Paving the way for change

So we can all agree that rude behaviour is everywhere and that it does nothing to lift our spirits, but is there no hope?

Your assignment today: Think of one example of poor manners that really
exasperates you and write about it in today’s blog. BUT don’t just stop there, at complaining. Include at least one realistic solution to the problem. In other words, what can YOU and others do to see that manners be improved to make life more pleasant, easier or safer for all? Be as specific as possible. Minimum number of words = 150.

When you finish, read and comment on at least three classmates’ blogs. You can comment on the problem, solution, and/or use of English in their text. This is your chance to interact, share your thoughts, support learning that is engaging!

Extra activities to do if you finish early:

CURRENT EVENT
1. Considering that the US economy has a domino effect worldwide, how will things (i.e. the economy, job market, scenario for marrying and having kids) be when YOU graduate from college in a few years?

Read the article “The real world threw up all over us”
http://www.slate.com/id/2214712/

(We will discuss this article in class so please have it read by Friday. Take notes on key points instead of printing. This will help you to focus on comprehension, practice paraphrasing, and, well, maybe save some trees.)

2. Get ahead on Lesson 7C, which we will start on Wednesday. Visit this site to learn new vocabulary that relates to books. Make a word list of new words in your notebook.

www.barnesandnoble.com

BBC NEWS

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Welcome to your first full week of classes. =) We should fall into a routine now so you'll start feeling more organized, I hope.

Today, you are going to continue learning collocations and seeing examples of ellipsis in addition to reading a news article and writing your first report/response.

Directions:

1. Go to www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

2. In the site, do a search for news that related to "school discipline",
"bullying", or "classroom behaviour".

You may choose any article, as long as it connects (more or less) to 7A.

3. Read the article, trying to understand new words through context. When you see a
new word, pay attention to not just what it means but how it is used (with what
other words/verb) etc.

4. After reading, write a 150-word response to the article. You should maintain a
neutral tone--neither too informal (avoid "gonna") nor formal (you can use first
person, contractions, etc.). At the end of your text, correctly site, using MLA
format (see Student Handbook) your article.

5. After you publish, read your post again. Be your own editor: do you have grammar,
punctuation, spelling, etc. mistakes?

6. When you feel you have done your BEST, visit at least two classmate's blogs and
comment on their posts. Focus on content, today.

7. There is no rush: our interest is quality not quantity. However, if you have extra
time, find something to do that a) contributes to your classmates' learning or b)
further develops your English.

If you have questions, ask a classmate or me.

Lastly, remember that your English homework for Wednesday's class includes reading Penny Ur's article and visiting the site posted in the "sites" folder on virtual.

Welcome! Let's get started...

Good morning LV Students,

Welcome to your first lab session. Today, what we’re going to do is get you all going on your blogs. When you leave class today, you should have your blog all set up with your classmates as “followers”. This will allow you to read your classmates’ blogs and comment on their postings.

1. To get started, go to the following website:

www.blogger.com (immediately set the language to English—top, right corner)

2. Optional: To practice some listening skills, click on “Watch a video tutorial” under “Learn More”.

3. Click on “create a blog” to be taken through the steps. If you have questions, ask a classmate or me.

4. Once you have created your blog, you will want to list your classmates as followers. To do this, take these steps:
Click on customize (top right of screen).
Click on “Add a gadget”.
Click on the plus sign (+) next to “Followers”

5. Return to your blog, and type in all of your classmates’ blog addresses so you can easily follow their blogs and interact.

6. Write your first post—introduce yourself, share something interesting. (Minimum word length = 200 words.)

7. Visit at least two of your classmates’ blogs and comment on their first posts. You can write just a few sentences today.

8. Play around! Start to experiment to feel more comfortable.

Be sure you finish all of these steps before next Monday’s lab session.

Remember: Homework for Friday—Book pgs. 66-67 (All exercises completed on paper or in the book so you can check your understanding.)

Enjoy your trip on Wednesday and see you Friday!