Level 4 >> Post 8 (week 13): English Language Challenges

Talk about your English learning experience

• What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university? What about the use of blogs?
• What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
• Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for? Speaking? Reading?
• How do you expect to use English in the future, once you've finished your undergraduate studies?

- Wordcount: 260
- Make comments on 3 of your partners' posts.

Sample:

Hello friends! I came to talk about my learning experience. I really enjoyed spending time in class, because I learned and practiced a lot of  English. I don’t like English so much, but it's been fun participating in pair work and group work with my classmates. We get to talk about interesting topics and we practice real-life situation such as ordering food in a restaurant or buying clothes.

Without any doubt the blog has helped me, I decided to do the posts by myself, without the help of an online translator. And I actually  did it! It's not perfect but I don't have to correct every time I write. The topics could be more interesting, though. I'd like to be able to choose my own. For future experiences with the other courses, some things I would like to say about this class is that I would prefer to write more about some themes I'm interested in. I understand that you put the same theme for everyone as to evaluate all students with the same difficulty but maybe if we could write more about things we care about that will motivate us more.It is very clear for me that I still have so much to learn! But at least now I have the will to overcome the shock that English causes me. 

Right now I use English mainly to read articles and book chapters related to my studies. I'm trying to understand movies and videos without recurring to Spanish subtitles and sometimes I can understand what the actors are saying. It gets a little easier with time.

In the future, I expect to use English in conversation. For example, talking to other students and researchers in my field, specially by Skype. It's really necessary nowadays. I can write short emails now and I think I'll be writing more complex stuff in the future such as articles and abstracts. I really look forward to learning more English.

LEVEL 4 >> Post 7 >> week 11 --- Problems and what you did to solve them

You have to write about problems you've has this year at the university, at home or in your life in general. For example, you broke up with someone, you lost something valuable, 

Among other things, you should write about:

> What problem you had
> How you felt at the time
> If anyone helped you
> What you did to sort it out
> Were you able to solve the problem

> Upload a picture

- Comments: Ask students to leave a comment on your sample post + 3 of their classmates posts.
- Word Count for post 8: 240 words

Post 6 Postgraduate studies

Write about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future.
Include:

- Reasons to do the course
- Subject(s) you would like to study
- Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)
- How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)
-What advice can you give to other students who want to study a postgraduate course?
- Any other relevant ideas

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

- Word Count: 220 words

SAMPLE

This is a difficult question, but I think I'd like to study a doctorate in English Literature. I'd like to do this because I love reading poetry and narrative in English and it's far more interesting than teaching English as a Second Language. I would like to become an expert in this field so I can teach about English literature and its history to students from other countries, as well as language skills. Of course, I'd like to study this in some university in the UK or the States, not a really famous one, because they're so expensive, but a good public one. I'd have to apply early on and start saving money for the trip and expenses. I could also get a scholarship teaching Spanish to help me finance my studies.
Students should research a lot before applying to a university. There are many things that need to be considered: fees, travel expenses, scholarships, accomodations. You are going to live in another country for at least 5 or 6 years.
I like going to class and talking to my professor and my classmates face-to-face so I won't take a distance learning course. Too much internet for me! I'll probably work as well so maybe I should take a part-time course. I don't know yet. Well, I'm going to keep on looking. Wish me luck!

LEVEL 4 - Post 5: My Future Job (week 7)

- What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it?

- Outdoors /indoors?

- Would you like to travel a lot in your job?

- What about the salary?

- What major are you studying / are you thinking of taking?    Explain why

- Add any other related ideas.

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

I'd love to have a permanent job teaching English at a major university. I'd like to have some kind of creative position where I could design new materials for teachers to use in their classrooms. I'd like to help teams of teachers to achieve the best results with their students that way. I'm comfortable working in an office, although I love to take my students on field trips around the city as a great learning opportunity. If I have the chance I'll probably take a course in designing resources for the classroom. I also like to explore how technology can help the learning process, so I'd like to apply many kinds of software for students to create their own products in English. 

- Word Count: 210 words

Post N°4 Free themed blog: Amazing advances in my career (chemistry, biochemistry or pharmacy)

You have to write a blog post regarding recent or historical advances in your career. Make sure to talk about:

• name and describe the discovery, invention or advance in knowledge or technology
• identify the people behind this advance (scientists, chemists, pharmacists, etc.)
• say when and where it happened
• describe the changes it brought or might bring
• describe one positive and one negative consequence
• give your personal opinion about this advancement.
• upload a picture.

