12/11/2023 0 Comments October Week OneThis week is our first week of our normal conversation dynamic with a topic each week! This week's topic is the fall harvest. We dug into the local grape harvest and why tourists flock to our region to see the most critical moment of the wine industry, as well as other hallmarks of fall.
Listening: Learners can check out a video about how chocolate is grown, harvested and made or a B2 English Story about Autumn Vibes. For original version listening, watch a video about 24 Hours in Spain's Wine Lover's Paradise or Visiting the Rioja region with the World's best Vineyards. Reading: Learners can try an article from Breaking News English about how drought affects the color of autumn leaves. For original version, read an article entitled: ¨We pick your food¨: migrant workers speak out from Spain's ¨Plastic Sea¨. Writing: This week for writing, please write a text about your own experience with the grape harvest, or about autumn in general. What are the hallmarks and the signs of fall in your life? What activities or places do you look forward to experiencing this time of year? Last but not least, this week's phrasal verb is catch up. Can you try to use it? Best, Kelly
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12/11/2023 0 Comments June ThreeThis week was our last week of class! But don't forget that we still have an extra activity on Wednesday June 28th at 19:00, which will be a visit to the current photography show at Sala Amós Salvador.
Alos, please fill out the pre-registration to reserve a spot for next year and the evaluation form to give me some feedback to improve. Thank you guys so much for a great schoolyear! We will be back at at in September. In the meantime, here are some original version activities to keep in mind for this summer:
Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments June Week TwoFirst off, a couple of housekeeping things to consider:
Next week we are going to have an extra activity on Wednesday June 28th at 19:00, which will be a visit to the current photography show at Sala Amós Salvador. As we are finishing up the schoolyear, please think about filling out the pre-registration to reserve a spot for next year and the evaluation form to give me some feedback to improve. This week, in honor of Bob Dylan´s concert this week in Logroño, we explored the icon's music, lyics and life. Listening: Learners can try their hand at filling in the gaps of Bob Dylan Songs on the website Lyrics Training. For original version listening, check out any of his songs or one of the episodes from History of Rock and Roll in 500 songs about Bob Dylan: Episode 97: “Song to Woody” by Bob Dylan or Episode 130: “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan. Reading: Learners can try a reading activity from Breaking News English about Dylan's song Like a Rolling Stone. For original version, try an article from the New Yorker called A Unified Field Theory of Bob Dylan. Writing: Two options for writing this week. Firstly, choose a song from Dylan's vast oevre and analyze it like a poem (after all, he did win the Nobel Prize for Literature). Or, for those of you who are going to the show, and I know some of you are, write a review of his concert in Logroño! Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments June Week OneThis week we based our conversation on recent news of killer whales ramming boats off the coast of the Iberian peninsula. This launched all sorts of conversation about animal behavior!
Listening: Learners should try an activity about Animal Communication or for something a bit more challenging, Man or beast? from British Council. For original version listening, check out something from To The Best of Our Knowledge, such as Eye-To-Eye Animal Encounters or Thinking With Animals. Reading: Learners can try a reading activity from Breaking News English about Dog Tears. For original version, try one of the following articles about animals: Violence of the Lambs by John Jeremiah Sullivan, or Heart of Sharkness by Bucky McMahon Writing: This week for writing, try something creative! Write a text thinking about the day in the life on an animal. It could be a pet, a farm animal or a wild animal. Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments May Week FourThis week we based our conversation on online reviews. First we read some examples of some humorous ones or reviews of businesses that we know and love. Then we used the website Earth Reviews to take it a step farther. Listening: Learners should try an activity from Randalls ESL called Movie Reviews or an activity from British Council called Film Reviews. For original version listening, check out the Pop Culture Happy Hour, a podcast where comedians review different trends in film, TV and music. For instance, Books We Love: Tales From Around The World, 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie': It's-a meh! or How Rosalía found her confidence . Reading: Learners can try a reading comprehension activity at the B1 level about 5 Restaurant Reviews. For something harder (C1), check out these four book reviews. For original version, delve into the funny reviews on Earth Reviews or 41 Of The Most Hilarious Amazon Reviews Writing: This week for writing, it's your turn to write a review! You can choose a restaurant, hotel, attraction, English academy, product or business to review! How many stars would you give it? Who would you recommend it to? Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments May Week ThreeLast week the WHO officially declared the end of the COVID emergency, hurray! Now that it's officially in the rear-view mirror, we reflected on the changes this crazy period brought to our lives.
