TEXTING LINGO

Now that you have given your opinion about the influence of the Internet on languages, I would like you to watch this video where David Crystal, a well-known professor of linguistics and important editor for Cambridge University Press, proves his theory on a BBC programme called "It's Only a Theory", his theory being: "Texting is good for the English language". 



Take note of his arguments to prove his theory and send me a SpeakPipe with the main arguments in his theory. Do you think he made his point?

Deadline: Tuesday 29th

It is a fact that texting has become a new genre of  communication. 

Check the periodic table of texting below:

Try the matching exercise below and learn some of the most common texting abbreviations.

Now try translating the following text messages into common language.

This is part of an essay written by a Scottish 13-year-old secondary school pupil. Work in pairs reading the texting and ‘translating’ it into English.

"My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we used 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :- @ kds FTF. ILNY, its gr8. Bt my Ps wr so {:-/ BC o 9/11 tht thay dcdd 2 stay in SCO & spnd 2 wks up N. Up N, WUCIWUG -- 0. I ws vvv brd in MON. 0 bt baas & ^^"

Make your own dialogues in this site with the help of this other site and send me the screenshot.


Look at the infographic below and try to get the information needed to answer these questions:

• How many mobile phones are there in the world?
• Which country has the highest number of phone subscribers?
• Who holds the record for the fastest typing on a phone?
• What did she type?
• How fast can you type it?

Finally, a couple of jokes:

Internet Influence on Language

"To Google" has become a universally understood verb and many countries are developing their own internet slang. But is the web changing language and is everyone up to speed? The Internet's impact on society in general and on language in particular has raised opposing standpoints. Listen to the article and try to fill in the blanks in the activity in your course. You needn't send me any results. They will automatically appear in your grade chart.

I'm displaying the activity here in case some of you have some connection difficulties and need to do it in the blog and send me the results. Deadline: Thrusday 10th

Now I would like to know your opinion about the matter. You can do some research to try to answer these questions accurately: What do you think of the impact of Internet and mobile messaging on language? Language itself changes slowly but, do you think the internet has speeded up the process of those changes so you notice them more quickly? Do you think those changes are for the better or for the worse? Has the language you used on the Internet influenced your academic written language? Being English the lingua franca on the Internet, do you think there is a new linguistic imperealism that leads to the destruction of other languages or cultures? Do you ever use English in your social web interactions? ...





Deadline: Wednesday 16th

A GAP YEAR PROJECT

As Problem-Based learning in the English as a Second Language classroom, you are going to work in the project designed below. You should do some research work, define your task, discard irrelevant information and get the valuable one, digest it and present it to your classmates in the most attractive and explanatory way you can find.

GROUPS	PRESENTATION DATES
Jose, Ricardo, Irene, Isaac	Wednesday 30th
Zoraida, Carmen, Lucia, Laura	Monday 21st
Paola, Laura, Nora, Miriam	Monday 28th
Sergio, Ivan, Maria, Manuel	Monday 21st
Ines, Guillermo, Paula	Monday 28th

SEPTEMBER 26th: EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES

As an ESL teacher, I'd like to raise awareness of the need to learn one or more foreign languages. Language ability brings more than just economic benefits. It encourages us to become more open to others, their cultures and attitudes, and people who can communicate confidently with those of other cultures are likely to be more tolerant. And if that was not enough, studies have been showing that speaking several languages is one of the best exercises your brain can get. Even up to postponing the onset of Alzheimer's by 4 to 5 years.

At the initiative of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001 on 26th September. You can surf the web for some fun and facts.


Listen to the following track by www.eslholidaylessons.com and try to fill in the gaps below:

Start by doing this test to self-evaluate your language skills according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Now let's check if your guess was right!

(Share Clip)

Whatever your result was, we should admit Spaniards have always had difficulties in learning foreign languages, especially English. Just notice the role our politicians still play at International Meetings where they can hardly communicate with their colleages. However, Chancellor Merkel is fluent in Russian and English; Russian President Vladmir Putin speaks English, German and French and France's President François Holland gets by in English. David Cameron and Barack Obama, on the other hand, are not fluent in any foreign languages. Check this for celebrities speaking other languages.

Send me a voicemail explaining your view on this matter: Why do you think Spain struggles with English? You may do some research to support your opinion. Don't hesitate to blame whoever or whatever and suggest some ideas to improve our proficiency in English. On the contrary, do you think this is not true any more?

Deadline: Saturday 28th

BACK TO LEARNING ENGLISH IN APLE 2

I'd like to welcome you all back and to start this new school year, first of all, I'd like to ask you why. Why learn a 2nd or a 3rd language? You may or may not have your own reasons but below you have a video from ABC news that talks about the advantages of being bilingual or learning another language.

Let's watch it and comment later on.

But the main reason for you to be eager to learn English should be so as not to sound like our dearest mayor "Ana Bottle" during her speech to the IOC.



Now study one of the following infographics and prepare a short talk based on it:

APLE2 GRADING CRITERIA

Check the file to learn about grading criteria this year.

APLE'S LAST ASSIGNMENT

APLE 1 After so many projects and assignments with the APLE 1 group, I've decided to share their final assignment: "A year in review" where they shared their feelings and experiences along this school year. I hope you return in a few years to this "envelope" you created and "open it" to listen to how you felt when you were 17.

Great party, by the way!!

 

The Year in Review by Ana C., Ana Z. and Carmen



The Year in Review by Inés and Lorena




The Year in Review by Irene G., Irene M. and Irene B.



The Year in Review by Laura D. and Daniel



The Year in Review by Lucía



The Year in Review by Manuel and María



The Year in Review by Nora, Laura L. and Paola


The Year in Review by Paula and Guillermo

  

The Year in Review by Zoraida, Sara and Miriam