Halloween activity

  Why don't you play this question and answer activity in your classes?

Halloween Trivia de Ana Arias Castro

50 Awesome Facts About Languages

Did You Know That ?

• There are about 7,000 languages in the world.
• There are 50,000 characters in the Chinese language. You’ll need to know about 2,000 to read a newspaper.
• 12.44% of the world’s population speaks Mandarin as their first language.
• There are about 2,200 languages in Asia.
• 1/4 of the world’s population speaks at least some English.
• 50% of educational time in Luxembourg devoted to learning English, German, and French.
• There are 13 ways to spell the ‘o’ sound in French.
• There is a language in Botswana that consists of mainly 5 types of clicks.
• There are 2,400 languages classified as being ‘in danger’.
• 231 languages are now completely extinct. These include Alderney French, Soyot and Togoyo.
• Ayapaneco. In Mexico this language is in danger of dying out , because its two remaining speakers refuse to talk to each other.
• One language dies about every 14 days.
• Eastern Siberia, Northwest Pacific Plateau of North America, And Northern Australia are hotspots for endangered languages.
• There are 12 imaginary languages in Lord of The Rings.
• Marc Okrand, the man who was credited with creating Klingon, was once a linguistics teacher at the University of California.
• Esperanto is an artificial language, but is spoken by about 500,000 to 2,000,000 people, and 2 feature films have been done in the language.
• The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been published in 300 languages. It is the world's most translated document.
• There are 24 working languages of the EU.
• There are 6 official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
• The Bible is available in 2454 languages.
• Agatha Christie's novels are available in 7231combinations of book and language. She is the world's most translated author.
• 830 languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea.
• Frisian is the easiest foreign language for English speakers to learn. It is native to part of the Netherlands and has a common history and similar sounds.
• Welsh is spoken in Wales (the United Kingdom) and Argentina, as Welsh immigrants settled in Patagonia in 1865 and kept the language.
• The oldest written language was believed to be written in about 4500 BC.
• Rotokas has the smallest alphabet, just 11-12 letters, whereas Khmer (Cambodian) has the largest alphabet, 74 letters.
• South Africa has 11 official languages – the most for a single country.
• The pope tweets in 9 languages.
• German and French have been voted the best for graduates to learn to help enhance their prospect of getting a job.
• German is thought to be the most similar to English.
• If babies hear foreign languages in their first few months, they'll find picking up languages easier in later life, a study has shown.
• Sign language also has accents.
• The US has no official language.
• You can us an ATM in Latin in Vatican City.

taken from http://www.edudemic.com/language-quiz/

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is celebrated this week in the USA. If you want to learn a bit more about this celebration, you may have a look at this presentation Taylor has made for our classes:

Thanksgiving from Ana Arias Castro

ESO-4: Revision of present simple & present continuous

In this unit we are revising the form and uses of two very common tenses: present simple and present continuous. These links will lead you to useful materials for you:

• Summary of tenses
• Tenses in detail
• Worksheet: unit 1
• Revision test for unit 1: Unit 1

Present simple and present continuous from Cynthia Maurizzio

present simple and present continuous from jesusmarcos42

ESL Song: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Complete the song with vocabulary related to geographic features: mountain, valley, river,

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" lyrics

Ohhh

Ain't no __________ high

Ain't no __________ low

Ain't no river wide enough, baby

If you need me, call me

No matter where you are

No matter how far

Just call out my name

I'll be there in a hurry

You don't have to worry

'Cause baby,

There ain't no _________ high enough

Ain't no _________ low enough

Ain't no ___________ wide enough

To keep me from getting to you

Remember the day

I set you free

I told you

You could always count on me darlin'

And from that day on I made a vow

I'll be there when you want me

Some way, soooooome how

'Cause baby,

There ain't no __________ high enough

Ain't no ___________ low enough

Ain't no __________ wide enough

To keep me from getting to you

No wind (no wind) , no rain (no rain)

{Ohhhh..ooh ooh ooh}

My love is alive

Way down in my heart

Although we are miles apart

If you ever need a helping hand

I'll be there on the double

Just as fast as I can

Don't you know that

Ain't no __________ high enough

Ain't no __________ low enough

Ain't no __________ wide enough

To keep me from you

Ain't no __________ high enough

Ain't no __________ low enough

Ain't no __________ wide enough

To keep me from you

Don't you know that

There ain't no ___________ high enough

Ain't no __________ low enough

Ain't no __________ wide enough

To keep me from gettin' to you babe..

ain't no = there is no


More songs and activities for English as a Foreign Language students.

