Sunday 23 December 2012

Homework for Christmas. Second term 1, 2 & 3. Deadline Thursday January 10th.

Hi students.
I hope you are having a good time with no lessons and exams to worry about.
Here's your homework for Christmas. You have about 3 weeks to work on it, but try not to leave everything for the last moment as usual.

Homework 1/10 is all from your book "Real English and Speaking 3".

You have to do all these activities, write the answers in a Word file and send it to me to the usual address javiprofeingles@hotmail.com.
Page 44: Study the yellow box at the top of the page and do those activities and then Activity A (parts 1, 2, 3). You don't need to write the questions, just the answers.
If you don't have the CD for the book, you can use this audio.

Page 46: Activity D (parts 1, 2)
If you don't have the CD for the book, you can use this audio.


Homework 2/10 is Internet based.

During the second term, we are going to work with English Central. It is a site where you can watch small videos, with or without the script and then you can listen and repeat what the video says and get a certain amount of points. First, I want you to register. You can do it here.



Write your real name, an email and a password. As usual, WRITE THE INFORMATION DOWN somewhere or REMEMBER IT so as not to forget it next time you have to work with it.
Once registered, try to get at least 3000 points (the more, the better)

If you can...

Try to listen to at least 30 minutes of English every day. You can watch videos, films, series, student news, listen to music, watch TV, etc., but try to listen to as much as you can.


Homework 3/10

New Year's Resolutions. This homework has three small parts.
Part 1. You must watch this small video about New Year Resolution and do the seven questions of this test . When you finish, print your screen with your result.



Part 2. You must listen to this audio and then fill in this chart with the information from the audio and send it to me (javiprofeingles@hotmail.com).


Part 3. You must record your voice telling me your New Year Resolutions and how you plan to put them in practice. You must talk between one and three minutes. You can use any of the systems you know to send me audio.

The last part is just for some of you.

If you still don't have the text book or headphones, ask Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar for it.
If you haven't worked during the first term, January 1st is a good time to take the resolution to start working and doing your homework.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Thursday 6 December 2012

VOCABULARY DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES 1-7

Hi students,

In order to practise for your exam next week, here you have some games with the summary of the vocabulary for Desperate Housewives 1-4.  I have reduced all the vocabulary to only 70 words to make it easier for you.




Here is the vocabulary for episodes 5-7 (I couldn't make everything in just one list.

Sunday 2 December 2012

BOOK VOCABULARY REVISION UNITS 1-3

Hi students,
In the next two Wednesdays you will have your oral exam and remember that one tiny part of the exam is vocabulary from the book (units 1-3) and from Desperate Housewives (episodes 1-7). If you want to revise for the exam in a funny way, you can do it here.
Since your teacher is poor and doesn't want to pay, you can only do the activities on the left column. Have fun and practise.


This is not homework. It is just optional practise for the exam.

Good luck.
Javier

Saturday 24 November 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 10/10. Deadline November 30th.

Well, finally the last piece of homework for this term. I think in general you have enjoyed our lessons and the new subject, but I would like to hear your comments and suggestions, so do it on this voicethread or the oral way you prefer.. Just a couple of minutes of your comments is enough. Don't be too hard on me and try to be positive!!! You can talk about Desperate Housewives, Rhona, the book, the computer room, homework, vocabulary, exams, even the way your teacher dresses!!

Saturday 17 November 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 9/10. Deadline November 22nd.

This is your homework for this week. You must go to this page from CNN and listen to the news for a particular day this week or last week. Try to watch the video at least twice and then, if you don't understand everything, listen to it again reading the transcript. After that, go to this voicethread and record in one or two minutes a summary of the pieces of news you have listened to. Don't forget to say which day you are referring to. You can also do it with the "Send voicemail" option as usual.
If you listen to this piece of news every day (it may take you about 10 minutes) your oral English will improve a lot and you will be informed at the same time. So, add it to your favorites. This is extremely useful for the people who didn't do too well in the first listening exam.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

APLE COMPUTER ROOM NOVEMBER 21st AND 28th

10 minutes: Do you believe in magic? Let's see if Akinator can guess the name of the famous person you have thought of. Think of a famous person, answer the questions and that's it.

15 minutes: What do you know about phonetics? Can you read those strange symbols that appear on the dictionary next to the word? Today we are going to start having a look at them. We will learn the phonetic symbols and their sound to help you improve your pronunciation in English.







Have you ever wondered what those strange symbols are that appear next to words in the dictionary?



They are a guide to pronounciation called Phonetics. Those symbols represent sounds, of which there are roughly 44 in the English language. Since there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, 44 characters are used to represent them all. Phonics should be a part of every student's tools for learning a language.

There is no end to our study of grammar and vocabulary but phonemic symbols are limited, visual and physical. They may seem challenging at first but it is like learning to swim or ride a bicycle. Once you can do it, it is easy and you never forget.



