Babies, children, Teenagers... & Smartphones, forced divorce

 

 Not long ago, 6 years ago to be more specific, I posted this entry:  Are mobile phones really suitable for children?, which was just the sequel of another previous related post: Mobile phones for children, good or bad?  because I noticed, both as a teacher in a secondary school and as a father of teenagers, certain problems and difficulties affecting my students and my own offspring. 

I have always wanted to protect our children's mental and physical health, as well as an improvement in the process of learning trying to prevent problems such as myopia or nearsightedness, compulsion loop, anxiety...

• UN warns of risk of having smartphones in school (BBC News)
• ‘Put learners first’: Unesco calls for global ban on smartphones in schools (The Guardian) 
• Should Cellphones Be Allowed in School? (16 Pros and Cons) (HPC)

The harm it has been doing for years to our babies, children and teenagers is unmatched and we can even see the consequences nowadays in certain adults. The image of a 4-member family sitting at a table in a restaurant having a meal and looking at their smartphones with no social interaction at all is quite common, similar to a baby sitting in his pram watching cartoons on a mobile phone.

What does 'unmatched' mean? Which verb does it come from?

Using A Smartphone At Dinner Makes You Have Less Fun, Study Says (ati - All That's Interesting)

6 Reasons Technology Is Affecting Divorce Rates  (Divorced Moms)

DAY TEN

SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities for my students in 1º ESO:

• Watch these New That's English episodes about asking and giving information:   

                                 MODULE 2 (NOTES)     Unit 3A Unit 3B

• Listening exercise (Oxford online English): At a tourist information centre   >>>  do this listening exercise and do the quiz.
  

• Answer the questions, then write a dialogue of a person going to a language school asking for information :

1) When are the classes?   _______________________________________

2) How often are the classes?  _______________________________________

3) How old are you?   __________________________________________

4) How can I help you?    _________________________________________

5) Would you like to join a class or do you want private lessons?  __________________

6) How much do they cost?     _________________________________________

7) Which language are you interested in learning?   __________________________

8) Why do you want to learn this language?  ______________________________

 

And remember that all the activities proposed will be compiled in my site: Summer Revision for 1º ESO

How Is Your Phone Changing You?   

 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

TEST YOUR ENGLISH

A. Choose the correct option.

11. Far out to sea we could see a little boat ......  up and down on the waves.     a. blowing   b. jumping   c. lifting   d. tossing    e. turning

12. You will need a strong ..... if you are going to try and dig that hard ground.    a. spade    b. ladle   c. pitchfork    d. rake     e. hoe 

13. I can't lift this suitcase. It's as heavy as ......      a. iron   b. lead   c. metal   d. steel    e. brass  

14. It was cool and .....  under the chesnut tree.     a. dingy     b. dull   c. shady    d. dusky   e. unlit

15. All the workers in the firm get a Christmas ...... of £50.    a. repayment   b. prize   c. reward   d. bonus    e. refund 

16. There will be a firework .....   to mark the end of the festival.      a. exhibition    b. performance   c. show    d. display    e. presentation 

17. I couldn't paint the ceiling because I hadn't got a pair of ......   a. scales   b. steps   c. ladders  d. stairs    e. mounts  

18. The notice on the gate said " ..... the dog".       a. take care of    b. be careful of   c. beware of     d. take notice of     e. be afraid of  

19. You must wear a crash ...... when you ride a motor cycle.   a. hat   b. helmet   c. cap   d. cover  e. headband  

20. You ought to be ..... yourself for being so rude to old Mrs Green.    a. sorry for     b. unhappy about   c. ashamed of    d. repenting for    e. unfriendly to   

Answers to part one in the previous post...

A.     11. d   12. a   13. b    14. c   15. d   16. d   17. b   18. c   19. b  20. c 

Here are some activities for you to do: 

• 

  News Review: What changes can you make to live longer?  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do: The right way to say sorry  (BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute: Journey & trip  (BBC Learning English)

• Learn how to speak naturally:  How to show interest  (BBC Learning English)

mmmEnglish >>> UNDERSTAND NATIVE ENGLISH: How English really sounds (EXTREME ADJECTIVES)...

 

 

   

July is fading away, so here's my musical hint suitable for today: FADED by Alan Walker. You can have a look at the lyrics in this version with lyrics.