Interesting websites for ESL students

• News in levels will help you read news in English at your own level. Once you've understood it you might try a higher level, or the other way round, try the most difficult level and then an easier one.
• Activities for Esl/EFL students offers a wide range of activities, particularly quizzes, which are always fun.
• The English Page focuses on grammar points that you may study in class.
• Isabel Pérez is probably one of the most interesting Spanish websites. You'll find all sorts of grammar and vocabulary exercises but also interesting texts on a variety of topics. It is also a good website for ESL teachers.
• Lyrics Training will let you listen to your favourite songs and learn English at the same time. Our former assistant, Sam, recommended it.
• Five minute English has short articles on different topics that will be useful for language learners, such as the difference between hear and listen to.
• ESL America has lots of activities with audio files so that you can focus on difficult aspects of pronunciation.

ESL Exam Tips

• During the last week before the exam, PRACTISE with past exam papers, so you are familiar with the format.
• Before the exam day, REVISE adequately, so you know the work well.
• Strictly TIME YOURSELF each time you practise, so you become used to working at a certain speed. 
• On the exam day if you have 10 minutes for each of the exercises or activities, don't take longer or you won't be able to finish everything.
• CHECK your equipment and other necessities, eg: pens, pencils, rubbers, ruler, watch, handkerchiefs...
• WEAR comfortable clothes & shoes.
• KEEP CALM during the exam.
• READ carefully what you are asked before writing. Organise what you are going to say or write, particularly if you have to write paragraphs.
• ASK your teacher if you don't understand what you have to do in one of the exercises or activities.
• REVISE after you have finished, before handing in your exam paper. CHECK for spelling or grammar mistakes that you tend to make. 

Estudio sobre la metodología en la enseñanza de la lengua inglesa en educación secundaria en la provincia de Lugo

My TFM, (master's thesis) deals with the various variables that make a difference in terms of the methology used by ESL teachers in the province of Lugo, Spain. I hope you like it (it is written in Spanish).

Estudio sobre la metodología en la enseñanza de la lengua inglesa en educación secundaria en la provincia de Lugo

How to learn 3,000 words in English with "News in Levels"

The interesting EFL website News in Levels tells us how to learn the most common 3,000 words in English by reading and listening to their articles:

"HOW TO LEARN 3000 WORDS

1. Choose your level for easy English news.

2. Read every news article in your level once.

3. Look at all new words in the dictionary.

4. Read the article again.

5. If there is audio or video under the article, listen to it. Listen to it many times. Stop only when you understand perfectly all the words.

6. Listen to old articles and check if you still understand them.

If you read and listen to one article every day, your reading and listening skills can be better fast. You will learn very fast and after some time you will not have to translate into your own language. You will simply understand. Why?

When you learn English, you have to learn in the whole sentences and in context. You have to learn how to understand with no translations. When you listen to people in your native language, you don't translate. You simply understand. The same has to be in English.

Students who translate English texts, do exercises and do tests are very good at translating, doing exercises and doing tests, but they have usually a big problem with English listening and understanding fast in real life. In real life, nobody waits for your translation. People usually use simple and basic English when they speak but they use it fast. You have to understand with no translation like in your native language. If not, you cannot be part of communication because you are slow. These words are maybe hard but they are true.

You also have to hear every new word 5 to 10 times if you want to remember it. That's why we use the same words in one level. If you read and hear the same words again and again, you will understand them and remember them. If you know words from one level perfectly well, you can go to a higher level and learn new words. It is important to go step by step, and read and listen to words which are used in English often. This is what we do. In our short news, we use words which are used in English often. Level 1 has 1000 most important words. Level 2 has 2000 words and in Level 3 we use 3000 most important words.

So, if you want to understand English fast and learn fast, read one article or more a day. You can improve your reading and listening fast. We are trying to do everything possible to help you learn English fast and understand it. That's why we prepare easy English news for you. When you use this website every day, you can learn 5000 words which you need for communication with anybody."

Read more: http://www.newsinlevels.com/

"Tears in heaven" by Eric Clapton

ACTIVITIES:
1. Look for words containing 
a. /ei/:
b. /e/:
c. /i:/:

2. How does the author of the song feel?

3. Look for all the verbs and write their infinitive, past simple and past participle forms (both in regular and irregular verbs):

LYRICS:

Would you know my name

if I saw you in heaven? 

