Traditional eggnog

Here you have a video with the instructions for traditional eggnog, a flavoury drink that is normally drunk at Christmas time all over the USA. You can do it with or without alcohol or make any other changes (for example, I don't like whisky so I added rhum instead) Don't forget to add nutmeg, that's the key ingredient!!!

For intermediate levels, activate the subtitles in youtube

The History of Christmas

Going on with the history-of-the-holidays saga, here you have another cultural video of History Channel on the real origins of Christmas

Hope you find it useful

Unit 2-Test and correction

Dear all, Here you have the link to Unit 2 test and key. Click here

I hope these tests help you check your progress

Pay or die

Future "re-paid" ambulance

Yesterday we were talking about how difficult it becomes sometimes to remember a good and positive piece of news. And I couldn't agrre more.

This morning, as I was having breakfast, I happened to read this article. I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES!!! What are we suppossed to expect next time?

Any reaction? (You can comment down this post under the "comments" section)

The Wildborns strike again

Dear all,

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you a wonderful song from a young rock'n'roll band that are struggling to get their right place in the national and international level.
Wondeful rhythm, nice lyrics, great videos and catchy music that would do a favour to your ears.

If you wanna know more about them click here or visit their site here.

You can't miss it! Hope you like them and enjoy the activity.

Present perfect simple and continuous

This week in Intermediate 1 we've been working in class with two different tenses: present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. Since the differences might be difficult at the very beginning, here you have an interesting presentation that could help you distinguish between them. I hope you find it useful

Thanksgiving Day

I'm aware we're living very hard times but have you ever stopped to think about the many things we DO have and take for granted? Today is a special day to feel thankful about all of them. 

Thanksgiving is an unknown tradition for most of Europeans, but it is celebrated today across the USA. Watch here a video about the history of this important American holiday.

You can read the transcript here.

Inversions

Since you may've had been having problems with them, here you are a presentation that could be useful for the better understanding of inversions

And here you have some interesting exercises

Inversions with negative advervialsMany others

New English File Intermediate CD 1

As some people suggested, here you have the mp3 of the book if you need to practise listening at home

(You can also find it in the right-hand column of this blog, under the label New English File Listenings-CD 1)

I hope you use it!!!

Are native teachers the best?

Dear students,

According to the outcomes coming from your survey, I've noticed that less than a 10% of you consider that having a native teacher would be better for your learning.

I want you to read this interesting article and give your opinion about it (use the comments below, they're there for you) Is expertise the key or is it having a native teacher?

Obama's been re-elected!!!

Dear students,

As you may probably know, Obama will be the president of the USA for the next four years.
Here you have the video with the full version of his victory speech:

Then, if you want, you can do a gap-fill activity here. Since the video is very long, I've been forced to cut the video in two pieces (the second one starts in minute 18:45, so you'll have to move the browser FORWARD)

What do you think about it? Is it a good speech? Is Obama a good politician?

Theater in English

Dear all,

I've got the pleasure to announce that the school is planning an outdoors activity. This time, we'll go to the theater to see "A Christmas Carol. A Pantomime" , which is a wonderful piece by the Madrid Players. For more information you can click here

We are going to book tickets for December, the 7th (Friday season) at 7.30 pm. The school's got a special discount and the tickets' price is 8 Euro per person (you'll save 4 euro).

If you want to come, let me know and I'll note down your names in the list. The deadline to give me the money expires on November the 22nd. 

Past simple, past continuous and past perfect

If you still think you need more exercises about the past, click here for further practice.

You can only visit the book on-line here

U.S. elections, a war of the titans?

Today is a vital day for most Americans. They're deciding his leader and it seems that the polls are really, really closed. You can read an interesting article about it here. To learn how the American voting system works, you can also watch the following video

Finally, watch this video about Homer Simpson voting in this election. It might make you think a bit before you vote next time ;-)

Adele sets fire to the rain

Do you know this girl? Her name is Adele and she's a very famous British singer. She's only 24 years old and has already been awarded 8 Grammys and 3 Brit Awards. She has a very special voice, which makes her perfect for blues, jazz and soul, but also pop.

This is her last hit. I hope you like the song and the activity, too.

Trick or treat???

How much do you know about Halloween? Here's the video we're watching today.

   

If you wanna cook the traditional pumpkin pie we saw in class, here you have a different recipe.

 Happy scary halloween!!!!

Relationships and couples

Last week we focused on the differences between genders and way of thinking.

Yesterday we started to analyse different human relationships (friendship, couples...) and we saw in class a funny video entitled "How to break up with your girlfriend in 64 easy steps". Though a bit exagerated, do you feel identified? Do you recognise the different stages?

