Post 8 Your summer holidays

You have to write about your plans or ideas for these summer holidays.

Among other things, they should write about:

> Places you are going to / would like to visit
> People you are going to / would like to be with 
> When you are going and for how much time
> Activities you are thinking of doing
> How much money you will take and what you'll spend on with it

- Leave a comment on my sample post + 3 of your classmates posts.
- Word Count for post 8: 280 words

Sample:

I'd like to have a really good time this summer. Not like last one when I didn't have any vacations. Just a lot of work and doing nothing because I was broke. This year I'd like to travel as far away as possible from Santiago. It's really hot this week and I can't stand the heat any longer. I need the beach and the sun and somewhere to relax, read a book and drink a cool beer. Luckily my parents finally decided to invite me to a summer cabin in Algarrobo. They always go on vacation alone because they say we are adults and we can make our own panoramas. My parents are really boring. All they do is watch cable TV even on vacation. But they are paying so I´m not complaining. Besides I can go out wherever I like and I know some friends from university will be staying in Algarrobo or El Quisco so I'm sure I'll have some fun at last. I'm taking my guitar because I look forward to singing and playing by the campfire like I used to do when I was a kid. Maybe I'll meet someone interesting that way. I'll probably be there for two weeks if my father doesn't get to bored and decide to go back to Santiago. He really likes being there. I can't believe him sometimes! I´ve saved some money and I think I'll spend it on some good books and restaurants and maybe a dance club or two if I go out at night with friends. I really hope I enjoy my vacation and come back rested for another study year.

Level 4 >> Post 10 (week 13): English Language Challenges

Talk about your English learning experience

• What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university? What about the use of blogs?
• What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
• Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for? Speaking? Reading?
• How do you expect to use English in the future, once you've finished your undergraduate studies?

- Wordcount: 260
- Make comments on 3 of your partners' posts.

Sample:

Hello friends! I came to talk about my learning experience. I really enjoyed spending time in class, because I learned and practiced a lot of  English. I don’t like English so much, but it's been fun participating in pair work and group work with my classmates. We get to talk about interesting topics and we practice real-life situation such as ordering food in a restaurant or buying clothes.

Without any doubt the blog has helped me, I decided to do the posts by myself, without the help of an online translator. And I actually  did it! It's not perfect but I don't have to correct every time I write. The topics could be more interesting, though. I'd like to be able to choose my own. For future experiences with the other courses, some things I would like to say about this class is that I would prefer to write more about some themes I'm interested in. I understand that you put the same theme for everyone as to evaluate all students with the same difficulty but maybe if we could write more about things we care about that will motivate us more.It is very clear for me that I still have so much to learn! But at least now I have the will to overcome the shock that English causes me. 

Right now I use English mainly to read articles and book chapters related to my studies. I'm trying to understand movies and videos without recurring to Spanish subtitles and sometimes I can understand what the actors are saying. It gets a little easier with time.

In the future, I expect to use English in conversation. For example, talking to other students and researchers in my field, specially by Skype. It's really necessary nowadays. I can write short emails now and I think I'll be writing more complex stuff in the future such as articles and abstracts. I really look forward to learning more English.

LEVEL 4 - Post 9 (week 12) CHANGES TO MY STUDY PROGRAMME

Note to the teachers: As intro to this post, it’s very advisable to carry out some group conversation before the students start posting. The aim is to make some emerging ideas arise.

Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (career)
Among others, think about:

> The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)
> Workload and length of studies
> Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)
> Use of technology
> Teaching methods



- Word Count: 250
- Leave comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts.

Post 6 Postgraduate studies

Write about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future.

Include:

- Reasons to do the course

- Subject(s) you would like to study

- Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)

- How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)

-What advice can you give to other students who want to study a postgraduate course?

- Any other relevant ideas

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

- Word Count: 220 words

SAMPLE

This is a difficult question, but I think I'd like to study a doctorate in English Literature. I'd like to do this because I love reading poetry and narrative in English and it's far more interesting than teaching English as a Second Language. I would like to become an expert in this field so I can teach about English literature and its history to students from other countries, as well as language skills. Of course, I'd like to study this in some university in the UK or the States, not a really famous one, because they're so expensive, but a good public one. I'd have to apply early on and start saving money for the trip and expenses. I could also get a scholarship teaching Spanish to help me finance my studies.

