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. 

LEVEL 4 >> Post N°2 The best Holidays/Concert ever (week 4)

Write about one of the following topics:

You should mention:

Holidays:

- when it was
- where you went
- how long it was
- people you went with
- things/activities you did
- why it has been the best so far
- any other relevant info

Concert:

- when / where it was
- the artist you saw
- a bit of info about the artist
- describe the atmosphere during the event
- describe how you felt and why you enjoyed it
- any other memories about it



>>Word count: 170
>>Leave comments on 3 of your classmates posts + comments on your teacher's post.


SAMPLE

My very best vacation was last year. I traveled to Mexico with my girlfriend and toured much of the country. It was so amazing and we stayed there for almost a month! We visited the Mayan pyramids in Yucatán. There I took a lot of pictures which I posted on my blog. I bought a tiny pyramid as a souvenir. After two days, we flew to Cancún for a lovely weekend under the sun. I did some watersports while my Katie took sunbaths and swam in the warm ocean. After that we traveled to Mexico City and visited all the museums and the huge UNAM. We saw a lot of mural paintings by Rivera and visited Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul. It was incredible. We saw so much culture and learned a lot about how Mexicans live daily. It was by far the most adventurous vacation I've ever had.

2nd Term 2016 / LEVEL 4 >> POST 1 (Week 3) >> A COUNTRY I'D LIKE TO VISIT

• Which country would you like to go to? Why?
• What do you know about it?
• What would you like to do there?
• Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.
• Upload pictures
• Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post
• Word Count: 160 words

Sample

Hi everybody! Today I will write about a country I want to visit.
I've always wanted to travel to Japan. I think it's because I like their people,
food and customs. I really admire the way in which they have advanced in spite of all the circumstances. I also admire all the advances in science and technology that they have made.

If I go there some day, the first thing I will do is to eat a lot of their delicious food; I think it is fantastic! Second, I will travel around the country to meet people and know places. I would like to know a lot about their culture and lifestyle too.

If I have the opportunity, I'd like to work there for a year, maybe teaching English or Spanish at a school or college. This would give me the chance to get to know more of their culture.

Well, I hope that some day I can go to Japan and make my dream true.

Session 6 Post 7 Career related website

For this post, the students have to choose only ONE of these  2 options:

Post 1 (Instructions). 
Write about a career-related website that you enjoy visiting.

You have to:

- provide the link
- how does it relate to your career or studies
- describe the website (sections, features,etc)
- say how often you visit the site
- explain why you like the site.

I really like this website because it provides me with lots of up to date information in the dance field including performances, auditions in town, dance study programs and other stuff......

>Add comments to 3 of your classmates’ blogs + a comment on your teacher's post
>Word Count: 170

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Post 2 (Instructions)
Who is a person/expert on your field that you admire?

Say:

-Who she/he is. (short biography)
-What she/he has done. (examples of their work)
-Why you like her/him.
-Include his/her image

> About 170 words
>Add comments to 3 of your classmates’ blogs + a comment on your teacher's post.


Important for teachers >> include your own sample post as language input and guide for your students.

A person who I really admire in my field is the dancer Carlos Acosta. He was born in Cuba in 1973. He has danced with many companies including the English National Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Houston Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. He was a permanent member of The Royal Ballet between 1998 and 2015 ..... etc.

Level 3 Post 5 My favorite photograph

Write about a photograph you like.

Say:

Who took it
What it shows
When it was taken
Why you like it
Upload it too

Include any other information you'd like to mention.
Write at least 160 words.

Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs 

My sister took this photo on my last vacation in New York City, USA. This photo shows the Big Apple from the roof of Empire State Building, and me with my iPhone capturing the same landscape. This spectacular picture was taken in February 2013, after having been in Las Vegas and Ohio on the same vacation with my family. In that vacation, I was in the United States of America for one month. 

New York, has many possible scenarios to photograph, and I believe the Empire State is one of the most beautiful building in the all world. 

This picture is one of my favorites and one of the most beautiful picture in my life, due to the experience and the feeling at that moment. It was great!!! I hope you like it and enjoy the picture, because I love it!

If you have the chance to go, don't hesitate!!

Thanks for the comments, see you in your blogs!

