B1 - Weekly summary

Hiya pals!

We've done plenty of things this week! We finished units 5A and 5B. Great job!

We revised quantifiers and focused on the new grammar point: articles a / an, the and no article. We introduced the grammar point through a controversial topic: men and women, same planet but different worlds. We also revised some connectors (however, on the other hand, whereas, also and according to).

As for vocabulary, we studied some verbs and adjectives followed by a preposition. That was a very useful exercise!

Sybil also taught you how to agree and disagree politely when you are talking to someone. She focused on the topic 'Slow City' to explain agreement or disagreement.

As HOMEWORK, you must write a cover letter for any of the job ads that I've designed. It's a collaborative activity on the blog - click here to read about it. Therefore, you have to write a cover letter as a comment to the entry on the blog (where it says Post a Comment) and it's obligatory to do it on the blog. On the contrary, I wouldn't be able to correct it.

Have a great time at Easter! See you soon!

A2 - Weekly summary

Hi everyone!

We worked hard this week! We talked about sports and we learnt how to express movement in English. We studied the prepositions of movement and learnt vocabulary about sport as well.

We also revised modal verbs of obligation, prohibition and lack of necessity with Sybil and a collaborative activity on the Blog. Have a look at it (Highway Code) if you didn't write a sentence using modal verbs.

Finally, we also revised March exams and talked about the mistakes and how to improve our English level.

As HOMEWORK, you must write a formal e-mail similar to the one on page 61 (Student's Book) using formal language. Remember to include the e-mail layout (From:, To; and Subject:)

Finally, we're analysing the book The USA after Easter with Sybil. So, don't forget to read it at Easter too!

Hope you have a happy Easter! See you!

B1 - Collaborative Activity: Cover Letter

Cover letters or letters of applications are as important to your job application as your CV. It's your chance to market yourself, show recruiters why you'de be good at the job and get them interested. Get it wrong, and that perfect CV you spent so long on could have been a waste of time...

This letter refers directly to the job being applied for. It doesn't repeat the information in the CV but highlights and expands the information in the CV to say why you are especially suitable for that job.


A properly crafted letter should take up to an hour to write approximately. Do not stick some thoughts down and attach your CV, it'll be at a big disadvantage. The job market is tough at the moment and you need to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd.

Remember that when we begin a letter without a name, for example Dear Sir, we end with Yours faithfully. When we begin with a name, for example Dear Mrs Williams, we end with Yours sincerely.

COVER LETTER LAYOUT

1.    Your address

2. Name of the company

3. Their address

4. The date

Dear Sir / Madam,

5. Why you’re writing (1st paragraph)

6. Information about your suitability for the job and why you want the job (2nd paragraph)

7. Additional information (3rd paragraph)

8. Closing sentence

Yours faithfully,

9. Your signature

10. Your name

Here are some examples of cover letters: 

- British Council - Business English Task 2

- National College of Ireland - Cover letter Handout

- Australian Government - Write a cover letter

-  American University Washington D.C. - Sample cover letters

 TASK: YOUR COVER LETTER

Look at the job ads (advertisements) below from the newspaper and write a cover letter for the job. Write your cover letters and post them as a comment to this entry.

job ads

XX School Anniversary Contest

Hey guys!!

Have a look at our new contest!!! Don't be shy and take part in it!!!

XX Anniversary Contest

A2 & B1 - English Speaking practice on the Internet

Several students have asked me about online web sites to practise English speaking skills. The Mixxer is a free educational site for language exchanges via Skype. You only have to sign in and start talking to online members!

You can also use VoxSwap, It connects people worldwide and ensures real online talks to anyone who wants to excel in a language. The more people who register (for free!), the better it is for everyone.




Do you fancy a chat? Try it and have fun!

Vaughan Resources

Hi everybody!!!

Here you are the official Vaughan webpage. On the left there's an icon menu that shows and leads you to Vaughan TV, Vaughan Radio, Vaughan Mobile and Vaughan social networks. Choose the best for you to practise English everywhere!

 I've just included the links to Vaughan Radio on Support Material. Hope it helps!

A2 - Collaborative Activity: Highway Code

Highway code is an online grammar game from Let's have fun with English. The game is a great excuse to revise must for obligation, mustn't for prohibition, can/can't for permission and should for advice.

Before we play, we must get familiar with the game by reading the rules. The rules page will give us access to all the other components of the game:

- You need a driving licence that you can download if you wish.

- You need to get acquainted with the road and traffic vocabulary as well as with the modal verbs. You can do all this from here, with the added bonus that there is and audio file for each of the vocabulary items, which will enable you to get the pronunciation right.

- Finally, you are given the solutions to all the questions in the game.













Although it's better for four-to-six players, I can't see any reason why we can't play on our own. Thus, you'll practise and revise modal verbs in a funny way. Have a look at the board game and write sentences using the modal verbs must, mustn't, can/can't and should.

Ready? Let's start making sentences!!!!

B1 - Weekly Summary

Hi pals!

First of all, we talked about St. Patrick Day and introduced the passive voice to make it easier later. We learnt some interesting facts about this festival, we practised the passive voice through a matching exercise and we listened to and sang The Wild Rover song. It was pretty cool when you clapped your hands!!

Sybil also talked to you about St. Patrick's history and facts as well as the things people do on that day, such as drinking green beer or dressing up in green clothes in order not to get pinched.

Then, we got back to work and focused our work-life balance to talk about quantifiers: a lot of, lots of, a little, a few, very little, very few, any ... no as well as too and enough. On the web page Learn4good you can find extra practice and explanation on the issue.

 
 As homework, you must do the reading exercise "Slow Down" and the grammar exercises in the Grammar Bank.

Remember we are going to revise the exams this week in class!

A2 - Weekly summary

Hi everyone!!!

Here you are our weekly summary! We started a new unit about modal verbs. We studied modal verbs of obligation (must & have to), modal verbs of lack of necessity (don't have to) and modal verbs of prohibition (mustn't) through a reading and listening exercise and grammar exercises.

We also talked about St. Patricks Day with Sybil and did a quiz about this festival. Then, we listened to an Irish song, Molly Malone.

We continued practising modal verbs through some communicative activities. As homework, you must write some sentences using "have to" about a kind of job. For example, a bus driver has to work long hours, has to wear uniform, has to give out tickets and has to collect money.

Remember we are going to revise the exams in class this week!
See you then!

International Women's Day

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Organisations, governments, charities and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.

"Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures" is the 2012 theme of the internationalwomensday.com website and this has been widely used by hundreds of organisations including schools, universities, governments, women’s groups and the private sector. Each year the United Nations declares an overall International Women's Day theme. Their 2012 theme is “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Many organisations develop their own themes that are more relevant to their local contexts. For example, the European Parliament's 2012 theme is "Equal pay for work of equal value".

Here you are a wonderful song and video that a classmate kindly sent to me. Unfortunately I cannot upload it, so I attach the youtube video. Hope you like it!

If you want to see the photograph of the wall with your compositions and the PPT presentations you created, click on Blog Coeducación Carlota Remfry. Thanks a lot for such great job!

Conversation Club with Sybil in spring exams

Hi everyone!

I forgot to post the Conversation Club timetables during the spring examination period. Here you are the time and place where the conversation club is taking place:

TIME: EVERYDAY, FROM 17H TO 20H.
 

DATES AND ROOMS:

BASIC LEVEL 2 - Room 203:
- 7th March, Wednesday.
- 14th March, Wednesday.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL - Room 203:
- 6th March, Tuesday.
- 8th March, Thursday.
- 13th March, Tuesday.
- 15th March, Thursday.