Why should you learn the different English sounds? Why should you learn the symbols? Watch the next video to find out:






We will be using to practice phonetics, BBC Learning English, to know the hows and whys of what we are going to learn about. Start by clicking on the sound /i/ and doing the activities in Unit 1. Then write a comment about the different exercises you have done.


20 minutes: Some people in the class love music. Let's see how good you are at lyrics.



We are going to listen to songs and fill in the blanks of the lyrics. Go here, create a new account (on the right, above the picture and under sign in), choose the song "The lazy song", choose a mode (you can start with elementary and then try something more challenging). Then, listen to the song and try to fill in the blanks.
Now it is your time to choose a different song of your taste. Write a comment saying which song you worked on and what was your score. Was it too easy/difficult? Don't forget to include your name in the comment.

A very funny, interesting lesson. I hope you enjoy it.
Javier

Friday 9 November 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 8/10. Deadline November 15th

 



As everybody knows, Barack Obama won the elections last week, becoming the 44th President of USA. I think Obama is a great communicator. His speeches are always worth listening to. You can watch his victory speech here. It is 20 minutes long, but quite easy to understand.







Now, this is your task. You have to answer to these 14 questions ORALLY? You can use the system you prefer. You don't need to read the questions, just say the number and give the answer.


1.       What does Barack Obama say about people waiting in a line for long to vote?

2.       Who did Obama call after he won the elections?

3.       What does he want to talk about with Senator Romney?

4.       Who is Joe Biden?

5.       What year did Obama get married?

6.       How many inhabitants are there in the United States?

7.       Complete: But despite all our differences…

8.       What professions does the worker’s child in North Carolina want?

9.       What challenges can Obama only solve if he Works together with the other parties?

10.   What makes America great and exceptional?

11.   Why does Obama mention New York and New Jersey?

12.   What happened to a family in Ohio?

13.   Complete the sentence: “something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep __________, to keep __________, to keep __________.

14.   Finish the sentence: “You can make it here in America if…”




Tuesday 6 November 2012

APLE COMPUTER ROOM NOVEMBER 7TH&14TH

As unit 2 in our textbook is about restaurants, let's work on that.




15 minutes > go to this page http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omquestion/contenidotematico.htm and do as many intermediate questions as you can (at least 15 questions). Don't forget to check for the answers after you do it. Add the address to your delicious account.


20 minutes > practise listening about restaurants (unit 2 in the text book). Go to these pages for that:

http://esl.about.com/library/listening/blrestorder.htm

http://www.esl-lab.com/pie1/pierd1.htm

http://www.inglesmundial.com/B7/listening.htm

http://www.esl-lab.com/fastfood/fastfoodrd1.htm

http://www.elllo.org/english/0501/512-Akane-Restaurant.html (Hide the text and then do the multimedia Quiz Game)



10 minutes > watch this video and answer the following questions about it as a comment to this post


1.- What did he write? Why?
2.- What kind of restaurant is it?
3.- What happened with the wine?
4.- Did he like the food?
5.- What did he do with the food?
6.- What happened at the end?



Enjoy your lesson.

Javier

Thursday 1 November 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 7/10. Deadline November 8th




This week, the idea is to prove how well you can read. You have to go to this site, choose the story whose number corresponds the one you have in my list, read and listen to the text as many times as you need and then read the text aloud recording it on this voicethread or with the recording system you prefer. You can try as many times as you want. When you are satisfied with the result, save it. If you do not remember your number in my list, choose any number from 20 to 40.

Friday 26 October 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 6/10. Deadline Oct 31st.

Dear students,
One day, in one of your lessons, you were talking about what you wanted to study at university, but today I want you to go a little bit further and talk about your life in ten years time.

I've come accross a New York Times Interactive where senior students from a high school in San Diego were asked about their plans for their future, their 10-year plans.



You must hear their answers, choose two students you feel identified with and send me a Voice Mail with all the information you've understood. Then, do the same, but talking about you and your future. Try to avoid the usual mistakes. Do not read. Try to sound as natural as possible and do not rush.

Don't forget YOUR NAME, SURNAME AND EMAIL ACCOUNT.

Last week, only 11 students did their homework. Remember that every time you don't do your homework, you lose 0.3 points out of your final mark.

Have a gr8 weekend.

Javier
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/27/magazine/senior-class.html

Wednesday 24 October 2012

CALENDAR FOR 4º ESO PRESENTATIONS




Alberto, Laura and María: October 23rd
Clara and Mille: October 26th
Ignacio: October 30th
Patty and Noemi: October 31st
Mary: November 7th
Eduardo and David: November 9th
Alejandra: November  14th
Marta and Iñigo: November  16th
Ana: November 21st
Alba and María: November 23rd
Daniela: November 28th
Sara: November 30th

Saturday 20 October 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 5/10. Deadline October 25th

Hello students,
Here is the task you have to do for this week.
You have to go to this site, choose one of the stories (one which is complete, not in parts) and listen to it at least a couple of times WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE SCRIPT. You can either download the .mp3 file or listen to it directly on the page. Then, you can listen to it again with the script to understand it better. Your task is to record a summary of the story IN YOUR OWN WORDS and in less than three minutes. You can also say if you liked the story and if you found it easy or difficult to understand.

