Conv. B2 Mon -Tues Education

Monday Group:

1. First some Conversation Questions about your education - print and bring to class:

  CLICK HERE

2. Great song by Pete Seeger, one of the first critical US folk singers and mentor of Bob Dylan

called "What did you learn in school today"? To watch and listen CLICK HERE

then we will do a listening practice that will lead to more conversation.

There are subtitles in Spanish. Try to remember some of the lyrics and think about any lies YOU learned in school!

Tuesday group: We will do # 1 - the conversation questions in pairs - but since we already discussed the song on Thursday - the 8 students who came - we will do 3 listenings, one about "homeschooling", one about what makes a good teacher and a 3rd if time about bullying in school.

Both groups:

This is a link to a scene about a very unusual teacher. It has subtitles in English. What do you think of his class?

We probably won't have time to discuss this before Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINK

CLICK HERE FOR QUESTIONS

Con B2 2nd video on medical marijuana and exercise for SAVING GRACE

 In effect, I didn't post the longer video clip on medical marijuana, so I will do so now.  I have cut and pasted the glossary and comments. Link below these.

Here is a longer but more interesting video clip on medical marijuana. I think they talk quite clearly.

You see a young man who uses marijuana for medical purposes.

MISLEAD is to lead in the wrong way or to confuse. TO BE MISLED is to be purposely confused
 (with incorrect information).

MEDS = medicines, medication

A HOAX = "un timo"

TO GET "LOADED" = to get high

OVERDOSE = sobredosis

GATEWAY DRUG =  a darug that leads to abuse of worse drugs

The Indian doctor is quite in favor of legalizing marijuana. Another doctor, a psychiatrist who works with young adults, is against  legalizing it. He concedes that it can be good for some sick people but says it should be decriminalized bu not legalized even for medical reasons, because it is harmful and he's afraid of abuse.

CLICK HERE

2ND THING:  If you can download the movie Saving Grace, which we talked about in class, I know you will enjoy it!  Do my exercise on the film for extra credit. You can write out the answers for some or all of the previewing and post viewing questions plus the vocabulary exercises.

Click here for Saving Grace exercise

Remember for Monday to do the things in the post on Education, 2 posts previous.

B2.2 Great summary of last class by Daniel / song sent by Eva

Daniel from the Saturday class has made an excellent summary of the last class:

March 23rd, 2014

We started talking about father’s day among all of us, whereas Kate was writing some important sentences which we had known weeks ago and she explained us the meaning of them,  some of these sentences are the following:

•                    Show somebody THE ropes: to explain to someone how to do a job or activity

•                    Pull somebody's leg = Poke fun =make fun of

•                    Be in the same boat: experiencing the same situation or condition

•                    A slave-driver: an employer who demands excessively hard work from his employees

•                    Down-to-earth: sensible; practical; realistic

•                    Awkward: clumsy; inept

•                    Tender loving care(TLC): considerate and solicitous care

When Kate finished it, and the rest of us arrived at classroom, we checked aloud the exercise of continuous forms( page 65).After that, we checked the exercise”A” of vocabulary section (page 66). To finish checking our homework, kate asked to us how many people had done the Reading of page 67, then she linked groups with students who didn’t read it with people who read it. The first kind of people asked  the second the questions of the exercise B and C of Reading section. Otherwise, Kate explained us the meaning of “screw” from the Reading.

•                    To screw has same meaning to cheat, but more vulgar.

•                    “Screw you” means fuck you, but we cann’t use “screw” in the same way as "that fucking book".

Kate remembered a TV program that explained how they dub from the american version to the spanish versión, and why they use sometimes expresions as “¿bromeas?” to means “you’re kidding” and the problem is that the mouth opening is more similar than using other kind of expressions (that would be) more natural amoung spanish speakers. Then Kate wrote on the blackboard some expressions from the Reading.

•                    To be on the payroll: to be on the list of employees who receive their salary.

•                    To get a pay Check(UK)/Cheque(USA): To received your salary.

•                    Let me get this straight: Let me understand

•                    Drift off: Disappear

•                    Shoulders slumped: Disappointed.

•                    Commit to a job: comprometerse

•                    Backing: Support something or somebody

•                    Dull: Bored

Before the break, we did the Listening section of page 66.

After the break, we did in groups of three and we were speaking about exercise A from speaking section from page 68, then Kate told us which of these sentences had been the most impressive for us, and we remarked the third one.

Finally, we did listening exercise from page 69, and Kate told us the meaning of different words:

·         Crèche-childcare: nursering school

·         Food vouchers : food benefit

·         Dismissal: to fire, to sack s/b

·         Quit: To leave voluntarily your current job/company.

