And one more Christmas post

I just couldn't resist sharing this :-)
By the way, this was actually the song I had wanted to sing with you. After you watch the video, take a look at the link below it.




The 12 Days of Christmas

And the background of the song and what happens when you take the lyriks too seriously ;-)
Happy reading!

http://www.cvc.org/christmas/12days.htm

My first Swiss Christmas

When I came over here many years ago as an exchange student, I stayed with a family with a small child. They were very kind to me and even had St. Niklaus come to visit. I was impressed because he only came when I was asleep in the US, and he clearly stayed on a diet here in Switzerland, being quite long and lean.

But the big surprise was that, after telling me all he knew (this wasn't the surprise) he brought forth from his big bag a pair of winter boots for me. And they even fit! This was a surprise. How did he know what size my feet were?

However, this was just the beginning of the surprises that were in for me.

On Christmas Eve I was banned from the living room, so I played with the little boy and waited, wondering what was going to happen next. Another Santa, maybe?

Well, there was a little tinkling of a bell and we were called into the living room.
Lo and behold, a living Christmas tree full of real, burning candles!
I had never seen such a sight before, for burning candles on Christmas trees are forbidden in the states (many a town has burnt to the ground on such festive occasions).
So my first reaction was - Where is the bucket of water!
After I had gotten over my fears, I ooed and awed the Christmas tree.

I will certainly never forget my first Swiss Christmas!

I wish you all and your families a very festive time during the Christmas season and a very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart :-)

Preview of next week

So here's the scoop (= here is what's new)
Next week we start with a game about the world-famous Entlebuch. So what do you know already? I have to admit I don't know much, but I'm happy to learn :-)
We'l also do the listening part of the exam I've handed out and look at the writing, so try to come to the lesson!

I'll bring my little laptop along so you can try to write a post. So you might want to bring along your password or write it on the back of your hand.

Sorry, for the dull post. I guess I'm saving up for the last lesson of the year.
Oh, and there were some answers I was supposed to leave you from the book:
Common mistakes at CAE ...and how to avoid them by Debra Powell(CUP, 2005)

Letters for Christmas

You can either leave your messages here or write your own post.

Multiple Intelligences

First a big thanks to Gisela for sharing the writing project. I really think it's a great way to improve. When you share- which is what this blog is for - you learn without focussing on the learning process, so I hope you will continue to use it and share on it :-)

As you may have noticed, I am interested in the multiple intelligences, and in fact wrote a paper on how on-line studies can facilitate the MIs.

For this purpose I opened a blog - my very first one, in fact: http://mi-onlinestudy.blogspot.com/
but I recommend you go all the way to the beginning in the archive to really get an idea of what I did there. It begins with a description of each intelligence and how it can be supported. I haven't done anything with it lately, but I plan to go back to it.
Who knows, maybe you'll motivate me :-)


Here are a couple more sites, the first one is where you can test your own intelligences:
multiple intelligences test

This one is a model of how to integrate them in the primary classroom:
Multiple Intelligences in the primary classroom

There are many more sites, but if you are interested, I suggest you google to find more.

(and as you can see, I'm strong in the linguistic area ;-) )

Survey on learning with technologies

Hi folks
I've been asked if any of my students would be willing to complete a survey on the use of technologies in language learning (I did my part already :-) )
Gladys would be extremely grateful if you'd take the time to fill out this short survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kattcpaFgLzGdemUbX_2bs_2bQ_3d_3d

Thanks!
Illya

ps- this is a note (see post below!)

Just a quick note

Hi everyone
Just wanted to say sorry for the badly organized writing task on Tues.
Hope you can forgive me ;-)
I've added a few comments to it on the side (see homework for 1st week in Dec.)

Any wishes for Christmas?

Greetings
Illya

Thanksgiving

Hi everyone
Today is Thanksgiving in the US, reason enough to think about all the things you are thankful for.

I'm thankful to have a job I like where I can talk to interesting people on a friendly basis. I'm thankful that you all seem more than just 'my students', in fact, I'm also learning from you.

It's wonderful to be in such a stable country with a good school system and little corruption.
Sometimes it's also helpful to see what others don't have to see just how good we have it here.
Full plates, full stomaches, heads full of education. Yes, I'm very thankful. I hope you are too.



And now for the occasion, here is the son of a friend of mine. She is from Brasil and now living in Florida. This is what her sons have to say about Thanksgiving.

