It's a boy

Hi students! As some of you already know I'm on maternity leave because last week I gave birth to a baby boy, Izan! We're both great and incredibly happy!!

I'll be off work for a few months in order to enjoy my kid and this new experience in my life. Consequently, I'm going to take a break on publishing things on the blog. I'll continue posting regularly next academic year. 

Live in English

source: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/412994228299034704/

Hey students! Do you remember I told you at the beginning of the academic year that at this level you should surround yourself by English as much as possible in your daily life? That means you should use your free time to read original version books in English or watch films or TV shows in English. Reading and listening are the basis for good writing and speaking. If you don't read and listen to English things daily you won't be able to write and speak properly in English. 

If you don't have much free time, as you always say, perhaps you can read one or two online articles of newspapers, such as The Guardian, or magazines, for instance Time Magazine, everyday. Or maybe you can follow some English blogs related to any topic you're interested in, decoration, DIY, fashion, history, etc. 

It's just a matter of finding your thing, that is to say, to find something entertaining for you so you don't feel that you're doing homework; you're using your free time in some kind of hobby but you're also practising the English language. 

Back to School

Hey students, we start a new school year today, so it's about time you prepare your things to go back to school. As you can see we have a new look on the blog. I hope you'll like it.

This blog has been created for English students and that means you can interact with me and with other students by writing comments on the posts. It's very easy to write a comment, just click on the comments at the end of each published post. 

Besides, if you find something interesting, you can share it with your friends so they can use it too. To share a post, use the buttons at the end of each published post (like the ones below). You can email the post or share it on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

Another way of following my blog is by subscribing to it. If you follow it by email, every time I publish something new on the blog you'll receive it in your inbox mail.

I'll also appreciate if you click on the 'Join this site' button and become a follower.

Good luck for all of you on this new school year. I hope you'll learn a lot.

10 Things I loved this Academic Year

1. Having fun with my advanced students. You've been such a challenging group. I loved it. 
   
   
   
2. Listening to my elementary students (A2 level) pronouncing the '-ed' past perfectly. The angels sound for English teachers. 
   
   
   
3. Teaching a reduced group of non-English teachers to help them teach their subject in English in the future. A new experience. It's always fun to try new things.
   
   
   
4. Working with Tom, our language assistant. We made a bit of fun of his Manchester accent, but it was great to have him. 
   
   
   
5. Watching adults having fun with board games, despite what some teachers may think. In our sort of non-compulsory education it's very important to motivate our students so they come to the next class. Besides, those games are pretty useful to practise the foreign language. 
   
   
   
6. Learning new things. I like teaching but I love learning and teaching advanced 2 is perfect for improving your knowledge.
   
   
   
7. Getting to know about school management, since I've been in the directing board this year. I got a hint of how things work from the inside. 
   
   
   
8. Seeing how the blog grows and knowing that my students find it useful. There's a lot of time into it and it's rewarding to know that it's useful. 
   
   
   
9. Receiving nice comments from my students, telling me how much they'll miss me, since I'm moving to a new EOI school next year. It's great to know that students are happy with you and your work. It seems I'm doing things well. 
   
   
   
10. All in all, getting to love my job one more year. Now it's time for the summer to start; time to relax, enjoy my free time with friends and family and recharge my batteries for the new year. Have a lovely summer!
    

Word of the week: Stay tuned

For the last post on word of the week before the summer starts, there you go the expression

stay tuned

which means to hang on or await more news on a subject. So, it means, there won't be any more posts during the summer, but the blog will be back in September.

Environment News

Our next discussion topic is going to be the environment. So, I recommend you start reading pieces of news or listening to some podcasts on this topic in order for you to get informed and learn some vocabulary on it. 

On the website Breaking News English you have many articles on this topic. You can read or listen to them. They even include exercises for you to practise your comprehension.

You can find another environmental post published on this blog here.

Snow, snow, snow!

Just a few weeks ago it snowed a lot in several parts of Spain, including our region. Being from the south of Spain it's very rare for me to see snow, and I must confess I smile like a child when I see it. However, it can be dangerous when you need to travel.

Now it seems to be snowing again! Not only in our region but all over Europe. Read the following article to see how snow is affecting countries around the world. 

Europe faces more travel chaos as snow turns into ice

Do you like it when it snows?

Speak Languages to Learn!

