366ff;">fraction dominoes</span> and give out to each group. Each student takes 7 dominoes. Then they play, laying down dominoes and trying to match, eg. one has <em>twenty percent</em>, the other has <em>0.5</em>. that is, the quantities have equal value.The matching faces must be placed next to each other. If the second player does not have a domino which matches the first, they miss a turn.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Surveys</span> <div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><br /></span><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Free Time Pies <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdFVGzx2DqyvOIhDeeb1uxc-4bRJfWJiiICXphJqdrcGtHnG4_6PbE1a0gnppvCO35U0GMpKIoiVNztY7Phm6RrIaFu2WVIEG8zx_uRLrJI7umez7pbxWunp9fEfroRZ9ob8z2HCPuhI/s1600-h/pie-chart.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432596581426836194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdFVGzx2DqyvOIhDeeb1uxc-4bRJfWJiiICXphJqdrcGtHnG4_6PbE1a0gnppvCO35U0GMpKIoiVNztY7Phm6RrIaFu2WVIEG8zx_uRLrJI7umez7pbxWunp9fEfroRZ9ob8z2HCPuhI/s320/pie-chart.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></span></em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ask each student to list their hobbies and to order them in terms of frequency. Ask them to draw a <span style="color:#3366ff;">pie chart</span>, in which the different sectors represent hobbies, and the size of the sector represents frequency. The ss label the sections of the diagram with the names of the activities. Then they write on another piece of paper a few sentences to describe their routines, eg. I sometimes go to the cinema; I always watch Peking Express on Sunday night, etc. Collect the pieces of paper and put them in a box or on the table. Display the pie diagrams around the room. Each student takes a piece of paper and reads it. They then have to find the matching pie chart and find the student who wrote the information. To do this, they have to circulate and look at the pie charts and then ask classmates about their hobbies, eg. When do you go to the cinema?<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><span style="color:#3366ff;">Quantifier Survey</span><br /></em></span><span style="color:#ff0000;">Prepare a set of <span style="color:#3366ff;">Quantifier Survey statements</span>, which are a series of sentences with <span style="color:#3366ff;">most, some of us, none of us, we all</span>, etc… Give out the statements to each student or group of students. They read the statements. They have to find out if the statement is true, so they need to prepare questions to ask other students, eg. Do you live near here? They mingle and collect responses. They count the responses and decide if their statement is true. If not, they must write a new statement which is true for the class. Then each student or group reports their findings, eg. “19 out of 20 of us live within one kilometre of the school so it´s true to say most of us live near here”.<br /></span></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-39608737550031000712010-01-30T17:30:00.005+00:002010-01-30T18:17:20.314+00:00Drama, anyone?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLvfH8TKR4EzwkIlhX6kCCkqHOZBq6cmZBYleaM_COViUjEte-vG8PMn8OWB1gfK16BYwL6tmgT3K9_10xukC9kkfoF1hQpwgsFMEOviCB0_yQ7wcQImBtmwxBDlE_onlGF3S-FrhsWQ/s1600-h/dramaqueen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432590666725115490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLvfH8TKR4EzwkIlhX6kCCkqHOZBq6cmZBYleaM_COViUjEte-vG8PMn8OWB1gfK16BYwL6tmgT3K9_10xukC9kkfoF1hQpwgsFMEOviCB0_yQ7wcQImBtmwxBDlE_onlGF3S-FrhsWQ/s320/dramaqueen.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#3366ff;">A favourite activity of mine is called Act 3, and I must say I have used it so many times I have lost count! It is based on the popular children´s game: <span style="color:#ff0000;">Kim´s Game</span>, and really is very good for students who have a good level of English...and also a fair amount of creativity. </span><div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">What you do is this:</span></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Stage 1: Place <span style="color:#ff0000;">various objects</span> (around 15) on a table, and students have to look at them for about 3 minutes and try to memorize them. They are then covered with a scarf, and in groups they try to remember them. Teacher then reveals the objects after enough time has elapsed to check students have remembered all. </span></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Stage 2: Take away half the objects. Tell the class these <span style="color:#ff0000;">objects are all closely linked in a three act play.</span> Two acts of the play have already been performed, and act three is about to begin. They have to work out what the play is about and what has happened already, then decide on the last act. Next, they prepare a sketch of part of the last act to be acted out.</span></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Students thoroughly enjoy the acting out! </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNk25nc8zkNrPkMKZRLCcFRn2dln1nHgpdHHX4RQig92EO5k7HibuQdrQUTRz9k4z1SfoeR1Ub8UQEKKuTKnIMDjeyipgblw-g04NL2qmD3R3IFstV9v_sV7k8qfLgZqFazLUPOx0ugQ/s1600-h/dramaqueen.jpg"></a></span></div></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNk25nc8zkNrPkMKZRLCcFRn2dln1nHgpdHHX4RQig92EO5k7HibuQdrQUTRz9k4z1SfoeR1Ub8UQEKKuTKnIMDjeyipgblw-g04NL2qmD3R3IFstV9v_sV7k8qfLgZqFazLUPOx0ugQ/s1600-h/dramaqueen.jpg"></a></span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNk25nc8zkNrPkMKZRLCcFRn2dln1nHgpdHHX4RQig92EO5k7HibuQdrQUTRz9k4z1SfoeR1Ub8UQEKKuTKnIMDjeyipgblw-g04NL2qmD3R3IFstV9v_sV7k8qfLgZqFazLUPOx0ugQ/s1600-h/dramaqueen.jpg"></a></span></div></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-29271279318342399752010-01-01T18:01:00.008+00:002010-01-30T18:18:02.588+00:00Pop Idol and YouTube<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehLNZVP0XBofVzqbyWAh7TLn7czuJaD67h3zngMIFtyuMjS_xPidJI6BEPruT7XHvmk9hMUREncQ2Q09ivCiIv4g1JF-DGXgIlO1KPLkWSGQN1JiWNBGC4u8y6MEd0oDfbjm7IIP90Kw/s1600-h/kenlee.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421839463970668578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehLNZVP0XBofVzqbyWAh7TLn7czuJaD67h3zngMIFtyuMjS_xPidJI6BEPruT7XHvmk9hMUREncQ2Q09ivCiIv4g1JF-DGXgIlO1KPLkWSGQN1JiWNBGC4u8y6MEd0oDfbjm7IIP90Kw/s320/kenlee.