UNBEATABLE!!!!

UNBEATABLE RESULTS OF OUR NON-BILINGUAL STUDENTS IN THE SELECTIVITY EXAM OF ENGLISH!!!! They already had an incredibly high mean of 7,6 in their marks in 2º Bachillerato and they have amazingly improved by 0,5 points as they have had a mean 8,1 in the Selectivity exam of English and an even better median of 8.6!!!!!

As I said some time ago, here's my challenge with my non-bilingual students' results: I don't ask you to beat, just equalize it and you will get the prize: BEING THE HAPPIEST TEACHER ON EARTH!!!

 

And they have all passed the Selectivity exams!!!

 

However, be careful as I am sure these splendid results will raise and provoke envies among us. Here's the anti-example  >>>  my colleague María Luisa has suggested this song ('Simply the Best' by Tina Tuner)for you:

Thanks, mate, for sharing these incredible moments our IES Mediterráneo students have made us lived.  

To be continued when I have more details about this superb masterstroke...

Present Perfect Tense | Simple or Continuous? | FOR & SINCE 🤔

 

Improve your Vocabulary: Stop saying VERY!

 

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

McEnroe: Rafa Doesn't Want the Roof!

SUMMER 2018

SUMMER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENGLISH (Albert’s students)

Students in 2º ESO

• Those students who failed in June will have to take the September English exam. Therefore, once you have your individual report, you should revise very well all the lessons studied all along the year (mainly the first 7) and the other aspects learned. THE SEPTEMBER EXAM WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE SIMPLIFIED VERSION SET IN JUNE, which could include a LISTENING or WRITING exercise.
• OUR DIGITAL PROJECT  >>>>   Try to improve your sites and blogs. You can visit other sites and blogs, and add as many gadgets as you feel like to make improvements.
• Those students who have passed are advised to do some activities to prevent summer language attrition during these holidays not only to keep everything we have learned, but also to be ready for 3º ESO:

-          Revise what we have seen this year regarding the entry test. As you can see the textbook that we are going to have next year  is Smart Planet 3 - Ed. Cambridge University Press. Have a look at the official list of textbooks for school year 2018-2019. (A pen drive will be provided this June with all the material > listening exercises, audio for the readers).

-          Work with the compulsory readers for 3º ESO (also included in the list).  You should listen to them and read them aloud to improve your pronunciation. If you read any other book of similar level, you can hand in a project (this project can be digital using programmes such as PREZZI, GLOGSTER, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION...) or fill in the READER CONTROL SHEET you can find in Files), which will be taken into account for your final marks. You can borrow all the readers from a relative or a friend, or even from the school library. And you could also do the activities at the end of the book. I have also included the audios for The Last of the Mohicans (Penguin Readers) as a voluntary reader for the summer. We have had this book for several years in this level, so many people you know may have it or you can borrow it from the library.

-          For the writing skills I would advise you to make comments in my blog (I will send you an email with the corrections, as usual). That would be perfect for your preparation for the B1 exams.

-          It is important to read a lot about different topics to improve your understanding skill. You can use this Google site, my blog, other web links here included (for instance, newspapers in English), etc.

-          In order to improve your listening skills, you’d better start watching films in English, listening to songs or doing listening exercises (remember there are some useful web links here where you can do listening exercises online and then get your corrections). YOU CAN ALSO WATCH SOME OF THE TV ENGLISH COURSES YOU HAVE GOT IN THIS SITE. I advise you to watch the first 4 modules of New That's English series or of Old That's English series.

• There are activity books you can also do during the summer (students can have a look at samples we have in the language department).

I will keep a record of all the things you do during the summer time in the SUMMER SCOREBOARD, and I promise all of them will be taken into account for the next school year.

 

AND REMEMBER THAT GOOD RESULTS IN THE ENTRY TEST WILL BE ESSENTIAL IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR STUDY TRIP TO THE BRITISH-IRISH ISLES!!!!!

Click here to see the whole official list of textbooks for school year 2018-2019.  

The difference between FOR & SINCE

Here's an exercise you can do and then correct it yourself about FOR & SINCE.  

 

THIS THESE THAT THOSE | How to USE and PRONOUNCE in British English

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

"John McEnroe on Match Fixing in Tennis"

Rafael Nadal Parera XI

So far Rafa Nadal has won 11 titles Roland Garros, an achievement that had never been seen before!!!!

