Let it snow

This is this year's official Xmas carol. Thank you, Juanma for sending it!

Merry Xmas, you people!

More on how the air controllers's strike affected passengers. In their own words.

Here is the link to the BBC's article "Spain disruption: Your stories". You have video and written accounts of what some people had to go through during the strike, and their opinions about it. What do YOU think?

From Nieves's blog

Don't miss her latest post, Ellen DeGeneres and Hugh Laurie on the differences between British and American English. Thank you, Nieves.

Airports re-open in Spain

I've taken this from Our blog! by a fellow teacher. Thank you, Mónica.

Click here if you want to read the story, as told by the BBC.

Fashion. A Makeover Story

A Makeover Story is a reality show I used to watch -not that I liked it particularly, but I thought it was a good way to learn and revise vocabulary about fashion. Click here to watch an extract and tell me how well you understand it.

Wikipedia says: A Makeover Story is a reality show on TLC Network in the United States. Each episode runs for 30 minutes and features two people who get makeovers including clothes, hairstyling, and makeup.

And these are the questions Na1B made. See if you can answer them:

• Why does the girl want to buy the clothes?
• Which of the dresses has a double strap?
• Why doesn't she like the first dress?
• How does she feel in the second dress that she tries on?
• Which of the dresses is described as timeless?
• What is said about the colour of the third dress?
• Why doesn't she choose the third dress?
• How does she feel in the fourth outfit she tries on?
• What detail is mentioned about the fouth outfit?

To work with the vocabulary from the extract, click here

Short answers, a doctor's surgery and British classic humour in Nieves's blog

Hey. And this is for the oldies like myself, who enjoy a bit of good old English humour. The first sketch will help you revise short answers and the second one will give you an insight into private medicine (?), all of it according to Monty Python. Don't miss it. Click here to watch it all.

Health and medicine from Nieves's blog

Hey, guys. Click here to learn about the American sitcom Becker and watch an episode. Who knows, you might even get hooked on it. Nothing better to improve your English than getting hooked on a series (in the original version, of course) Oh, by the way, what's with misanthropic doctors and series? Becker, House, Dr Mateo...

National Stereotypes

Check out the Popular post section on the right and click on National Stereotypes. The English, to do the listening comprehension exercise. To check your answers you just have to scroll down to the Comentarios section.

Revising Health and medicine

Here's a link to an earlier post from last year to revise Health and medicine.

Revise vocabulary from the reading on File 1C.

Do this cloze test to revise vocabulary from the reading "Get stressed, stay young". Tell me how many words you got right!

Don't miss Nieves's new post on The National Health Service

Click here to watch the videos, and do the exercises. It's very complete and excellent practice for you.

Auxiliary verbs

Here are some links to keep on practising auxiliary verbs: question tags, echo questions, emphasis...:

Question tags:

Exercise 1.

Exercise 2.

Exercise 3.

Auxiliary verbs:

Exercise 1

And now, further practice with questions. Don't miss this video: 10 questions for Ben Affleck. My thanks to Mónica and Sara, fellow teachers at Drassanes EOI, who sent me the link.

Enjoy!

You gotta be, in Nieves's blog.

Here you have the song and lyrics, for you to practise singing it.

http://nievesgonva.blogspot.com/2010/10/na1-you-gotta-be-by-desree.html

Extra practice for file 1A

Click here for extra practice for file 1A. It's a link to Nieves's blog, fellow NA1 teacher, and I think it's very, very good! Take your time to see what she has there, you won't regret it! See you next week, guys!

No class today, either. Sorry

Still recovering from my tracheitis. I promise I'll be in class on Monday, I'm well on the road to recovery. See you next week.

No class today.

I still haven't recovered my voice so, no class today. Sorry again.

I might be ill, but still thinking of you, guys

Here's what a friend sent me. Because there is not only one English accent. Here is at least 24.

Sorry, guys. No class today

This is only for my students of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I caught a chill the other day and developed a tracheitis. Which means I can't talk for some time. Don't worry, I just need to rest my voice for one or two days. Check this blog where I will keep you posted, but my intention is to go back to class as soon as possible. Keep well, and make sure you wear warm clothes!

