21 October 2011 / by Radmila Gurkova

Friday Meeting 21/10/2011

This weeks meeting focus is on telephone classes, the S1 beginners’ course, Legal (Law course) and P4 structure material. Although we’ve had positive feedback on most issues covered in the meeting, we still need to improve in some areas.

This year we began teaching low-level (P2) telephone classes and although at the beginning it was a bit tough because most of the time was spent on explaining each activity done, now the teachers have created new activities which make it more teacher friendly to teach over the phone. However, there is still big room for improvement and we want to know how we can teach an effective 30 minute class.

We’ve just opened up a new Legal course and wanted some feedback on how to begin the course. Where do we start? How can we incorporate our method to this course? Next week we will cover this topic more in-depth.

 

The S1 beginners’ course is still underway and so far we have reached the half way mark, and as the weeks go by the S1 course is modified and changed slightly with all the feedback that teachers give in these meeting. More flashcards are being added to aid the student to fluency at this level

The P4 structure material this week has been a bit repetitive. We’ve had the similar structure activities focusing on reported speech. On the one hand, this is a great way to practice a structure in different ways in class (if it is a low-level P3) however, for a P4 or P5 (high and advanced levels) we need to think of different structure material that we could use in class as repetition leads to boredom in class and this is what we want to avoid.

03

March 2012
Is it Rain, Rein or Reign?
by Radmila Gurkova
Do you know the difference between 'rain', 'rein' and 'reign'? The rain ‘NOT’ in Spain Here are examples of Homonyms, homophones - words that...

03

March 2012
I am quite happy that I quit my job.
by Radmila Gurkova
What is the difference between quiet and quit? Quit - to stop/to give up Will you quit it? I quit sm...

03

March 2012
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain or plane
by Radmila Gurkova
Is it Plain or Plane? Plain Adjective - simple, uncomplicated, obvious, common ...

03

March 2012
I've had enough
by Radmila Gurkova
Do you know how to use the word 'enough'? Enough can be used as an adverb or as an adjective to express degree ...

03

March 2012
The rain 'NOT' in Spain
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVmU3iANbgk ''The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain'' Have you heard this expression before? It is from My Fair Lady, a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. It is very common for practicing pronunciation, especially of -ei- However did you know that there has now ben no rain in S...

03

March 2012
Piranhas attack 20 people in ''Feeding Frenzy''
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Tui0Gbvq4&feature=related On February 21st twenty bathers were attacked in a river while swimming off a beach in southern Brazil. Suddenly they felt biting and severe nibbling to their feet and legs. Man-eating Palometas - a species of Piranha, attacked their legs and feet! The victims were ...

02

March 2012
Friday Fun: The History of English #9
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPltpdu9KGM&feature=relmfu This week the history of English video series looks at the impact of the Internet on the English language... Did you know that the word 'Google' is now in the English ...

27

February 2012
At the height of his career
by Radmila Gurkova
Idioms are forms of expressions used in languages. Idioms are not meant to be translated literally for example: it's raining cats and dogs (it means it is raining a lot) At the height of.....Have you ever heard this expression? There are many idioms with the word height. Take a look at the Height of: The period when something is s...

26

February 2012
Woolly Mammoths in Andalucia
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlwMYnoCGsM&feature=fvst It has been discovered that Andalucía was as cold as Scandinavia – and Woolly Mammoths foraged for food and shelter Remains have been found in Granada showing that the Pleistocene Period (a glacial period) – was prevalent in Spain during the ice age. This now proves tha...

26

February 2012
Olympic Swimmer Proposes to Girlfriend on Medal Stand
by Radmila Gurkova
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWvLNgh2-c Last weekend a two time gold medallist proposed to his girlfriend immediately after receiving his award for winning the 100-meter backstroke. The whole proposal was concocted by Matt Grevers and his brother –  swimming coach –Andy Grevers, to get his girlfriend and swimming partner, Ann...