Final post

Because of the match you will need to complete this post for homework.

Write about Chile.
Include the following information.


How do you feel about Chile?
What do you like?
What don't you like?
What would you change and how would you change it?
Have you been to any other countries? How do they compare to Chile?
What do you think is the international perception of Chile?
Which part of Chile would you most like to live in? Why?
Any other thoughts.

300 words.

Final video details

A JOURNEY YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE

Record a for 2 minute mobile phone video presentation* about a journey you would like to make

Say:

Where you would like to go,

Who you would go with,

What you would do there,

Why you would like to make this journey.

Mention anything else you think is important.

Send the video to me/upload it to Youtube, Vimeo etc. and send me the link. 

Deadline: Thursday 26th July. 

Post 10

Todays blog is of great interest to me, it's about the challenge of learning English.

Consider and try to answer the following questions.

> What is your experience of learning English. How has it been?
> How did you like this subject at university? What about the use of blogs?
> What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
> What have you learned about your personal learning needs?
> Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for?
> What do you think is the key to learning a foreign language?

- wordcount: 300

Post 9 - 2014

I'm sick so there will be no class today.

However, continue with today's blog activity at home. The details are below.

We're five months into 2014. How's it going. write about your experiences so far and of you expectations for the rest of the year.

Include the following

• Brief description of the year so far
• The best moments
• University experiences
• Hobbies and free time
• Anything new?
• Any trips away?
• Any surprises?
• What do you expect from the rest of the year?
• What do you hope will happen?

270 words. 

Evaluation 2 details

On Thursday I explained the details of the next evaluation.

Here are the details one more time

• Interview an English speaker.
• The interview must be in English
• Minimum of 10 questions + follow up questions
• Audio or video
• Deadline: 12 June

Comics and cartoons

Today you have chosen to write about comics and cartoons

Include the following information in your post.

• The relevance of comics/cartoons to your life
• Do you watch/read them now? When did you stop watching/reading them?
• Which ones did you watch/read? 
• Who was the author?
• Who were the main characters?
• What was the setting?
• Why did you like it/them?
• Any conclusions.

250 words

7th Post

- Where do people learn about environmentally friendly practices?
- Have you incorporated recycling into your habits? Describe
- Do you use a bike or your legs instead of a car?
- Have you joined or supported any Eco-organisations? Why/Why not?
- What else have you done /would you like to do?
- What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint?
- What's missing in our society/Santiago regarding this issue?
Number of words: 240
Don't forget to make comments on at least 3 of your classmates posts.


Well, the first question you can handle on your own. As for me, I do recycle, but not as much as I could. Sometimes because I don't make the effort and sometimes because it's impossible. I take all glass bottles and jars down to the bottle-bin and the plastic bottles to their bin too. I also take my old clothes to the market, even though the people are reluctant to take them. I even have a compost onb my balcony but it's a bit neglected. It filled up about a month ago. 

I use a bike every day, normally around 100km per week. I do everything possible not to use public transport. I don't mind it but it's really tiring and not nearly as fun as a bike.

I haven't joined any Eco-organisations because I don't know any organisations I like. I prefer to be conscientious and participate in local ecological projects; my friend has a garden on her roof.

I have plants on my balcony, I don't buy imported/frozen fruit or vegetables, I only eat food that corresponds to the season, I don't eat red meat or chicken and I put a brick in the water tank of my toilet.

I have done nothing to reduce my carbon footprint, I think I do a reasonable amount already. Let people who travel in airplanes all year make the sacrifice.

What's missing in Santiago, infrastructure and long term policies. Quelle surprise!

Post 6. South American news

This week you have decided to write about news coming from South America.

Post 5 - Article.

Go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

> Select a piece of news connected to your area of studies / future career.
> Write a summary of it.
> Provide the link to your piece of news.
> Leave a comment on 3 of their partners' posts.
> 220 words

EXAMPLE BELOW

http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/oct/03/embedding-skills-in-higher-education

The article I have chosen is related to education, more specifically to the importance of non-academic skills, in this case those learned at University.

