One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell

When I started writing blogs I didn't use to introduce the topics until one students told me he would have liked to know what my experience was regarding one topic. That's when I decided I should write posts myself, instead of just asking you to write things...

Sometimes it's difficult to find things to say, specially when students vote for topics such as football, sports, or videogames... things I hate!

Personally, I think having a blog is a really useful tool for learning English. First you are forced to write. Also, you can ask your teacher for help and advice, which is very useful for improving and learning. Additionally, you read what your classmates' write and leave comments, which is a way of interacting.

In my experience working with blogs, I have seen how students improve, provided they ask for help during the lab sessions, and provided they use the dictionary and not the translator (¬¬). Students don't usually understand the difference between using one or the other... pity! Because they are extremely different. Besides, any teacher can tell when a student has used a translator, because the texts look fake and Spanish like...

What do you think of this blogging experience? Think about it because that's what you will have to write about today.

In your entry you can mention:

- Did you enjoy it? Why? Why not?
- Do you think you improved your English? Why? How?
- Give your opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of blogging in the English class.

- Minimum 200 words
- Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

Cool Under Heat

Just the other day I was thinking about this... I've always claimed that I prefer autumn and winter over the other seasons. However, I think that's changed. Being now in winter I've come to realise I hate it. I hate feeling cold and how quickly my dogs get smelly... I also hate the fact that when it's cold I never feel like playing with them because I never want to go outside... I hate not being able to go for drinks with friends outside, at the terrace or something. 

Nevertheless, this does not mean I like the summer either. I hate the summer more than I hate the winter... I hate sweating so much, and I do sweat! I hate not being able to take naps without the fan on... I hate having to be slim (xD) so as not to look bad in my clothes (I'm shallow, I know). I hate eating salad. 

I think if I had to choose my favourite season I wouldn't even choose autumn or spring. Autumn, for me, is kind of the same as winter, to be honest. Not nice. Spring is crazy, it's cold and sunny and you cannot leave the house without a sweater anyway... I think the perfect season for me would be something like summer nights, but when they're normal, not extreme like the ones we have today. Being able to go out without a jacket and without feeling too hot you can't stop sweating and stuff. A season which is not windy, so my bangs stay in their position all day long (shallow!!!). Besides, if the world had only those seasons homeless people would not suffer sleeping on the streets (deep!!) and that would definitely be great. 

What about you? Do you have a favourite season? Tell us about it now. 

In your post you can mention: 

- What it is and why you like it 

- What is the good/bad thing about it 

- What do you usually do during that season

- Etc. 

 Write about 190 words. 

Leave comments on 3 of your classmates entries.

Pretty Green

Hi all. Today we have a new webquest for you. Remember webquests have individual marks, so you MUST do it!!!

Since the world is worse each day in terms of pollution and stuff, we thought it would be interesting to use that topic in today's webquest, so follow the instructions and apply what you learn today to your life, that way we will be able to make the world a better place (or place at all). 

Remember to check your e-mail to find the form you have to send me with your answers. The questions and instructions are in it. 

The Place I Love

This is my old bedroom

If I could choose one place in the world that I really like I would have to choose my bedroom. Seriously, I know it’s not really original and stuff, but whenever I feel uncomfortable somewhere I dream of coming home and resting in my bed, so I guess that means something, right?

My bedroom is very big and I have many things in it. I have a TV, my computer, my books, my CDs and music players, so it is a fun place to be. Also, I have a heater and a fan, so it’s suitable for any season. The only thing it does not have is a cooker. I think if I had a cooker it would be the perfect bedroom, although it would smell like food and it would be kind of disgusting in a way. But still, it would be an even better place to be, I think. I spend lots of time in my bedroom, I have everything I need in it and I can study there or do leisure activities when I want to.

What about you? Do you have a favourite place in the world? It could be a place in your house or a place you used to visit when you were little that is full of nice memories. It could also be a place you spend a lot of time now. Whichever place it is, tell us about it ;)

In your post you can include:

- the reason why you like this place

- what you can do or use to do there

- a descripction of the place

- the reason why it means something to you

- etc.

