Hello bloggers,
Here is some help to practice for the oral interaction test that will be held in the near future. Remember you need a partner for this activity (In pairs)It is a good idea to decide on who you will work now.

You will speak about a surprise topic  for a minimum of 5 mins. 
Giving your opinion

"I think…."


"I feel that…."


"In my opinion…."


"As far as I'm concerned…."


"As I see it…."


"In my view…"

Giving a strong opinion

"I'm absolutely convinced that…."


"I'm sure that….."


"I strongly believe that…."


"I have no doubt that…"


ASKING for SOMEONE'S OPINION

"What do you think (about /of X)?"


"What's your view (on)?"


"How do you see the situation (of)?"

Agreeing and disagreeing
Agreeing

"I think you're right."
"I agree with you."


Strong agreement
"I couldn't agree with you more."
"You're absolutely right."
"I agree entirely."
"I totally agree."


Agreeing in part

"I agree with you up to a point, but..."
"That's quite true, but..."
"I agree with you in principle, but..."


Disagreeing

"I'm not sure I agree with you."
"(I'm afraid) I don't agree."
"(I'm afraid) I disagree."
"(I'm afraid) I can't agree with you."
"(I'm afraid) I don't share your opinion."

Note that when you disagree with someone, you can often sound
more polite by using a phrase such as "I'm afraid..."

Disagreeing strongly

"I don't agree at all."
"I totally disagree."
"I couldn't agree with you less."

Keeping a conversation going
Making comments

"No!" - to show surprise
"I don't believe it!" - to show surprise
"Wow!" - to show admiration or surprise
"That's incredible / amazing / unbelievable" - to show great
interest in the subject of conversation
"How awful / terrible" - to show sympathy with someone else's bad
news

Asking questions

"Really?" - to show surprise
"And you?" - when someone asks you how you are
"Did you?" - can be used to encourage someone to tell their story.

For example, "I saw her last night" "Did you?" "Yes, she was with one of her friends, and she....

visit the following sites and do the following activities

Practice 1

Reading part 1: signs and short texts 1, test 2

Reading part 2: match 5 people to 8 texts

Part 1 sentence

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/PET_writing_part1.htm

http://www.examenglish.com/PET/PET_writing_part2.htm

part 1 listening

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

p2

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

p3

http://www.examenglish/PET/pet_listenig_part3.htm

-- 

post 8/7

Dear all,
Today you have a task related to the environment. It is impossible to be indifferent to this topic because it is something that affects us all. Just think of the pollution in Santiago and how we could have a healthier life with cleaner air in certain areas.

Write about the activitity you just did.
How environmentally friendly do you think you are?
What is your carbon footprint?
How can you contribute to change the planet?

Answer these questions or address the topic from a different angle. You can publish until Sunday

minimum 200 words. 3 comments.

See you next Wednesday at 12. I will confirm the class room via U cursos.
Regards,
Beatriz

post 8/7

Dear all,
Today you have a task related to the environment. It is impossible to be indifferent to this topic because it is something that affects us all. Just think of the pollution in Santiago and how we could have a healthier life with cleaner air in certain areas.

Write about the activitity you just did.
How environmentally friendly do you think you are?
What is your carbon footprint?
How can you contribute to change the planet?

Answer these questions or address the topic from a different angle. You can publish until Sunday

minimum 200 words. 3 comments.

See you next Wednesday at 12. I will confirm the class room via U cursos.
Regards,
Beatriz

July 1st

Dear all,
Please write about today's experience in London planning your trip.
Was there a place you would like to visit? A place you would not like to visit?
What did you think of the activity as a learning tool?
Write a minimum of 200 words and 3 comments.

One great film I've seen in the last few years
is a British film called ”Fish Tank”. I actually saw it at home on DVD as I
don't go to the cinema very often any more (I've been once this year). The film
is an independent movie by director Andrea Arnold and my friend Terry suggested
that I watch it. The film tells the story of a young girl from a broken home
growing up in a poor part of London. The film is a drama and it stars unknown
actors with the exception of one. The lead role is played by Katie Jarvis and it also stars Michael Fassbender who has become very famous in the past few years, and is the star of another movie I was going to write about ( which is also old and really good) "Shame" by British director SteveMcQueen (A must see movie - Watch it!!!). I enjoyed Fish Tank because it is a very British movie and it relates to elements of British culture that many

people don't know about. But it is also a teenage life that a lot of people can relate to. Being a bit of a loner and maybe having a very troubled home life. 

Actually, I've seen that the full film is available (subtitled) on Youtube:)  Here is the trailer.

Write about a movie you enjoyed. Please include some of this information and no summaries of the film:
What it's called, 

where and when you saw it, 

which actors star in it, 

What genre it is, 

What it's about (general terms), 

Why you enjoyed it. Mention anything else you find interesting. 