Here you have the video in case you want to watch it again

For more videos like this, click here

Survey

Hello,

I think that in order to have a good class atmosphere, it is vital to know what your opinion is.

That's why I've created a survey for you to help me improve in the classes and to have some feedback from you. It takes less than a minute to complete it and you are doing it in an anonymous way, of course.

Click here to complete it.

Thank you

Correction code

Yesterday in class, I told you that I use a correction code for your compositions. From my own experience, I think this method is useful because it'll help you learn from your mistakes.


Click here to see it. You can also save it in your computer.

Misunderstandings and the importance of pronunciation

As we saw the first day of class, Spaniards are not the only ones having problems with English. Sometimes, there are also other people who find pronunciation very hard because of many different reasons (e.g. they don' have these sounds in their corresponding mother tongues). This is what happened to...

a French guy wanting to learn English

an Italian man who went to Malta

 a German coast guard

I hope you have fun!!!

See you

Entry test for intermediate-answers

Dear all,

With some delay, here you are the answers of the test you did the first day of class. I hope you all have passed!!!

Click here to check

See you

Hello, EOI Villaverde!!!

Hi all,

Welcome to this new academic year 2012-2013. This year I'll be teaching two levels: intermediate 1 and advanced 2. So if you want to see what activities are available for you, click on the corresponding level under the "labels" section (right-hand column of this blog) and choose intermediate or advanced.

I hope you come to my classes and enjoy them!!!

Nice to meet you

Marta

Farewell

Dear all, Yesterday I had no time to see you off. Here you are a farewell message. See you

 

The meaning of frienship

Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi have a powerful friendship born of unthinkable loss. Rodriguez' son was killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001; el-Wafi's son Zacarias Moussaoui was convicted of a role in those attacks and is serving a life sentence. In hoping to find peace, these two moms have come to understand and respect one another.

What do you think about this?


 

World Day against Child Labour

It's incredible that something like this is still happening in the 21st century, but some children around the world aren't as lucky as you are. They don't even have a right to an education and are forced to work at a very early age.


A couple of months ago, the UNO celebrated the World Day against Child Labour. This was a day to raise some awareness on the topic and call for the following:

• Universal ratification of the ILO’s Conventions on child labour (and of all ILO core Conventions)
• National policies and programmes to ensure effective progress in the elimination of child labour
• Action to build the worldwide movement against child labour

Watch this video about children in the Congo. Then, complete the gaps below

Theater in English

Do you want to go to the theater? Do you have an intermediate or advanced level of English? If so, you can't forget to see "The Master and Margerite" by Complicite, belonging to a series of plays taking part in el Festival de Otoño en Primavera.


The play will be represented next Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 in Teatro Canal.


Here you have more information and you can buy your tickets on-line here

An unusual weather reporter

On a visit to the Scottish BBC premises, Prince Charles decided to become a weather reporter for a minute.

Have a look at this video. Can you imagine Prince of Asturias doing the same? Why/not?

Most common mistakes in English (made by Spanish speakers)

As somebody suggested, here you are a presentation with the most common mistakes you all make. I'll add a list in the forthcoming days with some other that are also recurrent.

Meryl Streep - Oscar's Backstage interview 2012

Do you like cinema? What do you think about the role of Meryl Streep playing "The Iron Lady"? Did you like it? Do you think she deserved it or, on the other hand, do you consider there are more young actors and actresses to be given the chance?


Try to do the gap fill activity. Then, try to guess what the journalists' questions were.

COLDPLAY

Do you like this pop band? Personally, I love them. It was a pity, but I could'nt go to the concert cause all the tickets were sold out. Here you have a song that is being a heavy rotation right now. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Adding emphasis

Do you like the Princess of Cambridge? It's been now more that a year that she became a member of the English Royal Family and ever since she's done a lot of public appearances. Here you are the first time she gave a speech by her own in front of an audience. You can do the "fill-gap activity", an exercise in which you can practise ways of adding emphasis orally.

 

Smoke and The Convenient Truth

Do you smoke? Either you are a heavy smoker or not, you should spend the following 5 minutes watching this video. It's worth watching it. Any reaction?

   

 If after watching it, you've decided to give it up, click here to get some advice

21 accents

So you think you will never be able to reproduce an English accent? Sure you are!!!

Watch this video. Where do you think this girl is from? 

Social networks in our lifes

Don't you think that sometimes social networks absorb a lot of our free time? This is also what happened to Kyle, one of the characters of Southpark.

Watch part 1 of the chapter and then complete the exercise below

Note: Gap number 7 is not mentioned in the recording. The answer is "surprise". Sorry about it!!!