·         Collective bargaining: Negotiations between workers and employer

·         Crackdown: Repression.

·         Night shift: Turno de noche.

·         No-frills: no additional things.

Homework:

Ø  Exercise A from page 68

Ø  Vocabulary section from page 71

Ø  Reading from page 72

EEva has sent a song "Numb" because it was a word we learned in class ( without feeling) The lyrics of the song really reflect this meaning because the singer can no longer feel the presence of his girlfriend ..or anything. To see youtube clip and listen  click here.

               

UPDATED: Con. B2 Docs. for "marijuana"

Hi Groups,

Sorry if I am posting this a little late Monday's class. PLEASE  try to print!

Listening: Click here


Roleplay - The Marijuana Party: CLICK HERE

And also a YouTube video  with a doctor talking about marijuana in general and in particular medical uses: for reducing pain, effects of chemotherapy,  and a part of marijuana that does not get people "high" but may have neuroprotective and anti-cancer benefits.

CLICK HERE



 See you all tomorrow or Tuesday!

B2.2 Excellent summary of the last classes (Mar. 14,15) by Friday student)

From Rocio, in the Friday class. Although there were a few differences in what we did (for example , the Saturday had done the Reading with Carole) the 2 groups basically did the same things. Excellent job, Rocio:

Hi! I’m Rocío and here is the summary of Friday’s class.

We started talking about the last Madrid Players play; Ester told us she went to see it, and she loved it. Then we moved on to lesson 7. We were confused because Kate didn’t know what we had done on Friday 7th (she was sick and she couldn’t come), so we just did the reading on page 50 about truth and staTistics, but focused on the pronunciation. We learned that there are 2 or 3 sounds for each vowel and some “rules” or tips that can be very useful to know how to pronounce the words.* We also did some exercises about active and passive sentences.

We started lesson 9, which is related to work, chosing four things we would like to have in a job and discussing them with a partner. It was not easy to choose just four of them! After that, we continued doing an exercise about vocabulary. Some of the verbs in the exercise, like liaise, are not usually used by English students. With this question we started talking about the Student’s Book and how it is made. Some of us liked the way it is done, and some didn''t.

Later we did the listening, which this time was not easy to understand because of the accent of the people talking and some exercises about continuous form.

For homework we have to do the vocabulary on page 66 and the Reading on page 67.

See you on Friday!

Best wishes,

Rocío.

Look at the previous blog for charts about the vowel sounds and differences.

If you remember, we commented that there was no job interview in this lesson but that I would post some typical job interview questions.CLICK HERE

And a helpful video clip about how to answer the question: "Tell me about yourself" :  CLICK HERE

And 2 documents for extra help wiht the passive : Explanation Sheet. CLICK HERE

EXTRA EXERCISE ON THE PASSIVE: Click here

Conversation B2 AND B2.2 :PRONUNCIATION DOCUMENTS AND VIDEO LINK

CONVERSATION B2 : This material is for Wednesday /Thursday.

Please print the charts if possible and LISTEN to the pronunciations of the first 2 charts. Watch the video clip and print out the document if possible. It is very funny and I know you will enjoy it!

B2.2: Since I spent a little time explaining a bit about vowel pronunciation in English, this is for you to study on your own. I wish we had time to do it in class, but unfortunately, we don't. However, I can answer questions at the beginning of the class or during the break.

Now the links:

English Vowel Sounds      CLICK HERE  Accompanying listening click here (You have to download it)

Vowel Pair Phonetic Chart: CLICK HERE Accompanying listening Click here  ( have to download)

Written Representations of English Vowel Sounds  CLICK HERE

Video Clip : I Love Lucy       CLICK HERE

B2.2 Friday and Saturday: Unit 9 WORK

Hi Class

We are starting Unit 9 about work. If you see this in time, please print these 2 relevant documents.

Job Motivation: click here

Personal Skills: CLICK HERE

Conversation B2 NewsSurvey , Vocab + (Moved up and supplemented)

Hi Class-

A reminder to read the 2 articles from the Mar. 2 post for Thurs class.

We will discuss them within a general context, but we will introduce the topic witN this survey about you and news media:
CLICK HERE  Please print if you can.

I have noticed that a lot of you have seen that very short scene from Casablanca.  We can tie that into the news too. What current politicians or other people in the news seem to be adopting an attitude similar to that of Claude Rains?

