May Week Five:

This week we talked about privacy, especially in its relationship with technology and the price we must pay for "free" services.

Listening:
Learners can try an easy activity about safety online
or a listening exercise from VOA about Facebook's privacy.

For original version, I recommend listening to the podcast series, The Privacy Paradox, a 5 day plan to control your privacy:

• Day 1
  What Your Phone Knows
  Let's get metadata...what your smartphone is tracking and why it matters.
  
  
  
• Day 2
  The Search for Your Identity
  How algorithms see us, sell us, and then sell TO us.
  
  
  
• Day 3
  Something to Hide
  Reclaiming your private parts...and why Google needed an in-house philosopher.
  
  
  
• Day 4
  Fifteen Minutes of Anonymity
  The digital gaze, our psyche, and what happens when we know we're being watched.
  
  
  
• Day 5
  Your Personal Terms of Service
  Defining your acceptable conditions for living the good life online.
  
  
  

Reading:
Learners can try an article about The Internet of Things. How do you think some of these new technological advances can impact our privacy?

For original version go ahead and check out some of the articles over at The Guardian that talk about current issues in privacy.

Writing
Please write an essay responding the following question:

Should the government be allowed to monitor phone calls, emails, and Internet searches for the purpose of learning about terrorist organizations and plans?
Best,
Kelly

May Week Four:
This week we used Time magazine's list of the world's most influential people to talk about celebrities, artists, scientists and other notable people from around the world.

Listening:
Learners can try an easy activity called Meeting Famous People. For something a little more difficult try an activity from the British Council about Ariana Grande.

For original version, check out any of the celebrity interviews over at Stephen Colbert's youtube channel, or the Mark Maron's podcast WTF.

Reading:
Learners can choose from an of the many listening exercises from Famous People Lessons. 

For original version check out the compilation from the Guardian titled the Greatest Interviews of all time.

Writing:
Please write an article detailing the life and influence of one individual.  It could be someone famous -- a musician, a thinker, an artist, an actor -- or someone who has had great influence on you but is not a celebrity.
Best,
Kelly

May Week Three:
 
This week we talking about visits to the doctor and the dentist and tried to use some of the vocabulary related to these interactions.

Listening:
Learners can listen to a listening excercise from ESL listening lab about going to the dentist called Friendly Dental Care or another one called Talking to Your Dentist.

For original version, try a podcast episode that features doctor/journalist Atul Gawande talking about healthcare systems.

Reading:
Learners can choose from any of the many options over at Many Things, reading and listening for healthcare professionals.

For original version I recommend taking a look at the many fascinating articles over at Longform.org about health.

Writing:
Please write a dialogue between a doctor and a patient.  Be careful to use specific vocabulary to describe symptoms and treatment.  You can use an example in your own life, or come up with something new.
Best,
Kelly

  May Week Two:

This week we used the peculiar custom of Japanese rental families as a jumping off point for discussing family relationships and roles, as well as growing trends in people living alone.

Listening:
Learners can listen to a listening excercise from the British Council about Living On My Own.

For original version, try the podcast episode from To The Best of Our Knowledge about How to Be Alone.

Reading:
Learners can read an article from Breaking News English about how the internet helps families stay in touch.  You can also do some reading about different vocabulary about family relationships.

For original version I recommend the New Yorker article I read last week which was the inspiration for our class: Japan's Rent-a-Family Industry or How to Hire Fake Friends and Family.

Writing:
Please write an essay about how family roles have changed over the years. Why have roles changed? How do people respond to changing in demands in family relationships?
Best,
Kelly

  May Week One:
This week we discussed the topic of corruption: from causes, to types of corruption, to solutions that citizens and countries can enact to try to curb corruption.

Listening:
Learners can watch a youtube video about Corruption vocabulary in English or a listening activity about corruption in Brazil.

For original version, why not watch some interesting documentaries online? Corruption, Cocaine and Murder in Trinidad  or a piece from the BBC about rampant corruption in Somalia.

Reading:
Learners can read about some results from Transparency International.

For original version check out the relationship between corruption and the environment: Level of government corruption correlates with environmental health.

Writing:
Write an essay about one of the following questions:

• The more power, the higher is the corruption rate.

Do you agree with this statement? Why is it easier for the people who wield a great amount of power to become corrupted by it? Can this be prevented?

• Is corruption unavoidable ?

Analyze the structure of your society and identify the causes of corruption. Offer efficient ways to solve this problem or list the reasons as to why it cannot be solved.

• Police corruption and its level on crime rate.

Why are police officers corrupt? How does this influence crime (pay special attention to the connection to organized crime)?

Best,
Kelly

  Listening:  

Learners can try some dialogues about some body ailments or about how some people go to extremes to lose weight. Click the red button to listen.

For original version, and for those who are not faint of heart, you can try the podcast Sawbones.

Reading:
Learners can read a poem about body parts or an article about how tall are you.

For original version, you can read about cosmetic surgery: Plastic but Not Fantastic.

Writing
First, review some body movement vocabulary words: quiz 1, 2, 3, 4

Now write a description about when you wake up and what you do with your body throughout the day. Be descriptive with body part vocabulary and body movement verbs.
Best,
Kelly