You can do it in this voicethread or use the send voicemail on the right of the blog. Try to change your icon/avatar in voicethread and use a picture or something more personal and original.



Good luck and enjoy your weekend.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

APLE PRESENTATION AND EXAM DATES

Oct 22nd: Abel
Oct. 23rd: Laura Galvez and Laura García
Nov. 5th: Jose Luis and First Listening Exam
Nov. 6th: Gema and Silvia
Nov. 12th: Ana González
Nov. 13th: Elena and Rocío
Nov 19th: Blanca
Nov. 20th: Alejandro and Alex
Nov. 27th: Mercedes and Ana Blazquez
Dec. 3rd: Gorka and Miriam

LISTENING EXAMS


FIRST EXAM: NOVEMBER 5TH (short, in 1BB classroom)
SECOND EXAM: DECEMBER 4TH (long, in 1BB classroom)


Thursday 11 October 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 4/10. Deadline Thursday October 18th.

We are going to play a game of Trivial one of these days, so I think it would be interesting if you wrote some questions and answers for the game. Apart from English, there are 4 other categories:




1.- History and Geography


2.- Cinema and Sports


3.- Art and literature


4.- Science


I want you to send me an email to my usual address javiprofeingles@hotmail.com with AT LEAST 16 QUESTIONS, (4 for each category). Don't forget to write the answer (or the possible options with the correct one) and to include your name.
Hope you enjoy playing.
Javier

Friday 5 October 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 3/10. Deadline Wednesday October 10th

Dear Students,



Since it is Steve Jobs' death anniversary this week, and we are watching his graduation speech video, I thought you might like this very short spot.br />
Here is the first "Think Different" Apple commercial that never aired, narrated by Steve Jobs: "Here's to the Crazy Ones". What makes great people great?







I want you to do three things:

a)identify the 17 famous people who appear in the video. If you don't know all of them, mention the ones you do know.

b)write the script of the commercial (you will have to watch it several times).

c)choose your favourite character and make a speech saying why you think that person was crazy and thought in a different way.

You have to send me a message to javiprofeingles@hotmail.com with three files: one with the people who apppear, another one with the script and a third one with an audio file about your favourite character (if it is easier for you, you can send me the audio file through "Send Voicemail" in this blog.
I hope you enjoy your weekend.
Do not forget to practise your oral English as much as you can.
Javier

Friday 28 September 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 2/10. Deadline: Thursday October 4th

Hi students,
This is your homework for this week

Say your opinions and your first feelings about the new series we started watching yesterday (Desperate Housewives). Say why you think Mary Alice killed herself. For this activity, you will have to use your brand new microphone and subscribe in voicethread. Don't forget to say who you are. You have to click on comment, then on record, write your real name, give an email address and a password (write it down on a paper or in your mobile phone in order not to forget it), then allow your computer to access and then start recording your voice. When you finish, just press on stop recording. You don't need to talk more than 2 or 3 minutes. If you like what you have said, save the comment, otherwise, start again until you are happy with the result. Good luck. I hope you don't have too many technical problems.

Tuesday 25 September 2012

APLE COMPUTER LESSON September 25th

Hello Students,

I hope you enjoy your first lesson this year in the computer room. The Internet connection is not very good, so please, be patient. At home you can do things much faster, so if you can't finish or do an activity here, you can try to do it at home.

20 minutes: go to this page and listen to: answering machine (easy) , A student credit card (medium) and Adsense: making money (difficult). You should at least do the "II Listening Exercises". You can also try to do the "III Vocabulary activities", but this is optional. When you finish, write a comment in this post mentioning your name and your final score in each of the listenings. You can also talk to me and tell me how you do.

25 minutes: in the second part of the class we are going to watch another speech. Now that iphone 5 is almost here, this time it is from Steve Jobs at Stanford University. While watching the video, try to answer the following questions about it. Do not worry if you don't understand every single word. Try to make the most of it.





Here are a few questions you should try to answer while watching the video. You can write them dowm on a piece of paper or just open a Word document and write down the answers in there.