Here is some general vocabulary for the news, which is just a follow-up for the M-W class but in time for news discussion in Tu -Th class

Newspeak: CLICK HERE

Finally, the previous post has a nice short fllow-up about working women and I just got another short video clip that has nothing to do with the news, but that you will find very funny and easy to understand.:) K

Teachers Try To Americanize A Mexican Child's Name And Get A Hilarious Result (To Us, At Least)

B2.2 Class of Mar 7 and 8

Hi Classes,

I have really been quite sick but went to class today.

I have gotten good feedback about Carole's substitution from Hicham. I'm sure Tom was fine as well even though he had to leave early.

Since I left instructions for them, it's easy for me to copy and post as Class Summary. You can look at some funny and iteresting posts for my Conv. B2 as well.  Kate
__________________ Class of Mar 7,8

1. Bottom page 49: for homework you had to read 1 of the files ( I gave letters to all those present and wrote on blog for absentees to read 1) You could also bring in a scientific innovation they read about elsewhere.  in groups of 3 and tell  about what  you read starting Have you read/heard that thing about....? Other 2 partners should ask questions or make comments. If there’s someone who was absent and didn’t read anything, as 4th person will just ask  questions and think of something they’ve read while listening to others. Each group tells what most interesting thing heard was. (Quickly!)

 

2. Statistics vocabulary .50 Read in pairs and learn meanings of words in bold. Repeat for pronunciation. Use a few of these expressions in a sentence, imagining you are a Spanish politician in the recent State of the union debate. (ie, Mr. Rajoy, you’ve twisted the figures...)

 

3. Go on to p.52 – ( reading was  for hmwk. but I prefer to do the Listening before the break!) Quickly present the word geeky and be sure to understand all the kinds of scientists in the box  of Listening A – 2nd column. THEN  DO LISTENING 7.4.  Play a first time for  them to to match each speaker with one of the kinds of scientists and summarize what their work involved. ( B )

Present on board possible difficult vocab. from listening :  paramount, end up, aim, forecast, endeavour, flow, etiquette and if they are nouns verbs or both.

Pronounce these words in English: vital, regime, psychology, potential.

Listen a 2nd time to do C in pairs or 3’s.

BREAK

After break:

3 b. Get answers to Listening C p. 52 if no time before break.

 

4.  Go back to p. 50. Do A and C, in pairs, going over quickly as whole group.

 

5. p.51  GRAMMAR A :Introduce the passive on having them read the 8 sentences in pairs indentifying the passive and answering ?’s 2,3,and 4. Check. Point out that in English, we don’t have a reflexive like in Spanish, so we often use the Passive WITHOUT AN AGENT in its place ( as illustrated by the majority of these sentences ).  Also point out infintive passive phrase  is thought to be in sentence 4  and also the use of HAVE as a kind of passive in sentence #3 ( to have something done.

 

Do in column 2 of p.51 for homework. Also Vocabulary Forming words  A on p. 52.  (IF extra, time can be done in class)

 we are skipping Unit 8 so will strat with 9 next class.

Extra homwork . Quiz p. 61 except #s 13. and 15 

p. 62 GRAMMAR, LANGUAGE PATTERNS, PREPOSITIONS

 Thanks Kate

___________________________________________________________________________

Conv. B2: Nice post and clip for talking about working women

If I had received this earlier, I would have used this tomorrow and put the environment clip and news articles back one class, as this is very relevant to yesterday's holiday, The Day of  the Working Woman, which has received a lot of coverage in Spain in the media. We will use it when enough of you see it.This short blurb is about a historically significant American working woman. Do you know any similar historical female figures in Spain?

Crystal Lee Sutton

(1940-2009)  

  

Crystal Lee Sutton is the woman on whom the movie Norma Rae was based.

In 1973 Crystal Lee was 33 and a mother of three working at the J.P. Stevens plant in Roanoke Rapids, N.C .  She was making $2.65 an hour folding towels. The poor working conditions she and her fellow employees suffered compelled her to join forces with labor organizer Eli Zivkovich, and attempt to unionize the J.P. Stevens employees.

  "Management and others treated me as if I had leprosy," said Crystal. She received threats and was finally fired from her job. But before she left, she took one final stand, filmed verbatim in the 1979 film Norma Rae. "I took a piece of cardboard and wrote the word UNION on it in big letters, got up on my work table, and slowly turned it around. The workers started cutting their machines off and giving me the victory sign. All of a sudden the plant was very quiet..."

 Sutton was physically removed from the plant by police, but the result of her actions was staggering.  The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) won the right to represent the workers at the plant and, in 1977, Sutton was reinstated to her job and awarded back wages.  She went back to work for two days "just to prove a point" before she quit. ACTWU hired her as a spokeswoman and an organizer, a job she held for a decade.

