No time to quit. Hang in there!!

 I know the first term has not been the best of all and our students have had very poor results, but it is time to hang in there and bounce back!!!

The English We Speak: Hang in there  (BBC Learning English)

  

The New Year is coming and it is time to make our resolutions and to change gear so as to obtain the best results possible.

Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby • TopPop (with lyrics)

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Learn how to speak English naturally: How to ask for and give directions  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Deep-sea mining: Good or bad for the planet? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• English in a Minute: Common uses of THROUGH  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Twitter: One million leave  (BBC Learning English)

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

The Marx Brothers - 1 & 2 + Documentary   (extra)  

 

 I need your help for our Christmas carol parade. Here's my two musical hints: one modern...

 

Train - Shake Up Christmas (Official Video)

and another one, which is more traditional:

 

 

'Goblin mode' is no illusion, but a reality!!

 What is 'a goblin'?

This would be a possible definition: (in folklore and fantasy fiction) a mischievous, ugly creature resembling a dwarf.

 

What does 'goblin mode' mean? I'll give you some clues: it is related with people and what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Well, watch this BBC Learning English episode (News Review), where they explain 'Goblin mode', which may become the word of the year. 

You'll see that this may be true and that our students may have become a kind of goblins!!!

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

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

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Controlling the weather (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

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

• The English We Speak:  Eat your words!  (BBC Learning English)

 

Some articles for you to read about this 'Goblin mode':

• ‘Social recession’: how isolation can affect physical and mental health (The Guardian)

• Long-term social distancing may be traumatic. Here is what to expect and what to do (CNN Health)

• Coronavirus: The possible long-term mental health impacts (BBC News)

• ‘A sacrificed generation’: psychological scars of Covid on young may have lasting impact (The Guardian)

• Mental Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Adolescents (National Center for Biotechnology information)

• Covid: The devastating toll of the pandemic on children (BBC News)
  

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint connected with the issue: Just an illusion by Imagination. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

And if you are a goblin and like living on your own, you'd better learn how to make a sandwich yourself:

 

 

Can you tell me how you make yourself your favourite sandwich (remember to use the PASSIVE VOICE if you are in 4º ESO) ?

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

Mind Your Language - Playing darts  

 

Legends are no fake

 What do you need to become a legend? Either individually or as a team this is no simple matter. It is something very difficult to accomplish and it requires a consistent effort along a reasonably long period achieving goals and having success every now and then. 

 

That would be the case of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or our Rafa Nadal. That would be also the case of our national basketaball team both men's and women's, and so would be the case of our national football team in the past when Iniesta, Casillas, Xavi... played.

You can also become a kind of legend, locally speaking. In our school Anna Rodríguez, Bernhard Grell or Clara Prados also had great results in the selectivity exams and will always be among the most positive memories of our IES Mediterraneo School and so will that generation that finished in 2018 (UNBEATABLE) and had incredible results in the Selectivity exams and also succeeding in passing B1 and B2 exams both in French and English. They are all also a legend in our school, at least for me!

Roger Federer | Legends Are Made    

   

Step by step, my dear students, take it easy and keep working! Here's my musical hint to help you keep fighting: Legends are made by Sam Tinnesz. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• Learn how to speak English naturally: How to introduce people formally  (BBC Learning English)
  

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Can music mend a broken heart? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• The English We Speak: Bug someone  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review:  Vegan diet protects men from cancer  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Football legends - René Higuita: The craziest goalkeeper in history! - Oh My Goal

 

And talking about legendary goal-keepers, I saw a film on Sunday about the remarkable story of the German goal-keeper Bert Trautmann (other 3 amazing videos about him: 1  -  2  -  3  ) 

 

THE KEEPER Official Trailer (2019) - full film 

 

The Pink Panther Compilation: Best of Inspector Dreyfus & Clouseau | MGM

 

 

I can dream about...

 

Sometimes dreams come true and that is the case of these 17 new recruits, two of whom are Spanish engineers.

ESA (the European Space Agency) presents new generation of astronauts

 

Some related articles for you to read about the issue:

• Paralympic athlete from UK in latest intake of ESA astronauts (The Guardian)
  

• 'Potentially, space is for everyone' says Esa para-astronaut (BBC News)
  

 

European Space Agency selects two Spanish astronauts (La Moncloa)

 

   

Here's my musical hint for you have dreams and encourage you to fulfill them: I can dream about you by Dan Hartman (another version). Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

Some activities for you to do and to enable you to see your dreams come true one day: 

• English in a Minute: 4 ways to use 'draw'  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise about inflation for you to do:  Why are prices going up? (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• Learn about  HOW TO TALK ABOUT CHANGE in the past and now (BBC Learning English)

• News Review about dreams in Iran:  Iran protests  (BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak: Bite your tongue  (BBC Learning English)

   

   

   

 

 

Tennis: How good was Pete Sampras actually?  

