When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

This week we talked about proverbs.  To get oriented, try the Trilingual Proverb Dictionary where you can find some Spanish equivalants.

Listening
This week to practice listening, learners try a video about proverbs. For original version listening, try any of the songs that have proverbs in them.

Reading
Learners should try any of the numerous activities about proverbs at Manythings or contradictory proverbs. For original version reading, look at the article What's the Science.

Writing
This week for writing, choose any of the many proverbs that we learned in class or that you have found in your work online this week.  For example: All that glitters is not gold, and write a composition based off of that proverb.

Best,
Kelly

Third Conditional - Regrets

This Sunday May 25th at 10:00 is our extra activity, a hike around Trevijano!  We are meeting at 10 at the parking lot right when you get into town. If you would like to carpool with other students, please email me this week to coordinate.


This week we continued our practice with the conditionals, reviewing a bit the second conditional and focusing also on the more complicated third conditional.  Check your knowledge of third conditionals (aka past unreal situations) at Grammar Quizzes.

Listening
This week to practice listening, learners could try a video about Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions. Try to answer these questions: What would the inventors have changed? What would they have done differently? For original version listening, try the fascinating TED talk, Don't Regret Regrets.

Reading
Learners should try to read and review the grammar with a slide show, and then read the story A Very Bad Day. What would you have done in that situation? For original version reading, check out the article about famous authors' regrets. I'm Sorry. 

Writing
This week for writing, try finishing some of these sentences to get the hang of the third conditional.  Now write a few of your own!

Best,
Kelly

Conditionals ! ! !
Today we finally got around to practicing everyone's favorite grammar point -- conditionals!  If you want to check how well you use them, try this diagnostic conditionals test.  Also at Grammar Quizzes you have lots of explanations and exercises about the various types of conditionals.

Listening
This week to practice listening, learners could listen to several listening activities: Making Plans, Conditionals Podcast (mp3 and transcript), or for something more difficult, the story On Condition. For original version listening, try the TTBOOK episode about Regrets or the story Why Should We Embrace Regret (mp3 and transcript)

Reading
Learners should try some of the Third Conditional Story Comprehension activities or Conditional Reading. Fororiginal version reading, check out the What If blog from XKCD or an article about What Would Happen if Oxygen Disappeared for Five Seconds.

Writing
This week for writing, start by watching the short film Worldbuilder.  After, write a composition that begins with If I could build my own perfect world, it would …

Best,
Kelly

The Working World

As International Worker's Day was last week, it was only appropriate that we discuss the world of work, especially good jobs, bad jobs, and unemployment. 

Listening
This week to practice listening, learners could try any of the following activities for learners: an episode of the BBC podcast the Roommates, any of the conversations about employment or unempoyment or a 6-minute English episode about the British Unemployment Crisis.  For original version listening, try Are People With Dirty Jobs the Most Successful (with transcript)

Reading
Learners should try reading a comprehension exercise called Applying for a Job, Job Descriptions or The Interview. For original version reading try 7 New Yorkers About to Lose Their Unemployment Benefits share their Stories, or Caught in a Revolving Door of Unemployment.


Writing
This week you have a few different options for writing tasks.  If you are currently job searching, it may be a good idea to write your C.V. and/or cover letter in English.  If you are currently employed, write a text describing a typical day at work for you, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Best,
Kelly

---
"Work is a necessary evil to be avoided." -- Mark Twain
 

Music Saved My Life

Welcome back from the holidays!  I hope you all had a wonderful break and were able to rest up.

This week was our annual music workshop.  We listened to several songs and analyzed the lyrics.


Listening
Learners try LyricsTraining which is a student favorite! You can also EFLClub Music or the Music Section over at Elllo. Fororiginal version listening check out some podcasts at Sound Opinions or All Songs Considered.

Reading
Now, moving on to some reading!  Learners can try reading about Lady Gaga at Voa English or the article How Good is Their English. For original version reading explore any of the articles over at Rolling Stone or Pitchfork.

Writing
For writing this week please select a song you love in English, read the lyrics and write your own interpretation.  Why do you like it? What does it make you feel?

Best,
Kelly

“If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC”
--Kurt Vonnegut