AACI results

JUST FOR IVAN AND JAVIER

Hi boys, you both passed the AACI exam. Sorry for the delay...
Ivan 7/7 (oral /written)
Javi 8/7

Your third term marks are:
Ivan 8
Javier 9

Well done, congratulations!
Nice working with you, see you soon, Jimena

FINAL EXAM RESULTS

The results of the AACI final exam (both oral and written parts) will be ready for 24th November. During that week, you will be told your final marks and your promotion status.

Have a nice weekend, Jimena

Movie trailer

This is the movie trailer, we'll probably be watching the complete movie soon. Meanwhile, we shall focus on just some episodes of clear relevance for the comprehension of the story.

REMEMBER:
Tomorrow we're starting with Module 5 of FCE Expert. You should hand in "Writing Practise 2".
Next Thursday we'll be discussing the final part of "Cry Freedom", chapters 10 to the end. Read it and go through the questions I gave you in class today.

Good work, so far...

Some of you have done incredibly well at the Wiki project, congratulations!
For those who are a bit lost, let me remind you about some items you should have already completed and posted. All this information is available at the lesson plan page of the wiki, consult it when you need to check how to continue and jump to the next step of the project.

April
1. What is technology? Reading Comprehension task
2. The benefits of technological literacy. Reading Comprehension task, class + forum debate

May
3. The Nature of Technology. Translation task
4. Translating successfully. Comparison of translation tools

June - July
5. Technology and Science. Listening Comprehension task

August - September
6. Technology and Innovation. Reading comprehension task, forum debate
7. The evolution of Technology. Writing task, forum and slides

October - November
8. The Digital Divide. Writing integrative group task

Remember it is important that you accomplish ALL EIGHT STAGES by mid-november. Consult me or the Lab assistants whenever you need to. We'll be willing to help.

See you next class, Jimena

Next classes

Thursday 16th: LAB. Finish reading "Cry Freedom" we are going to work and debate on the movie.

Friday 17th: Finish Writing practise 2 to hand in. We are starting Module 5.

Cry Freedom: Some interesting clips...

Woods meets Biko


Woods ride with Biko


Speech at Soccer Game


Interrogation

Next classes

Friday 3rd: Test Module 4

Tuesday 7th: Read "Cry Freedom" Chapters 6-11

Friday 10th: Complete and hand in "Writing practice 2"

New project: Cry Freedom

Cry Freedom, By John Briley

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.

COMING SOON...

The Stage Company proudly presents this spectacular musical comedy for students of all ages!

And the good news is we are going to enjoy this play here, at our school, on September 4th!!

So get ready, soon we'll be reading about and listening to songs from this fantastic adventure story.

Watch the trailer

IMPORTANT

Next Tuesday we are meeting in classroom 3rd B.

Have a nice LONG weekend!
Take care, Jimena

Next classes

Hi, I'd like to make some dates clear, as most of you were late or left early last class and there were different rumours going round...

Friday 15th:
1) WRITING in class: Write 150-180 words about ONE of the topics suggested from "Death in the Dojo" (30 minutes). To hand in.

Tuesday 19th:
1) Error correction and doubts from the writings on "Death in the Dojo" done the previous class (hopefully, I will have corrected them by then)
2) FCE Mock (by AACI) Reading Comprehension and Writing Sections (60 minutes)

Thursday 21st:
Revision class (Use of English Modules 1, 2 and 3). Bring transformations and the Use of English section of the last test.

Friday 22nd:
FCE Mock (by AACI) Use of English Section

Contact me if you have any doubts
See you tomorrow, at the usual classroom (2º P)
Jimena

Young entrepreneurs... at ORT

Hope you enjoy these pictures and clips, see you, Jimena

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Next test

Hi everyone, I've been waiting for 80 minutes, I guess you are not coming today! :)

On Thursday you're having a test on Module 3. Before the test we'll be correcting the Revision activities I gave you last week. Please, finish them at home and bring them next class so that you can correct and ask any doubts BEFORE the test.