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

 Learn English with SOUL  

 

 

Tennis - 10-year-old Carlos Álcaraz was already INSANE!   ( Unseen Footage )

 

 

Kissing July '23 goodbye

 

 

We are kissing July goodbye, as it is about to come to an end and we have to check what we have done so far. Your English teacher has already posted 6 blog entries so far this month, what about you?

 

SUMMER SCOREBOARD

 

Very few of my students are doing something!! So it is high time to put your mind in gear!

 

Climate crisis:  The Mediterranean on fire!!!

 

‘Like a blowtorch’: Mediterranean gripped by wildfires as blazes spread in Croatia and Portugal (The Guardian)

 

GREECE: Rhodes fires: Thousands forced to flee 'disaster film' wildfires (BBC News)

 

 

DAY NINE

SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities for my students in 1º ESO:

• PRESENT CONTINUOUS (Agenda Web) - another exercise to do!  (Perfect English Grammar)

  

• Watch these New That's English episodes to revise the PRESENT CONTINUOUS:     

  MODULE 1 (NOTES)   Unit 9A    Unit 9B

• Then do these activities related to the two episodes you have just seen :

  1) Tell me what you are wearing right now.

  2) What do these words mean in Spanish: tracksuit bottoms, cardigan & pullover?

  3) Let's suppose you want to go to a summer party. Describe the clothes you would wear talking about colours, style, price, opinion/like, size...

  4) My friend likes wearing casual loose clothes during the summer time. Give me the opposites of 'casual' and 'loose'.

  5) Translate:  El jefe lleva puesto un traje a rayas. La camarera lleva una camiseta de colores brillantes. ¿De qué está hecha? Está hecha de algodón. Yo estoy buscando una blusa hecha de seda.
  

 

And remember that all the activities proposed will be compiled in my site: Summer Revision for 1º ESO

Here are some activities for you to do: 

• 

  The English We Speak: What does 'to kiss something goodbye' mean?  (BBC Learning English)
  

• Watch these New That's English episodes and learn about a new future tense (TO BE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING):   MODULE 5 (NOTES) Unit 5A    Unit 5B

• English in a Minute: How to use THIS  (BBC Learning English)

• Learn how to speak naturally:  How to be sarcastic  (BBC Learning English)

Was That Sarcasm? | The Big Bang Theory

 

 

HIGHWAY TO B2.....

TEST YOUR ENGLISH

A. Choose the correct option.

1. Grandmother is always ......  her glasses.    a. misusing   b. misplacing   c. mistaking   d. mislaying    e. mishandling 

2. Add the grated ..... of two lemons to the cake mixture in the bowl.    a. skin    b. bark   c. rind    d. crust     e. pod  

3. Who told you John was ......  for that job?     a. putting in   b. putting off   c. putting about   d. putting down    e. putting over   

4. I hate to hear a clock .....  when I'm trying to go to sleep.     a. clicking     b. sounding   c. humming    d. ticking   e. ringing 

5. The hijackers were wearing stocking  ...... over their faces.    a. scarves   b. masks   c. disguises   d. veils    e. blinds  

6. .....  for the job should write to the Personnel Manager.      a. attendants    b. entrants   c. applicants    d. contenders    e. competitors  

7. I don't think this medicine ...... with me.  a. goes   b. suits   c. accords  d. fits    e. agrees   

8. If you'd like to go fishing, you can borrow my .....        a. stick    b. rod   c. pole     d. club     e. bat   

9. That tree was ...... by lightning in the recent storm.   a. hit   b. dented   c. hurt   d. flashed  e. struck   

10. The car stopped because  the driver had forgotten to ..... the petrol tank.   a. turn up     b. fill up   c. draw up    d. take up    e. put up   

mmmEnglish wants to know: What's your English vocabulary level?   Take this test and find out!

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint for today: Cool for the summer by Demi Lovato. You can have a look at the lyrics in this version with lyrics.

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

 Learn English with SHREK  - Ogres are Like Onions

 

 

 

 

Vintage tennis:  Nadal III 

Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer - 2007 Final - Highlights / Roland Garros Classic Match (Eurosport summary). Here are also the highlights of the match against Djokovic. and against Juan Martín Del Potro.

   The film....

Improving essential skills

 

Summer is a time to put aside our mobile phones and any other gadgets that deter us from hanging out with our friends or meeting new friends. It is also a good opportunity to develop our skills, which can be really useful in our future lives.

