Can and can't

If you want to revise this topic with little children, the best thing is to show them pictures of different super heroes such as: Superman, Spiderman, Wonderwoman, Batman. Show them one by one and ask them: Can Batman fly?, Can Superman jump high? Can Wonderwoman run fast? Can Spiderman jump from one building to another one?. Then you can ask these and more questions about them. In the end children can draw a super hero and write sentences about she or he using can and can´t.

Alejandra Vecchiarelli

Conversation

One topic of conversation for intermediate students onwards may be to talk about the past, the present and the future. To begin the class, you may write PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE on the board, so they may write something about themselves. Students then read their sentences. Then they can copy these three categories on their folders or otherwise you can provide them with an answer sheet. They can write three or four questions in each category. For example:

PAST: Where were you when the Twin Towers collapsed?

PRESENT: What do you think should be done to prevent car accidents in Argentina?

FUTURE: What do you think will happen with our environment in ten years time?

Once they have finished writing them, they can work in pairs, then they can change partners to go on asking and answering questions.

While they are writing the questions they can listen to classical music or any type of music to concentrate and relax.

Alejandra Vecchiarelli

Environment

1)Our everyday lives and activities have an impact on the environment. We can determine how much of an impact we have by being responsible in the way we do things! Here are some of the simple things you can do to help our environment...

2)Wash the car on the lawn or at a car wash to stop soapy water going down the drains and into the sea!

3)Plant a native tree at home or in the community. These absorb CO2 and help to protect biodiversity

4)Turn off the tap while washing teeth your to save water!

5)Start a worm bin or compost for food scraps and garden clippings. This reduces the amount of waste going to landfill and will provide nutrients for the garden!

Internet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcWpkWBX04E

Text message SMS

What is a text message? It is a phone but without the need for instant input. As the number of characters per text is limited, language needs to be compact and abbreviated as much as possible. For example:

cul8r ( see you later)

Speak 2u l8r ( speak to you later)

On my way 2 u ( I´m on my way to meet you).

There are lots of abbreviations created every minute, every texter has a different style, and in some cases it is very common to adopt private codes.

Here are some abbreviations:

L8r------later

TOM------ tomorrow

CU-------- see you

BBFN------- bye-bye for now

ASAP-------- as soon as possible

4vr-----------forever

TKS----------thanks

B4------------before

Can you invent some more?

Alejandra Vecchiarelli

Teacher´s Magazine no 72

Feng Shui

A conversation class for pre-fce about Feng Shui turned out to be something very interesting where students were very enthusiastic and did not stop talking. That day, I remember it would have been wonderful to have more time because one hour and a half were not enough. I started it asking them if they had special places at home, if they felt a particular way. I also asked them if they considered the place we are could affect the way we feel and think. The second step was to listen to recorded material that dealt with the origins of Feng Shui, the chi ( that means energy), the benefits of feng shui. Why is the clutter so important, etc. They had to answer some questions about it. Then they read more about Feng Shui and according to the tips for the home they had to apply it to different pictures in a house.

Would you like to know more about Feng Shui? Here are some things to be considered:

..."-Mirrors lift energy and expand places, but need to be used with caution in bedrooms. They should never face each other because they bounce chi between them.

-Plants have healthy positive energy and can be used everywhere but not near the cooker. Here they can make the fire energy too strong.

-Crystals attract energy. They can also help with healing and your career. It is useful to hang them in the centre of a window..."

Alejandra Vecchiarelli

Speaking Extra Cambridge University Press

The poison word

You can play this game with intermediate students onwards. The idea is to communicate something for example: explain how to make pizza, explain how to whistle, tell how to plant a tree and many others things you want to include. You may have sample cards so each student takes one and he or she is going to explain what it appears on it. There are certain words that students must not say for instance: it, you, well, like. You will decide this or otherwise you can roll a die to determine that " Poison word" Students must speak during one minute without saying THE word, If they remain silent for more than 15 seconds they are disqualified. When the minute is over a signal is given and the speaker can stop.

Alejandra Vecchiarelli

A volcano erupting in the class

As some of my students studied weather disasters for example: tornados, hurricanes, drought, flood, earthquakes, volcanoes, we did an experiment in class. They learned about the different parts of them ( crater, cone, lava, magma, ash, crust and smoke).They also studied about the Vesuvius in Italy. The experiment consisted of building a clay volcano and watching it erupt with red food colouring some vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. Students were flabbergasted and so was I.

Alejandra Vecchiarelli