The presentation of activity 2 (Bits and Bundles) will be on Friday. Get ready for your 1 to 2 minute-speech. You can show your results on the blog with the projector.

See you, Jimena

New Project

Click to learn about our new project for young entrepreneurs.

Hot Shot Business

English Department - Centro de Emprendedores ORT

Hope you enjoy and take profit from it!
Jimena

Death in the Dojo

Click here to view or print the Activity Guide on "Death in the Dojo".

See you on Tuesday,
Jimena

BLEAK: adjective and noun!

/blik/
adjective, -er, -est.
1.
bare, desolate, and often windswept: a bleak plain.
2.
cold and piercing; raw: a bleak wind.
3.
without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary: a bleak future.

Examples:

Gloomy and somber: "Life in the Aran Islands has always been bleak and difficult".
Providing no encouragement; depressing: a bleak prospect.
Cold and cutting; raw: bleak winds of the North Atlantic.
Exposed to the elements; unsheltered and barren: the bleak, treeless regions of the high Andes.

offering little or no hope; "the future looked black"; "prospects were bleak"

bleakish, adjective
bleakly, adverb
bleakness, noun

n. pl. bleak or bleaks
A small European freshwater fish of the genus Alburnus that is related to the carp and has silvery scales used in the manufacture of artificial pearls.

In Module 3 it appears as an adjective, describing a building. Hope it's clear now,
Jimena

Homework

For Tuesday 15th: Finish the Revision activities from Module 3. We are meeting at the Lab.

For Thursday 17th: Finish reading the story and complete the activities from Chapters 1 to 8 of "Death in the Dojo". Test Module 3.

Coming soon... with some changes!

Hi, this just to remind you the schedule we arranged on in our last class:

Tuesday 1st: English Lab. New project: "Entrepreneurship at ORT".

Thursday 3rd: Read "Death in the Dojo", chapters 1 to 8. Complete Module 3B in the coursebook (pages 37 to 40) to correct in class.

Friday 4th: Lab.

Tuesday 8th: Lab. Finish items 1 to 3 from activity 2 (Bits and Bundles).

Thursday 10th: Bring our last test to correct in class and "Death in the Dojo". We are going to revise for the test of Module 3.

Friday 11th: Lab.

Tuesday 15th: Lab

Thursday 17th: Test Module 3. Finish reading "Death in the Dojo".

I hope we can fix to this, if any changes happen to arise, I'll tell you asap.
See on Monday, take care, Jimena

Classroom for Tuesday

Tuesday 24th: Classroom "3ºC" (Annex Building, first floor)

See you there, on time please, we're having a test.

Jimena

Next week

Tuesday 24th: TEST (Similar format to FCE) Use of English (modules 1 and 2), Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension. Don't know the room yet, as soon as I know I'll let you know, by mail perhaps, apart from the blog.

Thursday 26th: We'll continue with module 3, remember to finish the activities on animals.

Friday 27th: Read Chapters 1 to 8 from "Death in the Dojo".

Some time next week you should also e-mail me the writing task in module 3.

See you, have a nice weekend
Jimena

Just to remind you...

As from May 19th, you have the opportunity to practise and train for your oral exam in coaching sessions here at school.
These are the possible timetables for you to pick the one which suits you best. The sessions are just 15 to 20 minutes long and will mock a real exam situation.
As you did last year, you should go to the English Lab and ask Fernando or Geraldine for an appointment, go in pairs (of the same level, of course).

Timetables:
Mondays: 14.40 to 16 or 16.10 to 17.30
Tuesdays: 14.40 to 16
Wednesdays: 14.40 to 16 or 16.10 to 17.30

Good luck,
Jimena

Coming soon...

I leave you some dates for you to organize better, especially those who will be absent on Tuesday, have a good time at the club!

