MOST INFLUENTIAL TEENAGERS

Time Magazine has recently published the list of 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014. Check it up and cast your vote.

ACCENTS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Check the potato map below and click on the potatoes to hear how people from different areas sound. Give it a go and add your own accent to the map.

Check the following post for 6 myths about accents.

MALALA YOUSAFZAI: 2014 PEACE PRICE WINNER

She missed it last year, but today we can all congatulate Malala, the 16 year old activist, who has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her fight on education equality in Pakistan.

She'll be sharing the $1.1million prize with Kailash Satyarthi, also a fighter for youth rights in India.


Don't miss her story here and last year's post in this blog, either.


 Check the infographic below with some more bits and pieces about her.

Spanish nurse assistant tested positive for Ebola

The case of the nurse diganosed with Ebola has brought the disease quite a few steps nearer us.


 The news is all over the world now.

I guess we could learn a bit more about the virus...


Finally some Q&A on transmission

Check the following post for further info

COMIC STRIPS BY 1ST ESO

These are the comic strips written, designed and created by students in 1st ESO. Well done, guys!

PARTY TIME!

Can you believe it? You are nearly done!!!! 
I'm sure you'll have lots of opportunities to celebrate, but let's start with small get-together next Friday 16th.
We'll be celebrating not only the end of the school year but also THE END OF HIGH SCHOOL for students in APLE2.  Don't miss it!

Read what others are bringing and make your contribution. 



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SENIOR'S GRADUATION SPEECHES

Here is the collection of the graduation speeches written by students who are graduating this year. I would like to thank all those who took part in reading their speeches in front of other students and teachers. I'm sure everyone benefited from the experience. I would also like to thank the teachers who stayed extra hours to watch their reading.
I published them because they are really worth reading and sharing experiences and feelings is always rewarding. Good luck to you all!

VIDEO PRODUCTIONS

I'm proud to write this post where I'm publishing my students' video productions as part of the final assignments in their last year.

They did a great job and I thank them for the time devoted to the project and the enthusiasm shown.

GREASE GOYAS

STUDENTS COPYING WITH STRESS




 SHOOT BEAUTY



MIDNIGHT PROGRAMMES


THE ANTHILL

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

The school year is coming to an end for you guys and so are my assignments. Let's do one more, though. Below you have some inspiring pictures with some questions on them that will make you think. Choose 10 of the pictures, read the questions aloud and then answer them. Try to think about the answers carefully and be a bit original. Send me a voicemail with your answers.

Deadline: Sunday 11th May

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AN INTERVIEW TO EMMA WATSON

Once more, you have an interview to watch and answer a few questions. This time it is Emma Watson on David Letterman's Show. You will probably know her for the Harry Potter films, but she's much more than than.

1.- Why is Emma Watson on the show?

2.- Why does Emma Watson recommend to read the Harry Potter books first and then watch the films?

3.- What is Emma Watson studying and where?

4.- Where is Noah's story in the Bible? How long is it?

5.- What is Noah's Ark in the film like?

6.- Where did they build the Ark for the film?

7.- Was it possible for anybody to see the Ark ?

8.- Who or what is Sandy?

9.- How is Emma Watson's character portrayed in the Bible?

10.- Does Emma Watson like to watch herself on the screen?

As usual, send me a voicemail with your answers.

Deadline: Wednesday 30th

AN INTERVIEW TO SHAKIRA

Short, easy task for you, guys, this week. You have to watch the interview from Jimmy Fallon to Shakira and then answer the ten questions about it orally. Read the questions and give the answers.

1.- In how many countries is Shakira's album number 1?
2.- Is her son Milan musical? Which instrument does he play?
3.- What is Milan's favourite pastime?
4.- What happened to Jimmy when he tried to play soccer for the first time?
5.- What happened to Shakira when she was 10?
6.- What did Shakira win at the singing contest?
7.- What kind of song can you find in Shakira's latest album?
8.- Who is Chris Martin?
9.- What is the relationship between Shakira and Chris Martin?
10.- What song does Shakira play on stage?
11. Do you like Shakira? Why? Why not?

Deadline: Thursday 10th

LISTENING PRACTICE FOR APLE2

This week's assignment is on improving your listening skills.
Go to your virtual course and complete the listening task there. It consists of 5 different parts. You can listen to each audio track twice. Bear in mind that you have a time limit to carry out this activity and you have an only attempt. So make sure you've got those 40 minutes you'll need to complete the listening. Good luck!