1.- In which college did Steve Jobs graduated?
2.- What is the first story about?
3.- How long was S.J. at Reed College?
4.- What do we know about Steve Jobs's biological mother?
5.- Who was going to adopt Steve Jobs at first?
6.- Why didn't they adopt him?
7.- What happened when Steve Jobs's biological mother find out about the parents' education?
8.- Why did S.J. quit college?
9.- Where did he sleep once he quit college?
10.- How did he manage to eat?
11.- Why was calligraphy important in his life?
12.- What reference does Steve Jobs do about Windows?
13.- What's his second story about?
14.- When and where did he start his business?
15.- What happened to Steve Jobs when he was 30?
16.- What two companies did he create after being fired from Aple?
17.- How did he go back to Aple?
18.- What is the only way to do great work?
19.- What is his third story about?
20.- Which quote did Steve Jobs read one day?
21.- What happened to Steve Jobs in 2004?
22.- How long was he supposed to live?
23.- What does "get your affairs in order" mean?
24.- Why did the doctor cry when he had a look at the microscope?
25.- Finish the sentence: "Your time is limited, so..."
26.- What is Steve Jobs's wish for the graduate students?
27.- What do you think the wish mean?

If you want to read the script later at home, you can click here.

Javier

Saturday 22 September 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 1/10. Deadline Friday September 28th.

Dear students,


First of all, have a look at the blog and don't forget to bookmark it so you can find it easier next time you come to visit.



Your task for this weekend/week is quite simple. You have to spend AT LEAST ONE HOUR AND A HALF practising your oral English. Then, you have to make a recording saying what you have done and how (if you have watched a film, mention the film, if you liked it, if you watched it with subtitles or not, when you watched it, etc). If you listened to music, say what songs you listened to and if you could understand the lyrics. If you watched a TV series, say which one it was and if you usually follow it, etc.
You can record your voice with Audacity, you can use the Grabadora de Sonido de Windows (inicio-programas-accesorios-grabadora de sonidos) or just use the SEND VOICEMAIL tab on the right hand side of our blog. Don't forget to say who you are in your recording and to write your email address and who you are when you send it. Remember that my address is javiprofeingles@hotmail.com (in case you use Audacity or Grabadora de Sonido de Windows). If you use SEND VOICEMAIL, it will get to this address automatically.
Enjoy your weekend and try to practise your oral English at least 15 minutes every day.

If you cannot record your voice because you still haven't got a microphone or don't know how to use it, talk to me on Monday. Remember, DO NOT leave everything for the very last minute.

Good luck.

Javier

Tuesday 18 September 2012

WELCOME TO THE BLOG, APLE STUDENTS!!!

Dear students,




Here in this glog you will find videos, listenings, activities and most important of all, your homework every week, with a deadline. Please, bookmark this webpage so that it will be easier for you to get here next time. Sometimes you will have to send me your homework by email. My email address ia javiprofeingles@hotmail.com I hope you enjoy the subject and work hard.
Javier

Thursday 14 June 2012

A couple of interesting videos

Hi students,
It is the time to say goodbye and have a good rest during summertime. Here are a couple of interesting/funny videos you can watch during the summer.


See you around next year
Javier

Monday 4 June 2012

3º ESO Storybird writing. Deadline. June 13th.

Hello students, This is your last assignment for this year. You have to create a storybird about your summer holidays. It doesn't have to be true, but try to use nice pictures and use good English (will / going to).
You have to go to http://www.storybird.com, change the passport you can see below for a new one (write it down on a piece of paper or on your mobile phone if you think you might forget it) and then start working on your project. When you click on create a story, you will be asked if this is part of your assignment (say yes). At the end, when you finish on your last day, click on publish.



If you want to see examples of other students' storybirds, you can visit this page. The topic is different, but you can see how it works. If you have any technical problems, you can ask me in the class or you can email me at javiprofeingles@hotmail.com
Good luck
Javier

Sunday 3 June 2012

APLE SURVEY 2012

Hello students,

In my constant effort to improve our lessons, I have prepared a survey so that you can give your opinion. If you don't want to write your name, that's OK, but I suggest you should do it.




Javier

Sunday 27 May 2012

3º ESO AND APLE COMPUTER ROOM LESSON MAY 28TH

Dear students,



In both groups there are people who are really into music. Some of you play musical instruments and some of you are almost music experts. Today, we are going to play different games in English about music. You will need headphones for some of them.

Let's start with a test about pop songs from 2010.

Now, you have a new test, this time with music. Choose a level (I suggest beginners), choose a time period (the one you think you know more about) and then start with it. You get 2 points if you find out the right singer and one extra point if you find out the name of the song you hear.



This third quiz is about the death of famous singers. They tell you when and how the singer died and you have to find out who the dead singer is.

Let's go with quiz number 4. A quiz about music in general, to tell you the truth, about old music for you. It may be quite difficult for most of you, but a real challenge for the experts.

If you are a bit down after quiz number 4, quiz number 5 is much easier, specially if you listen to pop music on the radio.

Finally, it is the time to watch and listen to Adele's "Someone like you" and fill in the blanks of the lyrics. If you are given the choice, choose elementary level.

I hope you do enjoy the lesson.