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">Here's a <span style="color:#ff0000;">YouTube</span> video which I came across recently in which a Bulgarian contestant in Music Idol attempts to sing Mariah Carey´s song : Without You and which will no doubt send you into floods of laughter! </span></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">However, after you have enjoyed the hilarity, think about how you could use this in class (or any other <span style="color:#ff0000;">YouTube</span> video from Pop Idol). Teenage and young adult students tend to enjoy watching Pop Idol type shows (Operación Triunfo, Britain´s Got Talent, etc) and it might be interesting to use this video to get their reactions to the appalling pronunciation. You can give the students the lyrics to study after they view the song with the subtitles. Another possibility is to look at the comments sent in on the posts and have students send in their own post. </span></div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">Click here to view:</span></div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koTCXbV0jEw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koTCXbV0jEw</a> </div><br /><div></div><p>PS: You may be interested to see Mariah Carey´s reaction to this video. You could get your students to think about how she might react:</p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnlSLN63Loc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnlSLN63Loc</a></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><br /></p><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p><br /></p><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-65259352430796798172009-12-31T17:05:00.004+00:002009-12-31T17:14:22.616+00:00Happy New Year!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CXgN8ek1vtmIIx8gH2skBLx8L1KSk9sk8NJof_ds9avsbWZxMvylqD8e4J-gEEwqXXHoMQx-0MI0B3jJOPGfbOMeumqYn-mfQmnfiKyGexUo2W1lBeCB4P9lNSv6cajWBJDvuC8BJ_A/s1600-h/happy+new+year.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421448799958515762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CXgN8ek1vtmIIx8gH2skBLx8L1KSk9sk8NJof_ds9avsbWZxMvylqD8e4J-gEEwqXXHoMQx-0MI0B3jJOPGfbOMeumqYn-mfQmnfiKyGexUo2W1lBeCB4P9lNSv6cajWBJDvuC8BJ_A/s320/happy+new+year.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">With very best regards from me, FabTeacher - may your 2010 be all you want it to be!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"></span></div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">Check out this BBC New Year´s greeting in no fewer than 32 various languages. Can you identify them all?!<br /></span><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><object height="273" width="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/emp/external/player.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="config_settings_language=es&config_settings_showPopoutButton=true&playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebbc%2Eco%2Euk%2Fmundo%2Fmeta%2Fdps%2F2009%2F12%2Femp%2F091230%5Fsaludo2010%5Fcrz%2Eemp%2Exml&config_settings_showFooter=true&"><embed src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/emp/external/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="364" height="273" flashvars="config_settings_language=es&config_settings_showPopoutButton=true&playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebbc%2Eco%2Euk%2Fmundo%2Fmeta%2Fdps%2F2009%2F12%2Femp%2F091230%5Fsaludo2010%5Fcrz%2Eemp%2Exml&config_settings_showFooter=true&"></embed></object></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-9722823627028235722009-12-18T10:24:00.013+00:002009-12-18T10:47:03.423+00:00Christmas Webquest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1awI9Jwn8V899IVTx4UAwob_lhw8GhU9uCWBwNnaYcYSvLa3hEDw-fKk8Z7UuHeCRSQizVjGCsYQHfv19ANF2oj0Wi19D2LT67ugoBO6PhHj5isRPxgbhFuCkbJhTjfjjCxceJHwcD0/s1600-h/christmas_graphics_11.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416522386928673842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 274px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1awI9Jwn8V899IVTx4UAwob_lhw8GhU9uCWBwNnaYcYSvLa3hEDw-fKk8Z7UuHeCRSQizVjGCsYQHfv19ANF2oj0Wi19D2LT67ugoBO6PhHj5isRPxgbhFuCkbJhTjfjjCxceJHwcD0/s320/christmas_graphics_11.gif" border="0" /></a> <span style="color:#009900;">Ho, h</span><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#009900;">o, ho! Yes, it´s almost <span style="color:#ff0000;">Christmas</span> and I know many of you will be looking for something a little different for your last class before Christmas. </span></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#009900;"></span></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#009900;">I hope you enjoy this webquest for Upper Intermediate students I found recently- the students research <span style="color:#ff0000;">Christmas traditions</span> and write up their findings as a <span style="color:#ff0000;">class magazine</span>. </span><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Webquestchristmas.doc?attredirects=0&d=1"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Christmas Webquest </span></a>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-35711672563900805302009-12-08T18:56:00.005+00:002009-12-08T19:15:42.455+00:00Fun Vocabulary Activities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBhgL2PLmnt0WUkZJIIxfpA1IH6Xq8I5CKmHauQHbr65Kj8xg-1UtTSXq9tMK4NRj185OG_vc4PfzirZ-W2nUQim_1EilUEvX1cIOGO4gmDj09rwvXZeVCJFneeDM-laUr1-RKCtXtfM/s1600-h/crossdress.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412944068280939986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBhgL2PLmnt0WUkZJIIxfpA1IH6Xq8I5CKmHauQHbr65Kj8xg-1UtTSXq9tMK4NRj185OG_vc4PfzirZ-W2nUQim_1EilUEvX1cIOGO4gmDj09rwvXZeVCJFneeDM-laUr1-RKCtXtfM/s320/crossdress.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">It´s always a real problem getting students to remember and then recall vocabulary, isn´t it? What is the trick? Well, <span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">your activities need to be memorable</span>! Here are a couple of fun activities which work on clothes vocabulary and will appeal to your kinesthetic, visual and linguistic students.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em><strong>1. Statues<br /></strong></em>Recap clothes vocabulary. Ask ss to stand up and move round the room. When you give a signal, they stand back to back with a partner. Then they try to remember what the other student is wearing.<br /><br /><em><strong>2. You Have Changed<br /></strong></em>Divide ss into groups of 4- 6. Each group is to study the other groups. Ask them all to turn away and make some changes to their appearance, eg. exchanging pullovers, changing a watch from one wrist to another, removing rings, etc. They present themselves to the other group who has to point out as many changes as possible. </span></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span> </div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span> </div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong><br /><br /><em>3. Spelling Game<br /></em></strong>Divide the class into teams. Each team takes it in turns to add a letter to a word and each letter must contribute to a word in English related (in this case) to clothing, BUT the team which completes the word loses and the opposing team is awarded a point.<br />Eg. Team A says H. Team B says A. Team A says T.. Therefore team A loses as they have completed the word HAT!<br /></span><br /> </div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-4189739480355496642009-12-08T18:15:00.003+00:002009-12-08T19:20:12.761+00:00It´s that time again- testing and revision....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh-F3JsX_oS1edpZ6F2fUJt7v0x8cUSSGqz1TDWAJV_W_MiPojjm279kE0hA6YEpTdnKvoXTM_fqBsJozFoIom9GqVqgzh-rbu-TWH7cwbcF8nnSnkxWGlMudifB6qPMwAGUqV87HsR8/s1600-h/test.