Would it be the same 

if I saw you in heaven? 

I must be strong and carry on 

'Cause I know I don't belong

here in heaven...

Would you hold my hand 

if I saw you in heaven? 

Would you help me stand 

if I saw you in heaven? 

I'll find my way through night and day 

'Cause I know I just can't stay

here in heaven...

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees 

Time can break your heart, have you begging please...

Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure 

And I know there'll be no more

tears in heaven...

Would you know my name 

if I saw you in heaven? 

Would it be the same 

if I saw you in heaven? 

I must be strong and carry on 

'Cause I know I don't belong

here in heaven

Ideas to keep your English alive this summer

Now our school year is over we have to start thinking of how to keep our English alive.

1. If you have failed, you should follow the directions given in class and write to your teacher if you need.
2. If you have passed English this year there are many ways of keeping it alive without having to study grammar or read thick books during the summer. These are some of the  things you can do:

by Ángel Hernández Gómez-ITE

• Listen to songs in English, read the lyric and maybe even sing along. There are many websites where you can find the lyrics of your favourite songs in English.
• Watch our favourite TV programmes and films in English and even read the subtitles in English. this is a good option if we can't grasp much of what is being said.
• There is an interesting website where you can find short audio files to practise your English, audio-lingua.eu. Just choose levels A1 or A2.
• Read the news in English. Many newspapers have an interesting and easy to read website if we are learning English: USA Today, BBC English, Time, Newsweek, New York Times, etc. or choose a specific newspaper for English language learners, such as News in Levels.
• It's also a good occasion to have a look at the materials we've been making this year for our eTwinning project, The Voice of Europe.
• And finally, just pay attention of whatever you see around. There are lots of notices, instruction booklets, etc. in English and you can certainly understand more than you problably think.

"Let her go" by Passenger

Mike Rosenberg, Passsenger, is an English folk-rock singer who has become famous with his song, Let Her Go.





QUESTIONS:

• how does the narrator feel?
• what has he/she recently experienced?

LYRICS
Well you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go

Staring at the bottom of your glass
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast

You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you'll understand why
Everything you touch surely dies

But you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

Staring at the ceiling in the dark
Same old empty feeling in your heart
'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast

Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much
And you dived too deep

Well you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go
And you let her go
Well you let her go

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go


And you let her go


More songs and activities for English as a Foreign Language students.

The best websites for English language learners

If you want to keep your English alive this summer but you don't feel like studying it, these websites might be helpful. Just have a look at them:

• News in levels - Read the news at your lever as an English language learner. There are three levels from very easy to almost real English. 
• Isabel Pérez - There are all types of ESL activities for class but also interesting texts, topic and links.
• BBC Learning English - An excellent website with activities for learning English. In many cases these activities are connected with new from the BBC.
• ESL america US - You'll find a variety of sections with audios and texts about different topics. All the sections are graded into different levels, so that you can find the one you need.
• Sing along with it - Lots of songs with activities in English.
• ESL Lab - Great audios and activities for you to do after listening to the audio files. The listening quizzes are classified are according to the level of difficulty.

News in Levels

News in Levels is an interesting website for students of English as a second language as you can read the latest news at your own level. Texts are written at three different levels so that any student can find a version that matches their proficiency in English.

This is a great recommendation to keep your English alive this summer as you read the news.

They describe themselves this way:

We write news for students of English. We help students to learn and understand English.

Easy English news can help everybody who wants to understand better. We have been teaching English for many years. After many years of teaching we started to do a new thing. We knew that many students wanted to read news on the internet. They wanted to read something easy. We were looking for short news in easy English on the internet. We found many news sites but we did not find a lot of news with easy reading and listening.

We started to prepare short English articles. We started in March 2011. We wanted to help students understand more and have a chance to practise English. We wanted to give them some news for their level of English.

Now we prepare short articles every working day. Everybody can use them. All students can use them. All teachers can use them. We believe that these articles will help you have better English and understand more.

Read more: http://www.newsinlevels.com/about-us/

ESL/EFL lyricstraining.com

www.lyricstraining.com

If you like music and English, just try writing the missing words in your favourite songs.

www.lyricstraining.com lets you choose the song and the level of difficulty. 

Besides you are given the option of choosing how many missing words you'll find in each of the songs. 

Have a try, you'll certainly love the site.

How to write a recipe

How to write_a_recipe2 from Ana Arias Castro