Infonews n°295 from 28/01/2007
Audio comprehension and basic vocabulary
Understanding and producing a real ad
Debating about leaving home
March against war in Washington
Big Brother and Reality TV
Reality TV and literary references
A Pizza Song
Groundhog Day (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Endangered Species Program Kid's Corner (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Short grammar quiz
*** Design and discovery (from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, Thursday, January
25th)
Homeless and posh shops
Land, Air & Sea (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Ochef (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Bobby
Pride and Prejudice
The 3 minutes pause ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, Thursday, January
25th)
Le portfolio lycée
Droits audiovisuels
Audio comprehension and basic vocabulary
BBC Learning English episode 77 of the Flatmates is called : "writing
an advert". The dialogue is short, and you can access:
- the page with the text and the picture
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/
- the picture
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/images/77_advertisement.gif
- the audio version
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode77/episode.ram
- the explanation of the vocabulary in English ( I discovered "mod cons")
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode77/languagepoint.shtml
Understanding and producing a real ad
and after studying this, your students can read a real ad like this one
http://www.netlondon.com/classifieds/nldn_rental/nldn_rental-view?revision_id=1534002
and finally write their own, after reading these guidelines
http://www.letalife.com/property_to_rent_write_a_great_advert.htm
Debating about leaving home
This can also lead your class to a discussion about leaving home : is it
better to live on your own or with parents?
This site may give your students ideas for a debate:
http://www.housemate.org.uk/activities.htm
See also this page about how to choose a flatmate
http://www.accommodationseek.co.uk/ChoosingAFlatMate.html
and you can share with them this essay about
"dorm life versus home life" from echeat ("it's not cheating,
it's collaborating" !)
http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=25101
March against war in Washington
Last Saturday, a march against the war in Iraq took place in Washington.
Jane Fonda, the famous actress and peace activist who lead some of the protests
against the Vietnam war over 30 years ago, was there too, linking those two
protests. See the official site for the march (with events, route, maps and
much more) what's in the news and a biography of Jane Fonda reminding her links
to the Black Panthers;
Official site of "United for Peace and Justice" : http://unitedforpeace.org/
BBC : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6306665.stm (with
a video)
The Guardian : http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6376449,00.html
The New York Times : http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/washington/28protest.html?hp&ex=1170046800&en=defcbb536a8a2453&ei=5094&partner=homepage
ABC News : http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2829290
Biography : http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Jane_Fonda
Big Brother and Reality TV
On e-teach, our colleague Catherine Serreau announces that she wanted to
go on with the "Big Brother" theme featured A la Une in Infonews
294 and create a "Big Brother and Reality TV" unit, using those documents:
- an article from BBC Learning English :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/01/070122_india_big_brother.shtml
with the audio file
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/meta/dps/2007/01/nb/070122_india_big_brother_story_au_nb.ram
- an article from France 24 :
http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/archives/news/2007/January/europe/20070117-big-brother.html
with the video (captured for us by Gilles Siche)
http://g.siche.free.fr/Documents/EN%20NW%20PKG%20RACIST%20BULLY%2018h_400.wmv
- the 1984 Apple ad promising that, with Machintosh, 1984 won't be like "1984":
http://www.uriahcarpenter.info/1984.html
and the video
http://www.uriahcarpenter.info/movies/Apple.1984.mov
- this article from OneStopEnglish
http://www.businessenglishonline.net/incompany/PDFs/worksheets/intermediate/IC027WSI_Brother.pdf
Reality TV and literary references
For my part, I don't like going too much into those rows between would-be
celebrities. This type of reality show seems to be no longer shown on French
TV (or at least the media no longer comment on them) so maybe the students
will no longer find it as appealing as in the past. Therefore I prefer the
1984 ad by apple (see above) or this article about the row, presented from
an economical point of view:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,2000117,00.html
But the last time I studies this topic, I tried to raise the debate on the
cultural level with this superb article that I recommended in Le café Pédagogique
n°5 (in 2001!)
http://www.cafepedagogique.net/disci/anglais/5.php
This article entitled "The Real World is Hell" is full of literary
references and really difficult to understand but it excellently sets the basis
of a debate about individual freedom.
http://www.salon.com/media/media960717.html
In 2001, I studied it in two classes of scientific upper intermediate students
with a good cultural background. In each class someone managed to find out
that 'No exit' was the English for 'Huis clos'. The other references are: the
Styx, 1984, the portrait of Dorian Gray and Faust. My students didn"t
know those references but when I explained, they immediately found why the
author of the article had chosen to use them.