Sorry to insist but DO NOT copy and paste texts from IMDB or any other online site. It is your ideas I am after.

 Leave comments on your teacher's blog and the blogs of at 3 classmates.

 (250words minimum)

Hi Guys,
Today I'll give you two choices; one is to write about the strike and how you see the return to class as beneficial at this point. What have you gained? what have you lost? The other posibility is aband you like.

Today I’d like to tell you about a band I like. Actually, it wasn’t easy to decide because I really love music and I sort of enjoy nearly all sorts. Nowadays there is so much choice that with a bit of organization (moneywise), one can get to a couple of shows a year.

One band I really like and have liked for a while is “Rush”. I really like the fact that they have gone through different styles from experimental rock to a more pop style at one point. I like them because some of the lyrics are very meaningful to me and the music is cool. I’ve never been a fan of the lead singer’s voice but I’ve learnt to like it with the years. I think I like many of the songs but today I’ll mention “time stand still” as my favorite ( I don’t really have one!). It brings me a lot of memories from being a teenager and hanging out with friends.

I saw them live a few years back here in Santiago and I really enjoyed it.  The musicians are all really great and I think anybody who knows about playing the drums or the guitar would know this. I really enjoyed even the songs I did not know.

What about you?

Refer to a band / singer >> Answer some of the following questions
- name
- what do you know about them?
- what type of music do they play?
- why do you like this artist/band?
- what's your favorite song? why?
- publish a picture or video
- 205 words minimum
- make 3 comments on your classmates posts.

something you'd like to learn

something you'd like to learn

There are lots of things I would love to learn to do. However, to be realistic, some of them would be too complicated. For example, I’d love to learn to play the flute but you need a lot of time and dedication to become a competent musician and I don’t think it would be a feasible instrument to learn at this stage of my life. One thing that I would like to learn well would be the guitar. I can play basic stuff and I know some chords but I'd like to be able to play any old song nicely and in rhythm. I just wish I wanted it more so I devoted more time to it and improved. I feel and been told I am good. I took singing lessons for some time and made no progress whatsoever, so even though I'd like to sing better, I have little hope. It is all related to my lack of commitment, I suppose. Work and studies really take most of my time and I cannot seem to find time for pleasurable activities more than watching movies, live music and or socialize at the weekends.  Another thing I'd like to learn is more about the mother of all sciences =philosophy. It is also the kind of thing I don't think I find the time to do and it is so useful. Finally, Improving my pc skills and dancing salsa are also on my list but I think I am one of the stiffest people ever:(
Last but not least, I really think this life is a constant learning experience. In everything we do, every interaction we have, there is something to take with us. I love that.
Write about yourself.
Is there something in particular you would like to learn or resume?
Is there something you started learning and stopped that you would like to pursue?
Tell us about your interest!
write a minimum of 205 words plus 3 comments on blogs where you have not commented before and 1 anywhere you like.

Santiago

Today we're going to talk about the city. Each and every one of us views the city form a different perspective that depends on many things. For example, I  was born in the ninth region but have spent most of my life here. However,  I have had the chance to live in the north of England for some time. I also spent some time in Germany when I studied languages, and have visited some places in Europe.  I have also visited some cities in Latin America and elsewhere. All different places shaped by history, architecture, commerce and people. Regardless of these things, your personal situation and frame of mind can also affect the way you view a city.
 I must say having seen places which seem a lot dirtier and also a lot cleaner, I like Santiago city.  I certainly think a number of things could be done to make it a more livable place especially in particular areas, the poorer boroughs  need more parks and community centers .  
Personally,  I think the center of  Santiago is a nice place because it offers a combination of forms and colours. I dislike the hostile attitude of a number of people but I hope that will change little by little.
I would always recommend places like "la vega " or "mercado central"or  Parque Almagro, among others, to a foreign person.
  Since in this moment of our lives we spend most our time here, lets express opinions.

Write about your vision of Santiago.

Include the following:

What you like about the Santiago and why,

What you dislike about the city and why,

What changes would make the city a better place,

What tips you would give to a visitor to the city

Write at least 200 words. Leave a message on at least 4 class blogs (These could include mine :). 

Dear all:

Today I’d like to tell you a bit about myself. When I finished school I realized I did not know what to do. I loved languages but I also loved music. So I took a year off and worked to save money. Later I entered translation because of languages. I did English and German but right in the middle of it, there was a chance to travel to Germany and work there. So I did. When I got back to Chile I fell into teaching by chance.  Later I got my teaching degree.