The article talks about the current economic climate and how high unemployment has led to many Universities only concentrating on forming a graduate that has everything necessary, on paper at least, to go on and get a job.

But, the article raises the question of, 'what is education for' and goes on to argue that the non-academic skills are just as important as getting good grades and writing a good c.v.

It argues that Universities should participate in forming graduates who will be able to go on and learn throughout their lives. It also suggests that 'wisdom', that is the ability to learn from our mistakes, is an important characteristic to learn from University.

HB

Party

Today's topic is to write about a particularly memorable party.

Include the following

• What party?
• When?
• Where?
• Who?
• Why it was memorable

180 words + 3 comments

Evaluation #1. Video.

Video 1: A Hobby

• Record a mobile phone video presentation* about a hobby you have for 2 minutes.
• DEADLINE: Monday 5th of May. 

Say:

• What the hobby is,
• How long you have done it for,
• Why you enjoy it.
• Mention anything else you think is important.

*A mobile phone video presentation is a video of the student talking directly to the camera. This activity is seen as part of the learning process. Videos are made in the students’ own time and they are free to practice and record as many versions as they like in order to complete the task. However, the final video must be in one take (i.e. they must not be edited). Moreover, you should be able to see the student clearly in the video (i.e. No sunglasses!). 

Here is an example so that you have an idea. 

Free choice

Movies.

As a class you chose to write about one of the following:

• The weirdest movie you have seen
• The worst movie you have seen
• The movie that had the strongest impact on you

Class blogs

Ana Cabrera
Julio
Natalia
Michael
Maria Ignacia
Daniela
Ana Ceballos
Byron
Alejandra
Cristobal L
Jessica
Vicente
Rocio
Connie
Cristobal Diaz
Marcia
Judit
Tania
Florencia
Paula
Nicolas
Catalina

A country I'd like to visit.

Which country would you like to go to? Why?
- What do you know about it?
- What would you like to do there?
- Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.
- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts
- Word Count: 170 words

There are lots of countries I would like to visit. The truth is, I prefer to visit places where I have a specific reason to go there, that could be a friend, something I want to see or a specific activity I would like to do. 
   Of course I would love to wander the streets of Thailand or India but perhaps my first option would be to visit Finland. 
   For some reason, more by accident than design, I have quite a few friends in Finland and they are all lovely people so I'd like to see the country that has made them that way. Finland also has the best education system in the world so I'd love to talk to people about that. It also has incredible winters, lots of snow and cold which is something I'd like to experience. They are also the world-experts in saunas which sounds good to me. Historically the country is also very interesting, it shares a border with Russia which has affected it's culture and history a great deal. 

I would like to live there for at least a few months. I think it's impossible to really experience a place if you don't have some sort of connection with it, so having a part-time job would be great. 

First post - Ideal job

- What your ideal job would be
- What qualities and skills you would need to do this job
- Why you would be good at this job
- How difficult it would be to find this kind of job

 160 words and comments on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs

Good morning.

I think most of you will be familiar with the blog activities. Just in case, I've put the instructions above. 

So here goes, my first post. 

If you ask me what my ideal job would be, I would say any job that allows me to earn lots of money without having to work a lot.
   The truth is, I really like the job I have now. I get to do so many things that I enjoy (meet interesting people, teach, play with language, cycle) and I get paid for it. Being an English teacher has just the right combination of 'academic' work: planning, thinking, solving problems; with practical/physical work: standing, helping, shouting, jumping. 
    I've worked in offices before and it was terrible, it made me feel really depressed. 

   To be a good teacher (because there are also bad teachers) you need to be motivated and believe in what you are doing. People always use the word vocation, but I think you have to really want to help your students learn something. There are lots of skills you need, people always mention patience, but I think that just as important are empathy, discipline and the ability to motivate people. 

   I hope I'm good at this job. I think my strengths are that I am good with people, this includes being able to understand other people's points of view, empathy I guess. I'm also quite energetic and sometimes this is important in a class when all the students are sleepy. 

   Here in Chile it's not difficult to find work as an English teacher. It's more difficult to find good classes that you enjoy, with a reasonable timetable, and that pay you reasonably well.