Javier





Saturday 26 May 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 10/10. Deadline June 2nd

Dear students,

This is all coming to an end. Here is your last compulsory assignment for this year. Then, next week you will have to do a test to assess our teaching/learning process.
To listen to the instructions for this final activity, just clic on my picture on the left.




Javier

Saturday 19 May 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 9/10. Deadline, May 25th

Dear Students, This week you will continue practising your listening skills. I have found a new web page and I like the easy way you can send me your results. You have to go to this page and do 6 listenings. If your English is average, do 1,2, easy, 1,2, medium and 1,2, difficult. If your English is not very good, you can do 1,2,3 easy, 1,2, medium and 1, difficult. If your English is really good, you can do 1 easy, 1,2, medium and 1,2,3,4 difficult.
When you finish an activity, you have to click on "Corregir". If your score is over 70%, you can click on "solución" and then on "Enviar el resultado a tu profesor". Then you must write your name, your email address and my email address javiprofeingles@hotmail.com. If your score is under 70%, you must click on "Comenzar de nuevo" and start all over again. If after your second try, your score is still under 70%, just send me your score "Enviar el resultado a tu profesor". Good luck and use this page frequently, since it is good practise for your listening skills and you can see your score very easily. Javier

Sunday 13 May 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 8/10. Deadline Friday May18th.

Dear Students, I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the Prado Museum the other day. Remember you have to give me your recordings this week. If you have any technical problem, just let me know. You can give me a pendrive, a CD, a DVD or any other means I can read. I don't think the activity was perfect (the weather, the transport, etc), so I would like you to comment on it and make possible changes, suggestions or improvements for next year. You can do it here in this voicethread or if you have problems with the voicethread, you can send me the audio to my usual email address. Have fun. Javier

Sunday 6 May 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 7/10. New Deadline: Sunday May 13rd

Dear Students,



Next week you will have your listening exam and. For that reason, I think you might start practising some listening activities.

You have to go here and do at least 10 intermediate listenings. The first you must do is "hide-" the script, then listen to it (they are all very short) and then do the Quiz 2: Comprehension Q's. When you finish, check your answers and send me an email with the right option in each listening.

Good luck and listen to English regularly.
Javier

Monday 30 April 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 6/10. Deadline May May 5th.

Dear Students,
First of all, thank you very much for your cooperation and your enthusiasm in the "Save Energy" campain last Friday. I think if we all try hard, we can really make a big difference. This week, your homework is not too hard. You have to watch "The Colbert Report", an American program where Michelle Obama is interviewed. I suggest you should watch the whole video (21 minutes), but if you are short of time, the real interview starts on running time 13:30, so it only lasts 7 minutes.



If you have problems watching the video above, you can try this link: http://www.divshare.com/download/17545494-c34

Here are the questions you must answer about the interview. Write them on a Word document and send them to me to the usual email address.
1.- What did Michelle Obama study?
2.- When was the last time Michelle Obama was in the Colbert Report show?
3.- What's the difference between both times she has been there?
4.- What is "Joining Forces"?
5.- What is their motto?
6.- Why did she choose to help militar families and not something else?
7.- Was the presenter (Colbert) a militar? Where? How long?
8.- Why do you think that Michelle Obama is even more popular than her husband?
9.- What is Michelle Obama's official title in the United States?
10.- Does Michelle Obama think that her husband will be watching the programme?

Javier

Sunday 22 April 2012

APLE HOMEWORK. Deadline April 26th.

Dear students,

This week, your homework has two parts, a written part and an oral part.
In the oral part, you have to make a speech (1-3 minutes) as if you were talking to the students in the different groups next week. You must make them aware of the waste of energy at school. Then you have to tell them to switch off the lights when leaving the class and point that there will be a person in charge of that (starting with number 13).  You can do it in this voicethread of if you prefer, you can record it and send it to my usual email address.



The second part is written and you have to choose between two options.
-Write an outline or diagram of the things you must say when visiting all the other groups to talk about energy saving.
-Create a colour poster to be placed in all the classrooms. You don't need to print it, I will print the best one for you. Just send it to my usual email address.

Javier

Sunday 15 April 2012

APLE COMPUTER ROOM LESSON APRIL 16TH

Hello Students,
This year I am in charge of the building and the economy of the school. I am deeply concerned about the unbelievable amount of money we spend on electricity (over 2,000 € every month) and thought that maybe together we could try to find some ways to save energy, the environment and money.

First of all, we are going to talk about the "Earth Hour". Do you know what it is? Did you take part in it this year? Are you for or against it?



I want you to watch a video about the project. Since our Internet connection is really slow, we'll be watching it on the overhead projector.
Now you have five minutes to research about this project. Try to find the answer to questions like:

-When did it start?
-Where did it start?
-How many people/countries/cities have taken part in it this year?
-What is the purpose of this initiative?
-Are there people against it?
-Did it happen in Madrid or Majadahonda?

