Infonews n°309 from 16/09/2007

A la Une, a useful pronunciation site discovered by Michelle Henry, then four special days this week and suggestions of sites and activities for each. In the News this week, find some more sites about rugby, the death of Pavarotti, the crisis in a British bank and information about biofuel. Then two visual interactive pages for primary school, about money and making tea (plus a video and another exercise to transpose what has been learnt); and lots of resources for secondary school : a site about Agatha Christie and a "who done it?", an interactive visual site about houses and jobs, a site of biographies with a special one, how to use the BBC learning English series The Flatmates in class, an audio file about Second life and computer addiction, a health vocabulary interactive crossword, a site of comics and the site of a colleague with a word explained every day. For advanced students, read about this amazing site which sends you novels by installments directly into your mailbox at your own pace (and you can even have the audio version!) and a site to learn how to make a business presentation in English. A la fin, un peu de français : une conférence à Paris, des infos sur le nouveau TOIC et les instructions officielles pour le bac STG 2008.

Have a nice week,
amicalement,
Christine Reymond

Sommaire

A la Une : Pronunciation

ESL Pronunciation Work Page

In the Calendar

September 16th is Mayflower Day
September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day
September 21st is International Day of Peace
September 22nd is International Car Free Day

In the News

Some more on Rugby
Italian Tenor Pavarotti Dies at Age 71 (from [LII New This Week] September 13)
Northern Rock Crisis
Biofuel

Resources for Primary School

How to make a cup of tea
British Money

Resources for Secondary School

Agatha Christie's Week
Who done it?
Jobs and houses
Biography : the Unknown Rebel
Using the Flatmates in class
Second life and virtual worlds
Health Vocabulary
Comics: Farley by Phil Frank (from [LII New This Week] September 13)
English Day by Day

Resources for Advanced Students

DailyLit (from [LII New This Week] September 13)
Business English

Workshop

Les langues par la chanson et le cinéma (Paris)

Teaching Practice

Remaniement du Test TOEIC®
Lu au B.O. : Bac STG 2008


A la Une : Pronunciation

ESL Pronunciation Work Page

Michelle Henry recommends this excellent site about pronunciation. There is no heavy explanation about how to do it, but lots of examples and some interactive exercises. It is well done and will be very useful for students willing to improve their accent.
"Listen to native speakers, some with different American accents and dialects, and hear examples of the topics ...: Word Stress - Emphasis - Intonation - Phrasal Stress - Reduction - Consonants - Thought Groups (Phrasing) - Linking - Vowels "
http://www.e-pron.com/
[ I recommend it for advanced students working autonomously, but secondary school teachers can find interesting activities they can use in class, such as poetry reading. Note that on the site there is a mistake in the link they give for Poetry Readings, you should go to:
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/22 ]

In the Calendar

September 16th is Mayflower Day

On e-teach, Catherine Serreau informs us that today is Mayflower Day in the USA
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/September/mayflowerday.htm
and on this page you find links to several sites
http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/History/history.php

September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day

"Ye'll be wantin' to explore the 'About' page for the history of the glorious day [September 19], and when ye're ready to be soundin' like a real pirate, here be 'How To Talk Like A Pirate.' To find out what be happenin' this Pirate Day, be lookin' on our new events page." The talk like a pirate page includes vocabulary and tips such as starting sentences with "Arr, me hearty." (from [LII New This Week] September 13)
http://www.yarr.org.uk/
programme and explanation
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/curriculum.pdf
Treasure Island resources
http://www.tamrootbeer.com/teacherstuff/
Pirates' lesson Plans
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/teachers.html
poster of the Day
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/partykit/tlapdposter.pdf
video of the song (no script)
http://www.yarr.org.uk/single/
links
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/links.html
Official talk like a pirate song
http://www.tomsmithonline.com/freestuff/oddio/TLAPD-Streaming064.mp3
lyrics
http://www.tomsmithonline.com/lyrics/tlapd.htm
other songs (MP3 and Lyrics) :Chanteys for Modern Pirates
http://www.tomsmithonline.com/lyrics/tlapd.htm
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/songs1.html

September 21st is International Day of Peace

Lots of links on Michelle Henry's page
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/paix.htm
including songs
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/paix.htm#song
and two webquests
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/paix.htm

September 22nd is Car Free Day

Here is a page I did for my students:
http://lycees.ac-rouen.fr/pascal/infonews/themes/carfreeday.html
You can also find resources in Michelle Henry's pages about Pollution and Road
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/pollution.htm
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/route.htm