I think teachers are a great contribution to society but only if they have a vocation. If not, they may be great researchers or academics, but not good educators. I feel a teacher needs to be alert and attentive to what is happening in the classroom in the whole sense of the word. They also need a lot of patience & knowledge in their area of study. A teacher, as any other professional needs constant training  (formal or informal) because the world changes, students change, and so does methodology.

I think one of my favorite subjects at Uni was phonetics. I loved the idea of studying & recognizing the English sounds and also to contrast them with the Spanish sounds. I also enjoyed semantics and pragmatics.

One professional I admire in my area of study is Rod Ellis. He is very well known in the area of second language acquisition.  He has published a lot of books & I love the way he writes. In his books he has covered areas of second language acquisition not only from the traditional angle but also in a more critical fashion. He has got a very clear way to express his ideas. I think this is good because not all teachers have the time to read and if it is too complex, they may get lost and stop reading. This, I think is because the lack of research most teachers (especially school teachers!) do

Say:

-Why are you studying this career?

- How do professionals in your area contribute to society?

- What tools will a professional in your area need to have in the future?

- What is your favourite subject at the moment? why?

- Include this and more in your answer.

- 200 words minimum. (3 comments to classmates and one to me)

May 20

Dear all,
Today I found different secondary students demonstrating and demanding better education. Plus, there are rumors about a possible strike (paro) at university level. Today I'd like you to write about this topic (Education), since it is so important and probably the reason why so many people are in a bad place.Chile needs better and more equal opportunities for all the citizens.
Write about how you feel about this.
Some ideas are:
How do you feel about the educational reform?
How do you think "penguins" have helped in 2006/2011?
Do you think student leaders like G Jackson, C Vallejos, G Boric are trying to make a difference for education today?
Do you think strikes(paros) and demonstrations(marchas) are the only way to obtain changes?

Write a comment on my blog and 190 words. Write 2 comments on your classmates' blogs.

Today you have to choose one of the following topics.

A hobby

Gender and sexism

A place you would like to visit

Write a minimum of 175 words plus 3 comments. Remember to orgnize your text.

Even though I find the three topics interesting, I will choose a hobby (thinking of a sport). 

I have always been a quite active person,however, sports are an issue for me. When I was little I did Olympic gymnastics and really enjoyed it. I also did synchronized swimming and realized I wasn't very synchronized :( so I quit.

My relationship with sports has been on and off, more off than on, I fear. In my adult life I have done aerobics, yoga, swimming, pilates and cycling. Swimming is something I really enjoy and I don’t know why I don’t do it very often. I used to go all the time. I hope  I'll go tomorrow and start training again.  The other activity I simply love is cycling .I used to come to Uni on the bike.After the winter I'll come on the bike again.  At the moment I only do Pilates but only  because of an injury I had. I still like it quite a bit.

I’d really like to motivate myself and do exercise every day because every time I do it I feel so good. One day I’ll get there. I truly believe meditation and sports are the best preventive medicine there is :)

in this dictionary you can click on the speaker American or British and you can hear the word

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-cobuild-learners

Presentation

Dear all,
Today we will write a short text and some comments.
Write about the preparation and the experience of presenting in English today.
You can also refer to other presentations you enjoyed and why.

Write a minimum of 100 words and 2 comments.

The word technology sometimes leads to confusion.

Actually, many people think of really funky machines when they come across it. The idea that a pen represented technology in the past, or many other simple services created to satisfy people, does not really spring to mind at first.

I have mixed feelings about technology because I love the things new toys can do, but at the same time, I love the old ones. I used to play up the trees and now I see children who don’t leave their homes and sit for too long.

Anyway, regarding electronics I think the first one is my mobile phone. That is for a very simple reason. I like the idea of integration. For me to have a camera the music I like and a diary with the numbers of people I want to ring, is really good. I can't believe I used to memorize so many numbers! My brain must be deteriorating big time nowadays. The best part of it is the organizer. This is the only way I get to pay bills on time, send an invoice "boleta" on certain dates; etc. got it in 2012 and use it all the time.

The second item I'd like to mention is the external disc drive. I think when you have lost all your info because your PC died or because you got it stolen or whatever reason, it can be really tragic. That is why I learnt we need to save info on a safe place that "ideally" will not collapse or disappear. I have complete books, whole albums of good music, and lots of documents that have taken me hours to download or write myself and don't want to lose. I don't remember when I got this, but it was long ago. Could I live without them? Hell yeah! I would have to get used to it, that's all.

Describe your favourite piece of Technology. Upload a picture if you like. 
Remember to use wordreference.com 

Say:

- How you got it

- How long you have used it

-How often you use it

-Why you like it. Put a photo if you like. 