Level 3 Post 4 Free/Themed blog post Holidays in Chile

Talk about your favorite holiday in Chile

1. When is it?
2. Why do you like it?
3. What do you do to celebrate?
4. What's the best (or worst one) you have had? What happened?
5. Compare this holiday with another holiday. Why is it better?

 140 words minimum.
- Include a picture. 
- Comment on at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs.

Sample

Well, my favorite holiday is December 25th. It's Christmas, of course, although here in Chile it's usually very hot and sunny because summer is just starting. No snow, no snowmen, but thousands of very warm-clothed Santa Clauses populate the streets of Santiago. It's crazy. I like it a lot because I have a big family and it's the only time we all get together. I get to see my cousins and their children. We usually have a good time around a barbecue. Some of the kids are swimming in the pool, while others run around playing soccer or other games. The adults talk a lot, catching up and drinking my great-aunt's famous pisco sour. In the evening, it's time for opening presents. They put them all in the middle of the garden and call out the names. I don't get a lot of presents nowadays, but that's OK. It's mainly for the children.
The best Christmas was when I was a kid. We sang a lot of Christmas carols and had a great time! I remember listening to Santa Claus' bells. I like Christmas better than the 18th of September, for instance, because it's more relaxed and I spend more time with family.

Level 3 Post 3: Write about your favourite piece of technology

Say:

What it is.
When you got it.
How you use it.
How often you use it.
Why you like it.
What life would be like without it.




- 130 words minimum.
- Include a picture. 
- Comment on at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs.

Sample: 

My favorite piece of technology is my old record player. I know it sounds out of date, but there's nothing like listening to my vynil records, which I have bought in several flea markets around Santiago, in true stereo mode. CDs and mp3 really don't cut it. The quality of the sound is far beneath analog. That's why I enjoy listening to music in my house rather than wearing earphones in the street. I'm planning on buying some big speakers soon, but they're a little expensive, so I'm still saving money to get them. Without my record player my life would be so much duller. I would have to listen to music on an Mp3 player which really is terrible for me. I wouldn't be able to listen to any vynil records at all! Luckily, that's not the case.
My newest record is an original The Who LP I bought online for just ten dollars. I can't wait to put it on!!

Level 3 - Post 2 (week 4) > Expectations for a New Semester

Write about:
- the subjects you are doing this term - extracurriculars you are taking - other activities that you are part of  at university - what you expect from this new academic period
wordcount: 110 (minimum)

This term I'm studying several subjects like, for example, History of Ideas, Statistics and Latin American Political History. They're all very interesting, but Statistics is really hard for me and I'm not getting good grades. I think I'll have to study harder.

I have to take English and other extracurricular courses and I'm really enjoying my tennis class. It's a lot of fun. I also participate in Radio Inapina and teach at the Victor Jara Preuniversitario. It's awesome!

I expect to learn more English so I can communicate with my facebook friends in the United States. I want to pass Statistics and really understand it. I also expect to learn a lot in my new classes and help a lot of people who want to study but don't have the means.
That's all. Bye!!




> Make comments on three of your classmates posts

Blog Session 1 (Week 3) >> My Auto Biography English III Danza

This week, and as the first post of this semester,  the students have to write their auto biographies.
Include:

- Birth info
- Studies info (elementary/high school/ univ)
- Family Info
- Hobbies
- Others...

Important for teachers >> include your own sample post as language input and guide for your students

> Number of words: 120 (minimum)
> Make comments on three of your classmates posts

SAMPLE POST

Hi, my name is Rodrigo Suárez and I'm your English teacher in charge of this blog. Let me tell you somethings about myself. I was born on July 6th, 1971 in Santiago. Early on, my family left Chile to live abroad. I spent my elementary school years in Germany, England and the United States. I completed my high school here in Chile. I went to The English Institute and Colegio del Alba. My parents separated in 1987 so I lived with my mom and my brother Fernando in Providencia until I left home to live by myself. I have worked as an English teacher for many years, most of them at Instituto Chileno-Norteamericano. What about hobbies? Well, I love reading and playing the guitar. Right now, I'm taking classes with a friend who is a guitar master. I also like to write poetry and short stories. I might publish a book soon. One of my favorite activities is to go to a café and drink coffee while I talk with friends about books, movies or politics. See you!!