In the News

Some more on Rugby

some more on the theme :
- on e-teach, Jean-Marc Gébelin recommends this article from the Independent, referring to the Survival Kit I mentioned in Infonews n°307
http://sport.independent.co.uk/rugby_union/world_cup_features/article2921890.ece
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/KITdeSURVIE-32p-repiquage-2.pdf
- Anne Pinel used the documents on this page with her intermediate students:
http://aru.rugby.com.au/edrugby/for_the_classroom/interactive_games,316.html
- and Valéry Gély created this page about New Zealand for her students to work from
http://www.my-english-courses.com/rugby/index.html

Italian Tenor Pavarotti Dies at Age 71 (from [LII New This Week] September 13)

Article about opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died in September 2007. In addition to this article, which includes highlights from Pavarotti's life and career, the site include audio of a remembrance and of a 2001 chat with the Italian opera singer, blog entry, and related links. From Minnesota Public Radio.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/06/pavarottiobit/
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/05/pavarottilevang/ (with audio)
http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/news/features/2007/09/06_extra_minnopera ( audi oto download)

Northern Rock Crisis

For the first time since very long, people would rush to a bank to get their money out. BBC Learning English features a short audio file and a text to present the problem, plus a large page in their business section. Interesting for all those studying business and economics.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/09/070914_northern_rock.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6994328.stm

Biofuel

BBC learning offers a lesson plan, a text, an audio file and a quiz about a new technique to turn sugar cane into ethanol. You can also learn more about ethanol, Brazil and Venezuela on the page in the second address. For those interested in economics, environment and also technology.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/09/070912_biofuels.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6566515.stm

Resources for Primary School

How to make a cup of tea

Primary resources, a website for British students in kindergarten and primary school features this page where you have to order the different steps to make a cup of tea and describe each action. there is no right answer, and I'm not sure which is the right way to do it : do you put milk and sugar before or after the teabag and hot water? Do you let it simmer before you pour the milk or after?
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/makingtea.swf
and to check your answers, watch this video with all the steps in the right order
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=7028086
and here is a text (don't forget to "scald" the pot if you make tea in a tea pot!)
http://riri.essortment.com/makingtea_rurb.htm
variation ; how to make a jam sandwich
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/activities/instructions.shtml

British Money

Interactive game to discover the different British coins and add them up to match the required number.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/moneynew.html

Resources for Secondary School

Agatha Christie's Week

[LII New This Week] from September 13 recommends The Official Agatha Christie Site : "Official website for this British mystery writer. Features background about how Christie wrote and the influence of travel and archeology, descriptions of her famous fictional detectives (such as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot), material about Christie works on stage and screen, and a database where you can find books based on keywords or by location, detective, or means of murder. Includes some commercial content."
http://uk.agathachristie.com/site/home/
[ note among the "extras" the interactive game about Death on the Nile (you can download it for free and test it for a while). Don't get too excited, it is beautiful, but all you have to do is find objects hidden in a picture. it is difficult and there are not enough clues, so I don' know if there is anything after that. Maybe you can use it in class to teach them how to locate an object in a picture and work on the prepositions.
http://agathachristie.oberon-media.com/game.htm?code=112633440&RefId=&origin=pindex_ng_r
There are also three other games, one with little explanations, difficult for ESL students, a hangman and a memory game.
http://uk.agathachristie.com/site/extras/games.php

Who did it?

Primary resources offers an interactive game in which you are the detective and you must find out who has stolen the plans. The game in fact consists in reading the pages one after the other and remembering the different fact. Although it was made by young English children and the drawings are simple, the story can interest lower intermdiates and even students above.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/Mystery/WHexit.htm

Jobs and houses

What jobs will take part in the building of this house? What family is the best to live in this home? An interactive site to make your students discuss, from intermediate level upwards.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/ks1ks2cons.swf

Biography : the Unknown Rebel

Remember to bookmark time site by Time magazine featuring the 100 most famous people of the 20th century. Among them, MLK and Nelson Mandela, lady D, Einstein, and...the unknown rebel in Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. You can use these biographies with intermediate students and above : it corresponds to the French national cultural curriculum about "people" in secondes, and "conflicts" in terminale.
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/rebel.html