NA1 A. Talking about graphology

Preparing in small groups.

Ken Robinson on how our schooling system kills creativity

It's enlightening and so much fun! Don't miss it! Click here to watch it.

Learning English through songs

Juanma, fellow teacher and friend, passed me this link. First you have to choose the level you want, then you have the lyrics with gaps which you have to fill in, the song stops until you get the words right. It's so cool!

Bad Romance, Lady Gaga.

Every Breath You Take, The Police.

The so coal netbook

Click here to watch this video on Facebook and the energy that feeds it, by Greenpeace.

New section: improve your writing

On the right-hand side column, I have posted a new section with links that help you improve your writing, with rules of punctuation and exercises. I especially recommend the first one - very complete and easy to use.

Awareness test

Click here to do this surprising awareness test to find out if you are a creative thinker. I did it and found out I'm not.

The danger of a single story

"Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding". Click here to watch the lecture, if you need the subtitles, you can choose to read them in English or in Spanish.

WWIII

Javier Porras would like to share this with you. Click here to watch the video.

The "I can" bug

María Martínez Candela, dear friend and fellow teacher, sends this most inspirational story: Kiran Bir Sethi shows how her groundbreaking Riverside School in India teaches kids life's most valuable lesson: "I can." Watch her students take local issues into their own hands, lead other young people, even educate their parents. Click here to watch it. It's English with an Indian accent. If you have problems with it don't worry, there is a link to the transcript.

An interesting new series

My dear friend and fellow teacher, María Martínez Candela sends this. I'm posting here the link to the episode that deals with climate change and here the one to the full series. You can watch the episode that takes your fancy, or all of them if you like.

2010 Minisaga competition

Click here if you want to know all about this minisaga competition. You have two weeks as from now to send me your stories. Just see for yourselves how creative you can be!

Solar tower

Yes, believe it or not, I found it for you, and with English subtitles, into the bargain. Amazing. Check it out here.

Penelope Cruz - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Dear friend and colleague, Sara Pro, sends this. I guess you'll understand Penélope but, can you understand Ellen? Watch it and tell me about it.

Legal terms

If you want to revise and learn more about legal terms, click here to get a good glossary. With thanks to Sara Pro, friend and fellow teacher.

Writing

For those of you who failed the exam, or couldn't do it on the date it was set, or simply, you'd like to have another try, here's the task:

AN INFORMAL EMAIL

A few weeks ago you attended a speed dating event where you “matched” a person who you’ve just dated this evening. It’s been the most embarrassing situation you’ve ever lived. Write an email to your best friend telling him/her everything. Include a full description of the person you dated (200 words).

Use the appropriate structures and vocabulary.

You will have 50 minutes to complete the task.

Stormy Weather. The song.

Now that we are talking about the weather, how about a song to illustrate the point and sing along. . Click here to listen to The Voice, singing this all-time classic title.

Beautiful song. I'm yours.

My dear friend and fellow teacher, Sara, sent me this song. I found this link that enables you to watch the video while you read the lyrics. Very useful for those of us that like singing along.
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jason_mraz/im_yours.html

Listening comprehension. Shopping in London

With thanks to Nieves Gonzalez, fellow teacher at the school, for recommending the blog that lead me to this exercise. Click here to watch the video a do the exercises.

Extra materials for File 3A

Here is the list of all the extra materials we have seen in class or you have to do as homework. Make sure you have them all, otherwise ask your partners in class:

Vocabulary:

• Crime. Politics & Public Institutions (with key)
• Vocabulary Builder 13. Crime & Punishment
• The Alphabet Race: Crime Vocabulary

Grammar:

• The passive.

Speaking:

• Pronunciation -ough/-augh. Making conversation: Crime ¬ Punishment.
• You are the judge.

Listening:

• The Wealthy Lawyer
• The World's Most Expensive Pair of Trousers.
• A lawyer
• Earthquake in Haiti

Reading Comprehension:

• Crime Cases

About the dreadful eathquake in Haiti

Click here to the BBC Learning English Webpage that will allow you to listen to and read the story.