Tuesday 17th: We're starting with Module 3, remember to bring the money if you want to buy the reader!
Thursday 19th: Module 3
Friday 20th: Module 3
Tuesday 24th: Integrative Test, Modules 1 and 2 (Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Use of English)
Thursady 26th: Module 3, hand in the writing (pages 42-43)
Friday 27th: Read Death in the Dojo, chapters 1 to 8.

See you, Jimena

Readers

Some more news...

This first term we'll be reading the thriller

"Death in the Dojo", by Sue Leather. Cambridge University Press.

Modern, original fiction for learners of English. Reporter Kate Jensen investigates the death of a karate master in a 'dojo', a karate training room in London. Another death quickly follows and Kate finds herself drawn into the mystery. The trail takes her to Japan, back to London, and back in time to a crime committed over thirty years earlier.

Soon we'll arrange the dates and tasks to follow.

If you're too curious... READ CHAPTER 1

See you, Jimena

What's coming...

Hi, hope you're resting enough.
I'm posting the dates of the next tests and assignments:

Thursday 12th: Revision class and end of module 2.

Friday 13th: Revision test (pre-test) module 2 (just Use of English, grammar and vocabulary)

Tuesday 17th: Some of you are not coming I've heard, have a nice time at the club! The rest of us will be practising for the test.

Thursday 19th: Revision class.

Friday 20th: Integrative test, modules 1 and 2 (Use of English, Listening and Reading Comprehension).

Remember to hand in the writing activity in Module 2 (letter of application) before Friday 13th!!

See you, take care
Jimena

Some news

Hi people, just to remind you to post the first four activities of our wiki, namely:

1. What is Technology? Reading Comprehension (4 questions + 1 discussion forum)
2. The Nature of Technology Translate the second paragraph
3. Translating Successfully Compare your translation in task 2 with the same automatic version by Systran and a CAT of the same paragraph. Complete the conslusion comparative chart on the wiki page.
4. Technology and Science Listening Comprehension (Abstract and Listening Activities 1 and 2) IMPORTANT: When you post the listening activities, write May 23rd on in the date field (Opciones de Entrada, Fecha de Publicación) at the bottom of the window, below Publicar Entrada, this way, it will only be displayed by that date. Guess why? I'm sure you will!

Some tips to remember:

• Include the name of the wiki page on the title of the blog post.
  
• Bear in mind that this four activities together with the first four activities we worked with on our blog and the e-mail (Writing Task 1 in FC Expert) account for the compulsory tasks for this first term.
  
• Friday 23rd is the last deadline to post or hand in tasks for the first term.

Have a nice weekend, and rest, you have many tests to come!!

Take care, Jimena

New book

Here go some addresses where you can buy First Certificate Expert (2008 edition). There are many others, try searching in Internet. Good luck!!

SBS: J B Alberdi 2380, Flores Phone(s): 4637-4336

ACME Agency: Camacuá 87, Flores Phones: 4631-8559

Kel: Av. La Plata 63, Caballito Phones 4901-5647 / 4903-5306

Librería Peluffo: Av. Corrientes 4276. Phones: 4862-2164

SBS and Kel have a special discount for ORT students.

If you find it is available somewhere else, please tell us on this blog.

Have a nice weekend,
Jimena

Coaching sessions

As from May 19th, you will have the opportunity to practise and train for your oral exam in coaching sessions here at school.
These are the possible timetables for you to pick the one which suits you best. The sessions are just 15 to 20 minutes long and will mock a real exam situation.
As you did last year, you should go to the English Lab and ask Fernando or Geraldine for an appointment, go in pairs (of the same level, of course).

Timetables:
Mondays: 14.40 to 16 or 16.10 to 17.30
Tuesdays: 14.40 to 16
Wednesdays: 14.40 to 16 or 16.10 to 17.30

Good luck, and consult me if you need to.
Jimena

Today's class

Now on our wikis via Firefox!

Today we are working on...
1. Translating successfully.
2. Science and Technology.

Remember to post your answers on our new blog.