Deadline: Friday 4th April

VIDEO PRODUCTION

TASK: You must record your own video. It can be about anything: from a TV chat show or interview to an advertisment.

FINAL PRODUCT: You must create the script and film it. It must be about 5 minutes long and you must create a .jpeg, .asf, .avi, .mp4 file to hand in. Pay special care to audio and make sure the video can be heard properly.

IDEAS: Most of you have spent a few years at the High School and now that you are about to leave, you could make a programme focusing on special moments at IES Galileo Galilei, what it has meant to you.... You could role play any funny situation that took place at any time in the years you have spent here, you can interview other students or teachers... You can make a chat show where you exchange opinions about your time here....

Here you can have a look at what other students have done.

I'll update this post with information on deadlines

GRADUATION SPEECHES

The end of the school year is getting closer for you and in a few weeks you'll be saying goodbye to some classmates, teachers and the school where you've spent part of your life.

You are about to embark on a new adventure, a new beginning. Sooner than you may think, you will step into the world to forge your own paths in life, which I am sure you will find, however difficult you might find it now.

However, before that, I would like to set one final assignment, which definitely will have an important weight in your final grades.

You have to write and give your Valedictorian or Graduation Speeches! 

The term Valedictorian is an anglicized derivation of the Latin vale dicere ("to say farewell"), which is basically what you will be doing.

Let me give you a few hints to make the task easier.

A Valedictorian or Graduation Speech is a closing or farewell statement or address delivered at a graduation ceremony. Its aim is to thank, exalt, stimulate to action, motivate, to affect and touch, even to raise to a higher emotional level, and finally to say farewell. You do most of these by reflecting on the past years and putting special emphasis on some events, especially meaningful for you.

Try to think back and recapture those moments which will stay with you for ever. You could think of how you felt when you were the new freshmen at the school and how you feel now that you are about to leave. You might like to reflect on your good or bad moments....You could write about any anecdotes or memories you have of all these years and give advice to the newcomers who will read your letters.

As you see, writing your speech is not difficult. I am sure ideas will start flowing in easily. Be sharp and short: no more than 3-4 minutes is enough for delivering your valedictorian speech topics.

Anyway, you can find a skeleton and structure to use in your virtual course

DEADLINES

• You will upload your first drafts in your virtual course by March 28th.

• Redrafting will be possible until April 4th.

• Speeches will start on May 5th.

Remember to use rich language and structures, be yourselves and most of all, do not use a translator or copy from the Internet.

Surprise everyone by dressing up for the occassion. It will add up to your marks. "Suit up!"

You can watch and listen to some speeches delivered by some well-known people below.

Here is the speech by Shakira at Oxford Union.

Here you can watch Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey at Harvard University




and Charles Chaplin in the final speech at The Great Dictator

LET IT ALL OUT

Now that you're done with exams, at least for a short while before starting the third and last term as secondary students, let all the stress out and get ready to cope with your finals.

It might not be much comfort but students all around the world also get all stressed out about different matters. Listen to them.


What stresses out High School students?






Does it get any better in college?




What can you do about it? How can we cope with stress?



Now forget about all your worries and allow yourself a few minutes of relaxation with the help of this website below. Choose your nature theme and indulge yourself into a guided calm session!

TO READ OR NOT TO READ

March 5th is World Read Aloud Day in 2014 and I know you are quite stressed up right now, but I'm just asking one minute of your time, no more no less.

Select one of these Read-Alouds from the New York Times and read an extract of it for a minute.

Be really careful with pronunciation, but also with intonation, which is as important. Try to enunciate your voice and give your text the correct pace and rythm. Send me a voicemail before the week ends.

You can always check how to pronounce a few words here

AN INTERVIEW TO BECKHAM

Here you have an interview by Jimmy Fallon, a famous American presenter to David Beckham. They don't talk much about football, though. Whether you like Beckham or not, take a few minutes to listen to the interview and these questions in a VoiceMail.
Enjoy your weekend! And don't study too hard!!!

1.- Why is David Beckham on Jimmy Fallon's Show? 

2.- Where is David's family at the moment?

3.- How old is David's daughter?

4.- What happened when David went to see his son's soccer game? 

5.- Why was Romeo crying at the end? 