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412932683939812482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvh-F3JsX_oS1edpZ6F2fUJt7v0x8cUSSGqz1TDWAJV_W_MiPojjm279kE0hA6YEpTdnKvoXTM_fqBsJozFoIom9GqVqgzh-rbu-TWH7cwbcF8nnSnkxWGlMudifB6qPMwAGUqV87HsR8/s320/test.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">Well, as <span style="color:#ff0000;">Christmas </span>draws near, it´s also time for most of us to start preparing tests and then, horrors!, marking them! But just how can we get our students involved in the whole testing and revision process? Here are two techniques I find useful as they also help develop our students´ autonomy, making them reflect on their learning more deeply. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">1. <em><strong>Question Challenge Based on Textbook<br /></strong></em>Each student prepares two or three questions based on the last three units or so in their coursebook. Put ss in pairs or small groups in the next lesson to pool their questions. Then they challenge another team to answer the questions. You can direct the quiz by giving categories such as countries, food, school, geography, etc. (Good for cross curricular content and CLIL).<br /><br /><br />2. <em><strong>Revision Bubbles<br /></strong></em>A good way of doing student – generated revision of structures and vocab. Draw a bubble on the board and ask for suggestions from students to fill the bubble, eg. words from the previous 3 units. In groups. Students make as many sentences or questions as possible using their words. 10 minutes. One point for each correct sentence. Or students can use the words to write a dialogue and act it out<br /></span></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-25058501328195999762009-12-08T17:23:00.008+00:002009-12-08T19:20:36.233+00:00Webquest of the Month!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY-j2JU_RTivXDjTP_eQbcHVfB8bY5F2-tOKXGHO3K0Xn2otr3O1JcCN3O82_5MYx2Hm2PkPJkjqfkHL3U93pz6LS1bYlHiwdWKAnIqhBsvA_SzsHjbGDnIIz7eV1mDedjl2qT00KH18/s1600-h/webquest.png"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSByagIAjXPNl8uX33sY8EOCyMAJ3rRdLKnKjRBZQsBpA0TU1VVbLsykfw-q7P2DHCRriCa4tSBiYPi9KgxR-YSCIx3ssyrb-AQdUQPcJyiiOkLE11MSKidfWvdooepJIAYz1X65Jc1A/s1600-h/irishflagrgb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412925615668381170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSByagIAjXPNl8uX33sY8EOCyMAJ3rRdLKnKjRBZQsBpA0TU1VVbLsykfw-q7P2DHCRriCa4tSBiYPi9KgxR-YSCIx3ssyrb-AQdUQPcJyiiOkLE11MSKidfWvdooepJIAYz1X65Jc1A/s320/irishflagrgb.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5K1REU7h13AZK5vFoeFzGgRDL14XXCZ-R5LD0VA-4xF2ucsYGNbvSe1NcFi9u8zA68BI-2LP8o0qbRc7NVKoUMSSgMOgHkMvfpNtOTgDnG8JxCmtfabCMrph-MNSpQMPY2QxUQqXmlU/s1600-h/web2.0b.jpg"></a><span style="color:#009900;">Here is a lovely webquest about <strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Ireland </em></span></strong>which fits in with any unit on the <strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Emerald Isle</span></em></strong>..and makes it all much more fun! Enjoy! </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#009900;"><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Ireland-DiscoveringModernCelticCulture-Process.mht?attredirects=0&d=1">http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Ireland-DiscoveringModernCelticCulture-Process.mht?attredirects=0&d=1</a></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#009900;"></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#009900;"></span></div></div></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-57213147308941862592009-11-29T20:21:00.002+00:002009-11-29T20:30:20.270+00:00Happy Teacher´s Day!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HHYnk6Mddx_SwhiEv1jFNywiaw2KfGHXadbwrlwyhPn5WoPKKsJFlnyYfwA7IOcNEdkWFvrsTLkEnlvmUmGs_KPagxWEPy1P89vAluHKu0dKdioGuYhmmG2maxKmDb6sBpeWTF1ajKI/s1600/happy_teachers_day_shubhamoy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409625508269848514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HHYnk6Mddx_SwhiEv1jFNywiaw2KfGHXadbwrlwyhPn5WoPKKsJFlnyYfwA7IOcNEdkWFvrsTLkEnlvmUmGs_KPagxWEPy1P89vAluHKu0dKdioGuYhmmG2maxKmDb6sBpeWTF1ajKI/s320/happy_teachers_day_shubhamoy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">Here in Spain this Friday is <span style="color:#3366ff;">Teacher´s Day</span> and I´m sure most of you (well, here in the Canaries at least!) will be heading towards the beaches for a well deserved long weekend of rest and relaxation.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">The way teachers are viewed throughout the world varies a great deal, and I thought you might be interested to read this post I read from a Nepali teacher to wish his colleages a Happy Teacher´s Day.. as I do you!</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Happy Teacher´s Day... from Nepal!<br /><br />“Today was a different day for me because I am a teacher. I have been a teacher for more than twenty years. And every year this day adds fuel to my life as a teacher. The reason is today is Teacher´s Day in Nepal. It is celebrated by students on the full moon day of the Nepali month Ashad.<br /><br />At seven in the morning, one of my former students made a surprise visit to my suburban home in Kathmandu. He came, wished me a Happy Teacher´s Day and gave me a bouquet of flowers and sweets. Though such things are not of much value in themselves, they became special on this particular day.<br /><br />In the late morning and afternoon, I received so many text messages that I could not reply to them all. All the messages were best wishes from my dear students. One read: To wish you a great, prosperous, blissful, healthy, bright, energetic, terrific and extremely happy Teacher´s Day!! It brought out the love that this student had for me.<br /><br />In Nepal, teachers are respected as gurus. So students either visit their teachers with flowers and sweets or organize a function at school to mark the day. They literally worship the teacher, placing him or her on a special chair, smearing red colour on the face, decorating them with garlands and offering them sweets. Some will recite poems and others will offer words of praise for their gurus”.<br /><br /><strong>HAPPY TEACHER´S DAY, EVERYONE!!</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-38797397894404406912009-11-25T22:09:00.003+00:002009-11-25T22:24:13.048+00:00Ideas for Developing the Mathematical Competence through English - for Reluctant English Teachers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AWFoRn-kwnHMGVKcYNOB7LC951Rm8vLrd_lEHsu59ViHJJThlctjDkZukQaz9-5hOcGaj_5gI_024CRhjQChiIzGJbtlz6Rz9HY8zHzMb1fYF9o6xTFyAjtUb8n69hPzV1Q5CbXQzTU/s1600/maestro+matem%C3%A1ticas.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408170184660541538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AWFoRn-kwnHMGVKcYNOB7LC951Rm8vLrd_lEHsu59ViHJJThlctjDkZukQaz9-5hOcGaj_5gI_024CRhjQChiIzGJbtlz6Rz9HY8zHzMb1fYF9o6xTFyAjtUb8n69hPzV1Q5CbXQzTU/s320/maestro+matem%C3%A1ticas.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">I know..you´re an English teacher..so you hate maths, right? Most of us are pretty poor at maths, let´s be frank. However, that doesn´t mean to say we should neglect this area in class, and not cater for our "logical - mathematical" students. Here are a couple of fun ideas. Do you like them? Send me a message and I´ll publish more!