DEADLINES!!
By this Friday, you should have posted the first two activities ("What is Technology?" and "The Nature of Technology")
By next Friday, you should have posted the answers to the activities 3 and 4 ("Translating Successfully" and "Technology and Science")

Good luck!
Jimena

Tomorrow

Hi people, we are meeting at the English Lab tomorrow.
See you, Jimena

Pablo: I suggest you try and get the new edition of the book, not the 2003. Some of Pat's students told me it was available at $65, we can ask them. Talk about it tomorrow!

Today's class

Hi, today we are meeting at the English Lab.
As we will be working on the wiki project, I've created a new blog just to post the activities and answers to the tasks on the wiki.
The name of the blog is: Introduction to Technology (exactly as the wiki) and the URL is also quite easy: http://www.introductiontotechnologyblog.blogspot.com/

So this is what we are doing today:
1. Visit the new blog.
2. Accept the invitation in your gmail accounts to become contributors.
3. Post the first two activities (What is Technology? - 4 questions- and The Nature of Technology - one translated paragraph). For each activity you will post a different article, including the name of the Wiki page in the title of the blog post.
4. Today we will start working with the page "Technology and Science". This time we will practise some listening comprehension with a podcast from the BBC Radio 4.

As usual, I'm just here behind you for any doubts or questions.
All for now, Jimena

As soon as possible

Fede, Daniel and Juany, PLEASE, can you edit your profiles!!

Ask me if you don't know how to.

Thank you, Jimena

Very lucky!

I can´t believe you were lucky enough to "get rid of" the Listening Paper twice already. Technology is playing a nasty trick on me!

Remember we are meeting at the English Lab tomorrow (perhaps, to do the listening part of the test) and to continue with our wiki project.

Carolina took some pictures last class, remember? If you are curious to see yourselves during the class, click here.

See you tomorrow, Jimena

New book

Hi, this is just to remind you about the new material for Tuesday 13th.

First Certificate Expert. Coursebook. Pearson Publishing.

As I told you last class, we are going to prepare to sit for the 6th year AACI exam by the end of this year, as well as "train" to sit for the First Cetificate Examination (optional). You will be having a Mid-year exam too, in July, so let's start as soon as possible!

See you on Tuesday at the English Lab!

Have a nice weekend, Jimena

Today's class

Wiki project: Introduction to Technology
Activities for today:

1. Home page: “What is technology?”Answer the first 4 questions in a Word file (remember to include the ORT template, available on our blog).Answer question 5 in the discussion forum.
2. Go to “The Nature of Technology”Translate the second paragraph into Spanish in the same Word file.

For Tuesday:
Read the page: “Translating Successfully” and complete the suggested activities.


See you, Jimena

New classrooms for May

Please pay attention to the following classroom numbers for the month of May.

Tuesday 6th: LAB
Tuesday 13th: 102 (Building III)
Tuesday 20th: 302 (Building III)
Tuesday 27th: 301 (Building II)

On Thursdays and Fridays we are meeting as usual in rooms 2ºC and 2ºP.
That's all for now, see you later, Jimena

New Covers for your Portfolios

Hi, you may print these covers for your portfolios by just clicking PRINT on the following window. Remember to complete the covers with your personal information.

Read this doc on Scribd: Portfolio Cover 4th Electronics Musical Production

Read this doc on Scribd: Music Corner Cover 4th Electronics Musical Production

Tomorrow

Hi everybody, we are seeing tomorrow to complete the listening and reading comprehension papers of our revision test.
See you at classroom 201, Building III.
Be on time, please.

On Friday 2nd, we will be working at the CEO on our new wiki project, so remember to post your comment on technological literacy on the discussion box of our wiki.
That's all for now.

Bye, Jimena

New Project

Hi, this time I want to introduce you to a new project: "Introduction to technology". It is connected to technology, its definition, history and related subjects.

The platform we'll be using is a wiki.
A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. For example, the collaborative encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best known wikis.To learn more about wikis click here.


Since it is on-line, you will be able to access this site from home or just anywhere via Internet.

