What's in the news?

Keep in touch with the latest news. Listen to the BBC.
Improve your vocabulary and pronunciation on the way.

Remember our class feature 'What's in the news?' Who would like to be the first? Up to 10 minutes in the beginning of the class. We could start this term, why not?

Writing an essay ... CRITERIA

Next lesson you'll be writing your own essay suggesting solutions to problems.
You should refer to the general assessment criteria of written text  but these specific criteria should also be crystal clear:

Is the PROBLEM  clearly stated (its causes and consequences)?
Are TOPIC SENTENCES clear and relevant  according to the principle: 
-- 1 paragraph –> 1 problem  + expected results of proposed measure

Is there a suitable CONCLUSION?

Are ideas organised in a logical sequence?

Are  linking words used appropriately?

Is there clear evidence of recently acquired language/vocabulary?

Now, I'm sure you can self-asses your text.

Essay Suggesting Solutions to problems

Next lesson, Tuesday, 26, we'll be welcoming* our Hungarian friends :-) but besides that we'll also be doing some work. Learning how to write an essay suggesting solutions to problems. Print the worksheets and bring them to class. Please don't forget.
 * 11-8 only :-(

Connecting Worlds

Here is a project that might interest (at least some of) you. It's called CONNECTING WORLDS and this year's edition focuses on A CHANGING WORLD - A JIGSAW PUZZLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION which means, quoting the promoters,  "the construction of citizenship within an intercultural society, promoting individual and collective actions and attitudes for change to contribute to the creation of an equitable, diverse and fair world".
Take a look at the site. It might be interesting to join either as the whole class or as a small group. To be started in the Spring term, only, so we have time to think about it. It is useful to know that this is an international project so you'd be working with other schools, from a number of different countries.

Making Notes

Some of you read a text about the Greenhouse Effect, the others a text about the Ozone Layer. Click here to read both texts.
Your task was to share and explain the newly acquired information with your colleagues, since you read different texts. To do so you needed to rely on your notes. Note taking, or note making, though, is not such an easy task. That's why I first showed you some examples of good notes. Click here to view this document.

I hope that the distinction between these two concepts is now clear for everyone. It should now be clear what we talk about when we talk about Global Warming.

Lisbon Players

Who would like to organise an evening out?

 
The Lisbon Players have a programme that is hard to ignore: A FESTIVAL OF ONE-ACT PLAYS.
What do you reckon?

Plastic Pollution

For the next two weeks or so we'll be building up vocabulary and brushing up our grammar so we can start a new project. Yes, the one that will take us to get to know Lisbon a little bit better.
We'll cover all 4 topics in our syllabus. One of our first activities will be to listen to BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English about Plastic Pollution.
Here is the link:

Remember the advice: listen to it again, and repeat after them ... in the quiet of your home. You'll be amazed how quickly you'll pick up native-like pronunciation (both stress and intonation). Give it a try.
Active listening is the buzzword this week.

By the way, here is another BBC listening activity you might like to try. You're right, it's about FLUENCY.

You can listen, read the script and ... repeat after them.

Your portfolio

Here is a reminder as far as your portfolio is concerned. By now you should have: 
-- LEARNING JOURNAL
#1 Your expectations
#2 The field trip to CCB - Os Gémeos
#3 Comments on GW and poster
 -- WORK PLAN (see self-assessment/European grid, Diagnostic test and any corrections so far)

-- POSTER

-- Selection of YEAR 10

 -- VOCABULARY Section (organise by topics) and GRAMMAR Section (optional)
Note: optional does not mean that you don't have to do it! Just that you may choose between having it on your exercise book or in your portfolio.

Follow this LINK on a regular basis to check Wrap Ups and Portfolio

Wrap up of Unit 1 - Making sense of the syllabus

Well, the unit is over and all presentations done. To wrap up this unit there are 3 things I have to say:

First of all,  I hope you enjoyed working in your new group. In my view, no changes are needed. Of course, there are a number of points to improve, namely how the 'organiser' can fully carry out his/her role, and perhaps how to make the most of the time available. But that's what we are here for, right?

Secondly, I must say that you did quite well and I think most objectives were achieved. All of you have, by now, a fairly good idea of what our syllabus is about, regarding the key topics. What's more you raised some questions and issues that will help organise classwork in the future. Last but not the least, you actually practised your reading,  listening, writing, and communication/collaboration skills.

Finally, here are your posters, which are evidence of what I have just said :-)
(Sorry, I'll post them later.)