12.04.21

Today, we went over the present perfect simple and the past simple tenses (p21). We spent some time talking about job interviews and work

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete the exercises on pages 8 and 10 in the Workbook section of your book.
• Read the short story Pater Caninus by Ray Bradbury.
• Listen to the Six-Minute English broadcast
• Watch the  TedTalk, and be prepared to share your thoughts on it next week.
• Optional homework: write a short summary or critique of the short story OR one of the talks.

As we spoke about work this evening, I thought that this TedTalk might be of interest:

Jason Fried, a software developer, has a radical theory of working: that the office isn’t a good place to do it!

Today in England COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were relaxed, schools and shops are open, and people are beginning to return to their offices. The following BBC broadcast looks at how things in the workplace have had to change:

6 Minute English: Covid-19: The office after lockdown

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on all these things.

I look forward to seeing you next Monday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend – and take care!

29.03.21

In our sixth lesson, we spent time reviewing all of the things we’ve done in Unit 1 (p.18).

The homework for this week is to:

• Read the article and answer the questions on page 20.
• Complete the vocabulary and grammar exercises on page 21 (Thank you, Emma!)
• Read the short story Taste by Roald Dahl.
• Watch the TedTalk, and be prepared to share your thoughts on it when we next meet.
• Optional homework: write about a place where you have worked. Think about the size, the number of people, atmosphere, facilities, etc. When finished, please send it to me.

I’d like you to go to the following link:

In the class, Staffan said that human behaviour tends to be guided by a moral code; in this talk, Dutch primatologist Frans de Waal shows that it isn’t just confined to humans.

Here is a link to one of the broadcasts I mentioned:

 Learning English: 6 Minute English

As it says, this is a six-minute radio program with a transcript and a vocabulary list. If you go to the Useful Links page of the blog, you’ll find the link to BBC Learning English – there are all sorts of things you can do on this site to help improve your linguistic skills.

In the lesson, we looked at a short video about Easter traditions around the world. Now, you can have a repeat performance at your leisure:

I think you have enough homework – but can you ever have too much?!  I look forward to seeing you in two weeks. Have a lovely Easter weekend – and don’t eat too much chocolate!

 

08.03.21

Today, we looked at and listened to some different approaches to learning vocabulary (pp 16 and 17).  We also looked at the words we can use when introducing a purpose in writing. For example, we can say –                                                                                                                                                            In order to do something.                                                                                                                    Or simply –                                                                                                                                                                                          To do something.                                                                                                                          These words usually come at the beginning of a sentence or clause.                                                  To introduce a purpose in the middle of a sentence, we often use ‘so‘. (p17)

Remember, we can use pronouns such as this and these to refer to things that have already been mentioned. This helps to avoid repetition.

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete the review and extension exercises (p18).
• Complete the exercises on page 7 in the Workbook section of your book.
• Read the short story Genesis and Catastrophe by Roald Dahl.
• Watch the  TedTalk, and be prepared to share your thoughts on it next week.
• Optional homework: choose something you are skilled in (it can be something to do with work, sport, cooking or free-time activities – anything!) and write a guide about how to learn this new skill (p17 Ex 4b). When finished, please send it to me.

I’d like you to go to the following link:

This talk was given by a man who believed that school systems should cultivate creativity and acknowledge that there are many types of intelligence. I’ll be interested to hear what you think about this and the short story.

Next week is our last lesson before Easter, so it would be good to talk about Easter traditions in our respective countries. Until then, take care and stay safe.

 

15.03.21

In today’s lesson, we looked at how we can use gradable and extreme adjectives when describing people, things or situations (pp 13 and 153).

We also spent time looking at what could have been a rather embarrassing moment and at the everyday language we use when expressing opinions and responding (pp 14-15).

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete the exercises on page 6 in the Workbook section of your book.
• Read the short story The Mouse by Saki.
• Watch the short TedTalks so that we can discuss them next week:

I’d like you to go to the following links:

This talk is given by a psychology professor at the University of Delaware.  He studies how we perceive and understand other people. Here he looks at why we can’t always change that first impression of someone.

In this presentation,  a young woman who campaigns for tolerance and diversity shows us why first impressions and/or stereotyping may lead us down the wrong path.

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on all of these things when we next see one another next Monday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend – and take care!

 

08.03.21

In today’s lesson, we had a  reminder of how the present simple and continuous tenses are used (pp13 and 132) and a lot of discussion!

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete  the  grammar exercises 1B ( b) and (c) (p133).
• Complete the exercises on page 5 in the Workbook section of your book.
• Read the article Can You Really Learn a Language in 22 Hours? and answer questions b and c (p12).
• Read the short story Marionettes, Inc by Ray Bradbury.
• Watch the short TedTalk and be prepared to share your thoughts on it next week.

I’d like you to go to the following link:

In this TedTalk, social psychologist Amy Cuddy suggests ways that could boost feelings of confidence.  I’ll be interested to hear your opinion of this and of the short story.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend – and take care!

 

01.03.21

In today’s lesson, we looked at some of the vocabulary we use when speaking about communication (p8). After looking at the relatively new classification of the different age groups (p9), we heard about the problems which could occur when communicating across generations (p10).

We also looked at subject and object question forms (p9). There is an explanation in the Grammar Focus section of your book (p132)

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete  the  grammar exercises 1A ( b) and (c) (p133).
• Complete  exercises on page 4 in the Workbook section of your book.
• Read the short story Schroedinger’s Baby by Charlie Fish.
• Watch the short TedTalks and share your thoughts on it next week. There is a transcript, but please listen before reading.

I’d like you to go to the following links:

In this ten minute TedTalk, Patricia Ryan puts forward a theory which could mean unemployment for teachers like me! However, the next talk gives me hope!

This particular presentation of fewer than five minutes shows how English is taught elsewhere. Let me know your thoughts on these talks and the short story when we next meet.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend – and take care!

 

22.02.21

Welcome to my blog! I’m afraid you won’t find anything very exciting here, but you will find details of what we did in the lesson, the homework and some very useful links.

In our first lesson, we spent time getting to know one another, talking about communicating and grammar.

The homework for this week is to:

• Complete the reading exercises (pp 8,9).
• Complete grammar exercises a and b on page 9.
• Read the short story Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl.
• Watch the short TedTalk and share your thoughts on it next week. There is a transcript, but please listen before reading.

I’d like you to go to the following link:

This TedTalk is given by an American radio journalist who has spent most of her working life conversing with people. I expect to hear some good conversations next Monday!

I mentioned a rather funny Zoom video yesterday, and not everyone had seen it, so here it is:

Zoom kitten lawyertexas-lawyer-zoom-cat-filter-kitten

I’ve seen it a few times, and it always brings a smile to my lips. Enjoy!

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on all of these things when we next see one another next Monday in the comfort of our own homes! Until then, enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely weekend – and take care!