Now you are going to listen to an article about it and you are going to try to fill in these blanks:




Millions of buildings around the globe _________________ hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour takes place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 ________________ attention to the dangers of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For _________________ history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity _________________ switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers hope their message _________________ people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour promises to be “the largest demonstration _________________ about climate change ever attempted”.


Not everyone agrees that Earth Hour will help. Many _________________ too little, too late and _________________ change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are well _________________ feel-good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic sinks.” He says _________________ because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a little. "Symbolism is powerful _________________, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He stresses _________________ our daily energy consumption, rather than simply “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.

Now it is time to work in pairs and decide what we could do to save energy at school and how we can try to make other people aware this has to be done.

Here you have a couple of places where you can see photos from the event. The Guardian and CNN.

Let's see how it went.
Javier

APLE HOMEWORK. Deadline Thursday 19th April

Dear Students,
As you know, April 23rd is Book Day to commemorate the day William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes died. For this reason, your homework this week is related to books.
The assignment this week has two parts, but both of them are more or less the same.
The first part is WRITING about a book you have read and enjoyed. You must include the cover of the book and then write a few lines about the book (genre, story [do not tell how it ends, please], length and above all why you like it so much and why  you recommend it to the other students in the school). You must send it to me to my usual email address javiprofeingles@hotmail.com. All your recommendations will be printed and placed in the school hall so that all the students in the school can watch them. I'd love you to recommend a book in English, but it can also be a book in Spanish.
The second part is just recording your recommendation in this voicethread. Try not to read exactly what you have just written, because it usually makes it really artificial.



“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies," said Jojen. "The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

Good luck
Javier

Sunday 18 March 2012

APLE HOMEWORK FOR THE HOLIDAYS 1,2,3/10. Deadline April 13th.

Dear students,

Even if you are on holidays, remember the most important way to improve for your APLE class is to listen as much English as you can. Try to practise a little bit of English every day and if you have the chance, speak English as well.
Let's go with the three compulsory tasks:
1.- Go to English Central. Your aim this time is to reach 7000 points. You can do it from March 19th to April 13th.
2.- Watch this video (Yes, I know it is really long, but also really interesting and not very difficult to understand) with Lady Gaga and Ophrah Winfrey at Harvard University.



The task is simple: You must write 10 sentences said by Ophrah, 10 by Lady Gaga's mother and 10 by Lady Gaga together with their translation. Try to find meaningful, important sentences. Then send me a message to javiprofeingles@hotmail.com with the sentences and an audio commentary about the "Born this Way Foundation" and about how we could stop bullying at school.
3.- You have to make 5 listenings at www.esl-lab.com. You must go to the Listening Quizzes for Academic Purposes
Section and do "Airport Announcement", "Friday's Weather Forecast" in the difficult category and "A Greener World " "Cosmetic Surgery " and "Learning Languages " from the very difficult category. When you finish a listening and get the result, print the screen (with the key "print screen" or "imp pant" which is at the top of the keyboard on the right of F12), paste the screen on a word document and when you have all five, send them to me to my usual email address.
Good luck and do not leave everything for the very last moment.
Javier

Sunday 4 March 2012

3º ESO. Vocabulary revision units 3, 4 and 5

Here are some games a quick revision of the vocabulary of ">unit 3. Make two vocabulary and two spelling activities.


And here are more activities for unit 4 and 5.





Now, once you master the vocabulary, it is the time to have another look at thr present perfect. You can do it here. Start for the beginning and do the activities that you find more useful and challenging.

APLE COMPUTER ROOM LESSON. March 5th

Hi Students,
I hope you have improved your glogs during the weekend.
Today we are going to do an activity regarding films. I don't know if the Internet connection and our technical problems will spoil the activity. I ask you to be patient because if it works, it may be a very funny lesson.
For this activity you need to work in pairs. 1&2, 3&4, etc.
This is the activity we are going to do. We are visiting this page:



 
You have to choose one channel and then clip from a film. Then as a language, choose English and then choose "Microphone". The first thing you have to do is to watch the clip several times. Then, it is the time to write your script for the clip and to choose the characters. If it is a woman and you are a man, you will have to make a woman's voice and so on. Once everything is clear, it is time to dub the clip.
On the top right hand corner, choose "microphone" and when everybody is ready, click on "record". Remember you will all be using the same microphone, so hold it in your hands.
When you finish recording, click on stop, listen to the clip with your audio and if you are happy with it, fill in the information at the bottom. Give the clip a title, write your names, your email address, my email address (javiprofeingles@hotmail.com) and click on "send".
If you have some extra time at the end, you can try to do the same with another clip, but this time use the option subtitle and subtitle it into English.
Cross your fingers with our Internet connections.
Have fun
Javier

Sunday 26 February 2012

APLE COMPUTER ROOM LESSON FEBRUARY 27TH

- Just in case you didn't do it at home during the weekend, it may be a good chance to register in edu.glogster.com so that you can do your final task this month, a glog. Remember you must click on "Sign up" and then choose "Single Free". Then, choose student and don't forget to include my teacher code. Now that you are registered, spend 10 minutes looking around the page.

