Reflective essay

Welcome to the last week of May of 2009.

Three things need to happen during today’s class.

1) Print out the blog that I am to correct. If you’re confused, talk to a classmate. Please do this during the first 5-10 minutes of class.

2) Now that you have chosen and read the article on which you will write your reflective essay, share your thoughts on the subject in a blog post. If it helps you, consider these questions:

Do you agree with the author’s main point(s)?

Are there point(s)/part(s) you disagree with?

What connection(s) could you make to the article?

How does the article relate to Chile? Your learning? Children’s learning?

Would the solution(s)/strategies(s) mentioned in the article—if any—be appropriate to implement in Chile’s public schools. If not, what modifications would you make?

Etc.

The important thing is to not just summarize (Oh dear, that’s a double split infinitive!) the article. We don’t want to know what the article says (we know—we read it), we want to know what you think about it.

3) Comment on 3 other classmates’ posts. Give yourself at least 10-15 minutes for this last part. If you do not have time to give feedback, this last task is homework! Part of blog learning involves the interaction--communicating.

TED Listen and learn

Dear Students,

Welcome to mid-term week!

For today’s blog you will practice some listening skills.

Go to www. TED.com and choose one of the following talks to watch and for which to write a 150-200-word review.

Sir Ken Robinson on developing creative thinkers
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Dave Eggers on helping public school children
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school.html

Be sure to include the website/bibliography in MLA format at the end of your review.

After wrting your review, comment on at least 3 classmates’ post. (If at the time you are working on this no classmates have posted, you need to return later in the week to comment).

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Because this week’s lab session counts as a class, at the end of this module you’re spending in the lab, go to my office (141) and add your name to the LV attendance list posted.

I might add that if you still have not been interviewed and need ideas for practice, the Student’s handbook has several tips listed in the Study Skills section (See “files” on Virtual).

PLEASE NOTE THAT ON MONDAY, MAY 18TH, CLASS WILL BE IN THE CLASSROOM—NOT LAB.

Your homework for that day is to read and study the following article. Send a comment for writing practice!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/britain/speed_dating.shtml

Happy May!

Good morning!

Today you will spend time reviewing your first writing assignment, preparing for next week’s oral exams and practicing your language skills through the reading of an authentic text and writing an article review.

Writing Review

1) To get started, open up the LV CEF based rubric found in the “files” folder on Virtual. Review this sheet in detail. Where do you think you are now? Where were you last semester? Where do you want/need to be at the end of LV? LVI? After reflecting, ask me for your paper. Your new homework assignment for Wednesday is to correct as many of your mistakes as possible on either a new draft or in your notebook. You must come to Wednesday’s class with your original letter and corrections.

2) Open up the “Student’s handbook”. Scroll down to the “Study skills page” to see how you can improve your writing skills. In addition, check out this link:
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/writing/makeover/archive.htm

Choose two papers to look out now—perhaps Archive 26 would be a good one. What are the evaluator’s comments?

Ready to take it up a notch?

Same site, more advanced level:
http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/writing/makeover/archive.htm

Oral exams
1) If you haven’t started already, now (today) is the time to establish a plan of action to begin “seriously practicing” for next week’s oral interviews. Since you have the Student’s handbook open already, check out the strategies for practicing your speaking. Make a mental note of at least 2 you will put into effect today.

2) Need some concrete questions to prepare for? Take a look at the oral questions placed in the “files” folder on Virtual. Use these. Create new ones. On Wednesday and Friday we will try to work with some of these in class. Prepare to feel confident.

3) And, because I knew you’d ask, sign-up sheets will be posted Wednesday, mid-morning in the CIDE building. You will be interviewed in pairs. By the end of this week, you will also be able to find in the “files” folder the oral rubric that Simon and I will be using to assess you.

Reading and writing Practice

1) Let’s see what’s happening in the news. Visit this site http://www.guardian.co.uk/
or www.cnn.com and choose an article to read about a current event. Write a 150-
word post, commenting on your reaction. Be sure to include the bibliography in
MLA-style so we can go straight to the article to see what it said. (Forgot MLA-style? No problem…that Student handbook? It’s got all the answers—ok, most)

2) Last but DEFINITELY not least: comment on at least 3 classmates’ blog posts.

Did you know? You are a key player in your classmates’ learning. If you don’t post, others cannot comment. If you do not comment, others miss out on interactive learning and valuable feedback. Your opinion, thoughts, corrections count more than you realize.

(And just a small…tiny…itsy-bitsy…teeny-weeny reminder that all of the energy you pour out weekly into your blog and classmates’ will calculate into 15% of your final mark.)

And here’s a Monday joke for you:

What do you call a fish with no eyes?
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A fsh!