12/11/2023 0 Comments December Week TwoDecember Week Two:
The holidays are just around the corning, so in this time of indulgence, we discussed food, diets, and healthy eating. Listening: Learners can try a listening activity from the BBC's always worthwhile 6 Minute English about Personalised diets and if they are the best way to go. For original version listening, listening to part of a This American Life episode called Tell Me I'm Fat about one person's experience when they lost weight. Or a short segment about Diets. Reading: Learners can try a reading comprehension activity about Plant-based Diets or about Diet and Height. For original version, try an article about from the Guardian about the new diet drugs Ozembic and others that are taking the world by storm. Writing: This week, for writing, try an essay responding to the following prompt: Eating a healthy balanced diet is something that a lot of people struggle with. What do you think can be done to improve people’s diets?Write about:
Best, Kelly
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12/11/2023 0 Comments December Week One This week we talked about photography, how it has changed over the decades and the role it has in our lives. We also took turns describing different photographs to each other.
Listening: Learners can try a listening activity from the BBC's always worthwhile 6 Minute English Are smartphones killing cameras? 6 Minute English. For original version listening, listening to an episode of a podcast that talks about the effects of selfies on your brain. Reading: Learners can try a reading comprehension activity about an airport photographer. For original version, try an article about from the Guardian about How to take great photos based on advice from some world-famous photographers. Writing: This week, please start with a photograph! It could be one that you have recently taken, one from your family or childhood, or one that you have found online. Need inspiration? Check this list of the 10 most iconic photos in history. Now do some creative writing with this picture! What is the story behind it? Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments November FourThis week we talked about travel and tourism. This led to conversation about overtourism and recent movements to halt the impact of Airbnb on rental markets and locals' quality of life.
Listening: Learners can try something from BBC's six minute English called Is tourism harmful? For original version listening, try a podcast from To the Best of Our Knowledge about How to Be an Ethical Traveler. Reading: Learners can try an activity from Breaking News English about when Airbnb enters luxury travel market For original version, try an article about What happened to Airbnb? and why guests, hosts, and locals have had enough. Writing: This week, please write a text about tourism in your city. Logroño has been called Spain's Best Kept Secret, but is the secret out? Is tourism increasing? Declining? Is this good or bad for locals? Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments November ThreeIt wouldn't be the week of Thanksgiving if I wasn't thinking incessantly about food! So here we are in November, talking about food, cooking and eating.
Listening: Learners can try a listening comprehension activity about someone creating ready made meals or about cooking courses. For original version listening, check out a podcast called Gastropod that talks about food, science and history. Some episodes to start are Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit, We’d Like to Teach The World to Slurp: The Weird and Wonderful Story of Ramen’s Rise to Glory or Who’s Eating Who: Pineapples and You. Reading: Learners can try an activity from Breaking News English about Disgusting Food Museum or Ultra-processed Food. For original version, try an article about how J. Kenji López-Alt Says You're Cooking Just Fine or about one of his articles from the NYT. Writing: This week, please write a text about cooking. You could explain a recipe (consider using the following verbs: pour, saute, chop, slice, grate, peel, spread, stir, chop, steam) or write a poetic ode to your favorite food or meal. Happy Thanksgiving and happy eating! Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments November Week TwoThis week we talked about things we can and cannot do (and learned something important about pronunciation). Furthermore, we talked about learning and things we would love to learn in the future.
Listening: Learners can try a lstening comprehension activity about Creating a study group when learning languages or some tips on How to study. For original version listening, check out a podcast about a recent controversey in the US about how kids learn how to read: The Fight Over Phonics. Reading: Learners can try a B2 level activiy about Choosing a musical instrument to learn. For original version, try an article from the BBC about Secrets of learning a language — quickly or from the New Yorker Why It's Not Too Late to Learn New Skills. . Writing: This week, please write a text about something you would love to learn about or how to do. Why are you motivated? What steps should you take? What obstacles are in your way? Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments November Week OneThis week we talked about driving and the latest news about self-driving cars that had recently been seen on the roads in some cities like San Francisco and Austin.
Listening: Learners can try an activity from BBC 6 Minute English about Driving or Listening Lesson: TRAFFIC (C1 level) For original version listening, check out the podcast from The New York Time's The Daily called Ready or Not, Driverless Cars Are Here or from This American life Roadrunner. Reading: Learners can try a comprehension activity about early driving experiences or a c1 activity about muscle cars. For original version, try a recent article from the Atlantic called The Self-Driving Cars are losing to Driverish Cars. Writing: This week, choose one of the following prompts to respond to:
Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments Halloween!This week we turned off the lights, lit the candles, and told creepy stories to really get into the Halloween spirit. Thanks for indulging me!
Learners can try an activity about The fear factor from British Council which discusses fears and phobias or about Horror films. For original version listening, check out the story Rituals of Fear from To The Best Of Our Knowledge. Or try an episode of Dark House shines the spotlight on America’s most notorious haunted homes. Learners can try a comprehension activity about a paranormal experience or Horror film clichés For original version, try a scary short story:“The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson, or THE LANDLADY by Roald Dahl, or by Stephen King: Survivor Type. This week for writing, please write something terrifying. As you can imagine, I would love to hear your scary stories, but you can also make it up. Be descriptive! Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments October Week FourThis week we talked about scandals! Salacious news of celebrities, corruption, money and power. Listening: Learners can check out an audio recording about a scandal in the world of chess or a listening comprehension activity about a scandal with a teenage girl and a rock band. For original version listening, listen to an episode from Today Explained about The Spanish sexual misconduct scandal roiling soccer (scroll down to the mp3). Reading: Learners can try an article and open cloze activity about the Panama Papers from Breaking News English. For original version, try the article from The Guardian Power and scandal: how Murdoch drove the UK, US or Two of Norway's top female politicians hit by scandal. Writing: This week for writing, please write a news article either about a real or made up scandal. Describe what hpapened and don't forget to add a headline in the style of English news headlines. Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments October Week ThreeThis week we talked friendship, social life, hanging out, and what we value in our friends. We needed something more upbeat after last week's climate change topic!
Listening: Learners can try a B1 level listening activity about meeting an old friend, or a B2 activity about people's attitudes toward friendship. For original version listening, listen to an episode from To The Best of Our Knowledge about Writing the Climate Change Story. Reading: Learners can read a comprehension activity about friendship. For original version, check out an article from CNN about the loneliness epidemic that appears to be affecting people in the United States. Writing: This week for writing, please write an essay responding to one of the following questions:
Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments October Week TwoThis week we talked about climate change, and more specifically recent cases that have brought the debate about responsibility to the courts, both in Montana and in the EU. We also looked at different environmental activists throughout history who have fought to preserve our planet.
Listening: Learners can check out an episode from the BBC Six Minute English which poses the question Are there too many people? Or Do you have eco-anxiety? For original version listening, listen to an episode from To The Best of Our Knowledge about Writing the Climate Change Story. Reading: Learners can try an article about the Climate Activist Greta Thunberg from English Club. For original version, I recommend an article from the New Yorker magazine entitled What to Do with Climate Emotions by Jia Tolentino. Writing: This week for writing, please write an essay responding to one of the following questions:
Best, Kelly |
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