After elucidating the literary references and their links to the title and
the global content of the article, I then asked them to focus on the part of
MTV (the omnipotent narrator, the unsee torturer) then on the candidates (profils,
ages, réactions, ambition): to finally discover that the author of the text
was in the show when he wrote the article (last line of the text).
A Pizza Song
On eteachNet, Miriam Mascaras recommends this page featuring the lyrics of
the song and the sound track to download. It is a nice song for young learner,
repetitive but quick and challenging. Give it a try if you are working on food...
http://www.grandfolkies.com/pizza1.htm
Groundhog Day (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Collection of links to websites about "Groundhog Day, celebrated on
February 2, [and which] has its roots in an ancient Celtic celebration called
Imbolog." Includes links to sites about history, the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania,
Groundhog Day celebration, a lesson plan, crafts, and real groundhogs. From
the North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE), a consortium of 27 public and
academic libraries.
http://www.noblenet.org/year/groundhog.html
[ Discover this new source for Groundhog Day : a Celtic celebration called
Imbolog! And of course don"t forget the addresses from Infonews n°294
and on this page:
http://lycees.ac-rouen.fr/pascal/infonews/themes/groundhogday.htm ]
Endangered Species Program Kid's Corner (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
"This site from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species
Program demonstrates how loss of habitat and ecosystems can lead to a decline
in biodiversity, and how the Endangered Species Act helps prevent extinction." Features
a slide show, a quiz, resources for teachers, material about spotlight species
(bats and frogs), and suggestions for how children can help. Includes links
to related sites.
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/kids/
[ easy slide show, with pictures and short comments and questions to discuss.
The site also includes ready to use worksheet. For lower intermediates and
above.]
Short grammar quiz
BBC Learning English offers this short quiz of 6 questions about how long,
present perfect, and for, since and during. You can invite your students to
do the quizz and then discuss the results in class as a reflection on grammar
use (PRL) and then draw the conclusions and write the rule. (for lower intermediates
and above)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentType=text/html;quiz=1135_how_long
Your middle and high school science students will become hands-on engineers
with this free curriculum, complete with teaching instructions and student
handouts. Students will address design problems and work to develop prototypes
to solve the problems. Eighteen sessions are included. (6-12)
[ the program is really interesting and it can work for teachers who teach
engineering in English or for personal research work in Engineering Sciences
and English. See the result, and download the alarm clock project to see what
happens at the end.
http://a1643.g.akamai.net/7/1643/9237/v002/intelffs.download.akamai.com/9164/Design/Dual_high.wmv
Then download all the free material : the facilitator's (teacher) guide, the
student's guide, the implementation strategies and the supply lists. ]
Homeless and posh shops
Learning English explains how the owner of a posh antique shop is suing three
homeless living in front of his shop. This article could be the starting point
for a unit about homelessness...Here is the page, with the text, some vocabulary
explained in English and the full transcript.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2007/01/070119_homeless.shtml
Land, Air & Sea (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Website for this virtual museum dedicated to alternative vehicles, including "flying
cars, amphibious aeroplanes, amphibious cars, hovercraft, submarines and ATV's."
http://www.landairandsea.com
The exhibits section features descriptions and images of vehicles such as the "Yellow
Submarine," and the "Amfibidiver," a "twin seat machine,
that drives on land, floats like a boat and dives like a submarine." [
the descriptions are short and simple, and can be used even by lower intermediate
students.]
http://www.landairandsea.com/exhibits/
and don't miss their page of links
http://www.landairandsea.com/links/
[ a fun site, with lots of strange ideas...]
