Burn-e, for 1st of ESO

Burn-e is a great short film by Pixar based on the film Wall-e, I am going to use it as a prize for my 1st ESO students. It is a very special group and they are making an effort to behave and learn more each day. I chose this film because the setting is well-known to students and there are not many words in English. I think they will enjoy it.

Have you watched it?
Did you like it?

Starting the course with Katy Perry, 'cause baby YOU are a FIREWORK.

Katy Perry "Firework" Official Lyrics Video por VitellaroNicolas

I like to start the school year with a motivating song that reminds students that they can do whatever they want if they try hard enough. This song by the American artist Katy Perry talks about how you have to show the best of you to shine, and the melody is also very inspiring.

I hope you like it and it inspires you as I wish it inspires my students this year, that is five groups (four of ESO and one first of Bachillerato). You can read the lyrics as you watch the video which is the music and photos from the official video.

Do you like the song? Don't you think it is inspiring?

If you are a new student, feel brave enough to leave a comment!

Don't be afraid of being who you are!

Today I am presenting you with a  new blog which will be written by my 1st Bachillerato students.
In your entries you have to look for one thing you are very good at or you think you may be good at and use that as a blog entry answering the question:

  What are you an expert in?

The blog post should be from 100 to 120 words, not longer and it should include:

1. When and how you discovered you were good at what you are talking about.
2. What you are doing now to get more experience in that field.
3. If you think you will be able to work on that and how do you see yourself in the future (relating to your expertise, not other things).

In this way, you will be able to use all of the issues that we have been working in class throughout the year, besides all your knowledge about editing a text in a blog. You should post it before the end of May and make use of an image or video which is appropriate with the topic you are dealing.

As always, you can ask me as many questions as you like via Twitter or leaving comments here or asking me in class. I hope we all like this experience!!

Don't be afraid of telling what you are good at!!

Motivation: Validation by Kurt Kuenne

Validation (2007) is an optimistic short film and love story by Kurt Kuenne. It only lasts for almost 16 minutes and was released on the YouTube platform, making it clear that things are changing in the film business. I really like this story because it shows how you can focus on the nice part of life and not on the bad and the world would be better. As a teacher I try to do this with my students and I think this really helps people to feel better and more motivated to produce and create.

I recommend you to watch it, it will cheer you up!!

What do you think of it?Did you like it?

Back to school with Friends!

I was thinking wether to write about the famous British rowing competition in which Oxford and Cambridge crews fight to win (this year Oxford won) or about tomorrow's celebration of April Fool's Day in the UK (always on 1st April).
However, as I wish my readers, mostly students, to get strenght to finish the course, I decided to include this video of my favourite TV comedy show, which, as you probably know, is Friends. There are 10 series with many episodes and it would be a hard task for me to choose one or other scene, so, I choose this compilation of bloopers.
A blooper, gag reel or outtake is a part of the recorded material which is not finally included and not normally shown on TV because it includes mistakes of the acting team or any other incident which makes it not appropriate to be broadcasted. Even though it is completely in English, most of them are easy to be laughed at and understandable.
Are you a Friends' fan like me? Did you like the video? 
Would you like to watch it in class?

The little chick cheep

In these days, things around myself are getting too serious, so I feel like doing something not serious at all.

This video is very funny, I see my students smiling when they watch it, specially at the  end of it, that is why I would like to share it here.

Nevertheless, it is also a fun way of learning of vocabulary by the repetition of the words; on the one hand, we revise animals' vocabulary that my students already know; on the other hand, we get to learn the onomatopoeic sounds these animals make, which is new vocabulary. I have not found the lyrics in English but it is a very repetitive song which basically follows this pattern:

"On the radio there's a little (name of animal) and the (name of animal) (name of onomatopoeic sound)
and the (name of animal) (name of onomatopoeic sound)
and the (name of animal) (name of onomatopoeic sound)
On the radio there's a little (name of new animal) and the (name of old animal) (name of onomatopoeic sound of the old animal)..."

Names of the animals and sounds in order:
chick->cheep, hen->co-co, cock*->doodle doo, turkey-> gobble-gobble, pigeon-> cru-cru, cat-> mew, dog-> woof, goat-> mah, lamb-> bah, cow-> moo, bull->muu, tractor-> brumm.

This songs cheers me up and I hope it also works with you, all the students working for final exams and all the teachers who work hard day by day.  Do you like it? Does it cheer you up?

 *This can also be a rude word, be careful!

Sergio Ramos, olé!!

I want to wish my students and all the people who read the blog a  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with  Sergio Ramos' video and I have some good reasons to do so. I know many people are laughing at it because his English is not perfect, but I want to highlight how brave and generous he is.

He wishes the Christmas to all the children of the Real Madrid Fundation school, he says:

"Hi, I hope you all had a good time playing football at the Real Madrid Fundation school. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year"

He does it in a way that all the people can understand him. When we talked about the video in class, some students said that he should not have done it, that someone else should. I told them I did not agree, I think a language is to communicate with people and he achieves that, I always encourage my students to talk even though they do not do it perfectly, that is the only way to get better; as Einstein would say:

"It is not that I am so smart, it is just that I stay with problems longer"

I encourage you to keep trying and you will get better.
Merry Christmas and A happy new year!!!!

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

 

- Trainer: "Why are you smiling?"

- Timothy: "I can only get better"

To tell the truth, I haven't seen the film, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, but I  saw the commercial spot and it really hit me how this is the right attitude to show those that say: "I don't know any English", as to make the teacher aware that we should leave them alone... those who are afraid to learn English.

I have used this short video after correcting in class the diagnostic test we  make at the beginning of the course as part of the initial evaluation to get to know better where our students are. It makes them feel better and I make a statement to my class: "I am here to teach you, I don't care what your level is, we'll try to get it higher"

What do you think? Do you use something similar? Have you seen the film?

Leave your comments and tell us!!