</span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em>My favourite: Grey Elephants from Denmark. </em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Tell ss that you are going to read their minds and guess what they are going to tell you at the end of the activity. Write “Grey elephants from Denmark” on a piece of paper, without letting anyone see what you have written. Give ss the following instructions:</span></div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><br /><div><br />1. Think of a number between 2 to 10.<br />2. Multiply the number by 9.<br />3. Add the two numbers of the total together. (The answer will always be 9)<br />4. Take 5 away from your answer. (The answer will always be 4)<br />5. If your answer is 1, it equals A, if 2= B, if 3= c, if 4= D. (The answer will<br />always be D).<br />6. Think of a country in Europe beginning with D (only Denmark).<br />7. Think of an animal (not a fish or bird) beginning with the second letter of the country (almost always will be elephant!)<br />8. Think of the colour of your animal (Elephants are always grey, you are almost guaranteed to end up with grey elephants from Denmark).<br />9. Now show pupils your sentence!<br /></span></div><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em>Surveys: Free Time Pies</em></span><br /><div><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Ask each student to list their hobbies and to order them in terms of frequency. Ask them to draw a pie diagram, in which the different sectors represent hobbies, and the size of the sector represents frequency. The ss label the sections of the diagram with the names of the activities. </span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Then they write on another piece of paper a few sentences to describe their routines, eg. I sometimes go to the cinema; I always watch Peking Express on Sunday night, etc. Collect the pieces of paper and put them in a box or on the table. Display the pie diagrams around the room. Each student takes a piece of paper and reads it. They then have to find the matching pie chart and find the student who wrote the information. To do this, they have to circulate and look at the pie charts and then ask classmates about their hobbies, eg. When do you go to the cinema?<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em>Quantifier Survey</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="color:#3366ff;">Prepare a set of Quantifier Survey statements, which are a series of sentences with most, some of us, none of us, we all, etc… Give out the statements to each student or group of students. They read the statements. They have to find out if the statement is true, so they need to prepare questions to ask other students, eg. Do you live near here? They mingle and collect responses. They count the responses and decide if their statement is true. If not, they must write a new statement which is true for the class. Then each student or group reports their findings, eg. “19 out of 20 of us live within one kilometre of the school so it´s true to say most of us live near here”.<br /></span></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-83377321068407897692009-11-25T21:48:00.006+00:002009-12-08T19:20:59.476+00:00(Not) Personal Questions!<div><span style="color:#ff0000;">This is one of my favourite activities to practise question forming- but not the usual "What´s your name'" stuff, which we all get fed up with, don´t we! </span></div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">It´s called</span> <span style="color:#3333ff;">Fruit and Veg.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmewSnaeInm5-H30t2d0aZFwQFlsPRhXmod1VctrWdS8EsSak-tfZXS2PA9WN1P8Xyeye4-qI4-0hv8h7j9eKb1zo1NalVyP1vRwEDkmcAVhpvw_Y4Szkt60_6pvuU_Jvx4fgQevxEjA/s1600/survey%2520cartoon.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408165349558834738" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 193px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmewSnaeInm5-H30t2d0aZFwQFlsPRhXmod1VctrWdS8EsSak-tfZXS2PA9WN1P8Xyeye4-qI4-0hv8h7j9eKb1zo1NalVyP1vRwEDkmcAVhpvw_Y4Szkt60_6pvuU_Jvx4fgQevxEjA/s320/survey%2520cartoon.gif" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em>Ask ss to write down the following words on a scrap of paper, keeping them secret from their peers:</em></span></div><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /><div>the name of a fruit<br />the name of a vegetable<br />a number between 1 and 200.<br />the answer to this question: do you like football?<br />How many pens and pencils do you have?<br />What is the first thing you do every morning?</div><br /><div><em>Now tell them that these things are actually:<br /></em>their first name<br />their family name<br />their age<br />are they married?<br />how many children they have?<br />their job.</div><br /><div><em>Now they must get up and go round the class, asking the personal questions and sharing info about their new selves. </em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#3366ff;">Guaranteed hilarity!</span></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-46580377047816650092009-11-18T22:23:00.011+00:002009-11-18T23:09:17.930+00:00Using Songs in Class<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5TumTydeBF3Ndwk1RZfNhFTjPi9PpWoYNZFV8EFVn_ZcXucqESZbIuyvSxlXyDRroK68uxLe2ZM9j_dPFlLdGv8f97FBorgY9S3Xp_KVhkYKoA0Rk4SGISIL2QbtNEcrxNLS8Oiyhgk/s1600/singing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405574560114328546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 297px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5TumTydeBF3Ndwk1RZfNhFTjPi9PpWoYNZFV8EFVn_ZcXucqESZbIuyvSxlXyDRroK68uxLe2ZM9j_dPFlLdGv8f97FBorgY9S3Xp_KVhkYKoA0Rk4SGISIL2QbtNEcrxNLS8Oiyhgk/s320/singing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong><em>Students love listening to songs in class, don´t they?</em></strong> </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">The problem is, most of the activities you see are just gap fills, where students have to fill in the missing words. Here are a couple of my favourite song activities, which are more creative. </span><br /><p><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Song Drawing - elem +<br /></strong></span><span style="color:#ff0000;">Play the song, repeating as many times as necessary. As they listen, ss draw what they hear on their paper. You can suggest they use several colours in their drawings. When the song finishes, in pairs ss explain to their partner what the things they have drawn represent. They then try to reconstruct the song from their drawings. (You can also do this activity with a poem). Good song: Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vnRqYMTpXHc&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vnRqYMTpXHc&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Word Ring – elem +<br /></strong>Give the ss 8 – 10 key words from a song you know. Write them in random order in a ring on the board and ask them to copy them down. In pairs, ss make up a short story using all the words. Invite ss to tell their stories to the class. Play the song. Ask the ss to tick the words as they hear them, and at the same time put them in order. In pairs, they try to remember the lines in which they heard the words. Challenge ss to reconstruct the whole song! Play the song again. Good song: Norwegian Wood, The Beatles. Words: girl, room, anywhere, chair, wine, morning, wood, laugh, bird, fire. Not necessary to have the lyrics.