Listening: Learners should try an activity from VOA called Pandemic Changed American Life in Some Way or about a Report that examines education in different countries during the pandemic. For original version listening, try a podcast episode from the Washington Post called Why are we forgetting the pandemic already? Reading: Learners can try a reading comprehension activity about how Covid-19 Weighs Heavily on World Health Day in 2023. For original version, check out an article from the The Guardian such as Is Covid Really Over? or A Silver Lining. Writing: This week for writing, try writing an essay about your own pandemic experience. What are your sweet or bitter memories about the plague years? What changes did it usher into your life? Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments May Week TwoThis week we discussed famous long walks around the world: Spain's Camino de Santiago, the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, etc. Some of us got inspired to consider a long walk in the future! Listening: Learners should try a podcast series for English learners called The Way (preview and full download) or an episode from BBC English called Nightwalking. For original version listening, watch a documentary about the Pacific Crest Trail on the west coast of the United States. Reading: Learners can try an article from VOA English called Nature's Healing Powers on the Appalachian Trail. For original version, check out an article from the Guardian called A lesson in slow travel: walking the Camino de Santiago. Writing: This week for writing, write an article about one of the famous long walks or pilgrimages around the world. It could be about the Camino de Santiago, an experience you have had, or about a long walk you would one day love to try! Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments May Week OneThis week our topic for discussion was architecture! We talked about some of the most distinctive buildings in our area and features of traditional architecture in different countries around the world.
Listening: Learners should try an activity from British Council: I'm an architect! Or for something more difficult try an interview with an architect at the C1 level: Lucy Collett, Building Designer. For original version listening, I must recommend my favorite podcast about architecture and design called 99% Invisible. To start, try Episode 323: The House That Came in the Mail. Reading: Learners can try a reading comprehension activity called Welcome to the home of the future. For something harder, try this test based on reviews about how architecture affects mood. For original version, check out an article from the Smithsonian aboutThe Couple Who Saved China's Ancient Architectural Treasures Before They Were Lost Forever . Writing: This week for writing, try writing a descriptive piece detailing one building that you love. It could be a home, an example of vernacular architecture, or a famous site. Best, Kelly 12/11/2023 0 Comments April Week ThreeThis week we discussed names, the meaning behind them, trends in naming, and how to come up with a good one.
Listening: Learners should try an activity from British Council about What's in a name? Or a test-type activity called Talking About Names. For original version listening, try an episode from This American life, for instance Name Change or Before It Had A Name. Reading: Learners can try an article from Breaking News English called First and Last Name For original version, check out an article from the Guardian about where the names for words come from. Writing: This week for writing, let's try something creative! Write a story that begins with a character relocating to another country. She decides to change her name entirely and give herself a new identity. What happens next? Best, Kelly 4/17/2023 0 Comments April TwoThis week we continued our practice honing the art of conversation. We continued practicing questions, but this time added the art of politely interrupting and interjecting while talking about a big variety of topics.
Listening. Learners should try a video about how to Respond to Interruptions in English For original version listening, try a video about How to have a difficult conversation or from TED about how to have better conversations. Reading: Learners can try an article about How to interrupt & how to respond online exercise. For original version, read an article from the New Yorker called What Conversation Can Do for Us. Writing: This week for writing, consider writing a dialogue based on a difficult conversations. Remember that conversations usually include an opening, interruptions or interjections, and a closing. Best, Kelly |
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