 In 1988 Crystal earned her certification as a nursing assistant from Alamance Community College in Graham, N.C. 

 After being diagnosed with brain cancer, Crystal had to struggle with her insurance company because they delayed potentially life-saving medication. In 2009 Crystal Lee Sutton died in Burlington, N.C. at age 68. 

 "It is not necessary I be remembered as anything, but I would like to be remembered as a woman who deeply cared for working women, the working poor and the poor people of the U.S. and the world."

And the movie trailer:

First a few vocabulary items for video clip:
- on her own = alone, without help
- mill = factory, especially for steel, flour or textiles (besides meaning "molino")
- ain't = slang word used by working classes for all forms of auxiliaries"be" or "have"
-a fish out of water = an idiom in English similar to Spanish
-  to stand up for what's right = dar la cara
- Off the premises! Off the property (particularly referring to a work place or public institution.)

 Norma Rae

the trailer

Click here.  

AND DON'T FORGET TO ALSO SEE THE VIDEO CLIP AND EXERCISES ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

Conversation B2 : Short video clip , Vocabulary and Questions

Conversation B2:  I spoke to both new classes about this post but I later realized that it was posted before the others and with heading saying it was also for B2.2, so I am posting again for just the Conversation classes and adding another document with questions after the link for the video. I hope you see it in time; I've been sick so I couldn't do it before -Kate

 Short ecological video clip with beautiful images:

Click here

Now for Doc. with vocab and questions to print and bring in:             CLICK HERE

Finally ironic commercial clip related to life style and ecology CLICK HERE. What is the commercial for??

B2.2 Fri Feb 28th and Sat. Mar 1 Summaries

Hi,

I have actually received 2 summaries this week, one from each group.

First the Friday one from Cristina Caballero:

Hey! I am Cristina! I am going to do the summary of the friday's class (28th). 

First of all we discussed about  'operación palace' which say that the coup was a fake. All the class thinks that there were some weird things but at the end we believed that the coup was a fake. ( We discussed this because it was relevant to the Spanish transition, which we compared to the one in South Africa - Kate)

Second we did the listening on page 47 and we did the related exercises. The listening talked about the Truth and Reconciliation comission. In this listening we could appreciate the different pronunciations between black and whites. Other new vocabulary: to heal, appalled, perpetrators, evil , revelations

Later, we talked in groups of four about evil and other topics like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

At the end of the class we started lesson 7 (Science and research) and we did the vocabulary in pairs.

Kate acted in a play this night, so I hope it  was ok and everybody enjoyed it. - Yes it went very well!!

Hmwk. Kate asked us to read one of the groups of 3 readings at the bottom of p. 49: (Student A)- File 8, p.155, (student B) - File 15 p.157 or (Student c) File 17 p. 159. We have to choose one of the 3 readings in each group and be prepared to talk about it and explain it. OR We can talk about a real scientific experiment or innovation we have read about recently. Kate assigned a different letter to each 3 or 4 students. Students who were absent, read File B or C. - Kate

___________________________________________________________________

And now José Pedro's summary from the Saturday group:

Hello Mates!!!!!!!!

We started the class talking about Jordi Évole’s TV program, I didn´t watch it, but Kate explained to us that it was about the coup of February 28^{th by} Tejero. Kate told us about what she remembers also.

Then we talked in groups, I heard some good opinions about the Spanish transition and differences between Spanish process and South African´s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We learned some vocabulary (examples: perpetrators, appalled, to heal…).

Class exercises:

-LISTENING (page 47).

-SPEAKING (page 47). Do you think that evil exists? Are really possible forget and forgive? Are justice and forgiveness right path?

After the coffee break:

-VOCABULARY A (page 48).

-LISTENING C (page 49).

HOMEWORK:

-Conversation Practice (page 49) A-B-C, it depends on your group…

-Newspaper scientific article, if you found one.

Conv. B2 and B2.2 : short and meaningful scene from Casablanca

Only 20 seconds but a classic and a metaphor for politicians' attitudes today! Watch and enjoy!      Rick: "How can you close me up? On what grounds?" Captain Renault: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!" (a croupier hands Renault a pile of money). Croupier: "Your winnings, sir." Captain Renault:   "Oh, thank you very much." Captain Renault: "Everybody out, at once!"   (Video: 20 secs):    Casablanca Gambling? I'm Shocked!

Con B2 and B2.2 : Spain in the New York Times

Here are 2 articles which have appeared recently in the NYT

Read and be prepared to give discuss and give your opinion about them:

Freedom of the Press in current Spain and Pedro J. Ramirez

Spanish schedule and life style: Resetting the clocks