So what are you thankful for?

Free writing course

I'd just like you all to knwo that there is an online course on writing that lasts for 6 weeks for upper-intermediate to advances at no cost!

However, please be aware that you are expected to commit yourself to the full 6 weeks and it is beginning this week. If you are interested, let me know immediately and I'll give you the e-mail address where you can sign up (don't .want to do it here), but here is the website where you can get more information
http://www.writeit.to/sys/

I'm sure that if you have the time, it will be a great help for you and your English skills, not just in writing!

Back again :-)

I was sorry to leave you all to yourselves, but happy to hear that you missed my contributions to the blog since it means you actually read them.

Well, I'm back and have a bit of a problem, so perhaps you can help me. I know I should do something for my body - fitness and all that, and I have started several times. I went swimming for a while and then stopped. I bought a fitness pass for a fitness studio for a lot of money, thinking this would motiate me not to throw my money out the window, but to no avail. I started, but not for long.
I am usually quite busy, but I know that I would profit from it. And, of course, I'm not getting any younger.
How can I discipline myself to stick with a sport? I know I really need it. I appreciate all the tips I can get!

(by the way, this is a picture of Abbey - actually her daughter, who has taken over mother's job). If you click on the picture, you'll see an example.

Senses

Since the topic last time was about smell, I thought I'd continue on that.

Do you teach using the senses? Which senses do you think are neglected? Which do you like using most?

I'll have to think about these questions myself.
Sorry to not write more today. Maybe someone else will take over?

New links

I've added a couple of links this time. One I think you will really appreciate - the phrasal verb dictionary!!!

There is also a site to practice writing formal letters on. I'm sure you will learn a lot of relevant vocabulary and it also is good practice for the English in Use part of the exam.

Finally, under homework I suggest a place to collect language, especially for writing. I actually have opened such a place and would like you to have a look at it - the CAE wiki.
Could you imagine using it? Would you also add to it so others could profit from what you already have? Let me know what you think.

Thanks for the great book reviews! You can always send them to me to correct first, and I can post them to the blog for you, but you can also try doing it yourself. I'll gladly help you if you need it.

But now...
Harry Potter is about to come out in German. The bookstores are no longer allowed to stay open until midnight. What do you think about this restriction? Would you go to a bookstore at midnight just to get the newest Harry Potter? Or any other book, for that matter?

by the way, my son keeps askingme who died. He's convinced it's Hermione. I'm not telling ;-)

The Body – a story by Stephen King

The body – a story by Stephen King

The Body is a story which tends to horrify you, and while you are reading sometimes the hair stands on end.
The story is about Gordie Lanchance and his three friends and starts with descriptions about their not so convenient family lives. They live in neighbourhood in a quite small town, all the families struggle with problems and the boys have to find their own way, neither without any support from theirs parents nor from their siblings. To be honest, these boys aren’t angels and are always ready for adventure. When they hear about a dead body in the forest they go to look for it.
The way through the forest and into the dump, the special meeting with Milo Pressman and his enormous, cruel and ugly dog is without any doubt not a walk.
When they find at the bottom a single, pale, white hand, they discover how cruel the world can be. Moreover, it seems to be the end of the world when a horrible storm brews over the earth, when the elderly gang find them and threaten all the four boys.
But it seems that they grow up in a few minutes, they are brave and aren’t intimidated by this grown-up clique. After a serious argument, it is clear nothing would be like before – the dead body has changed their lives for ever.
Not without any regret the story stopped by telling how the lives from the four boys would continue and I can assure that not anyone’s live is a walk in the park.

Stephen King demonstrates once more he is the master of horror.
There are several versions of books with this title, from Easystarts to Advanced.
I have chosen the Upper Intermediate Level and so it was easy reading, exciting and sometimes thrilling.
I can really recommend this book.

Agi

Your favorite website for learning English

I keep adding sites for you to use to practice your English. So now, what do you think of them? Are there any really practical ones you've found? You can leave a comment with the link, or, even better, write a post and tell us why you tink it is so useful.

Or maybe you think there is something missing. Do you recommend a completely new one? Is there a topic you want to see right away? Let us know.

oh, and of course, we're always interested in books you've read and films you've seen.
I really liked the newest (and last :-( ) Harry Potter. It was an easy read and I finished it in the holiday. I won't give it away, but I can tell you this much: it was a very appropriate ending. Would those of you who have read it agree?

