'Nowadays, people have no idea where American ends and English begins. And that's a disaster for our national self-esteem. We are in danger of subordinating our language to someone else's - and with it large aspects of British life.'
Hace poco salieron publicados unos interesantes artículos por Matthew Engel en el Mail On Sunday sobre cómo Americanisms está invadiendo la manera británica de hablar, para el horror de muchos.
No sólo se queja del spelling sino también de las nuevas palabras que se adoptan o de cómo se pronuncian.
Les dejo la lista de las frases y/ o palabras más odiadas por él y por sus readers que le mandaron más.
(Tengan en cuenta que las explicaciones o definiciones que se dan están expresadas en forma muy sarcástica!)
Hospitalise (or worse still, hospitalize): It's bad enough going to hospital, without being accompanied by this hideous word.
Faze: It doesn't faze me (even when it's spelt 'phase') especially as it's useful in Scrabble. It's just downright irritating. Movies: Can we please watch a film? Or go to the pictures? Or the flicks?
Truck: It deserves to get run over by a lorry.
A Hike: Is a nice walk in the country, not a wage, price or tax rise.
The Finger: If I cut you up on the motorway, would you mind showing your finger by sticking up two fingers, the British way? Thank you.
(Esto es porque aquí la gente cuando quiere insultar a otro, no muestra generalmente el dedo mayor como los americanos. Hacen una V con los dos dedos pero no del lado de la palma de la mano, o sea, hacen el signo V de la paz o al victoria al revés, palma de la mano apuntando para nuestro lado.)
Do The Math: No, do the maths, for Heaven's sake.
Rookies: In Britain, they are big birdies, not newcomers.
Outage: An American power cut, now in use in a newspaper near you. I always read it as 'outrage'.
Monkey Wrench: An adjustable spanner, if you please.
Otras:
The U.S.-dominated computer industry, with its 'licenses', 'colors' and 'favorites' is one culprit. That ties in with mobile phones that keep 'dialing' numbers that are always 'busy'.
I accept that estate agents find it easier to sell fancy apartments rather than boring old flats. And it's right that our few non-passenger trains should carry freight not goods, because that's a more accurate description of the contents.
Ask any lawyer and they will explain: witnesses in British courts do not testify, they give evidence; nor do they 'take the stand' to do this, they go into the witness box.
It also used to be understood that, while American politicians 'ran' for office, British politicians always 'stood'. I liked that: it implied a pleasing reticence. Now in Britain both words are used interchangeably and in this month's General Election candidates stood and ran at the same time.
Del segundo artículo:
Top of the long hate-list was probably ‘Can I get a coffee?’ (and these days it probably would be an overpriced, overmarketed American coffee rather than a nice cup of tea).
It was closely followed by ‘I’m good’ as opposed to ‘I’m very well, thank you’. This phrase is even more infuriating when used as an alternative to ‘No, thanks’, in declining a second helping.
Other leading hates include ‘snuck’ as the past tense of ‘sneak’ and ‘dove’ as the past tense of ‘dive’;
driver’s license instead of driving licence;
overly rather than over;
autopsy for post-mortem;
burglarized instead of burgled;
filling out forms instead of filling them in;
fries for chips;
chips for crisps; and food to go as opposed to take away.
There is also period instead of full stop; and of course ‘Hi, guys’, guys in this case being of either sex.
(...) Martin Levin of London E4, says he keeps emailing Radio 2 to remind them there is no k in ‘schedule’ (...)
It includes airplane for aeroplane, pharmacist for chemist, advisory for warning (...)
The land is also full of ‘gotten’ haters – understandable because it is an extremely ugly word. This is a complex area, though, in that it was formerly used in Scotland and can be found in the works of Sir Walter Scott.
And there is widespread loathing of the verbalisation of nouns: incentivizing and all that rot.
In sport, Bob Carr winces when his team suffer an American ‘loss’ far more than when they go down to an English defeat.
Wayne Bryant says that, if he were still playing competitive sport and was told ‘you’re ON the team ON the weekend’, he would refuse to turn up. Gordon Spalding adds ‘Can we touch base?’ to the collection of ludicrous baseball metaphors.
Los artículos completos aquí y aquí. Si leen los comentarios al final de cada artículo, van a ver LA CANTIDAD que aportaron los lectores!
Llega ese momento, cada 4 años, en que todo el mundo anda medio loco y/o agitado: los alumnos que no hablan de otra cosa que de fútbol (al igual que los adultos, por supuesto) y las teachers que no saben qué inventar para enseñar o reciclar temas a través de este deporte, a ver si los chicos se interesan...
Y sí que se interesan si las actividades que ofrecemos son variadas, entretenidas, divertidas... y enseñan!
Les propongo visitar algunos sitios que ofrecen printables y lesson plans que cubren todos los niveles.
Suerte, que les sea leve y que gane el mejor! Y que todos aprendan!
Si quisiéramos empezar a organizarnos con cómo idear diferentes lesson plans a lo largo del campeonato, podríamos basarnos en esta página que, a pesar de que fue hecha para el campeonato 2006 y las actividades no están on line (no nos servirían), sí se encuentran ideas de qué actividades crear, las copio aquí:
Day One:
Activity 1: Introduction to the World Cup Pupils find out the location of the 32 countries participating in the World Cup final.
Activity 2: World cup quiz A quiz to stimulate interest in the countries which will be under the World Cup spotlight.
Activity 3: Country research (introduction) Project work for the week. Groups of pupils do research on some of the lesser-known countries participating in the World Cup finals.
Day Two:
Activity 1: We play football Pupils compare two photos of children playing football, one taken in (an African country) and one in the UK (or your own country). They discuss them, then learn about life in a shanty town in the suburbs of Nairobi.
Activity 2: A game of empowerment Do competitive games help poor people with the problems they face?
Activity 3: Country research (part 2) Continued project work about countries participating in the World Cup.
Day Three:
Activity 1: My ideal school playtime A writing activity to help pupils think about their leisure time at school.
Activity 2: Recreation at school What problems can occur during playtime at school? This thinking skills activity helps pupils to determine issues and identify possible solutions.
Activity 3: Presentation of country research Pupils present posters displaying the results of their research.
Day Four:
Activity 1: From shopper to worker Developing a concept map of the way sportswear gets from factories in the developing world to consumers in the richer countries.
Activity 2: Write to clothing companies Pupils write letters to clothing companies asking how they know that workers producing their clothes are fairly treated.
Activity 3: Design a logo An art activity in which pupils design a logo which would show that workers had worked reasonable hours.
Day 5:
Activity 1: Good competition, bad competition Brainstorming the good and bad points about competition.
Activity 2: The great debate A formal debate: ‘This house believes that competition should be banned'. Adobe PDF file
Activity 3: Evaluation: what have we learned this week? Assessing the week’s activities.
Para niveles intermedios y más altos, aquí hay una lista de diferentes actividades (vocab, fill in the gaps, etc) basadas en noticias reales.
Citizenship es una materia que se enseña en los colegios aquí, en todos los niveles. No se trata de, como leí por aquí, enseñarles a los chicos a ser respetuosos o cómo recaudar fondos para hacer caridad, etc, sino de explorar una serie de conceptos y procesos sobre justicia, democracia, derechos y responsabilidades. Les recomiendo el ARCHIVE de este sitio donde encontrarán temas y resources para explorar y adaptar. Hay generalmente tres que son gratis, listos para imprimir y a los demás se accede si uno es miembro.
Este sitio que también les recomiendo ver, contiene Citizenship activities según el nivel de los chicos (nivel en colegio de aquí). Cuando hacen click, encontrarán links a diferentes resources.
Este otro sitioestá genial! Me encanta! Cuando hagan click en un tema en particular, verán unos pocos renglones. Miren a la izquierda y ahí encontrarán, en un costado, Introduction, Task 1, Task 2, etc. Haciendo click ahí entonces verán las actividades paso a paso.
Y este otro está muy bueno también, del sitio de la BBC. Tiene photostories, quizzes, etc.
Pero mi preferido absoluto es este, que usé yo para dar clases aquí y es bárbaro! Se lo pueden bajar todo o por capítulos. Este es muy bueno porque el lenguaje es sencillo y se aprende un montón!
Aprovecho para desearles a muchos profes, feliz comienzo de clases y recordarles un post que escribí hace tiempo, sobre qué hacer el primer día de clase.
A decir verdad, aquí la gente grande lo ve como una invasión de costumbres americanas pero los que tienen chicos están bien contentos (o por lo menos lo aparentan) de acompañar a sus niños, a la vuelta del cole, a pedir golosinas por el barrio.
Hubo un año en que me vinieron a visitar (ahora vivo en un departamento así que es medio difícil que vengan) y golpeaban mi puerta porque vieron que había puesto una calabaza en la ventana.
Gritaban "Halloweeeeeeennnnnn!!" y cuando salí a convidarles golosinas, muy tímidamente agarraban uno cada uno! Les invité a tomar más y les daba vergüenza!!! Después les pedí a las mamis si me daban permiso para sacarme una foto con ellos y aceptaron!
Bueno, les cuento esto porque les confieso estuve buscando infructuosamente nuevos sitios y/ o actividades para este año y no he encontrado casi nada nuevo que valiera la pena, salvo estos dos sitios muy interesantes.
Click aquí donde encontrarán worksheets y actividades varias y aquí donde tienen un lesson plan para desarrollar una clase sobre Halloween u otras seasons.
Les recomiendo darse una vueltita por los posts de Halloween de años anteriores los cuales he actualizado y allí encontrarán games, classroom decorations, etc. Halloween 2007 y Halloween 2008.
Sé que a lo mejor llega un poco tarde esta info, pero a lo mejor, ahora que parece que pasó lo peor y los chicos volvieron a clase, viene bien información en inglés acerca de lo que ya saben y dominan bien.
Aquí tienen información lista para imprimir, con gráficos muy fáciles de seguir. Es un leaflet que está en los diarios, que se bajar de internet, como ustedes también pueden hacerlo. Contiene temas como medicinas a tomar, vacunación, cómo protegerse, etc.
Acá tienen el audio que también se pueden bajar a un CD para idear un entretenido listening comprehension.
Clickeando este link encontrarán la misma información pero en versión easy read, con dibujos, ideal para los niveles elementales.
Mucho con Londres no tiene que ver pero es importante saber qué pasa en el mundo, no?
Aquí les copio el discurso que dio Barack Obama el día de ayer cuando asumió (Lo anunciaron "Mr Barack H. Obama", aunque cuando juró, dijeron su nombre completo, o sea, Barack Hussein Obama). Les sugiero que lo lean mientras lo escuchan.
PRESIDENT BARACK Thank you. Thank you.
CROWD: Obama! Obama! Obama! Obama!
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
I thank President Bush for his service to our nation...
(APPLAUSE)
... as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.
The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.
(APPLAUSE)
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
(APPLAUSE)
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.
It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died in places Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
(APPLAUSE)
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.
The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.
We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.
We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality...
(APPLAUSE)
... and lower its costs.
We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.
All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched.
But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
(APPLAUSE)
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.
Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.
Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
(APPLAUSE)
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.
They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy, guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We'll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard- earned peace in Afghanistan.
With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.
And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
(APPLAUSE)
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.
We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.
And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
To those...
(APPLAUSE)
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
(APPLAUSE)
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours.
It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.
These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
(APPLAUSE)
So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.
In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river.
The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.
At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Este artículo que les copio (porque no está online) salió el día 21 de agosto de 2008 en el diario The London Paper, en la página 8. Es sobre tribus urbanas y su categorización. También da el website donde uno puede hacer el test pero las preguntas son muy localistas, pero si están interesados, go on, give it a try. Al final del artículo hay descripciones de algunas tribus y yo les agrego la lista de todas las demás.
POLLS LISTS TRENDSETTERS' 'GANGS' YOUNG URBAN TRIBES FIGHT OVER FASHION BY ALEX STEPHENS
Yuppies, Tweenies and Sloane Rangers move over - it is time to introduce the Trendies, Indie Scenesters and Blingers.
After questioning more than 80,000 people across the UK, social experts have identified 26 different "tribes" that young people fall into.
The categories, ranging from Emos, who are sensitive types with floppy fringes, to Indie Scenesters, whose uniform is Converse and skinny jeans, have been listed on the website www.findyourtribe.co.uk as part of an online quiz. Visitors to the site are placed in a tribe after being questioned about their lifestyle.
The quiz has been created for Channel 4 by research agencies Crowd DNA and Voodoo. The results will help brands to understand customers.
WHICH TRIBE ARE YOU?
BHANGRA MUFFIN: Your accent is half Asian, 25 percent urban and 25 percent English. You bought Shilpa Shetty's perfume. You wear Iceberg jeans and Rocawear.
BOY RACERS: You know what a Pug, Scort, Onion and Cossie are. You can perform doughnuts, handbrake turns and burn-outs. You haven't indicated since 2002.
BLINGERS: You think Mr T was under-dressed and wear your bling on your D&G sleeve. People ask you if you're from the US because of your New York accent and you take this as a compliment.
CRAFT KIDS: Your house could be in the 1950s. You prefer to wear clothes you have made yourself and would love to be studying History of Art and Central St Martins.
EMOS: You have dyed black hair brushed over your face to protect you from the cruel world. You seek solace in poetry and music.
GET PAID CREW: You devote your life to getting rich and aspire to having an empire.
GRUNGERS: Your god is Kurt Cobain. Your bleached blonde hair is the same length as your girlfriend's and your jumpers have thumb holes in.
SKATERS: Your motto is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". You're happy if there's concret to grind, trainers to ruin and rock to rock to. You regularly video your own stunts - but would run a mile if you saw the police. You don't want no trouble.
INDIE SCENESTERS: You know all the major players in the indie scene. You're always moving on to the next thing once everyone joins in.
STREET RATS: You're always ducking and diving, trying to make a few quid. You hang on park benches, drinking and getting in the face of any innocent passer-by.
TRENDIES: Your look is more important than life itself. You buy Vogue and Glamour, mainly just to carry around and remind the plebs of your social standing. You aspire to be a fashionista and worship at the skinny feet of Gwen Stefani and Kate Moss.
Ok, es algo sarcástica la descripción, pero es divertida y da una idea de algunas de las que hay.
Si vienen a Londres, además de visitarme, les recomiendo "sacar" la Oyster Card.
Si llegan a Heathrow, se pueden tomar el subte hasta Central London, entonces ahí mismo, en la estación de subte del aeropuerto, pueden comprar la tarjeta.
La Oyster permite viajar a precios mucho más convenientes que si tuvieran que comprar un boleto para cada tramo e incluso es más barato que comprar un Day Travel Card.
Un ejemplo: el boleto de colectivo (u ómnibus) sale £2 pero con la tarjeta sale £0.90. Y así.
Si uno quisiera un Day Travel Card (que sirve para subte, ómnibus, DLR, trams y algunos trenes) la puede "cargar" a la Oyster y sale más barata que si la compraran directamente en ventanilla.
Otro método es el top up, o sea, cargar la tarjeta con dinero y que se vaya descontando de ahí, pero at the end of the day, sigue siendo más caro que si uno cargara un Day Travel Card, un Weekly Pass o un Monthly Travel Card.
De todas formas, si eligen el "top up", lo máximo que se descuenta por día es £4.50., no importa la cantidad de transporte que tomen ni las veces.
Ufa, si, suena recontra complicado, pero no se me acobarden, no importa, ustedes si vienen, compren la Oyster sin pensarlo, se aseguran que van a pagar menos.
Algunas fotitos que ilustran este tema:
The card proper.
The reverse.
Este es el "reader". Está en todos los colectivos, en los molinetes del subte y de trenes. Uno apoya la Oyster cuando entra (touch in) y cuando llegó a destino (touch out).
Ven, este chico está a la entrada de la estación de subte y la está por apoyar (a la tarjeta) y luego eso de adelante (el molinete) se abre automáticamente y pasa.
Un poster. A propósito, los posters del subte son lo más didáctico que pueda haber para enseñar inglés porque a partir de los dibujos se puede inferir mucho vocabulario. Son divinos. Este no es un ejemplo, obvio.
Las guías están en varios idiomas con lo cual se me ocurre que podrían (sobre todo para clases de adultos) hacerles leer, por ejemplo, una página en español y luego la misma dárselas en inglés. Con eso no van a necesitar diccionarios y van a sentir que verdaderamente entienden un texto en inglés sin necesidad de recurrir a un dictionary.
Sería un lindo homework para que vean lo que es inferir a través del contexto, no?
Hoy se celebra Guy Fawkes, aunque desde el viernes que vienen con los fuegos de artificio!
Hoy hace frío, por suerte no llueve (de todas maneras, olviden ese mito de que acá llueve y hay niebla todos los días!) y aprovecho para filmar este festejo.
Los videítos que subo los filmé desde el balcón de mi casa, se puede ver el Thames y esos edificios tan New York están en Canary Wharf, mi parte de Londres favorita.
Si, creo que se escuchan mis grititos de sorpresa y de miedo!!!
Ya que no me vienen a visitar, les ofrezco algo de real life.
Les gustaría escuchar cómo hablan sobre muchos temas los adolescentes aquí? Y hacer listening comprehensions? También van a escuchar a chicos de otros países hablando en inglés.
Si! Me enteré! Y la noticia apareció hoy en todos los diarios.
El artículo que les copio abajo salió en el Daily Mail.
Argentine capital gets first snowfall in 90 years
Snowballs were thrown in the streets of Buenos Aires as the capital's first major snowfall since 1918 spread a thin white mantle across the region.
Wet snow fell for hours on Monday, after freezing air from Antarctica collided with a moisture-laden low pressure system.
In higher climbs in western and central Argentina, snow fell heavily and blanketed the region.
"Despite all my years, this is the first time I've ever seen in snow in Buenos Aires," said Juana Benitez, an 82-year-old who joined children celebrating in the streets.
Argentina's National Weather Service said it was the first major snow in Buenos Aires since June 22, 1918, though sleet or freezing rain have been periodically reported in decades since.
A woman laps up the snow fall - the first in her lifetime in Buenos Aires
A snow-covered car parked up on a Buenos Aires street after a surprise snowfall
One man stripped to his shorts to welcome the snow. Children scraped snow of cars and threw snowballs.
Motorists honked horns, some with small snowmen on their hoods. Some fender benders were reported on slick suburban streets.
The storm struck on Argentina's Independence Day holiday, adding to a festive air and prompting radio stations to play an old tango song inspired by the 1918 snowfall, "What a night!"
"This is the kind of weather phenomenon that comes along every 100 years," forecaster Hector Ciappesoni told La Nacion newspaper. "It is very difficult to predict."
The snow followed a bitter cold snap in late May that saw subfreezing temperatures, the coldest in 40 years in Buenos Aires.
That cold wave contributed to an energy crisis and 23 deaths from exposure. Two more exposure deaths were reported on Monday.
Ayer se fue Tony, presentó su renuncia formalmente a la reina y a 10 Downing Street entró Gordon Brown, quien se desempeñaba como Chancellor of the Exchequer (o Ministro de Economía). Igual no tuvo que venir de muy lejos, ya que tradicionalmente el Chancellor of the Exchequer vive en 11 Downing Street.
Ahora sí Cool Britannia pasará a ser un agradable recuerdo y éramos todos tan jóvenes...
Habrá elecciones más adelante (Cómo? No las hubo ya? No. El sistema es así.)
Les comento que como siempre, The Times rocks y preparó un informe especial llamado The Blair Years con slides, grabaciones y videos.
Les recomiendo las slides de Tony y de Cherie. Muy buenas fotos.
"Yo?!?!?! Gracias que voy al banco para los trámites y te aprendí a usar la BANELCO, YO enseñar Business English!?!?!?"
Pues, si, yo.
Alguna vez había que animarse y el desafío me lo propuse cuando me dí cuenta de que a quienes enseñaba inglés eran sólo niños o adolescentes. Era hora de que probara enseñar a adultos. Y me lancé a la aventura mandando CVs a distintas compañías que ofrecen clases de inglés a empresas.
Fue la mejor decisión que pude haber tomado! Nunca era tan feliz como cuando me dirigía a las empresas (bancos, principalmente) a enseñar. Todo era primoroso: las instalaciones, la pulcritud, el silencio y el hecho de que la mayor cantidad de alumnos que tuve fue 5...
"Ay, pero YO enseñarle a gente que a diario toma decisiones importantes, empresarios serios, de traje y corbata, fríos y distantes, calculadores hasta la médula..."
Pues, no.
No! Es increíble pero esas personas de las cuales tenemos esa imagen, cuando son ellos quienes tienen que aprender, son los mejores alumnos!!! Atentos, trabajadores, te hacen la tarea, tienen curiosidad y algunos pueden llegar a ser muy divertidos!!!!
No importa que el docente no sepa NADA de Business. No hace falta. Como todo, por supuesto, hace falta planificar las clases y si salta algún vocablo que no sabemos, pues a buscarlo.
Pero si así y todo lo que leemos no tiene sentido, por qué no preguntarles a ellos? Encantados te explican y por supuesto, se tiene que exigir que lo hagan en inglés, entonces es un "two-way process": ambas partes aprenden.
Porque ellos respetan lo que uno sabe de inglés y enseña, pero si se trata de "business jargon", no tienen ningún problema en explicar!
OK, suficiente con tanto déjà vu.
Para quienes sean Business English teachers o para quienes les gustaría ser, aquí van unos links con su correspondiente explicación.
Para empezar, nada mejor que un buen needs analysis y qué hacer en las primeras clases o cómo adaptarse al "one to one". Para eso, unos interesantes artículos de Onestopenglish.
Como siempre, para resources recomiendo las editoriales tradicionales ya que todo lo que ofrecen se basa en los libros que más se usan. Por ejemplo, Longman ofrece Intelligent Business y Market Leader.
Macmillan, CUP y OUP, también. Este último también ofrece, si se fijan bien, un handbook con templates para escribir business letters.
Y dos regalitos:
Uno, un sitio donde se puede encontrar desde "business idioms" o "business phrasal verbs" o hasta "English for meetings", to name but a few. Y si quieren lessons, ingresando vuestro email les llegan gratis a vuestra casilla.
Y el otro, para relajarse, aquí unos cuantos online exercises/ games categorizados, que podrían recomendarles a vuestros alumnos.
Para finalizar, alguien con ganas de contar sus experiencias como Teacher of Business English?
Este fin de semana, les gustaría ver algo de tele?
No se dejen llevar por esas expresiones tan serias en sus caras... Estos dos cómicos, Matt Lucas y David Walliams protagonizan un programa llamado Little Britain que consiste en sketches donde se mofan y critican (y cómo!) a través del humor, a típicas personas en GB.
A lo mejor a algunos les va a costar entender el humor pero lo que sucede es que uno sale aquí a la calle y los encuentra enseguida!
De todas formas, vale la pena verlos porque así también ven y escuchan algo en el inglés que se habla aquí y ahora.
Debajo de la foto de cada personaje (no son todos) hay un link para que lean más info y luego un clip.
Que se diviertan!
WARNING: Hay malas palabras y a algunos les puede resultar un poco "naughty". Pero ésto es lo que se ve en la PC (i.e., politically correct) BBC.
No quisiera dejar pasar este artículo en cierta forma "revelador", aunque acá pasó totalmente inadvertido. Salió en la edición de The Economist de esta semana, les dejo el link a la nota.
Les recomiendo leer el tercero y el último párrafo más de una vez.
'Nowadays, people have no idea where American ends and English begins. And that's a disaster for our national self-esteem. We are in danger of subordinating our language to someone else's - and with it large aspects of British life.'