SAMPLE:

I'd like to talk to you about matches. Yes, these simple objects that help us light the cooker or a cigarette didn't exist until 1826. So imagine how difficult it was to procure fire before that time. John Walker is the name of the pharmacist who discovered matches by accident. He noticed a dried lump on the end of a stick while he was stirring some chemicals. The lump ignited when he tried to scrape it off. He could start a fire by striking the stick anywhere!These were the first friction matches. The chemicals he used were antimony sulphide, potassium chlorate, gum, and starch.
Walker marketed the first friction matches as “Friction Lights” and sold them at his pharmacy. The initial matches were made of cardboard but he soon replaced those with three-inch long hand-cut wooden splints; the matches came in a box equipped with a piece of sandpaper for striking. Walker's friction match revolutionised the production, application and the portability of fire because, before matches, producing fire was a slow process and you needed an appropiate space to make one. But now you could carry your matches anywhere and have an easy and quick way to light a fire, instead of using a fire-drill which is very slow and laborious.

The first matches could be pretty dangerous. First of all because they could easily self-ignite and second, they were made from dangerous chemical compounds like white phosphorus.
Replacements for white phosphorus matches were safety matches that were devised Swede Gustaf Erik Pasch and Johan Edvard Lundström. By utilizing red phosphorus only on the igniting surface, the matches itself were made perfectly safe for environment and health.

I think that matches are a great invention. They are cheap, easy to use and pretty safe, although some brands aren't so good and the match breaks or little chips of lighted sulphur jump out and can burn your clothes. Another bad thing is that they can't get wet or they'll be useless. All in all, matches are very useful in your every day life. I wouldn't know what to do without them.

Post 3 Free themed blog The most memorable book or movie you have read or seen.

Choose one of the following topics

The most memorable book you've read.

The most memorable movie you've seen.

Say

What movie/book it was
What's it about.
When you read or saw it
What were the circumstances
How did it move/touch/impact you (Did you cry? Did you think a lot after reading or seeing it)
Why do you think it moved you?
Would you see it again?
Do you recommend it?

Post a picture


Word Count: 180 words

Sample

I remember a movie that really moved me a lot. It was called "Goodbye Lenin" and it was about an East German family who has to adapt to the fusion of the two Germanies after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The protagonist's mother is very ill and he has to do everything to make her believe that nothing has changed, that they are still living in a socialist country. I saw it a few years ago at my house. I was with my girlfriend and we had rented it at Blockbuster. We had bought popcorn and some beer and we were quite happy to see the movie together. All was fine until the second half when I started to cry and I couldn't stop for several minutes. I think it made me cry because it represents a generation of people who lived through the Cold War, of dreams that didn't come true. I also believe that the son's devotion to his mother and his fear of her death is very moving. The film is so sad and tragic in many senses. I liked this movie a lot and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

LEVEL 4 >> Post N°2 The best Holidays/Concert ever (week 4)

Write about one of the following topics:

You should mention:

Holidays:

- when it was
- where you went
- how long it was
- people you went with
- things/activities you did
- why it has been the best so far
- any other relevant info

Concert:

- when / where it was
- the artist you saw
- a bit of info about the artist
- describe the atmosphere during the event
- describe how you felt and why you enjoyed it
- any other memories about it



>>Word count: 170
>>Leave comments on 3 of your classmates posts + comments on your teacher's post.


SAMPLE

My very best vacation was last year. I traveled to Mexico with my girlfriend and toured much of the country. It was so amazing and we stayed there for almost a month! We visited the Mayan pyramids in Yucatán. There I took a lot of pictures which I posted on my blog. I bought a tiny pyramid as a souvenir. After two days, we flew to Cancún for a lovely weekend under the sun. I did some watersports while my Katie took sunbaths and swam in the warm ocean. After that we traveled to Mexico City and visited all the museums and the huge UNAM. We saw a lot of mural paintings by Rivera and visited Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul. It was incredible. We saw so much culture and learned a lot about how Mexicans live daily. It was by far the most adventurous vacation I've ever had.

2nd Term 2016 / LEVEL 4 >> POST 1 (Week 3) >> A COUNTRY I'D LIKE TO VISIT

• Which country would you like to go to? Why?
• What do you know about it?
• What would you like to do there?
• Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.
• Upload pictures
• Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post
• Word Count: 160 words

Sample

Hi everybody! Today I will write about a country I want to visit.
I've always wanted to travel to Japan. I think it's because I like their people,
food and customs. I really admire the way in which they have advanced in spite of all the circumstances. I also admire all the advances in science and technology that they have made.

If I go there some day, the first thing I will do is to eat a lot of their delicious food; I think it is fantastic! Second, I will travel around the country to meet people and know places. I would like to know a lot about their culture and lifestyle too.

If I have the opportunity, I'd like to work there for a year, maybe teaching English or Spanish at a school or college. This would give me the chance to get to know more of their culture.

Well, I hope that some day I can go to Japan and make my dream true.