 

 

A speck in your horizon, but...

 

Selectivity may be a speck in your horizon, but there are many coyotes chasing you and many ambushes may be set on the way to trap you, so be ready!!! Albert will not be there any more to alert you.

 

You never win any match hands down (Check the meaning of this expression below). You always have to make an effort and don't let a little road dust put you off (Look up this phrasal verb, which is taken from the song 'Coyote', which you are listening to).

 

A real roadrunner in action:

Roadrunner Bird (Remarkable Desert Specialist)

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint to be as attentive as the road runner: Coyote by Mark Knopfler from the album: 

The Ragpicker's Dream

  . Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

Two interesting videos for you to watch: Roadrunner Bird Facts That Goes Beep Beep  and Snake vs. Roadrunner Face-off | National Geographic

 

 

Roadrunner - Wikipedia

Some activities for you to do: 

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

• A listening exercise for you to do:  The art of conversation (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

  

• Learn HOW TO SAY GOODBYE  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review about overpopulation in our planet:  Rich to pay for climate damage  (BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak: Win hands down  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Task for my 1º ESO students:

• Watch Old That's English episode I.4a (Programme 010) to learn how to locate places and giving directions.
  

• Then, fill in the gaps with:    EXCUSE ME  -  PARDON  -  I'M SORRY

            1.  Teacher: Do exercise 5, please!   Student:  ....    Teacher: Do Exercise 5!

            2. ...... , where's the cinema?   It's in Oxford Street, I think.

            3. Man: "Parlez-vous français?"     You:  ......   I can't speak French.

and now tell me different places you can find in your town: ...  school, ....

 

Are women allowed at games at the Qatar World Cup 2022? (Sport Bible)

 

Stadiums of shame: the numbers World Cup hosts Qatar don’t want to be seen (The Guardian)

 

 

 

via GIPHY

If I could change the world...

We talk about 'fair play' in sport, but is it fair how World Cup workers were treated during the construction of the stadiums? And what about overpopulation in our planet? We've got so many serious problems around and we don't know how to sort them out. If I could change the world...

 

Have a look at articles below and listen to Eric Clapton's song! 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

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

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Qatar's World Cup Workers (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• Learn HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review about overpopulation in our planet:  World population hits 8 billion  (BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak: Fever pitch  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

And now some related articles for you to read:

 

Revealed: 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since World Cup awarded (The Guardian)

 

‘Our dreams never came true.’ These men helped build Qatar’s World Cup, now they are struggling to survive (CNN News) 

Qatar facing renewed calls to compensate migrant workers over uninvestigated deaths (The Guardian)

 

Families seek answers over Qatar World Cup workers' deaths- BBC News

 

 

   

Here's my musical hint to solve all these problems: Change the World by Eric Clapton. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

How to use phrasal verbs in English (Fluency TV English)

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

Mind Your Language - Better to have loved and lost  

 

Rafael Nadal: 35 times Nadal sent commentators wild! | ATP Tennis TV

 

It is time to keep strong

We’re on a ‘highway to climate hell,’ UN chief Guterres says, calling for a global phase-out of coal (CNBC)

 

 

We need to be really strong to be ready to this menacing future and we all have to do things properly.

 

 

 

COP27: Why money will dominate conversations at the climate summit (CNBC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some activities for you to do: 

• English in a Minute: 4 common uses of 'through'  (BBC Learning English)

• A listening exercise for you to do:  Meet the flavourists (6 Minute English, BBC Learning English)   

• Learn HOW TO GREET PEOPLE FORMALLY  (BBC Learning English)

• News Review about RACE TO SAVE THE PLANET:  Fast food: bad for the brain  (BBC Learning English)

• The English We Speak: A phrase for boring times (twiddle your thumbs)  (BBC Learning English)

 

 

Here's an excellent exercise for 4º ESO to check if they really know the difference between the Present Perfect Simple & Continuous  >>  Exercise to do    

 

 

 

 

and here's an exercise for 2º ESO about POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS  >>   Exercise to do   

 

 

   

My encouraging song to help you become stronger: Say Say Say by Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson. Here's a version with the lyrics for you to sing along!!

 

 

 

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

Mind Your Language - At the police station   &  Opposites and synonym of 'valley'