- Phonetics: Some weeks ago, you did some practice on phonetics with /i/ and /i:/. Today it is the time of  unit 2, which is about /u/ and /u:/. You can do it here.

- You haven't visited esl-lab for a long time, so I think it is the time for you to practise with at least three listenings (medium or hard depending on how good your English is). Tell me your score when you finished them.

If you have worked fast and hard and have five or ten minutes at the end, it could be a good time to hear some jokes. Tell me if you understand them, because sometimes British Humour is hard to get.

Javier

Desperate housewives vocabulary for exam

Dear students,
Here you have the list with the vocabulary you have to study for the exam, together with the vocabulary from the book (units 1-6).

As you can see I have reduced the number of words a great deal.
For your information, this exam is on Wednesday March 14th and will be oral. You will be asked 5 questions from the book and 5 from Desperate.
Javier

Saturday 25 February 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 10/10. Deadline March 9th.

Your last piece of homework this term is harder and longer than usual, that is the reason why you have two weeks to do it instead of the usual one. If you want my advice, especially this time, DO NOT LEAVE IT FOR THE VERY LAST DAY, since this time it takes time and you may encounter lots of technical problems.
You are going to make a glog. A glog is a kind of interactive poster or project. Next week you have to tell me what you plan to do your glog about and I will tell you if that is OK so that you can start working on it. Your glog must have:
- A title
- Text
- Images
- Your own recorded audio or video
You can also include:
- A video (from YouTube or your own recorded video)
- Some background music related to the topic.
To create the glog, you must first register as a student in edu.glogster.com. You will be asked to provide an email address, a password and your teacher code, which is 1E7923.
Have a look at blogs from other people. You will get great ideas for yours.
If you have problems doing it, just let me know.
Good luck
Javier

Monday 20 February 2012

3rd ESO COMPUTER ROOM LESSON February 21st

20 minutes:
Click on your Going Places icon on your desktop, choose module 4 and do the following activities:
Grammar 1, 3 & 4
Communication 2
Skills 1
Test 3

25 minutes: Thanks to our colleague Ana, we have a webquest about Winchester in here. You must do at least activities 1 & 2.



5 minutes: If you still have time, go to this page, watch a trailer for a film you are interested in and tell the rest of the class about the film.

APLE COMPUTER LESSON FEBRUARY 20TH

Hi Students,
In the first part of the class, you are going to practise some listening at esl. lab. Try to do at least three listenings starting with letter "h". Two of them must be difficult.
Last week we had the Grammy's and we are going to watch an interview from Jay Leno's program. The person interviewed is Jennifer Lopez.



While you watch the video, try to answer these questions. You can do it on a Word document or on a piece of paper.

1.- When is American Idol on and on which channel?
2.- How did Jennifer Lopez get to know about Whitney Houston¡'s death?
3.- What's Jennifer Lopez's role in American Idol?
4.- Who are the other two judges in the programme?
5.- Why wasn't she sure about continuing on American Idol this year?
6.- What happened at the show about ten days ago?
7.- What is going to happen this week?
8.- Why did the girl faint?
9.- Who gave Jennifer Lopez advice when she was starting as a singer? What was his advice?
10.- What was the advice to Jay Leno when he was starting at a club?
11.- What is Jennifer Lopez doing with her ex now?
12.- What does Jennifer Lopez call her children and why?
13.- What is the name of Jennifer Lopez's perfume?

In the last part of the class, if you still have some free time, go to this page, watch a trailer, and then tell everybody else at the class about the trailer you watch and why.

Saturday 18 February 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 9/10. Deadline February 24th.

Hello students,

A few days ago, we were watching "The Help". I think most of you like it. Since next week we have the Oscard Awards Ceremony and Viola Davis is nominated for her role in this film, I thought it would be a good idea for you to watch this interview on the David Letterman Show. David Letterman is very similar to Spanish Andreu Buenafuente.

I suggest you should watch the entire video, but if you have a limited amount of free time, the interview runs from 19:00 to 29:00.
Once you watch the interview, you must answer ORALLY these ten questions about it. Once you have recorded them, send them to me to my usual email address.

1.- Is the first Oscar nomination for Viola Davis?
2.- What does Viola Davis say about Meryl Streep?
3.- Where did Viola Davis spend her honeymoon?
4.- How did Viola and her husband know that the food was ready?
5.- What did they do since George Clooney wasn't in?
6.- What was the agreement between George Clooney and Viola Davis is they were both nominated?
7.- Why do you have to put a pad on if you jump off a plane?
8.- What is her daughter's name? How old is she and how long has she had her?
9.- What happened to Viola Davis and the dairy section of the supermarket?
10.- How much weight did Viola Davis have to gain for her role in the film?