 

 

Here are some articles to read and videos to watch:

• Rafael Nadal vs Dominic Thiem - Road to the final I Roland-Garros 2018  

• 2005-2018 : les 11 titres de Rafael Nadal à Roland-Garros   (L'Équipe)

• Rafael Nadal wins 11th French Open title with three-set victory over Thiem  (The Guardian)

• French Open 2018: Rafael Nadal beats Dominic Thiem to win 11th title (BBC)

• Roland Garros 2018: Can anyone stop Nadal? (CNN)

And this is for those who love statistics:

The Present Perfect Tense | English Grammar Lesson

 

Put the verbs in brackets in the PRESENT PERFECT and fill in the gaps(...) with these words: FOR - SINCE - ALREADY - YET

1. I (know) __________ her ................... six months, but (you, meet) ________ her boyfriend ................?

2. We (not finish) _______ this exercise ........... and Albert (tell) _____ ................ _____ it is too late.


3. We (live) _______________________ in this house ...................... 1992.


4. We (be) ______________________ friends .......................... six years.

And here are some video sketches done by our students in 2º ESO:

>>>  Abraham, Benjamin, David & Matías (1º ESO D, 2017)

  
>>>  MOLVIZAR NEWS by Abraham, David, Matías & Salvador (2º ESO C, 2018)

Something for your B2  >>>  10 Phrasal Verbs with COME! English Lesson | New Vocabulary

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

Nadal Is a Small Detail, Cecchinato Is Champion!

Quiet football crowds

 

What do you think football crowds should be like?

Which are for you the best football supporters?

Article to read:

Premier League must fight the tide of increasingly quiet crowds (The Guardian)

 

 

Who do you think will win the next Football World Cup in Russia?

 

 

Here's a listening exercise to do: Football songs: why are crowds so quiet these days? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

You'll never Walk Alone -Liverpool-With Lyrics  

 

THE MIRACLE - LIVERPOOL FC v AC MILAN 

 

EFFECT or AFFECT? English Mistakes that Native Speakers Make too!!

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180530 / 30 May 2018    >>>  Scientists study dolphins 'happiness'   -  Language related to 'Animal welfare'.  Need-to-know language: dolphinariums, in captivity, human-animal bonds & in the wild.

And here are some video sketches done by our students in 2º ESO:

>>>  José Corzo, Álvaro Martín, Leo Maldonado & Cristián Ramón (1º ESO A, 2017)

>>>  José Corzo, Álvaro Martín & Leo Maldonado (2º ESO A, 2018)

Carpooling????

CARPOOLING is one of the trendiest means of transport, but what is it? Here's the definition. All that glitters is not gold (can you tell me what this expression means?), so in your comments you can let me know the advantages and disadvantages of using this means of transport.

Here are some related articles you can read about the issue:

• Need a ride? Carpooling offers a short-cut in the drive to end congestion (The Guardian)

• New carpooling app matches riders and drivers — for free (The Washington Post)

And here's something you will probably like CARPOOL KARAOKE: Ed Sheeran Carpool Karaoke   & Will Smith    &     First Lady Michelle Obama   

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Can you tell me the difference between these two sentences:

1.- He stopped smoking

2.- He stopped to smoke

Have a look at this English in a Minute episode and explain the difference. Try to do the online quiz too.

When sharing the same space we may have some problems such as the way you smell. Here's a listening exercise to do: Perfume: what your smell says about you (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

"Let's Make Tennis Great Again"

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180523 / 23 May 2018    >>>  Amsterdam tackles child obesity   -  Language related to 'Health and fitness'.  Need-to-know language: put through their paces, dieticians, getting fit, learner & burning calories.

York or Bath? That is the question.

BREAKING NEWS  >>>>  We will be having a very important meeting next week on Wednesday, 26th September, in the language department to talk about the possibility of organizing our VII Study Trip to the British-Irish Isles. The options are Bath or York. Here are the programmes sent by the Spanish Agency:

• York 2019

• York 2018

• Bath 2018

 

Latest news on our possible VII Study Trip to the British-Irish Isles  >>   we have been offered a brand new destination with better conditions (YORK), so we will be having another meeting next week on 6th June (Wednesday) to talk about it.

 

 

 

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Can you locate the cities of Bath and York? For example, Salobreña is a village in the south-east of Spain. Now have a look at the two flyers and tell me differences between the two destinations using the comparatives and superlatives: BATH & YORK.

Note that these prices are not updated and that Bath includes a trip to Oxford.



Here are two videos to watch about these two cities:

Bath >>>

Other related videos you can watch:

• Visit Bristol - The official tourist guide to Bristol     

• History of Clifton Suspension Bridge   

• Perfect Day in Cardiff Wales   

• 10 Things to do in Cardiff, Wales Travel Guide  

 

York >>>

Other related videos you can watch:

• York in one day 

• MY YORK Top 10 favourite Experiences in York.  

• The JORVIK story  

• PERFECT DAY IN LIVERPOOL ENGLAND     

• Visit Whitby, A Guide To Whitby In North Yorkshire   

Lucy tells us about Modal Verbs: MUST, CAN, WOULD, SHOULD, MIGHT, WILL, COULD, SHALL & MAY

 

Here's a listening exercise to do: Is the internet good or bad? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

GOAT or Croatian Shepherd?

But who is the GLOAT??

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180516 / 16 May 2018    >>>  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance   -  Language related to 'Love'.  Need-to-know language: whirlwind romance, tying the knot, blind date, fell in love  & engagement.

