Blog de Cristina A NEW LANGUAGE MEANS ANOTHER VISION OF LIFE

I’ve been using Wordle for quite a long time now but this idea is something I have not yet tried. This task involves using this great little tool called Wordle and the very popular Breaking News English site.
I read about this idea in Marisa Constantinides’ blog , which I highly recommend if you’re a teacher . 

Lesson Plan:
• Tell students they are going to write a short news report .Write on the backboard the following heading

” Teacher on trial for attacking student”

and ask students to comment of this heading and what they think  might lead a teacher to attack a student.

• Display with the OHP the Wordle and ask students in pairs to brainstorm ideas for an article using the words in the Wordle Cloud.Explain new vocabulary if necessary

• Give students about 15 minutes to write the first draft of the article.
• Play the audio from Breaking News English  twice and ask students to add , improve or edit their articles.
• Students write the final draft of the article on a coloured sheet of paper, which is them posted out on the walls of the classroom. Students stand up ,read everybody’s article and vote for the best.

Students compare their aticle with the real one. Click here

• Finally , it would be interesting to talk a bit about the role a teacher plays in our society.These questions might be helpful to get them started.

Do you think being a teacher is easy or difficult?

Do you feel sorry for Mr Harvey or the student?

What kind of behaviour do you see in your classroom?

What can society do to make students respect their teachers?

If web cameras were put in classrooms, teachers would teach better classes and students would behave better. What do you think?

Isn’t it true that one of the first things that comes into your mind when you hear the word “England “is bad weather?

Contrary to the popular belief IT does NOT RAIN everyday but the thing is that talking about the weather is a national obsession and pastime . In England this is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic, and you must be good at discussing the weather . It’s also important to learn this rule :”Never ever contradict anybody when discussing the weather” . Should it hail and snow, should hurricanes uproot the trees from the sides of the road, and should someone remark to you: “Nice day, isn’t it?” - answer without hesitation: “Isn’t it lovely?” (adapted from How to be an Alien)

 It’s therefore important that you know how to respond to comments about weather  as it often seems to be the device to start a conversation. Now that you have been warned , don’t miss the opportunity to do this lesson plan I have prepared for my Advanced students on The Weather. Click here to see the whole Lesson Plan

Related Posts:

• Lesson Plan: The weather
• Corcholis or it is raining cats and dogs
• As we are learning about the weather

When last week I asked my students:

Have you ever put your life at risk? or Have you ever done any extreme sports? I began to wonder whether I’ve ever had .
The truth is I’ve never been an adventurous person; maybe I was a bit more in the past when I was younger. I remember I used to like horror films and talking about paranormal phenomena with my friends. I even played the Ouija Board once or twice and went with some peers to visit a mansion ghost, which was said to live in a house in ruins in my own hometown; but I , at least, was pushing the limits of my own courage although I pretended otherwise .I remember the rush of adrenaline I experienced and the feeling of being amazingly brave. But these can be hardly be named extreme sports although some people would say that playing with the unknown is much worse than risking your life doing bungee jumping or sky diving something ,I know, I’ll never have the guts to try.

Come to think of it, I’ve sometimes put my life at risk like when I hitchhiked in England being only 19, or refusing to cross the road when seeing a gang of punks drinking and I had to walk past.This counts as risky , doesn’t it?

But the maddest thing I’ve ever done was about 10 years ago in the Wagner Bros Park ,in Madrid , when I rode in one of these ride thrill attractions. It was a vertical tower of about 60metres . You are launched up and , believe or not, you take off from your seat and you literally fly before dropping in a breathtaking descent. When I think about it , it still gives me the creeps… Well, I warned you , I’ve never been a thrill seeker!!

And you… Do you live on adrenaline rushes? Are you hooked on the buzz of the extreme?

If you would like to do a lesson on Extreme Sports and Taking Risks , click HERE