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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

the road of improvement -integrating skills


"Yesterday I was clever, so I changed the world. 
Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”


 –  Persian polymath Rumi (died 1273)

We did these things scattered  in our classes. 
Here I compile them hoping you may find them useful.

 These are the contents you will find here:


 A) ORAL       SKILLS. 

  B) QUALITY          texts

ORALS TASKS AS IN THE EXAM. 
WRITTEN   TASKS AS IN THE EXAM.
   reflecting on experience: Aldous Huxley:


 'Experience is not what happens to you; 
it is what you do with what happens to you.’




FIRST and foremost, authentic texts.
   A) ORAL SKILLS.

A1. pronunciation  study time.  MOSTLY  neglected by learners,  at their own peril.

 Relevant info in our infosheets and in this entry:

Pronunciation reflective work. I would like to get your attention to these subskills today. ORAL SKILLS_ Work with longer passages (40 -100 seconds) you choose WITH a model. Divide the passages into bits of 15-25 seconds. keep a diary if you think you are learning and reflect on the things you find difficult.
           https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2013/11/pronunciation-webpage-dailyesl.html
My own favourite: https://www.ezslang.com/You can not find conversation opportunities, i hear you say....There is fat chance of improving your spoken performance if you do not SPEAK at home, alone. Give it a go.

A2. A study technique: Parallel reading  (from memorable scenes or dialogues)

 Relevant info in this entry:

 https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2011/10/parallel-reading-with-films-scenes.html
   B). QUALITY texts  include uses of cultural bits of the target language.

We dealt with them in  a handful of occasions in class. I copy here several of them


B.1.  LANGUAGE PROJECT- on any of your TWO readers
We did 12 different worksheets. 
  • Compile/ Study 33 interesting expressions, and explain them. 
  • Did you miss the chance to write an essay/negative Review?


B.2.  FOCUS ON CONTENT.  I Remind you that language is there.

Study an article, a long one, How is the text coherent?
   a) select  these: 4 adjectives, 4 adverbs, 4 collocations,
    b) 3 interesting grammar parts / 3 syntax  bits / 2 complex sentences.


READ this entry to guided directions
THEN, as an output, create a good lond summary. That is the best chance you indeed activate great chunks of language
https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2019/12/wshwrhow-to-make-most-of-my-article.html

Two entries with different proposals:


B.3. PROVERBS:  https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2010/10/proverbs.html



      ORALS TASKS AS IN THE EXAM.

ORAL 1.  PRESENTATION.   5  min 

1.1. we had our class chances and  the task on the moodle. (see the files there)

1.2. We had a preparation task in United Nations Speech 3 min TASK in moodle


1.3. for  a kind of model, see  our Forum  AWE! influencers in modern  life . 
   Post Your reactions  on the moodle
    See the 4 videos here:
https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2015/04/life-in-modern-times-speeches-tale-told.html


1.4.  For a challenging task, 
 try something different! 
RECORD the piece about                    
Time is fleeing away from us



ORAL 2.  PROMPT to spark a conversation.  

   A model sample on this entry:
https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2020/05/oral-debate-2-8-min-f-rontiers-of-u.html


ORAL  3.  Debates.  how many real debates have you listened to IN  English?

Study it.  Relevant language to argue. Try to do  a dictation of ONE minute of the best part of it.
Then, create a bank of personal expressions you DO really feel comfy with.
PICK up chunks of language,  NOT isolated words!

Relevant info in this entry:
https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2016/12/women-more-leftwing-than-men-guardian.html



     WRITTEN   TASKS    AS IN THE EXAM.

TASK-1.  175-200 words   Listen and provide a SUMMARY. Not opinions.

 For something different, you can practice with a listening task first. Answer the questions and then do the Summary. Focus on content from  Catalonia TODAY. Twelve options here.
   https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2016/04/cosmopolitan-accents-in-girona-english.html


TASK.2.  200 words  Drawing conclusion form a graph.

Pay attention to the Language bank. Use the collocations from our 6  selected units:
Relevant info in these entries:


TASK 3.  275  words  DEAL WITH AN ESSAY

a) An effective introductory paragraph both informs and motivates:
PROPOSAL. A new trend: Fashion victims
Relevant info in this entry:
https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2015/04/writing-essays-new-trend-fashion-victims.html

b) PROPOSAL:  WRITE  an essay on  Race relations and cultural relativity
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