-Describe how life would be without it (160 words minimum)

Today write 1 comment on your teacher's blog and 2 or + Comments on your classmates'.

sorry I couldn´t come

Hello everyone,
Today I would like you to do the activities on www.plataforma.uchile.cl

Unit 3 tools of the trade. Do ALL activities.
Please write a post of a minimum 100 words on your performance on Act 1, 2 3 and 4

You have 48 hours. Put 2 comments on your classmates blogs.

Thank you.

I hope you feel like writing today. I’d like to tell you a bit about this image. To be honest, I found it hard to choose a special picture. This is because there are so many pictures I like and they are in so many different contexts. I decided to go for something nice and simple. I took this picture in July 2010. I was on holiday and my husband and I woke up at around 6 and decided to go for a walk. We walked from the place where we were staying to the next village around. The village was really funny because it was basically three houses and a post office. Anyway, everything was closed because it was so early. We took a lot of pictures of the sun rising. It was a beautiful moment. I’ll tell you why I like this photo in particular. It is a very simple picture but what I like about it, is the fact that it turned out just as I saw it on that morning. The light, the colors, the shadows, everything is exactly the way it was in my mind.

I love the way the sunlight hits the misty hills and you can see hills and more hills and more hills in the background. The image actually reminds me of the cover of a book I really enjoyed called “Ghostwritten” by David Mitchell. The nicest thing I can think of is that I had a lovely walk on a beautiful summer morning, breathing fresh air with someone I love.

Write about a special photograph you took or appear in. Include the following information. 

Say: 
Who took it- What it shows- When it was taken- Why you like it

Write a minimum of 120 words. Put a minimum of 2 comments on different blogs. 


Upload it too!

Dear all,
On this post I will explain how the blog work will be assessed.

Two marks will be averaged. Mark 1 is for continuous assessment (i.e. coming to class and posting IN class).If you come to class & write the right number of words, plus the ideas your are asked to express AND comments, you get 2 points. If you don't come to class & post from anywhere else within 24 hours, you get 1 point. After that there are no points,but you can still write for the sake of learning & because of mark 2.

Mark 2 is for 2 particular posts that will be evaluated in terms of (ideas (n° of words), word range & grammar). If the post is not there when it is marked, you get a 1.0 for that post. These 3 marks are evaluated and give an average final mark = mark 2.

Ps: You can use www.wordreference.com but NO translators.If you do the latter, you get a 1.0 & no points for your post. The worst of all, you don't learn. :(

MARK 1 +MARK 2= /2 = FINAL MARK

These two marks will be averaged and will give your final mark :) If you have any doubts, let me know.Kind regards,
Beatriz

Your first task is to create a blog and to link all your classmates. Then you have to write an introduction of yourself  (minimum 60 words) and a comment on any blog.    To begin with, you need to create a gmail account.

First, go to blogger.com and follow the instructions.

Please remember to change the language during set up so that your blog is in English.

1. If you have a google account: sign in first, if you don’t have a google account: create a google account
2. Go to: http://www.blogger.com/
3. Click: create your blog now
4. Name your blog
5. Choose any template you like
6. Go to dashboard, scroll down to the bottom of the page & change the language to English.
7. Go to design, add a gadget, LINK LIST, and add names & links and when you have the last name linked, save. Ask the teacher if you are not sure.

7. Start posting (dashboard)

Sample

Welcome bloggers!
I am Beatriz and I am a Eglish teacher and I have an ufinished MA in Education and applied linguistics..
I have a number of interest, mainly  vegetation and politics but I am also interest in health, particularly alternative medicine. I am also intocinema, literature and music. I like sports (although I dont do as much as I should) and meditation. My expectations for this semester are to see more of my sisters and play the guitar more.

I hope you enjoy improving your English by writing t

Hello Bloggers,


Please do the following activities. Follow instructions or ASK if you don't understand.

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/word_order/sentences3.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/word_order/sentences5.htm

Listen to Cristina. Hide (esconde) the text. Do you agree with her?

http://elllo.org/video/1401v/1400-Christina-Learn-English.html

Listen to Vella and Daniel

http://elllo.org/english/1201/1250-Daniel-Childhood.htm

Now please do

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/word_order/sentences8.htm


http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/questions/question_words.htm


http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/questions/form.htm

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-past.php

Listen to chapters 1 to 5 of the flatmates (TRY NOT TO READ TEXT)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode01/index.shtml


Do you agree with these definitions?

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/vocabulary-lesson-society.php

Continue with

http://www.englishaula.com/en/pet-reading-part-1-exam-2-cambridge-preliminary-english-test-exercise.html


Read and answer

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/reading_education.php

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-future-plan.php

http://www.examenglish.com/A2/A2_reading_daily_routine.htm

Visit Plataforma  And do all  the activites of unit 22 :)

http://www.plataforma.uchile.cl/lapetus/2009/1/ingles/curso.php?id=296