<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N3cUejOltsA&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N3cUejOltsA&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Song Opposites – elem +<br /></strong>Before class study the lyrics to a song. Choose some key words and think of approximate antonyms /opposites for these words. Write them in a vertical list on the board. Arrange the class in teams, either pairs or small groups. Each team writes on antonym for every word in the list on the board. Tell them they will hear st on the cassette. They get one point every time their word is mentioned, including all repetitions. Count up the points to see who the winner is. Elicit which words appeared in the song, pairing them with your list of opposites on the board. Elicit as much of the song as you can. Good song: Yesterday, by the Beatles. Antonyms: tomorrow, near, there, gradually, woman, light, come, right, short, hate, work, show. Not necessary to have the lyrics. Or We Are Family, by Sister Sledge.<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZROB2pawLBo&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZROB2pawLBo&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Group Song Writing – Pre Int +<br /></strong>Ss in groups of 5- 6. They have to complete the stem sentence which the teacher will read out, writing the full sentence on top of a piece of paper, and then passing the paper to the left. Teacher dictates 6 stems. By the time they have completed 6 such sentences, each member will have a list of 6 different sentences on different themes which together form a poem.<br />Stems: The sun is like; The evening is like.. ; Love is like.. ; a baby is like..; Friendship is like.. ; the morning is like.. .<br />Ss study the “poems” of each member of the group and attempt to arrange the “best” sentences in some sort of poetic order and to edit them as a song –poem. Ss then put the poems to music!!<br /></span></p><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-65339950960034138832009-11-18T22:04:00.008+00:002009-11-18T22:18:04.682+00:00Fun Activities to Develop Autonomy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLYzM04vlfoc6Ymr9hxiZ4rmogg2ju2jR1rQriq-BLb-zEy4kk9ClgGOAsM5kF2sBBMFOue1kh-AUMg44vHwqLuXdOpTQx_4O-ipfUEIWHKO2_D4I5jL6sM7aaI5aZmEYsJjTEVSK438/s1600/revision.jpg"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405569475443531586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 297px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLYzM04vlfoc6Ymr9hxiZ4rmogg2ju2jR1rQriq-BLb-zEy4kk9ClgGOAsM5kF2sBBMFOue1kh-AUMg44vHwqLuXdOpTQx_4O-ipfUEIWHKO2_D4I5jL6sM7aaI5aZmEYsJjTEVSK438/s320/revision.jpg" border="0" /></em></a><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em> How autonomous are your students</em>?</span><span style="color:#ff0000;"> </span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Are they independent in class and outside? Many of you will say no, they need helping developing autonomous strategies. Well, here I´ve complied a few ideas for ways of developing learner independence - but in fun ways! Enjoy!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Error Awareness<br /></strong><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong><em>The words we hate<br /></em></strong>Ask students to go through their notebooks and write down 5- 10 words they have misspelt recently. Check the correct spelling in dictionary. Divide class into groups and give out large sheets of paper and marker pens. Ask one member to write “Our Hate List” at the top of the paper. Cover the sheet randomly with the words. They can write big and use fun lettering. Display posters on wall. Tell students that, in future lessons, when they feel confident with a word, they can cross it off.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong><em>Playing Games<br /></em></strong>Collect 9 sentences with errors from students´ work and make a multichoice exercise. Eg. I keep fit by: joking/jogging. Draw a 3 x 3 grid on the board and divides the class into X/O. Now play noughts and crosses. The winner gets three in a row.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>My Favourite Errors<br /></strong>Tell students about your favourite mistakes in English when you were learning. Write your favourite on the board. Ask students to give around 6 favourite mistakes in grammar, vocab, etc. Group pupils in sixes to share. Any interesting ones they write on the board.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"><em><strong>My Top Ten<br /></strong></em>Aim: to encourage the habit of checking for mistakes<br />This activity is best done when students have built up a fairly large file of corrected work.<br />· Tell the class that there are likely to be certain errors they make again and again, and that eliminating these can considerably improve the standard of their work.<br />· At home, students go through their work and make up a “league table” of their 10 most common errors<br />· In the next lesson, pairs compare their lists and report back to the class. You can note the findings for remedial / revision work<br />· Tell the students to keep their list handy whenever they are doing a writing task, checking their work for each of those mistakes when they have finished<br />· Repeat a few months later. Students (and you) can compare lists then and now.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-35137987173842473952009-11-12T10:56:00.005+00:002009-11-19T11:26:57.662+00:00Teaching and learning through social networks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKtxUBQMVUKYe1MOhqdFcbFHwhVfSvi_cqudOKzwx-2DXAVLI5ZGqf2xoR-BXIejlkIluTvuWvtarCmNhssRQ3xSGvbSmSZsBT5dh7ZBdoWHjxKrhZq-YoWbmOiLHlCmTUGGv-ogEWcY/s1600-h/competencias1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403170742970056402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 137px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 137px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKtxUBQMVUKYe1MOhqdFcbFHwhVfSvi_cqudOKzwx-2DXAVLI5ZGqf2xoR-BXIejlkIluTvuWvtarCmNhssRQ3xSGvbSmSZsBT5dh7ZBdoWHjxKrhZq-YoWbmOiLHlCmTUGGv-ogEWcY/s320/competencias1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Have you considered using <span style="color:#ff0000;">Social Networks</span> with your students? Are you a bit worried about the value of these? Have you heard of teaching and learning English with <span style="color:#ff6666;">Second Life?</span></div><br /><div>Have a read of this interesting article - click on Teaching and Learning through Social Networks - and see how you can work with Web 2.0 in class and outside.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/teaching-learning-through-social-networks"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff6666;">Teaching and learning through social networks</span></a></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-34434024924625828022009-11-10T07:43:00.007+00:002009-11-11T22:52:00.168+00:00The 70 Most Beautiful Words in English: The Answers!