The course has come to an end! I found all the activities very useful but obviously the ones that were new to me were most interesting: podcasting and the video. I had difficulties at first with Audacity and then trying to find the embed code, which I eventually sorted out by linking the podcast to another server.
The interaction with peers was probably the best aspect of the course. Simply by looking at other people's work inspires you in doing your task and ultimately being able to produce something which is going to be of use to your students.
As far as ICT competence is concerned, it was made very clear in one of the early presentations in the course, using ICT in the class is something the teacher will get better at with time. At present, I'm still very much a novice but I will strive to put this experience into practice next year and hopefully, this time next year I will feel more confident in using ICT in the classroom!
Friday, 15 July 2011
Video: What do you know about Great Britain?
How well do you know Great Britain? Take a look at the following video and sort out which images go with which Home country. Remember, Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland and Wales and not all the images fit into the categories so neatly!
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
The images:
The Queen
A thistle
A rose
A daffodil
St George's Flag
The flag of the Dragon
St Andrew's Cross
The Red Dragon
Stonehenge
Portmerrion
Loch Ness
Haggis
Fish and Chips
Umbrella and rain
Edinburgh Tattoo
Snowdonia
Anthony Hopkins
Sean Connery
Hugh Grant
The Union Jack
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
The images:
The Queen
A thistle
A rose
A daffodil
St George's Flag
The flag of the Dragon
St Andrew's Cross
The Red Dragon
Stonehenge
Portmerrion
Loch Ness
Haggis
Fish and Chips
Umbrella and rain
Edinburgh Tattoo
Snowdonia
Anthony Hopkins
Sean Connery
Hugh Grant
The Union Jack
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Wiki: My Blackberry Is Not Working!
Hello everyone!
Take a look at my wiki on what will become a famous British comedy sketch and technology. Hope you enjoy it and get something out of it! To completely understand the sketch and to be able to do the activities, you need to be of B1 or B2 level of English. (Intermediate- Upper-intermediate)
Take a look at my wiki on what will become a famous British comedy sketch and technology. Hope you enjoy it and get something out of it! To completely understand the sketch and to be able to do the activities, you need to be of B1 or B2 level of English. (Intermediate- Upper-intermediate)
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Podcast: Sounds and letters don't agree
Here is a short poem illustrating the complications of English spelling! Have a go at reciting it before listening to the audio!
SOUNDS AND LETTERS DON'T AGREE (click for audio)
When the English tongue we speak,
Why does break not ryhme with weak?
Won't you tell me why it's true
We say sew, but also few?
And the maker of a verse
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?
Beard is not the same as heard.
Cord is different from word,
Cow is cow, but low is low,
Shoe is never ryhmed with foe.
Think of hose and dose and lose,
And think of loose and yet of choose,
Think of comb and tomb and bomb
Doll and roll and home and some.
And since pay is rhymed with say
Why not paid with said I pray?
Think of blood and food and good;
Mould is not pronounced like could.
Why is it done, but gone and lone
Is there any reason known?
To sum up, it seems to me
That sounds and letters don't agree.
SOUNDS AND LETTERS DON'T AGREE (click for audio)
When the English tongue we speak,
Why does break not ryhme with weak?
Won't you tell me why it's true
We say sew, but also few?
And the maker of a verse
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?
Beard is not the same as heard.
Cord is different from word,
Cow is cow, but low is low,
Shoe is never ryhmed with foe.
Think of hose and dose and lose,
And think of loose and yet of choose,
Think of comb and tomb and bomb
Doll and roll and home and some.
And since pay is rhymed with say
Why not paid with said I pray?
Think of blood and food and good;
Mould is not pronounced like could.
Why is it done, but gone and lone
Is there any reason known?
To sum up, it seems to me
That sounds and letters don't agree.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Treasure Hunt: Christmas in England
 |
| Christmas in London |
Christmas in England: a treasure hunt
What do you know about Christmas in England? How different is it to Christmas in your country? I'm sure at the end of this treasure hunt you're going to want to experience at least one Christmas in England!
Questions
1. Name three things which are celebrated differently in England than your country.
2. Make a list of ten objects related to Christmas.
3. What do English children do in preparation for Father Christmas coming?
4. What is Boxing Day? What do people do on this day today?
5. Have a listen to few Christmas songs/carols and make a list of your top three.
6. Make a list of the traditional foods eaten on Christmas Day. Give at least three examples for the main course, dessert and drinks.
7. What are Christmas crackers?
8. What is Santa's Grotto?
9. What pantomime would you like to go and see at Christmas?
10. Why do you think mistletoe is popular at Christmas?
9. What pantomime would you like to go and see at Christmas?
10. Why do you think mistletoe is popular at Christmas?
To find the answers, you need to browse through the following links:
A selection of the best Christmas songs in just ten minutes!
The BIG question
Produce a Powerpoint presentation with short texts and images describing the day in the life of a child on Christmas Day in England. Choose one of your favourite Christmas songs to accompany the presentation.
Evaluation criteria
Students will need to open a word document and print out all the questions and the corresponding answers and them send them to the tutor. Each completed question will receive 0.5 points (total of 5 points for this part). The Powerpoint presentation will be done in pairs and each presentation will receive a maximum mark of 5 points, depending on oral communication (with little stress on grammatical accuracy) and content of the presentation. There will also be one brownie point up for grabs for the best presentation based on the class's opinion!
Activity is aimed at B1 level of English.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Me as a Teacher
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Motivator: most of my experience in teaching has been with adults and I have found that being able to motivate is perhaps one of the most important qualities a teacher needs to have. Every student is different and I try to find ways to motivate each student one way or another to get them interested in English. If the student is not interested it is very difficult to get them to learn. This point is also closely connected to being a good communicator.
Guider: obviously the learning cannot be done by the teacher, however, I do feel it's my job to be the guide for the year and guide the student in what is necessary for them to reach their goal.
Organiser: While I don't rigidly stick to my lesson plan, I do like to spend a bit of time planning the lesson thoroughly and also inform students of what we are to be covering the following lesson. This way I can concentrate on oral communication in the class. I feel, with adults, much of the theory can be done at home.
I'm not much of a textbook teacher and tend to use various sources (some ICT activities, but mostly oral communication activities) to practice the concepts proposed in the course syllabus.
My alter ego
For me, Nelson Mandela is one of the people I most admire in the world today. With the patience and endurance of Mahatmai Ghandi, another inspirational leader, Mandela fought against the oppression, injustice and racism of Sout Africa's apartheid. I find it quite remarkable that Nelson Mandela was able to forgive his enemies, bring his country together and heal the racial rift and animosity of generations. He still does wonders for his country today in the fight against AIDS.
Nelson Mandela
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