This is the Internet site for the project:

http://www.introductiontotechnology.wikispaces.com/

Hope you enjoy it and can profit out of it.
Suggestions and comments are welcome, as usual.

Let's start!

Today's class

Hi, congratulations for your exam results, you did really well!

Today we are going to finish activities 2 and 3 on reported speech and technology-related vocabulary (posted on this blog on 3/29).

Please, complete them in word and send them to my gmail account, do not forget to include them in the template with your details.

Some listening practice:
These English listening activities are a series of audio activities that present situational English language between two characters. The language focuses on English language needed for daily communication. Try these five situations and check your score on-line.
Start now!

See you on Thursday, Jimena

Written assignments

Hi, you can download this template to hand in your written assigments for your Portfolio. When you are asked for a username and a password, enter "ortenglish" on both boxes.
Complete your name, track and date (by double clicking the heading) and write your assignment here.
Good luck, consult me or the lab assisstants if you have any trouble.
See you, Jimena

Read this doc on Scribd: plantilla activities

For next week

Hi people, enjoying your weekend? You should be, rest and relax because next week will be quite busy. Some dates to remember:

Tuesday 8th:
Placement oral interviews by AACI
Bring your new A4 folders to start your portfolios

Friday 11th:
Written integrative test (including all you saw last year and this last month, pay special attention to past modals and wishes/regrets, the new structures)
If you have doubts or questions you can consult me on Tuesday or Thursday.

Any class this week:
Hand in the last two activities on the blog, individual, printed, with name and task (once corrected they will join the portfolio):
Activity 1: Reported Speech (At the book store)
Activity 4: Ameriquest spots (both the comprehension questions and the examples of modals of speculation)

I think that's all so far.
Good work today, though you were a bit noisy. Friday syndrome perhaps?

Bye for now, Jimena

another ameriquest spot

more videos of ameriquest

Publicity might help us... have fun

For the last couple of weeks we have been working with modals of speculation or deduction. I thought these interesting (as well as funny) commercials will help us prove how accurate we have become when it comes to PAST MODALS.
Shall we try?

Activity 4:
General questions for all five spots:
1. Watch the commercials.
2. What product/service is being advertised?
3. What is the name of the company?
4. Which aspect of the company are the publicity creatives trying to point out?
4. How did they do this?
5. Describe which might be the target audience they are aiming at.
6. How successful do you think they were?





After watching:

Watch the video again and state three ideas each of the people involved in these sticky misunderstandings might / must or can't have thought.

1. At the hospital
2. Driving back from the concert
3. Turbulence
4. Romantic dinner
5. Hands-free cell phone

e.g. They must have thought he was trying to rob the market.

Please, comment your opinion on the publicity campaign and get your sentences ready for next week.

You can also perform a webquest for more of these spots in youtube and post them in our blog.

Hope you've liked them!
See you, Jimena

Reporting once again

Activity 3:

1. Watch the video.
2. Take down at least 6 characteristics of the gadget presented in the video (e.g. solar-powered).
3. Report the conversation between the two friends.
4. Choose one of your tech gadgets and describe it using 3 or 4 compound adjectives. Remember to use the correct order too.



Be ready to correct this next class.
See you, Jimena

More to report

Activity 2:
1. Watch this video.
2. Report the conversation between Jane and Christine.
3. List at least 10 technology-related terms mentioned in the conversation.




See you, Jimena

Revision on Reported Speech and class work for today

Notes on Reported Speech

Publish at Scribd or explore others: School Work Homework Uncategorizable-Unca

Hi, as I promised, here go the notes on Reported Speech:

Let’s say you and your friend, Rebecca, are eating dinner at a restaurant on Saturday night. Rebecca tells you all about her boyfriend Joshua. She tells you what Joshua told her on Friday. She can say it in two ways.The first way is called “quoted speech.” Quoted or direct speech is EXACTLY what the person said. Here is an example:Joshua said, “I need to take a taxi.” According to the above sentence, Joshua said EXACTLY those words.The other way of repeating what a person says is called “reported speech.” Reported or indirect speech is NOT EXACTLY what the person said. It is like a summary or paraphrase of what the speaker said. Take a look at the following example:Joshua said that he needed to take a taxi. This is NOT EXACTLY what Joshua said.