 

‘Miracle, miracle’: lone children survive 40 days in Amazon jungle (The Guardian)

How children survived 40 days in Colombian jungle (BBC News)

 

ULTIMATE SURVIVAL  >>>  Man vs. Wild - Bear's Ultimate Survival Guide Part Two - Man vs. Snakes 

 

DAY EIGHT

SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities for my students in 1º ESO:

• PRESENT SIMPLE (English for U) - Explanation and many exercises to do
  
• Grammar test
  
• Do you remember the structure TO WANT SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING? Try to translate these sentences into English:

  1) Yo quiero que mis alumnos disfruten de un buen verano.

  2) Alberto quiere que hagamos algunos ejercicios de repaso también.

  3) Mis abuelos quieren que les compre algo de pan en el supermercado.

  4) Mi primo quiere que nosotros juguemos con él.

  5) Nuestro profesor quiere que escribamos comentarios durante el verano.
  

 

And remember that all the activities proposed will be compiled in my site: Summer Revision for 1º ESO

Here are some activities for you to do: 

• 

  News Review: Alzheimer's drug hope  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do: Could you live on wild food?  (BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute: How to use KIND  (BBC Learning English)

• Learn how to speak naturally:  Do you know how to agree?  (BBC Learning English)

mmmEnglish answers this question: What does "mmm" mean in English? and challenges us with this English listening test...

 

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint for today: Burning heart by Survivor. You can have a look at the lyrics in this version with lyrics.

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

 Learn English with Lilo & Stitch  

 

 

 

 

Tennis - When Carlos Álcaraz electrifies the crowd!   ( and: 1 , 2 )

 

 

 

Sir Charles I, the Green King of Wimbledon

 

 How amazingly Carlos Álcaraz played against Djokovic to beat him and win his first Wimbledon! A month ago he had some problems in the semi-finals in Roland Garros dealing with pressure, but he's such a quick learner that this time he was able to come back after losing clearly the first set.

 

He even had the guts to win the fifth set after losing the fourth, which is not very logical when we think that Djokovic wins 3 out of 4 matches in this kind of circumstances due to his resilience and when we know he has already won 7 titles in Wimbledon.

 

 

 After beating Medvedev in the semi-final, he faced Djokovic in the final and...

 

Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic: Final Highlights | Wimbledon 2023 (Extended highlights and best points at Queen's) Full match: 1  2 

 

Carlos Alcaraz - Top 100 Crazy Shots and Points (HD)

He Has Every Shot 🤯 | Carlos Alcaraz Best Points from Wimbledon 2023 (epic game)

 

 

Wimbledon a ‘dream come true,’ says Carlos Alcaraz after stunning victory (The Guardian)

Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon men's title (BBC News)

 

John McEnroe: “Everyone is trying to copy Alcaraz” (AS.com)

 

 

mmmEnglish revises FOR, AGO & SINCE (Grammar Check!) for you >>>

 

 

 

DAY SEVEN

SUMMER REVISION  >>  Activities for my students in 1º ESO:

• THERE IS / ARE (OUP) - More exercises:   1 ,  2  
  
• THERE IS / ARE + SOME, ANY... (Oxford Univ Press)   1   2    
  
• Translate these sentences into English :

   

  1. ¿Cuántos libros tienes en la cartera? _______________________________

  2. No hay mucho queso en el plato. _____________________________

  3. ¿Hay dinero en mi cartera? No. ________________________________

  4. Los hermanos de Andy no están trabajando en una oficina. _________________

 

And remember that all the activities proposed will be compiled in my site: Summer Revision for 1º ESO

Here are some activities for you to do: 

• 

  The English We Speak: Productivity theatre  (BBC Learning English)  >> a phrase about pretending to work
  

• A listening exercise for you to do: Food and mood  (BBC Learning English)

• English in a Minute: How to use FIELD  (BBC Learning English)

• Learn how to speak naturally:  How to chat someone up  (BBC Learning English)  <<<  especially interesting for the summer time!!!!
  

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint for today: You make my dreams (come true) by Daryl Hall & John Oates. You can have a look at the lyrics in this version with lyrics.

 

 

 

"All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl"

 Learn English with The Incredibles  

 

 

 

 

Cartoonist Francisco Ibáñez, creator of characters such as Mortadelo and Filemon, passed away yesterday

 What great moments we've had with him and his cartoons or comic strips!!