6.-What does Jimmy say about David's underwear? 

7.- What is special about David's commercial at the Super Bowl?

8.- Are all the 12 eggs the same? 

9.- What does each contestant have to do? 

10.- Who wins the competition and why? 

Deadline: Friday 7th March

JOB INTERVIEWS III

Take this virtual job interview and explore this site about careers


TASK 1:
You will make up your own interview questions and then interview each other. Click here to dowload the questionnaire. Have a look at more sample questions here. You can read about some suggested answer to those questions here, too.

TASK 2: 

Step 1: Now, individually, you are going to download a job application and fill it in, you can get it by clicking here

 

Step 2: You will hand in your application form to your teacher; and later you will have a fake interview.

SPAIN: OUT OF TIME?

A front-page article in the New York Times about Spain’s potential time zone change has led to a raging debate in the US on whether Spaniards are right or wrong to do everything later. 

The article, titled “Spain, land of 10pm dinners, asks if it’s time to reset the clock”, has been the New York Times’ most emailed story in recent days.







A different view on the matter

Read the first article and go through some of the comments on the second and send me a voicemail with the main arguments exposed in the first piece, which comment you agree or disagree most with in the second article and your views on the issue. Use your own words, please.




Deadline: Tuesday 25th February

MAKE A GUESS

JOB INTERVIEWS II

Continuing with the same topic, you're going to work in groups to provide some useful information to your classmates about jobs and job interviews.

Surf the Internet and present the information you've found to your partners in class through a 5-10 minute talk. Try to make them take part in your presentation by asking them questions or giving them a task.


1.- Best jobs in the world.  
        Don't miss the following sites: Site 1 and Site 2


2.- Most asked interview questions.

 

3. Things to know before an interview.

 4. No stupid questions

5.- Interview Tips   / Asking questions at an interview

6.- How to create a résumé

Take this virtual job interview and explore this site about careers

A MOST PECULIAR MAN

Listen to the song in its two different versions to fill in the gaps provided.

In groups try to come up with the man's background and story and the reason why he did what he did.






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JOB INTERVIEWS

In this lesson, we'll be preparing for a successful job interview that you may have in the future. Being prepared promotes confidence, remember! And most interviewers make their decision within the first three minutes, so make a terrific first impression.

You have already gone through the topic of jobs in your books, so you should have the necessary vocabulary to practice in this lesson.


But before we do so, let's listen to another imaginative way of finding a job and fill in the gaps.

Now watch the following video giving you some advice about what it is expected from you at a job interview:



Now compare what you've just seen with the following interview.

Interview with an Applicant from Melisa Breiner-Sanders on Vimeo.

TESTING PHONETICS

Now that you've been practising phonetics for a few weeks, it's time to do some testing in your virtual course.

Start with the Audio Concentration Games

Make sure you do the following tests before taking the real ones in the virtual course. 

Test 1 / Test 2

Now in pairs you'll try to find the answers to the following riddles. You just need to know phonetics.

ESL ACTIVITIES AT IES GALILEO GALILEI IV

TV Programmes

ESL ACTIVITIES AT GALILEO GALILEI III

4th ESO
ESL Newspaper

LifeStories

Click to view My life story on GLOSSI.COM

People with disabilities on Thinglink

ESL ACTIVITIES AT IES GALILEO GALILEI II

3rd ESO

They created their self-portraits on Eduglogster






They wrote survivor stories and created a Brainshark presentation




 


They wrote about their lifestyles and created short books on Storybird

ESL ACTIVITIES AT IES GALILEO GALILEI

This is an account of activites carried out by teachers in the ESL classroom at Galileo Galilei High School:





1st ESO:

Town Brochures on Glogster

Family Projects on Brainshark

A Holiday Story on StoryBird

Their own comic strip 

PHONETICS II

By now all of you should have practised some vowel and consonant sounds in the  BBC site and done some minimal pair activities.  Refer to this website for further study. Remember
 this site to keep working on the pairs studied so far. When you finish you can do more practice here.
Make sure you've gone through all the quizzes in the BBC site.

Let's start testing ourselves. Do this short test and tell me how you did. 
Now for the games:

• Try the minimal pair difference game on your own and later in pairs. 
• This one for silent letters

If you need extra explanation on any sound, click here and you'll get to learn how to pronounce all the symbols and sounds in English.


Finally explore this useful interactive