Write at least 180 words.

Leave comments on 3 of your classmates’ entries.

Time For Heroes

Today we have two topics for you to choose from. This means you have to CHOOSE ONE!

The topics are:
1) a career-related website that you enjoy visiting.
2) an expert on your field that you admire.

Below you'll find the instructions for the two topics, follow the ones that belong to the topic you choose (duh!)

Post 1 (Instructions).

Write about a career-related website that you enjoy visiting.

You should:

- provide a link

- describe the website (sections, features,etc)

- say how often you visit the site

- explain why you like the site.

* Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

* Word Count: 170

Post 2 (Instructions)

Who is a person/expert on your field that you admire?

Say:

-Who she/he is.(short biography)

-What she/he has done. (examples of their work)
-Why you like her/him.-Include his/her image

* Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

* Word Count: 170

Down in Albion

You'll never find me in this picture

When I was 16 all I wanted in my whole life was to learn English, go to England and work there doing the dishes at some bar or restaurant. Seriously, with my best friend from school we used to daydream about this (well, I'm not sure she daydreamed about the 'washing the dishes' part, because she's never liked doing dishes in the first place, but she certainly dreamt about being there with me).

We were so silly, really, because we had this strange idea that life there would be different and funnier than life here (as if there were no Sundays in England or something) and that we would meet Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, and Thom Yorke so easily just because we were Chilean, hence, exotic (yeah, right) and we would have their thousand babies and all.

Well, our original plan didn't really include the washing the dishes bit as part of our goal, really. What we wanted to achieve once there was higher education and stuff. We wanted to study film making and become film directors and make movies and meet Ewan McGregor and have his babies also (OK. We didn't really want to have their babies, but we wouldn't have minded...) I know we were kind of desperate back then, but that's one of the things that can happen when you study at a girls school xD

For us, England was a dream. We were young and shallow (the latter I still am, though), we didn't care about imperialism and things like that, we thought our lives would change if we spoke English, we wanted to go to England and visit all those places we'd heard about...

I think we were quite silly, really, but one is allowed to be silly when she's in her teens, I think... so I don't feel embarrassed about it at all.

Now, what you have to do today is tell us what country you'd like to visit. In your post, include the following:

- 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.

Remember to:
- Leave comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts
- Word Count: at least 160 words

Ask me if you have any queries!!

People Take Pictures of Each Other

I like this picture a lot. I think it really captures they myth that has been created around the person in it. 

That person is Ian Curtis, the singer of one of my favourite bands, Joy Division.

I don't know if you know who he is or if you have heard this band. They were an English band formed in 1976. They only released 2 records, the first one while Ian was still alive, the second one after he had already died. 

His life story is quite interesting. He got epilepsy and that is believed to be one of the reasons why he decided to commit suicide back in 1980 (since the medicine he had to take to keep his disease under control is supposed to have caused him depression) among other things, such as the fact he had a lover and no longer wanted to be with his wife, or something like that (the essence of those troubled times can be felt in one of their best songs: Love Will Tear Us Apart). 

When he died, the band continued to exist, but they changed their name to New Order, in case you know them. However, Joy Division's music is really different from New Order's. Joy Division are considered a Post-Punk band, while New Order played electronic, synthpop music.

Anyway, this photo was taken by Anton Corbijn, a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is famous for having worked with U2 and Depeche Mode, so maybe you have seen some of his work... or maybe you haven't xD

The story of the photo is simple, it was taken during one of Joy Division's rehearsals, when Ian was taking a break. That was back in the 70s.

Today, you'll have to choose one of your favourite photos and tell us about it.

In your post you can mention:

- Who took it
- What it shows
- When it was taken
- Why you like it
- Any other information you think is important.

Write a minimum of 150 words.
Add comments to at least 3 of your classmates’ blogs

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If you want to know more about Joy Division and Ian Curtis in particular, you can watch Control, a movie directed by the same Anton Corbijn about Ian's life with the band. This is the trailer: