28/01 Tuesday. Class 4

Hello!
Today you were much better prepared, almost everyone did the homework, except David, who never does.
We listened to the presentations about different festivals in Spain and not only.
Remember: we try to speak, but not to read, although I understand it´s difficult.

We´ve started a new topic "Entertainment". We talked about television and learnt many new words (soap opera, news report, weather forecast, sitcom, chat show, reality show, quiz show etc.).

We also listened to several people expressing their opinions about television: Is it bad or good for people? They used different adjectives to describe the programmes (violent, educational, interesting, boring, entertaining ect.)

Your homework is to read the programme and find out the types of programmes on TV, answer the questions in your copy.

21/01 Tuesday. Class 3

Hello!
From the results of the class - only Ana and Victor did the homework, partly Paco and Juan. I´m putting everything on the record and at the end of the month you´ll get the evaluations!

Today we did some speaking - you were talking about Spanish holidays: Easter, Carnival and San Fermin. All groups did their work very well!

Also we found out what countries celebrate something with fireworks:
Brazil - Carnival
China - New Year
France - Bastille Day (July 14th)
USA - Independence Day (July 4th)

British also celebrate one day with fireworks - Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night  (November 5th).
We´ve read about the origin of this holiday, who Guy Fawkes was and what he did. We´ve learnt some useful vocabulary: to let off fireworks, bonfire, dummy/effigy/ragdoll Guy Fawkes, torchlit processions, kick off the fireworks etc.
People usually recite this small poem this day:
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I see of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

What is Carnival? Why do people celebrate it? Read it here.

Your homework is to prepare a project "Holidays/Festivals" about one holiday you like (Spanish or any other).

14/01 Tuesday. Class 2

Hello! From now on we strictly check your homework! It´s obligatory to do it!!!

Today we learnt about some traditions that people have celebrating some holidays (to let off fireworks, to wear costumes, to burn dummies, to dress up as witches, to eat a stuffed turkey, to cook traditional meal, to light bonfires etc.). You´ve been talking about different holidays and traditons for 2 minutes non-stop. Good job!

Halloween is on the 31 October. Children dress up as witches and ghosts. They put up wreaths and pumpkin lanterns. They go from home to home "trick-or-treating".

We´ve been also revising to ask questions in English. Hey, you still have some problems with them:
When do people celebrate New Year?
When did Saint Patrick die?
What do people usually do this day?

Also we´ve watched a video - "I bet you didn´t know it" about the origin and history of Christmas. Watch the video again and answer the questions in your copies (in writing).

Extra task (3 points): watch any video from the same website about a history of any holiday and prepare a short summary to tell in the class.

Trimester II. 07/01 Tuesday. Class 1

Hello!
I´m glad to see you again in our second course. Today lots of students were absent, most probably still on vacations:) Welcome Ana to our group, hope you´ll have fun with us!

Today we´ve started a new topic that i personally like a lot - "Festivities".
We revised how to say ordinal numbers, as it´s very improtant when we want to say a date
(15 October (the fifteenth of October or October the fifteenth; on 2 February (on the second of February or on February the second).
Here´s a link for you to practise saying the dates (when you click on the date/year you can listen to it).

Also we learnt some famous American and British holidays (Independence Day, St.Valentine´s Day, Christmas, Veterans´ Day, Guy Fawks Night, St.Patrick´s Day, Halloween etc.). We learn about some symbols of these holidays (St.Patrick´s Day - shamrock and green colour, Guy Fawks Night - bonfires and dummies etc.).

We also did a small Festivals Quiz and found out a lot of interesting facts about holidays all over the world. Do you remember them all?

Finally, we read a short history of some holidays and your homework is to read it again and make up 3 questions for each text part.

And now extra task: here´s a link to History of Holidays, read an article "Christmas Facts" and write out 3 facts that you find amazing and then read out in the class (you´ll be rewarded with some extra points for this task).