Ochef (from [LII New This Week] January 25)
Questions and answers about food and cooking. Search, or brows by topic such
as dairy and eggs, equipment, safety, sauces and dressing, and seafood. Includes
material about the history of ingredients and holiday menu ideas. Also includes
links to items for sale. "A daily publication of Food News Service, which
syndicates food news and articles to newspapers, magazine publishers, and Internet
sites."
http://www.ochef.com
Learn the difference between julienne, allumettes and batonnets
http://www.ochef.com/79.htm
and the different steps in cooking the meat for a hamburger ( 5 steps from
rare to well-done)
http://www.ochef.com/1109.htm
Bobby
When you see the poster, you may think it is a film about Kennedy's assassination,
but this seems to be just a landmark to situate the period, and we get a glimpse
into the lives of some people on that day, no more. "Estevez's hope is
that each character in Bobby represents a different facet of America in 1968" says
a critic in "Time Out" and therefore the film is crowded with famous
actors, each supposed to have his/her own importance. But the critics seem
to be unanimous in saying that the script is very weak, both in what the actors
say and what they do. Rolling Stones says that it shows : " a real tragedy
attached to trite fiction" and the result is just "insipid ineptitude." "Salon" says
that
"The problem is that most of those stories feel only vaguely formed".
And yet you can read in the "First Showing"
review that : "Some early reviews of Bobby have criticized the acting
and script, but that is all overshadowed by just how powerful the film is."
Trailer
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308055/trailers-screenplay-E29342-10-2
Official site (nothing much to see)
http://www.bobby-the-movie.com/
Reviews
IMDB (film reference) : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308055/
In the News (UK) : http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/reviews/film/bobby-$1045710.htm
Time Out (UK) : http://www.timeout.com/film/83763.html
Rolling Stones (US) : http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/9740235/review/12583294/bobby
Salon (US) : http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2006/11/17/bobby/
First Showing (US) : http://www.firstshowing.net/2006/11/22/emilio-estevezs-bobby-remembers-him-admirably/
CTV (Canada) : http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061124/boddy_feature_061124/20061124/ (with
links)
Pride and Prejudice
Catherine Serreau informed us on e-teach that the film "Pride and Prejudice" directed
by Joe Wright will be broadcast in English on Canal Plus televison on February
15th at 1. She recommends those pages:
Official site of the film
http://java.europe.yahoo.com/uk/uip/prideandprejudice/site/flashSite.htm
Jane Austen Information Page
http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janeinfo.html
Study Guide
http://www.filmeducation.org/filmlib/PridePrejudice.pdf
and a lot more in Café Pédagogique n°68
http://www.cafepedagogique.net/disci/anglais/68.php#99
The 3 minutes pause ( from Riverdeep's Classroom Flyer, Thursday, January 25th)
Here is a great idea to incorporate into any of your classes, but especially
the lecture-heavy or seminar classes. It gives students a brief time to catch
up, summarize, reflect and question. Use the 2nd link for a blackline master.
(4-12)
http://www.readingquest.org/strat/3mp.html
http://www.readingquest.org/pdf/3mp.pdf
[ a simple idea, but that could really help students keep up with a lesson,
especially if it involves note-taking. If it works well, you can even expand
it and take this opportunity to invite students to put together their notes
and discus the correct building of sentences, or to practice their oral skills,
read the sentences, repeat what the others say, etc.]
Le portfolio lycée
De retour d'Expolangues, Annie Gwynn nous annonce que le nouveau portfolio
des langues pour le lycée est paru. Vous pourrez trouver des informations et
une présentation détaillée (visite guidée) sur le site du CRDP de Caen:
http://www.crdp.ac-caen.fr/didier/portfolio/
Droits audiovisuels
Alyne Piazza a fabriqué pour nous tous cette page qui récapitule ce que l'on
a le droit de copier, utiliser, diffuser, mettre sur un site web, etc. Vous
y trouverez aussi une liste de sites libres de droits en anglais. A garder
dans votre marque-pages:
http://www4.ac-lille.fr/~interlangues/droits_audio-visuels.htm
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.
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