Read, write and enjoy the journey!
Share your thoughts!
Think out of the box!
Be kind!
Do I make mistakes? That's ok.
I'm learning and this is a long and great journey!
Read, write and enjoy the journey!
Share your thoughts!
Think out of the box!
Be kind!
Do I make mistakes? That's ok.
I'm learning and this is a long and great journey!
Has it ever happened to you, as a teacher or student?
Once a student was so nervous that he even copied his classmate's name! I had two exams to correct with the same name! True story! And you can imagine how many "weird" answers I get when I give different versions of a test or exam to a class.
If you copy, make sure you copy the right answer, hahaha :)
This is our last week for this first part of our class: English Reading and Writing!
Please check your Moodle for some instructions to complete the class.
This week's challenges:
I would like you to think about (and laugh) and learn about mistakes and misprints.
Check this page and see if you get (understand and are able to correct) them. The pictures are not related to the body of the text so read the text and look carefully at the pictures.
If you like this kind of exercise to improve your spelling, go to our Moodle platform and chech the book I've put there. There is a great section on misprints.
1- Do you have any funny story about misprints and mistakes?
One time in a presentation when describing a picture of a big modern city, instead of saying CHAOS (/keios/) I pronounced the word like cows (/Kaus/), so you can imagine the big mess in my teacher's head when I said "I see "COWS" in the city!" COWS in the city? :D
2 - I want you to read an article which title is "THE WORST MISTAKE IN THE HISTORY OF THE HUMAN RACE" by Jared Diamond.
BEFORE reading the article I want you to guess the mistake the author refers to.
Which is "the biggest mistake in the history of human race" in your opinion?
Explain your choice and write an article explaining your perspective.
3- Then, read the actual article by Jared Diamond here and share your feelings and thoughts about it.
Do not forget to comment each other's posts.
Please check your Moodle to get the instructions for the "final project".
Some years ago, when I was living in NYC, I came accross this beautiful text by Simon Van Booy.
Hope you enjoy it.
Read it and fulfill the writing tasks.
The writing task related to this piece of writing:
1- Share your feelings about the text and imagine how now in 2018 the relationship is between Madeleine and his father. She is no longer a kid, but a teen.
Share your opinion and then write an imaginary "update" of the article.
You could start this way if you want:
"IT was about 6:30 on Thursday morning, and I was cooking breakfast in my pajamas. My daughter, Madeleine, 14,...."
2- Look for another article in this same section "Modern love" in The New York Times and tell us about it. As a class, try to read different articles, and write your essay about an article that hasn't been suggested by other classmates before in the post. However, do accept your classmates' recommendations and read some articles suggested by your classmates.
This is task number 4! Make sure you have already participated in the 3 previous tasks! Do the tasks and comment on others' tasks as well! Get to know each other!
For this week, I would like you to read some texts that I truly appreciate.
Make sure you read at least five different poems before starting your writing tasks.
Writing task:
1- Reflect on what you have read. What have you read, how do you feel, to what extent have you enjoyed or not this reading experience? Why?
2- Now, dare to write your own "Tim Burton's" poem. To do so, choose a weird main character and write a poem about him/her/it with plenty of black humor. :)
3- In some poems, there may be some spelling mistakes in this digital version. Have you found any? Share with us.
4- Guessing game: Which one do you think is MY favourite? :)
Answer the questions, share your thoughts on both articles and add some more benefits or joys of writing. There are so many!
2- When writing a good essay, what are the main golden rules that you (must) follow?
Write 10 golden rules you use to write an essay in English.
Personally, I love writing! I used to have a journal when growing up. As a student, I use to read a couples of times the instruction, underlining its main points, I use to have a brainstorming moment where I write all that would cross my mind related to the issue, then I select and organise my ideas, finally I make a list of concepts and linking words that I want to use and finally I write... the first draft (or the final version in an exam for example)! I read it again to check the spelling and the progression of ideas.
What about you?
Read now these golden rules (ignore the advertisement) as well as this document if you want extra tips.
Three tasks (you may need 1h at least to fulfill this part on Reading):
FIRST TASK:
Read about the four different reading techniqueshere.
Q: Which technique do you use more frequently? To do what? Which one gives you more pleasure?
SECOND TASK:
1- Do you know there are 10Rights of the Reader by the French writer Daniel Pennac?
Can you guess (or remember for those who have already come across them before) in what consist these 10 rights?
Write your own list of 10 rights before reading Pennac's list. Yes, now, open a blank page and type your 10 rights of the reader.
2- Then get to know Pennac's list of Rightshere in a great poster (that you may want to use in your house and/ or classes) and compare your list with Pennac's. Share your list with us and your thoughts about this taks.
3- Then read Erin's reviewhere about this topic. She wrote a review on a book about them by Quentin Blake. Read her review on the rights themselves here. What are your thoughts on these two reviews? Do you agree with her? What did you think about her blog?
THIRD TASK:
Finally, a challenge:
Go to and complete the Speed Reading Test (you may want to ignore the advertisement).
Please read first the info given to you through our school's platform and then get your eyes and fingers ready to read and type a lot of great essays!
For this first "session", I'd love to:
1st: get to know each other better!
2nd: reflect on what reading is and your experience reading (in Portuguese and English)
3nd: reflect on what writing is and your experiene writing (in Portuguese and English)
First task:
Write an essay stating 10 things you love and 10 things you hate. Try to be original. Almost everyone loves chocolate and hates lies, for example! Unless you hate chocolate and love lies, don't write about it! Explain your choices too. Don't forget to comment on each other's posts so everyone feels welcome.
Don't forget to put your name (fake or real at the end of each comment, just in case)
I'll put the second and third tasks in a different post.