Students should research a lot before applying to a university. There are many things that need to be considered: fees, travel expenses, scholarships, accomodations. You are going to live in another country for at least 5 or 6 years.

I like going to class and talking to my professor and my classmates face-to-face so I won't take a distance learning course. Too much internet for me! I'll probably work as well so maybe I should take a part-time course. I don't know yet. Well, I'm going to keep on looking. Wish me luck!

Post 5 My future job

1. Discuss these questions with your partner/s

Talking about your future

• Have you decided on what you'd like to work as?
• Are your expectations far from reality?
• What do you think you'll need to do to accomplish your goals?

2.  BLOG

• What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it?
• Outdoors /indoors? In a classroom / in a theater?
• Would you like to travel a lot in your job?
• What about the salary?
• What major are you studying / are you thinking of taking?    Explain why
• Add any other related ideas.

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

- Word Count: 210 words

SAMPLE

I'd love to have a permanent job teaching English at a major university. I'd like to have some kind of creative position where I could design new materials for teachers to use in their classrooms. I'd like to help teams of teachers to achieve the best results with their students that way. I'm comfortable working in an office, although I love to take my students on field trips around the city as a great learning opportunity. If I have the chance I'll probably take a course in designing resources for the classroom. I also like to explore how technology can help the learning process, so I'd like to apply many kinds of software for students to create their own products in English. 

Post 4 Free themed: My biggest fears

Talk about your biggest fear or worry, issues that might keep you awake at night

• What is your biggest fear or worry? Love? Violence? World peace? Work? Studies? Injustice?
• Why do you think you feel this?
• How do you deal with your fear or worry? Do you talk to friends? Do you take some action?
• Upload a picture
• 200 words

SAMPLE

My biggest worry right now is getting an apartment in Santiago as soon as possible. I've been living in Valparaiso for over 5 years with my girlfriend and her daughter, but now we found it was time to move to the capital, mainly because we need to live better. Since I work in Santiago, I'm away from home all the week and I only see my girlfriend on weekends. Sure, we videochat every night but it's not the same. The problem is I don't have a lot of money, so it has to be an inexpensive apartment but I don't know how to get one of those AND live near downtown. On the other hand, I like Valparaiso very much and I've grown used to it. I see the ocean every day from my small apartment in Playa Ancha, so I'm sad to leave this city.

We've talked it over with my girlfriend and some close friends. We think it's the best decision we can make at this time. Right now I'm looking for ads in newspaper and on internet sites to look up apartments near downtown or with easy access to public transportation. I hope I get lucky!

Post 3 Free themed The importance of pets / animals

You will write a blog on the importance of pets or animals in general. Choose one of the following topics:


Pets:

• Do you have a pet? 
• Say name, kind of animal, age, how long you've had it
• Is it yours or another family member´s?
• Feelings towards this pet (love, indifference, hate) Why?
• Are pets important for human beings? Why?
• If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?
• Upload a photo
• Variation: Would you like to have a pet? Why? OR Talk about a pet you had in the past.

Animals:

• Do you have a favorite animal? Why do you like it?
• What animal is it? What do you know about it?
• Are animals important to human beings?
• Feelings towards human - animal relationships (education - workforce - assistance -food source)
• If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?
• Upload a photo

SAMPLE:

I like tigers very much. In fact, I used to be a real tiger fan when I was younger. My bedroom was full of tiger posters and stuffed tigers. Now I usually watch videos on Youtube or TV nature programs where I can see them in their habitat. Tigers are predators, they hunt and kill their prey because they are carnivores. Most tigers live in the jungles of Africa and India, but they are an endangered species. That makes me sad. I don't like zoos a lot, but at least they are protected from poachers who hunt them for their beautiful fur. I hate that so much! That people should wear the fur of dead animals makes me angry. Animals should be left alone to live in peace.
If I were an animal, I think I would be a bear. I'm big and a bit slow. I don't like to hurry through life and I like to eat sweet things like honey. I think bears are cuddly, although they are dangerous animals when angry. I can get angry too sometimes.