Have a look at this video made by teachers & students 

of Official Language Schools.

¡Defendamos la enseñanza pública de idiomas! from Matthieu Davière on Vimeo.

For a better future: study languages!

Encouragement for exams

We're starting our exams very soon and I'd like to encourage my students to do well. Don't get nervous, we're only practising for the real exams. 

Remember everything I've taught you and please study!! 

                                                       

Good luck!

New academic year: Making a difference!

So, here I am after a fantastic and very busy holiday period. Still I had time to enjoy with my husband, family and friends, time for myself, time to travel, to lie on the beach, and to finish my master project! 

Now, back to work! We're starting a new academic year with new students, new things to learn and work to do! 

The other day in class we had a short debate about what 'making a difference' means. And I want to show you this very inspiring image, to encourage you to make a difference, even a small one everyday of your life. 

What do you think, are you making a difference in this world? 

Enjoy the summer!

Hey everybody! After a whole long academic year it's time to relax and do all those things we didn't have time to do. It's been a very busy year for me, you know, working and studying at the same time. So I guess I earned my spare time. 

This is what I'm going to do and you should do it too! 

Spend time with friends 

Have a rest 

Read a good book

Take time for yourself

Quit the diet

Have some real couple time

Be happy!

Ready for the Exam!

Today my intermediate students 

have their final exam! 

I wish you, guys, all the luck in the world!

Don't get nervous! It's exactly the same as what we've been practising. So, you're more than prepared! You'll see!

          Besides, your my students! You can't fail!  

Happy Holidays

As you know the academic year in Spain is almost over now. This month I'll be doing exams and after that I'll be on holiday! 

During this time I won't be publishing posts as often as during the year but for sure I'll be back in September. 

Anyway, this blog's resources and materials will still be available for all the interested learners.

Why Complicate Life?

Today I want to share with you some inspiring words.

So, don't make life complicated. It can be so easy!

Have a nice day!

Happy Easter

Hey students!  
Enjoy the holiday & remember to take 
a lot of pictures & videos to include them in our wiki!

                           

Homework for Easter: 
Reading and Writing Portfolio 4 which you can find in the workbook on pages 76-77. It's a book review. So, if you have read a second book, write its review. If not, you can write a film review which follows the same structure.

The deadline for this composition is Monday 16th or Tuesday 17th April.

5 things that rocked my world this week!

1. I celebrated my birthday with my family this weekend and we managed to sit 17 people in my living room. We had a nice dinner and loads of laughs. Thanks a bunch to everyone, especially to my husband who helped me clean afterwards!

2. I started the 2nd term exams with my students and most of them show some progress, especially those who always come to class! Well done, students! Keep comming back!

3. I listened to some Irish music and saw some Irish dancing on Saint Patrick's Day, which reminded me of the lovely time I spent in Ireland and my Irish family. I miss you, guys!

4. One of my favourite writers finished a new book I've Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella, which I'll be buying online soon.

5. These motivating words I found.

BBC World News

There's no doubt about how important is it reading when you're learning a language. That's why from today on we have a new section on our blog the "BBC World News" which you can find on the right column. 

In this way you can get the latest headlines as soon as they're published by the BBC. You'll be not only informed but also learning English at the same time! 

Remember to check out the breaking news everyday!

Pieces of News

Newspapers can keep you informed of all the news that happened in your country or all over the world. Nowadays thanks to the Internet we don't need to go to the newsagent's and buy a paper newspaper. We can check the news online.

On this blog you have a list of newspapers from different countries in a column on the right. Therefore, you can practise your English while reading the news. You also have a Spanish newspaper with an English version.

Have a look at it!

Our Wiki on Easter

Hey Students!
Remember in our school we have the Easter Wiki Project.

You can participate by writing about Easter in Hellin or in any other Spanish town.
If you know a lot about Easter write about it.
If not, you can also talk about your own experience, about how you live Easter time.
You can include pictures, videos or you can even record a message.

Come on, enter the site and read your classmates messages and include your own.

You can use the following English vocabulary for the wiki.

Vocabulary on Easter

News: Hello Europe!

Congratulations students from Hellin. You have a new project: Hello Europe!
You can join our language assistant Kara Simmons in her speaking classes
on Fridays at 5pm in Centro Joven. They're free!
So, there's no excuse! Meet new people and practise English at the same time!