<span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNHPfcChd3rftv097h_rNgCPG_9833bOPJzQsFLN9O0mufxYZsSx3cjsrF_6ZSsjcOKh2Q9HM3BmBKbo9r8olSPJSl5bpWo39fhuikSUvtJqbE02Yi4GNDup2Ksvq-jJpJDTptXRGfQA/s1600-h/beautiful+words.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402380239757094322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 359px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 422px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNHPfcChd3rftv097h_rNgCPG_9833bOPJzQsFLN9O0mufxYZsSx3cjsrF_6ZSsjcOKh2Q9HM3BmBKbo9r8olSPJSl5bpWo39fhuikSUvtJqbE02Yi4GNDup2Ksvq-jJpJDTptXRGfQA/s320/beautiful+words.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Well, did you guess correctly? Here are the answers to our quiz<span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="color:#ff6666;">the 70 Most Beautiful Words in English</span></span>, as published by the British Council as part of its 70th Anniversary celebration.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And the most beautiful word voted for is: </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong><em>MOTHER <div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNHPfcChd3rftv097h_rNgCPG_9833bOPJzQsFLN9O0mufxYZsSx3cjsrF_6ZSsjcOKh2Q9HM3BmBKbo9r8olSPJSl5bpWo39fhuikSUvtJqbE02Yi4GNDup2Ksvq-jJpJDTptXRGfQA/s1600-h/beautiful+words.jpg"></a></span></div></em></strong></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-12594770001394779892009-11-07T18:40:00.032+00:002009-11-08T20:02:22.599+00:00500 Places to See ....Before They Die<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIra9jmbeNJ_82Bt6TrtP1sIQjk9QYK7DgCuABiCoeUyovu_lyToMtytqfjZiPILDeoNWg5lpPyxLI7yYzoUCZL0MzULbLzE__YS3ZoG-qC3JpBRJCg6KfpmRaJUng-cqt4LrTiNjDT4/s1600-h/EvergladesX.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819051511972658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIra9jmbeNJ_82Bt6TrtP1sIQjk9QYK7DgCuABiCoeUyovu_lyToMtytqfjZiPILDeoNWg5lpPyxLI7yYzoUCZL0MzULbLzE__YS3ZoG-qC3JpBRJCg6KfpmRaJUng-cqt4LrTiNjDT4/s320/EvergladesX.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">There is a real <strong><em>LISTMANIA</em></strong> these days in Britain - it seems that every time I read the Guardian online there is a new list - best beach hideaways, best restaurants, best hotels.. the list is endless! But how can we use these lists in our teaching? Well, I recently came across a very nice article from the Guardian called <span style="color:#ff0000;">500 Places to See ..Before They Die </span>on</span> <a href="http://www.onestopenglish.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">http://www.onestopenglish.com/</span></a><span style="color:#33ccff;"> </span><span style="color:#3366ff;">. This article </span><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="color:#3366ff;">is about a new guidebook for travellers focusing on sites which are most at risk from climate change and man - made interference. </span></span><br /><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></span><br /><em></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAIoo5-ywh2O7Oo02Jd9QOujMHb-9REtjSTbb3BV2SfrWkhOvb0OmREZfo5XwVo9PN0-MQM2GK9I5UiA3SANqoNftvKaOg5r4sMxJELcySqhNViZpWv2SJAqxx0SCZ6yVP-ropFwaogk/s1600-h/dead-sea-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401819770956873394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 295px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAIoo5-ywh2O7Oo02Jd9QOujMHb-9REtjSTbb3BV2SfrWkhOvb0OmREZfo5XwVo9PN0-MQM2GK9I5UiA3SANqoNftvKaOg5r4sMxJELcySqhNViZpWv2SJAqxx0SCZ6yVP-ropFwaogk/s320/dead-sea-7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="color:#3366ff;">The article comes in<span style="color:#ff0000;"> Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced</span> versions and in addition to <span style="color:#ff0000;">developing students´ reading skills</span>, also encourages pupils to <span style="color:#ff0000;">discuss the positive and negative implications of even more tourists visiting these destinations</span> having read about them in the guide. We conclude this part by asking students to comment on the statement:</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">"The planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die".<br /></span><em></em><br />Here are the Intermediate and Advanced versions:<br /><p><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/500_places_intermediate.pdf?attredirects=0"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Intermediate </span></a></p><p><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/500_places_advanced.pdf?attredirects=0"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Advanced</span></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"> </span></p><span style="color:#333333;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0V3I_PDiwSP6gUzl489dim7wCrUc77uwKonNbH6-f6Qed5IiJqQdfKOEYAmuJFnh_Mq86-TKEoe5mQ1qG3gykKNJ0KmIOWvrbmuo4cVtkzrUf7ir_Ieb2Otr6KYs1imFndjG6rnh1qQ/s1600-h/thousandplaces.jpg"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401438353200242882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0V3I_PDiwSP6gUzl489dim7wCrUc77uwKonNbH6-f6Qed5IiJqQdfKOEYAmuJFnh_Mq86-TKEoe5mQ1qG3gykKNJ0KmIOWvrbmuo4cVtkzrUf7ir_Ieb2Otr6KYs1imFndjG6rnh1qQ/s320/thousandplaces.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#3366ff;">After this disussion, I took my upper intermediate students to the computer room where I had them find the website for the book</span> </span><span style="color:#ff0000;">1000 Places to See Before You Die</span><span style="color:#333333;">, </span><span style="color:#3366ff;">which is the original book written to introduce travellers to marvellous tourist destinations worldwide, and which has incidentally sold extremely well! </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Students were divided into groups and then within the groups, they had to <span style="color:#ff0000;">individually choose a continent ea</span>ch and then <span style="color:#ff0000;">select the most beautiful, amazing, natural place from the options available to make a presentation to the groups.</span></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">A very nice activity which worked very well.</span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-85308509946441999962009-11-06T12:13:00.016+00:002009-11-08T20:02:52.332+00:00Webquest of the month<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyMd-BZApYNpVxRcGUZCpL4w6K0yuvaNA9f82PHLThK_z3G0lgMs7hflDVpmncA4ZKFRMmlm3aNilDAaHBHU753GwxUAL30cfwmrvFcIhua1YTNKXUoPlzehuK0dfo_bt_cy8kF6w9vg/s1600-h/webquest.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400964996536245954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyMd-BZApYNpVxRcGUZCpL4w6K0yuvaNA9f82PHLThK_z3G0lgMs7hflDVpmncA4ZKFRMmlm3aNilDAaHBHU753GwxUAL30cfwmrvFcIhua1YTNKXUoPlzehuK0dfo_bt_cy8kF6w9vg/s320/webquest.