Sunday 12 February 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 8/10. Deadline February 17th.



WHITNEY HOUSTON. A TRIBUTE

As you may already know if you live on this planet, Whitney Houston has been found dead in a hotel in Los Angeles this morning. She was one of the greatest voices of the 20th century, but her life was not easy at all. Watch this video and answer these questions about it. As usual, send your answers to my account. Try to be original and send your own responses.


1.- How many Grammies and Emmies does Whitney Houston have?
2.- Where is Whitney Houston living at the moment?
3.- Is Whitney Houston sick according to herself?
4.- What options does Diane suggest for how thin she ws in the photo?
5.- What does Whitney Houston say about crack?
6.- Where was Whitney Houston born?
7.- What was her mother's name and job?
8.- Where did Whitney Houston start singing?
9.- How old was Whitney Houston when she won her first Grammy?
10.- How does Whitney Houston feel now? Why?

Sunday 5 February 2012

APLE HOMEWORK 7/10. Deadline February 10th

Dear students,
I hope you have enjoyed "The help". Your homework this week has got two parts. The first part is written and the second part is oral.
Part one: Send me an email answering these 10 questions about the film.

1.- What is Skitter’s  job?

2.- Why is Miss Celia so sad?

3.- How many maids does Skitter need to write her book?

4.- What is Stuart’s problem on this first date with Skitter?

5.- Why does Hilly hate Miss Celia?

6.- What is so special about Minni’s cake?

7.- What happened to Aibileen’s son?

8.- Why was Constantine (Skitter’s servant) fired?

9.- Why can’t black people use white people’s toilets?

10.- Whatis Skitter’s mother main concern in life?

Part 2:
Record a voicethread here with a summary of the film, how you think the film ends and your opinion about it. It MUST BE over one minute long.



Monday 30 January 2012

3º ESO COMPUTER ROOM LESSON JANUARY 31ST

Hi students,
This is your schedule for today's lesson.

20 minutes: Go to "Going Places". Choose Module 3 and do the following activities:
-Vocabulary 3 & 4.
-Grammar 1 & 2
-Communication 2
-Skills 1
-Test 1 & 3

25 minutes: Glog

It is the time to go to edu.glogster.com and visit the "What is Glogster EDU" Section that you will find at the top of the page. Once you have finished and understand everything, there comes the final stage, "to create a glog". This option is in pink at the top right hand corner of the screen.

Now it comes the time to play with your new glog adding a wall, text, sound, images or even video. Just see how it works.
If you have any problems, just raise your hand and I will try to help you.

Good luck.
Javier

Sunday 29 January 2012

APLE COMPUTER ROOM LESSON JANUARY 30TH

It's show time!!!


We have the nominees for this year Academy Awards. Have you seen any of the nominees for Best Picture? Have you got any favourites? Here are seven of the nine nominees. Read the synopsis of the plot, watch the trailer and then decide which one you would like to watch and which do you think could be the winner this year. Give reasons for both your replies. Would you like to watch any of those films in your English class? Try to convince your teacher.

NOMINEES:



As the era of silent films draws to a close, two actors find their careers and their relationship influenced by the coming of talking pictures. While popular screen star Valentin resists the transition to sound, young Miller embodies a modern age that is leaving Valentin behind.


The complexities of life, death and family relations challenge a man faced with losing his wife. When Elizabeth King is left comatose following an accident, her husband Matt finds himself thrust into the unfamiliar role of caregiver to their two daughters, while at the same time facing a difficult financial decision that may put him at odds with other family members.



In the racially charged climate of Jackson, Mississippi, in 1963, a young white Southerner convinces a group of African-American maids to relate their experiences working in white households. The stories they share reflect the devastating social inequality governing every aspect of life in Jackson, and place the women at risk of reprisals from their employers.


Hugo Cabret is a young Parisian orphan who lives hidden away in a  train station. When he is not eluding the station’s watchful inspector, secretly keeping its many clocks running, or tinkering with a mechanical figure that belonged to his father, Hugo observes the lives of the people who work in the station…including an irascible toy shop owner named Georges Méliès


Following a devastating loss to the New York Yankees in the 2001 playoffs, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane and his assistant, Peter Brand, devise a statistics-based formula for choosing potential players. Uncertain of his chances of success and following a plan that flouts conventional baseball wisdom, Beane sets out to rebuild his team



A middle-aged man’s contemplation of the pattern and meaning of his life is interwoven with moments from his childhood in a small Texas town. As Jack O’Brien and his two younger brothers grow up, they are shaped by both the nurturing love of their mother and their demanding father’s strict discipline and unyielding expectations.



The horrors of war are seen through the eyes of a valiant horse whose young owner must relinquish him to the army at the start of World War I. Separated from the farmer’s son who has raised and trained him, Joey enters the war as a cavalry horse and is soon plunged into the nightmarish heart of the conflict.