Using the Flatmates in class

BBC Learning English offers a full page with tips to use this serie in class : you can download cartoon strips, read the lesson plans, find ideas of activities and see the current episode in the second address (you can also access the archives there and download any episode you like in .MP3). The texts are always short, and feature a simple and basic language point. You can use it with lower intermediates upwards, and I find it especially adapted to older learners with a low level (CAP, Bac Pro)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teachingenglish/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/

Second life and virtual worlds

In this week's BBC webcast programme, they look at the topic of virtual and fantasy worlds. Why are games like World of Warcraft and sites like Second Life becoming so popular?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/
[ You can download the audio file and the script. It is too long and complex to use as is, except with advanced students, but you can edit it and use it with upper intermediates. Last year's baccalaureat for technological sections (STI) was about addiction to video games.
http://www.franglish.fr/bac/met-STG-LV1-2007.PDF
You find the same idea in the last part of the text, from middle of page 8 to middle of page 9 in the script. I also liked the part from page 4 to middle of page 5, with the speaker discovering Second life, installing it on her computer and building her avatar, and then having a problem. ]

Health Vocabulary

The topic BBC learning English's crossword for this week is health. As usual, you get a definition, a link to a page presenting the word, and some hints. Excellent for all those studying health and medical care.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/crosswords/

Comics: Farley by Phil Frank (from [LII New This Week] September 13)

Collection of cartoons and related material for this comic strip that was inspired by San Francisco events and that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle until its creator, Phil Frank, retired in September 2007. Includes an archive with comics back to 2002, a biography of Frank, a list of books by Frank, and a 2005 article about three decades of Frank cartooning.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/09/BAFARLEY.DTL&hw=phil+frank&sn=006&sc=187

English Day by Day

Vous retrouverez parfois des documents utilisables en cours dans les articles de notre collègue Philippe Hattais sur son blog sponsorisé par Reverso : voici la présentation qu'il en fait : "English Day by Day est un module à destination de tous ceux qui veulent enrichir leur connaissance de la langue anglaise de manière ludique. Des mots et des points de grammaire chaque jour expliqués et illustrés par des visuels ou des vidéo et ce pour tout niveau (débutant, intermédiaire, ou avancé)."
http://www.englishdaybyday.com/
Certains articles sont un peu racoleurs, comme cat fight, mais j'ai trouvé utiles la page sur Dog day et sa vidéo de Greenpeace, et la présentation de sophomore, junior, etc.
http://englishonline-reverso.typepad.com/mon_weblog/2007/09/dog---dog-days.html#more
http://englishonline-reverso.typepad.com/mon_weblog/2007/09/freshman-sophom.html#more

Resources for Advanced Students

DailyLit (from [LII New This Week] September 13)

"DailyLit sends books in installments via e-mail. DailyLit currently offers over 400 classic public domain titles that can be subscribed to and read in their entirety for free." Includes some in French, Italian, and Spanish. Search, or browse by title, author, or category. The entry for each work includes a preview of the first installment and the number of installments (such as 675 for "War and Peace" and 149 for "Pride and Prejudice").
http://www.dailylit.com/
[ A fun new site for literature : you give your email address, and the time and day when you want to receive an installment, and you get it in you mail box. It can be either written or read, then you receive it as an RSS. You can also use the forum to communicate with other readers. I selected this Sherlock Holmes book that must be fun to read and useful for daily practice:
http://www.dailylit.com/books/adventures-of-sherlock-holmes ]

Business English

This section of BBC Learning English is called "TALKING BUSINESS" and deals with presentations. It is aimed at businessmen and people making official presentations. Very useful for university students and all those planning to give a presnetation in English. "Check out this new unit on giving effective presentations. Four modules offer vocabulary, listening practice, fun quizzes and tips on business presentations! "
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit3presentations/1opening.shtml

Workshop

Les langues par la chanson et le cinéma

Cette info ne concerne que ceux qui sont sur Paris:
Le CRDP de Paris organise le mercredi 3 octobre un rendez-vous du libraire consacré au thème : Les langues par la chanson et le cinéma à:
Librairie du CRDP 37 rue Jacob - 75006 Paris Métro : Saint-Germain-des-Prés
au programme:
9 h 30 - 12 h - L'anglais oral dans le 1er degré
14 h - Présentation de collection CINÉ-V.O. Anglais (1)avec Marie-France Chen-Géré, IA-IPR
http://crdp.ac-paris.fr/do_pao/rdv_langues.pdf