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Have you ever tried using a webquest with your students? Maybe you´re not sure what they are..if this is the case, have a look at the article in our <strong><span style="color:#666666;">October blog on Halloween</span></strong>. There you´ll find a nice webquest example and some ideas on how to use webquests.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">This month I´m publishing a webquest which I found recently (sorry, I haven´t got the reference ..if anyone would like to let me know the author?) and which fits in nicely with work at <span style="color:#666666;">an Intermediate or Upper Intermediate level</span> on <strong><span style="color:#333333;">travel or American culture</span></strong>: </span><span style="color:#666666;"><strong>Route 66</strong>. </span><span style="color:#3366ff;">This is the famous highway immortalized in song and verse...which actually no longer exists as such, but lives in in the Nation´s consciousness! Try it- something a little different.</span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Route66.doc?attredirects=0&d=1"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Route 66 </span></a>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-6513704548236887682009-11-06T12:04:00.003+00:002009-11-08T20:03:11.288+00:00Story in a bag<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXSTACv2wY1B2PjT6N_ufozUlQmYoN5WkmJHL3zAJopRpZjC554wi0Y_04y4Kw5cmI5mbbSeGgPobTjbs6vtNNMnPVfC-PalZK4YRdH3jv2J2pxpiLOHGzaoVmLrh2pOA6qfCyIy1gEs/s1600-h/StoryBag_350.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400962156031814450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 283px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXSTACv2wY1B2PjT6N_ufozUlQmYoN5WkmJHL3zAJopRpZjC554wi0Y_04y4Kw5cmI5mbbSeGgPobTjbs6vtNNMnPVfC-PalZK4YRdH3jv2J2pxpiLOHGzaoVmLrh2pOA6qfCyIy1gEs/s320/StoryBag_350.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ff6666;">Here is a really creative and imaginative activity with almost no preparation - all you need are a few items in a bag to make your class create an oral story. Try it- it really works! </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/try/activities/story-a-bag"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Story in a bag</span></a></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-62882656224225225862009-10-22T12:40:00.001+01:002009-10-23T15:35:50.515+01:00Pronunciation Chart - Hear the Sounds!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBid_sNXtHHguaaUwCkT9b7RMnkbEkDn8NVaQRRCijnaoPZDgTOoDb3bAiuQfplhpCzByj3tBJiXK8yBdSpxk0ASEd1HA5m4m1Yx5f-Jgh0f9o3HCn_wzGar3lEEx9c3pSCi-XyluHSc/s1600-h/pronchart.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395390087594700658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 232px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBid_sNXtHHguaaUwCkT9b7RMnkbEkDn8NVaQRRCijnaoPZDgTOoDb3bAiuQfplhpCzByj3tBJiXK8yBdSpxk0ASEd1HA5m4m1Yx5f-Jgh0f9o3HCn_wzGar3lEEx9c3pSCi-XyluHSc/s320/pronchart.jpg" border="0" /></a>Help your students hear the sounds of English by clicking on the symbols of the pronunciation <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0);font-size:130%;" >chart in the link BELOW</span> - you can now install it on your own PC or Mac computer and use off line or in the classroom. <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">To download the chart, simply click on the link below and then save the file to your desktop. </span>You can then just click on the file to open it at any time. <em>(PS: There is a version for a Mac computer on the Teaching English website below, if you use a Mac). </em>
<br /><em>
<br /></em><a href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/PC_pron_chart_vector.exe"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">CLICK HERE
<br /></span></a>
<br />Another great idea from
<br /></em> <a style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)" href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/">http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/</a><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">.</span>
<br />Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-4323594269936708342009-10-22T12:15:00.000+01:002009-10-22T13:10:08.174+01:00Fun Activity: The Soap Opera<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtNCGO_U2ZH5uh_WYWmsYCJT1rpOembkDf2RObov1Y4v2vxgUHBtsakoMdtWb2lfopO1zZp6GG8LFS2zkKg950yAsd5vf7GNK4dhfoPV0oaVDf9waFRiH9HZsoycfcdZ8xVHI1p2eWjM/s1600-h/soap_opera_time_saver_483385.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395384836825124610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtNCGO_U2ZH5uh_WYWmsYCJT1rpOembkDf2RObov1Y4v2vxgUHBtsakoMdtWb2lfopO1zZp6GG8LFS2zkKg950yAsd5vf7GNK4dhfoPV0oaVDf9waFRiH9HZsoycfcdZ8xVHI1p2eWjM/s320/soap_opera_time_saver_483385.jpg" border="0" /></a>Looking for a fun activity to <span style="color:#ff0000;">practice adjectives to describe personality and appearance</span>? Or <span style="color:#ff0000;">to develop students´ writing in a creative AND FUN way?</span> Try this! It´s one of my favourite activities! It works very well with adult students (EOI, for example) - I recommend selecting a range of pictures for the students so they can relate to the characters and choose the photos they prefer.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/try/activities/soap-opera"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">The soap opera</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><br />If you like this activity, go to: <a href="http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/">http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/</a> - you will find lots of great ideas for teaching, plus some good articles on aspects of methodology, etc.Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-15263055908033856902009-10-21T22:16:00.007+01:002009-11-08T20:09:31.786+00:00Halloween is nearly here!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJRA0WdOj4xDloTJ50XzLU9kdYsKPJ0yrTmm8ADPb_-aHiKr1rc0bKc9Ul7yytxDKqAw6_jY0KrEdvUTTbLBJrShubRCcFal_TAS15CERWi3F3wBqJVzI1e21jLne7v5LO4QOL1Qb-Es/s1600-h/halloween2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395166215576584066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJRA0WdOj4xDloTJ50XzLU9kdYsKPJ0yrTmm8ADPb_-aHiKr1rc0bKc9Ul7yytxDKqAw6_jY0KrEdvUTTbLBJrShubRCcFal_TAS15CERWi3F3wBqJVzI1e21jLne7v5LO4QOL1Qb-Es/s320/halloween2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#996633;">Halloween</span> </span>is nearly here and what better way to celebrate it than doing a <span style="color:#ff0000;">Webquest</span> with your students. For those who don´t know what a webquest is, here is a short definition :<br /><br /><em>A webquest is an assignment which asks students to use the World Wide Web to learn about and/or synthesize their knowledge on a specific topic. A “true” webquest, as originally designed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March, requires synthesis of the new knowledge by accomplishing a “task,” often to solve a hypothetical problem or address a real-world issue. Simpler web activities designed for students to investigate and collect new knowledge from web-based sources can also be a more engaging and effective replacement for read-the-chapter-and-complete-the-review-questions. </em><br /><em></em><br />Essentially, webquests are <span style="color:#ff6600;">mini projects</span> in which a large percentage of the input and material is supplied by the Internet.