Read these notes. You can view them here in different sizes and also e-mail o print them if you wish. I hope they help.

Activity 1:

1. Watch the video.

2. Pay attention to the differences between say and tell.

3. Report the conversation between the shop assisstant and the client. You may write it down or type it on Word (open a new window). We'll correct it in class today.

See you tomorrow, Jimena

IMPORTANT

Hi! This is just to remind you to include ONLY your first name and the two or three first letters of your surnames in your profiles on this blog.

Example: Ariel Ben, Maia Le, or Jimena Cas.

How?

1. Go to "Panel"

2. Choose "Editar Perfil" on your right

3. Go to "Identidad"/"Nombre Mostrado" and type your name and just 2 or 3 letters of your surname

4. Remember to save the changes by clicking on "Guardar Perfil" at the bottom of the page.

Consult me or the Lab assisstants if you have any problems in doing so.

See you, Jimena

Classroom CHANGES!!

Hi people, I just want to post the new classrooms we will be meeting at during April.
Please, take them down and keep them handy.

Tuesday 1st: Room 301 (Building II)
Tuesday 8th: Room 302 (Building III)
Tuesday 15th: Room 102 (Building III)
Tuesday 22nd: Lab
Tusday 29th: Room 201 (Building III)

Thursdays (2°C) and Fridays (2°P) stay the same.

I hope you won´t get lost since I´ll be waiting for you ON TIME. I suggest you print this information for further reference.

On Friday 28th we are NOT meeting at the CEO Lab, but the regular classroom (2°P).

See you there.

Bye, Jimena

Congratulations!

Great results, people, congratulations!

Those who still haven't posted your results, please do within this week.

If you want to learn more about the FCE, try the blog we read in class today

http://www.ortenglishnews.blogspot.com/

or the Cambridge ESOL web site

Remember to bring your coursebooks next class (Thursday 27th)

Bye, see you soon, Jimena

Level test

Please complete this LEVEL TEST to assess your knowledge of English language.

Are you ready for FCE?

On this same page you may practise with some very useful multiple-choice activities with instant on-line correction. Please complete the intermediate level test and tell me your result (you may include it in a comment on this post).

Today`s class

Hi, click on the following links to access some revision pages we will be using today.

Past modals examples

Try some exercises on past probability here and past recommendation here

Using modals to talk about the past: revision

You may also try these past modals quiz 1 and quiz 2!

Tired of grammar? Now try this reading activity, enjoy it!

Good luck, consult me if you need to.

Jimena

Creating a Gmail address

I´ve already received several email addresses from you but some are still missing.

Remember you can create a new Gmail account at: www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount

Please edit your Gmail profile including your name and surname (you may include just the first three letters).

Soon you will be receiving an invitation to join the blog, accept it please, and you will instantly become an authorised author of the blog.

Good luck and consult me whenever neccessary! Jimena

Special welcome

Franco and Germán are new members of our class. We hope to get to know more about you very soon and we´re glad you´ve joined us.

This could be a great oppoortunity for you to introduce yourselves. Want to tell us something about you? We´re eager to learn about your interests, family, friends, or whatever you want to share.

Send me your gmail addresses so I can invite you to post on this blog.

See you soon, Jimena

Welcome

Welcome to 4th year English classes!

We already know each other, but here goes my intruduction:

I´m Jimena Castellión, your English teacher this year

You can reach me at: jcastellion@ort.edu.ar or you may as well post comments on this blog.

We´ll be meeting every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon. This is our timetable:
Tuesdays 13.10 English Lab
Thursdays 16.10 Building I (Yatay) Room "2ºC"
Fridays 13.10 Building I (Yatay) Room "2º P"

For our first classes we´ll be using your last year coursebooks:

Opportunities Intermediate (Student´s and activity books)