Teaching Practice

Remaniement du Test TOEIC®

ETS (Educational Testing Service) Europe annonce le lancement de la version remaniée du test TOEIC® (Test Of English For International CommunicationTM). Disponible dès le 17 septembre 2007, le test TOEIC® a été modifié et adapté pour répondre aux exigences les plus récentes du marché international du travail.
Cette mise à jour du test TOEIC® est effectuée de manière à couvrir tous les styles de langage et satisfaire à la fois les besoins en vocabulaire spécialisé et ceux de conversations courantes. C'est ainsi qu'il intègre aussi bien des outils de mesure pour la compréhension, qu'une restitution plus riche des compétences linguistiques des candidats.
« Nous avons bien évidemment conservé les fondamentaux qui ont fait le succès du test ­ modalité de passage, durée du test, échelle de score et niveau similaire de difficultés que la version précédente ­ en y ajoutant des questions plus orientées aux besoins professionnels », déclare Philippe Grosskost, Directeur Général de ETS EMEA. « Nous sommes aujourd'hui fiers d'offrir un produit plus performant, permettant aux utilisateurs d'être en adéquation avec les exigences du monde des affaires. »
L'autre grande nouveauté est l'utilisation de différents accents (américain, canadien, australien et britannique) qui reflète la diversité des accents que l'on peut rencontrer dans le monde professionnel.
site de l'organisme (dans toutes les langues européennes)
http://www.etseurope.org/no_cache/choose-your-country/
à propos du nouveau test
http://84.37.54.68/index.php?id=7055
inscription pour une session d'entrainement gratuit en ligne ( mais seulement les vendredis à 11h! )
http://www.fr.etseurope.org/site-ets-europe/inscription-aux-formations-en-ligne/

Lu au B.O. : Bac STG 2008

Au B.O. aujourd'hui : définition des épreuves du Bac STG pour la session 2008 :
http://www.education.gouv.fr/bo/2007/32/MENE0701530N.htm
Les nouveautés:
- la partie écrite reste inchangée,
- l'épreuve de compréhension de l'oral reste un "test généralisé" et la note ne comptera pas, elle figurera seulement sur le livret scolaire,
- l'épreuve de production orale se déroulera comme l'an dernier en CCF dans les établissements, avec "une banque nationale de documents". (durée de l'épreuve : 10mn préparation, 10 mn passage)
- il y a une liste de suggestions, ce qui aidera à l'entrainement (image publicitaire, dessin humoristique, photographie, reproduction d’une œuvre plastique, citation, proverbe, aphorisme, histoire drôle, question invitant le candidat à prendre position sur une question d’actualité ou un phénomène de société, slogan, titre d’article de presse, etc.).
- l'oral de rattrapage sera une épreuve avec 20mn préparation et 20 mn passage, sur une liste de seulement 3 documents, dont au moins un texte "dont la longueur peut varier en fonction de sa difficulté"

et si vous voulez voir à quoi a ressemblé une épreuve expérimentale de compréhension orale l'an dernier, notre collègue de Martinique Laurence Bernard a eu la gentillesse de mettre les documents à disposition des collègues sur son site:
- un fichier son de 2 minutes environ (le meme doc en LV1 et LV2)
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/absolutenglish-972/notes/comporale/2007/CO_STG_lv1lv2_mai2007.mp3
- un questionnaire LV1 et un questionnaire LV2 (quasi identique a LV1 si bien qu'on peut se demander si cela valait le coup de faire 2 questionnaires?)
les consignes et les questions etaient sur la meme feuille (recto-verso)
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/absolutenglish-972/notes/comporale/2007/lv1_stg_co_2007.PDF
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/absolutenglish-972/notes/comporale/2007/lv2_stg_co_2007.PDF


Ceci est un message de la LISTE INFONEWS
réalisé par Christine Reymond
lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France
E-Mail: Christine.Reymond@ac-rouen.fr
Les commentaires et réflexions entre [ ] ne reflètent que mon opinion personnelle.
Sites Infonews:
http://perso.numericable.fr/~dreymondch46/infonews/une1.htm
http://lycees.ac-rouen.fr/pascal/infonews/une1.htm
Pour consulter les sources:
http://perso.numericable.fr/~dreymondch46/infonews/archives/sourcinfonw.htm
http://lycees.ac-rouen.fr/pascal/infonews/archives/sourcinfonw.htm
Pour vous inscrire ou vous désinscrire:
http://listes.ac-rouen.fr/wws/info/liste-infonews