<br /><br />For more information and reasons for doing webquests, and how to structure and produce webquests, read this article below:<br /><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Webquests.doc?attredirects=0"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Webquest Article </span></a><br /><a href="http://http//sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/Webquests.doc?attredirects=0"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span></a>Fancy trying something new with your Bachillerato or teens? Here is a nice webquest a participant on a course I was doing recently sent in .<br /><span style="color:#000000;">Go to this link: </span><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#663333;"></span><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/annejeanpark/home/blog/plantilla_word_Horror_Holidays_WQ.doc?attredirects=0"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Horror Holidays<br /></span></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#663333;"></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-23168511463860717752009-10-20T11:36:00.001+01:002009-10-20T14:04:20.077+01:00QUIZ TIME - The 70 Most Beautiful Words in English!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qNcG1q6NTN55GKH1v-7tmJUwdoTtJP0LrPjOFyAZB4mqDfek-FrBHbKLeeAqTbt6eynT-Rr0CD89M5hCDwZnwvaEGDAN5PB0mhofTACbv07T2-US_A-xEcRCEtuVqZCrGJsklw8doYQ/s1600-h/beautiful+words.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394632137052040658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 330px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qNcG1q6NTN55GKH1v-7tmJUwdoTtJP0LrPjOFyAZB4mqDfek-FrBHbKLeeAqTbt6eynT-Rr0CD89M5hCDwZnwvaEGDAN5PB0mhofTACbv07T2-US_A-xEcRCEtuVqZCrGJsklw8doYQ/s320/beautiful+words.png" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#33ccff;">I´m sure you all have your <span style="color:#000000;">favourite words</span> in English! Maybe you like the meaning of the word, or the sound, or perhaps it makes you laugh. </span><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#33ccff;">Well, in 2004, <span style="color:#000000;">The British Council</span> as part of their 70th Anniversary celebrations, decided to ask people for their <strong>favourite 70 words in English. </strong></span><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><span style="color:#33ccff;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><em><span style="color:#33ccff;">Can you guess the <span style="color:#000000;">TOP TEN</span>?</span></em></strong> Please post your answers in the Comments. </span></span></div><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#33ccff;">I will reveal the answers on <span style="color:#000000;">10 </span><span style="color:#000000;">November</span>, so happy word hunting! </span></strong></div>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289738275582186968.post-45639738981992174692009-10-19T22:06:00.000+01:002009-10-22T13:11:36.961+01:00250th Anniversary of Robert Burns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgES5w4CDhpFzF7k9OZnd_hgjdvPDOafmY7E-iso_W7e60QSSKkJQRQtl9O2YmeV8S6nhpVFl5cRn-keVZoNPOJC7RGnAAs2C_Na_BukMsPZwY6MfRPysIPWwdfy8_M7Y263btYp_hPm2g/s1600-h/robert-burns.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394423583591258690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 277px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgES5w4CDhpFzF7k9OZnd_hgjdvPDOafmY7E-iso_W7e60QSSKkJQRQtl9O2YmeV8S6nhpVFl5cRn-keVZoNPOJC7RGnAAs2C_Na_BukMsPZwY6MfRPysIPWwdfy8_M7Y263btYp_hPm2g/s320/robert-burns.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#3366ff;">Immortal Memory</span></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;">Did you know 2009 is the 250th Anniversary of the Birth of the great Scottish poet, Robert (Rabbie) Burns? To celebrate this event, there are more than 400 celebrations organized in Scotland throughout 2009. Everyone is welcome to visit! Some of Scotland´s contibutions to the world: </span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"></span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Golf<br />Whisky<br />Great inventors<br />Scientific Innovation<br />Cultural heritage</span><br /></span></em><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;">Although <span style="color:#000000;">Burns</span> lived a short life, dying at the age of 37, it was fulfilling and eventful. Starting out as a farmer then moving on to become a writer, Burns travelled throughout Scotland where he gathered inspiration for much of his work. The stunning Ayrshire scenery and the romantic setting of Dumfries helped provide the insight for compiling much of his romantic material. </span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCd9iefjxobhEthVonlmbOo-jUnp_4NLsZeVnxmUPZZhnxMMX3GXcQtZiQ8ehtLa9qnybltLfSj3p7E5bSa4o55RFJfv8jZQaiT2l1WeTkFHpgteIq_-lbGwtGi7iM3lRXefDF9bGCKU/s1600-h/cottage-450.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394434899461763650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCd9iefjxobhEthVonlmbOo-jUnp_4NLsZeVnxmUPZZhnxMMX3GXcQtZiQ8ehtLa9qnybltLfSj3p7E5bSa4o55RFJfv8jZQaiT2l1WeTkFHpgteIq_-lbGwtGi7iM3lRXefDF9bGCKU/s320/cottage-450.jpg" border="0" /></a>Around the world tributes to the life and works of Robert Burns are held, through the ritual of the <span style="color:#000000;">Burns Supper</span>. Originally started a few years after his death by a group of his friends and acquaintances to honour his memory, the suppers are now celebrated annually on the date of his birth, 25th January. </span><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;"><br />No Burns Supper would be complete without The Haggis, The Drink (normally Whisky), The Songs, The Recitals, The Dance and of course the most important ingredient of all, The Fun. If Burns were alive today he too would surely have enjoyed the celebrations!<br /><br />2009 marks the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth and is the inspiration behind the year of Homecoming. Come home to the home of Burns in 2009 and celebrate his life and work at one of the many Burns-related events during the year. View the <span style="color:#000000;">video</span> below for a taster of what it's like to be at a Burns Supper. </span><br /><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aQzReojCdQ8&hl=es&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aQzReojCdQ8&hl=es&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="color:#33ccff;">If you want to know more about Burns´ life and work - and hear him speak and recite his own poetry, go to this great interactive site which the <strong><span style="color:#000000;">Scottish government</span></strong> has set up: </span><a href="http://www.scotland.org/burns-night/interactive/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">http://www.scotland.org/burns-night/interactive/</span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span>Annie Parkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13593777638981160883noreply@blogger.com1