Moments of glory

OUR SUPER NON-BILINGUAL STUDENTS  (September 2011- May 2018)

 

The school year is coming to an end. Actually, our students in 2º Bachillerato have already finished with us and are getting ready for their Selectivity exams!!!

Congratulations to our non-bilingual students for their excellent results in English!!!!

However, this is no surprise for anybody as four of them have already got their B1 in French, seven of them their B2 in English and some others their B1.

 

Six years ago, we came to a commitment to fight bilingualism, that is, to have the best proven results in foreign languages and we have done it. 

It has been a real pleasure to work along with you. 

 

I will miss you!!! Here's the song I dedicate to this super non-bilingual generation:

 

And on Saturday, 26th May, another moment of glory:

 

 

Last weekend we had two other moments of glory:

First, in tennis...

Italian Open: Rafael Nadal beats Alexander Zverev to win Rome title for an eighth time (BBC News)

And then in basketball...

REAL MADRID: FACTS OF THE CHAMPION!  

Luka Doncic named Final Four MVP as Real Madrid wins EuroLeague (Arizona Sports)

And the MVP (Most Valuable Player) was Wonder Boy Luka Doncic, a future NBA star? and 1 , 2 

Here's a listening exercise to do: Are you a foodie? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

Speak English with Vanessa   >>>  Advanced English Vocabulary [The Fearless Fluency Club]

 

  

English in a Minute (BBC Learning English)  >>>  5 ways to use 'hard'   

 

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Watch the video above, complete the activity included in the link and write 5 sentences with the different meanings of 'hard'.

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

The Commissioner on Grunt-Gate

 

Football.- Incredible goals by Real Madrid   (another video)

 

 

 

Walking among dishonest people

We are surrounded by thousands of dishonest people in this world: politicians, false friends, fake news... and when it comes to children, parents lie to their children in order to protect them, to manipulate them, to keep them in a coccoon... 

 

I prefer to be honest with my students and tell them things straightaway so that they can face problems better and even avoid dramatic situations.

Here are some related articles you can read about the topic:

• You can't protect children by lying to them – the truth will hurt less (The Guardian)

• Truth or lie - trust your instinct, says research (BBC News)

• Through fantasy, children face their fears and become braver (The Guardian)

• Is dishonesty hereditary? (CNN)

Here's a listening exercise to do: Lying to children (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Watch the following video and write sentences with the two words.

Four things to remember about MAKE & DO   (English in a Minute, BBC Learning English) 

Linguamarina tells us HOW TO LEARN 100+ ENGLISH WORDS A DAY. ENGLISH VOCABULARY.

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180509 / 09 May 2018    >>>  World's largest glasshouse reopens   -  Language related to 'Restoration'.  Need-to-know language: labour of love, stripped back, bare metal, painstaking refurbishment & architectural brilliance.

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

John McEnroe and Boris Becker on Social Media

It's two o'clock and I'm HANGRY!!!!

Yes, yes, it is not a mistake. I said 'hangry'. It is the combination of being hungry and feeling angry because of that. Might this be the cause of the behaviour of some of our students, especially those in 2º ESO B????

Here's a listening exercise to do about the issue: HANGRY: Are you angry when you are hungry? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)

 

Related article you can read  >>>>

Hangry: a stupid, made-up word for being hungry and angry at the same time? (The Guardian)

Activities for my 2º ESO students:  Watch the following video and write sentences with the two words.

What's the difference between 'History' and 'story'?

The English Coach  >>>  Listening Skills | Why You Don’t Understand Movies, TV Shows, & Native English Speakers

Revision for SELECTIVITY. Some exercises connected with the section USE OF ENGLISH.

Solutions to the exercises in the previous post:

1. routine  (Twenty-eight monks live at Mepkin Abbey, following the same routine established in France 900 years ago: praying, reading the Bible, and working.)    2. quietly       3. Peace and joy are found at the monastery by visitors.        4. Lindsay is the eldest child, so she has to look after the other children.       
5. on      6. How much did the dictionary cost ten years ago?         7. , they can also visit the museum.    
8. peacefully (Example: “Eva died peacefully in her sleep,” a spokesperson at the home said.)   
9. spokesperson, spokesman      10. The director said they were very privileged to have nursed her.      
11. She lived for a long time since she had a whisky everyday.              12. Old people live in nursing homes           13. How old is she said to be?          14. he would have celebrated her 120th birthday.     
15. brightness , reporter       16. The UFO enthusiast explained he had never known anything like it.   //  The butcher exclaimed that he couldn't get those pies anywhere else in the universe.      
17. into      18. How long have people been seeing strange objects in the sky?

 

LINGOHACK  >>>

• Episode 180502 / 02 May 2018    >>>  Fishermen fear oil drilling in African lake   -  Language related to 'Economic survival'.  Need-to-know language: lifeblood, sustenance, make a living, way of life & in the doldrums.

Another funny episode of John McEnroe talking about tennis in "The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis":

The Commissioner Forget responds to McEnroe