Thursday, 26 May 2016

what we do


Dear all:

Today I’d like to tell you a bit about myself. When I finished school I realized I did not know what to do. I loved languages but I also loved music. So I took a year off and worked to save money. Later I entered translation because I liked languages. I did English and German but right in the middle of it, there was a chance to travel to Germany and work there. So I did. When I got back to Chile I fell into teaching by chance.  Later I got my teaching degree.

I think teachers are a great contribution to society but only if they have a vocation. If not, they may be great researchers or academics, but not good educators. I feel a teacher needs to be alert and attentive to what is happening in the classroom in the whole sense of the word. They also need a lot of patience & knowledge in their area of study. A teacher, as any other professional needs constant training  (formal or informal) because the world changes, students change, and so does methodology.

I think one of my favorite subjects at Uni was phonetics. I loved the idea of studying & recognizing the English sounds and also to contrast them with the Spanish sounds. I also enjoyed semantics and pragmatics.

One professional I admire in my area of study is Rod Ellis. He is very well known in the area of second language acquisition.  He has published a lot of books & I love the way he writes. In his books he has covered areas of second language acquisition not only from the traditional angle but also in a more critical fashion. He has got a very clear way to express his ideas. I think this is good because not all teachers have the time to read and if it is too complex, they may get lost and stop reading. This, I think is because the lack of research most teachers (especially school teachers!) do

Say:

-Why are you studying this career?

- How do professionals in your area contribute to society?

- What tools will a professional in your area need to have in the future?

- What is your favourite subject at the moment? why?

- Include this and more in your answer.

- 200 words minimum. (3 comments to classmates and one to me)

Thursday, 19 May 2016

striking

Hi guys,
I hear there is a big chance you guys go on strike after May 21. This is why I'd like you to express your opiión.

 I understand that striking and demonstrating seem to be the way to be listened to not only in this country, but worldwide. On the other hand, thanks to the strikes and the way in which classes are recuperated, we only see the deterioration of an already weak educational system.
It is very complex to find a happy medium.

Write about the striking from your view? Here are some questions to help you.

How do you participate in these strikes?

What benefits do you think will be obtained?

From your experience, what are the drawbacks of these strikes?

Can you think of other means that can contribute to obtain what you (students) are after?



Write a minimum of 200 words and 3 comments.

Here is a link about students and social mobilization

Thursday, 12 May 2016



This is a good application to practice Eglish. You ca use on your phone or your compuer.
Duo lingo :)
Dear all,
I hope you are well.
Today you will have the chance to write about any topic or person you like. Please remember to organize your text in a way that is easy to read. You can use some bullet points mentioning what areas you'll include if it is more than one.

Write a minimum of 170 words and write 3 comments on different blogs and on MINE :). Keep up the good work!!




  I have to confess I am happy with a given topic or a free one. Maybe I find it even easier if it is open because I just need to think of basically anything, give it a bit of thought to organize it, and start.
 I will start with why I think good health and Ayurveda go hand in hand. Even though I recognize the importance of scientific research and western medicine, I have mixed-feelings about the role pharmaceutical companies play in research results and health policies.
I am going to address a small part of this millenary medicine from India. Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words Ayus “life” and veda “knowledge” or “science”. What I like best of it is that it is mainly preventive. One of the many aspects I appreciate from this approach is the fact that it recognizes each human being as unique from a preventive and curative perspective. Therefore, it acknowledges that each person needs a different diet, routine, lifestyle and treatment in case of illness. There is a lot more to it but the word limit does not allow me to refer to it. I really like the importance it puts on the power of our thoughts and the role meditation plays in having and preserving good health.

Thursday, 5 May 2016

5 /5 presentation

Please write about the presentation.
What did you like about preparing the presentation?
What was interesting about it?
Any other presentations you foud interesting?
Any negative aspects

Write 100 words and post 3 comments