Happy Birthday Fränzi

And she even came to class on her birthday!!!!!

Here is my review!

Donna Leon, BLOOD FROM A STONE

Thwack, thwack, thwack...the African bag-seller cried and sprawled to the ground beside his bags. Why was this illegal immigrant murdered? Where are the diamonds from, which Brunetti found in an apartment of the vu cumpra? But although his superior Patta doesn't allow him to make inquiries, the commissario discovers that matters of great value are at stake in the immigrant community.

But if you expect an action-packed thriller, you will be disappointed. Nevertheless, Donna Leon's BLOOD FROM A STONE is a gripping story. Till the last chapter the reader tries to find out what really happened.

As usual, the charming and thoughtful comissario Brunetti is in top form, at his office and at home. I did enjoy how Leon describes familiar situations by Brunettis. Even if it should be the first story from commissario Brunetti you read, you think to know everybody, his wife Paola, his children Chiara and Raffi and his workmates.

Following what is going on

Since there is quite a bit of communication on this blog, which I think is just excellent, it certainly is worth coming here regularly to check out who has said what.
But how would you like to be informed about any recent additions?

There are 2 possibilities.
One is to try to configure the blog to send you any changes that are made.
The other, which can be used for other blogs, podcasts and sites that use RSS, is to sign up with Feedblitz.
http://feedblitz.com/
You can add any URL (the http:// address.com) to feedblitz and it will, in return, send you an e-mail that there have been additions or changes.
This can be quite useful in keeping the flow of communication going.

And you may have noticed that I will not corect anything here. You can, however, send me what you want to post in advance to correct before putting it up, but there is absolutely no obligation. You should be able to write freely about your thoughts, opinions and ideas.

And I'm very much looking forward to reading them too!

What is learning?

In the last lesson I presented some of you with a question that I've also had to consider in my training (formal and informal - again and again!)
I asked you what it actually means to 'learn' something? Now this was in connection with vocabulary. It might be useful, however, to think about something you have recently 'learned'.
How did you learn it?

Example: quite a few of you have left comments on this blog. Did you know how to do it before? Have you 'learned' how to do it? What was involved in the learning process (of this or other examples you have in mind)?

I would encourage you to leave your comments here - and, of course, you can comment on others' comments too, turning it into a discussion.

As you can see, I've also added a concordancer to the links. Have a look at it, try out the different corpi (plural of coprus)
You could start with 'attain' and 'achieve'.

More news about the records mentioned

Here is the news report from the BBC about the Indian hot-air balloon record. IS there anything new that you could find out? You can also read about what the Canadian news (don't ask) has to say about it .
And do you want some more news about Ellen MacArthur? Well, here it is on the BBC. And check out this article - she's on the top 100 list of people who have influenced the world- in an article by Steve Fossette. By the way, did you know that you can help look for him? Google Earth has updated the pictures of Nevade dessert and there have been numerous wrecks discovered, but not his. The officials are saying the area is a graveyard. Hmm. Now what do you think about that?

So, slight change of topic - what advice would you give for success? Quite general, I know, but maybe we can become successful together with all the good advice you leave here!?

My secret ambition

Since I've read so many wonderful and personal texts about you all, I thought it might interest you to know what my personal ambition is. This way is easier than writing to each of you individually.

I have discovered a love of buildings and am fascinated by the styles and especially how the exact position of cathedrals used to be determined. It came about through my travel to different places, looking at magnificent castles, cathedrals, house fronts and doorways.
I also find many new (and older) building lacking the finesse of the real old structures. A certain functionality of rooms, utensils and other are also interesting, and, in my opinion, this is also an overlooked area. The design should be appealling to the eye as well as functional.

My secret passion is to go to university and study architecture, simply for the love of it. I really don't see this as a new way of earning my living, but just for pleasure.

Well, that is my secret ambition, but I don't see it as a real possibility at present. Maybe many years down the road.

Leave a comment

After a great start to the course, I'd like you all to leave a comment. It can be as long or short, as personal or factual as you like. The main thing is to communicate, and that's what this blog is for.

As you can see, there are 2 links for the BBC. One is the news and the other is specifically for learning English (also with the news). They will remain there, but I will be adding more links as time goes by.

I will also invite you all to join in and add to the blog once you have left a comment and I can show you what to do in class.

PS- I hope you enjoyed my first message ;-)