America Shaken by yet Another School Shooting

26 dead, 20 of them children at a shooting in a school in Connecticut.
The  shooting  is sure to reignite gun control debate. Will it  put pressure on the Obama administration to take action?
What is your view on the subject?

Read more here: NY Times

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Once again the  Israeli-Palestinian conflict has made the head lines. You've probably seen terrible images and heard about all the casualties and the bombs. But what do you really know about what is  going on in the area?

Read about it here: Israel-Gaza Conflict Flashes Hot Again 
and  here:  Israel-Palestine Conflict: What Is It About?
 

Catalan Elections in the News

Watch what the news is saying about the elections in Catalonia.

 This Wednesday you will be discussing  the situation in Catalonia with Emir. 
Watch some of the news programmes. They will help you  get familiar with some of the vocabulary you will be practising in class.

APLE2 Oral Presentations

Your assignment for the APLE2 class is a 10 minute oral presentation on any topic you choose. Make sure you choose a topic you know well and you think may be of interest to the class.

It is important that you use some visual aids to enhance your presentation.

Your presentation will be assessed not only by your teacher, but by your classmates as well.

Dates:
Fri 23rd: Rocío, Alberto, Antonio, Julia
Tues 27th: Andrea G, Enrique, Juan, Sara
Fri 30th: Silvia, Andrea P, Raúl, Sergio 
Tues 4th: Ignacio, Ángela, Lis 
Tues 11th: Raúl G, Rubén
 

Tips about giving presentations:

   

• Explain the structure of your presentation at the beginning so that your listeners know what to expect.
•  Use clear, simple language. Do not use too many technical words. If you do, write them on the board.
• Make sure you understand everything you are saying and can pronounce all the words.
• Use your own words and  DO NOT learn by heart.
• Do not read from your notes.
• Speak clearly and make sure everyone can understand you.
• Use interesting material to illustrate your presentation, but do not overload your audience.
• Be aware of your body language. Look audience in the eye. Stand up straight.
• Breathe! (It helps you relax)

These are some of the points your teacher will be looking at:

• Use of English: grammar / vocabulary
• Pronunciation
• Clarity and fluency
• Use of visual aids
• Is it well prepared and rehearsed?
• Is it interesting?

President Obama's Victory Speech

President Obama speaks in Chicago after winning re-election.

Listen to the whole speech and then choose a fragment of about 20 lines. You will have to read it in front of the class, so you should practise reading it a few times, until your pronunciation and entonation are allmost perfect!!

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

Click here for a transcript of the speech. 

U2 I Still Haven't Found...

Listen to the song and do the quiz

When you have finished, click on see how you did and then  send the results to me. My teacher code is OlgaGalileo

How I Met your Mother

After a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother, it's time to hear from you. Leave your comment here on this VoiceThread. If you've never used VoiceThread before, it's easy. Just click on comment, register and record your message.










CHECK YOUR VOICETHREAD MARKS & COMMENTS HERE

VOICETHREADMARKS

Lance Armstrong. Fall of a hero?

1. When and where was Lance Armstrong born? 
2. What sports did he practice before taking up cycling? 
3. When did he start cycling? 
4. What did he win in 1990? 
5. Why was 1993 an important year in his career?
6.  !996 was not a very good year for Armstrong. Why? 
7. What is the name of his charity organization? 
8. How many times did he win the Tour de France? 
9. How many yellow bracelets have been sold? 
10. What did he intend to do after retiring? 
11. Did he admit to having taken drugs?

A game to test your knowledge of English.(1º Bachillerato)(Well OK, units 1-2 only)
Good luck!!

English Central

It's time for English Central again!
To start earning points enroll at:  obs2012  

But don't forget you must register first

Once in my class, click on BROWSE at the top of the page and choose any videos you like.
Try to do about 20 videos each month.

There are hundreds of new videos awaiting you. And in case you've forgotten how it works, here is a video.

The Girl who Wanted to Go to School

If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a nation

 

Malala Yousafzai, a fourteen-year-old girl from Pakistan was shot by Taliban gunmen last Tuesday.

Watch the news story and Malala's interview in 2011 and then find out more about this courageous girl's story.

 

Find out more about Malala and then write a report of about 150 words on her  story.

Here are some links you may find useful.

 

Malala Yousafzai

The Girl who Wanted to Go to School

Malala's diary , written in 2009 for the BBC about her life under the Taliban.

James Bond

Probably the most popular secret agent of all times, James Bond has appeared in countless films. But did he really exist? What do you know about him? Watch the video and try to answer as many questions as you can.

1. James Bond was created by Ian Flemming. In how many novels and short stories does he appear? 
2. What real person did the author have in mind when he created Bond? 
3. Where did Flemming get the name James Bond from? 
4. What is Bond's motto? 
5. What does the double 0 number after his name mean? 
6. What is the title of the book in which he first appears? 
7. When did Ian Flemming die? 
8. When was the first Bond film made? What was it called? 
9. Who was the first actor to play James Bond? 
10. What three things are always present in James Bond films?

Austerity and Hunger in Spain

 An article about the economic situation in Spain published by The New York Times causes a stir. But is it a true reflecion of the Spanish situation ?

Click here for the New York Times Article and photo gallery.


 And also in the news...

 Clashes between police and demonstrators on the streets of Madrid

British Deputy Prime Minister apologises for breaking a promise.

Nick Clegg,  British Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party apologises for breaking an election promise not to increase university tuition fees, which now cost students up to 9,000 pounds a year. Now a spoof video of his apology has been released.

Oral exam 1º Bachillerato

This year we have talked  and read about all kinds of topics. Choose one which you found particularly interesting or one that stuck in your memory for whatever reason and talk about it here on this VoiceThread. Talk about what you learnt about the subject and also your different opinions and ideas. I look forward to your comments.

Remember this is your last oral exam and therefore 10% of your final mark.
 
Deadline: 10th June.









Check your marks and comments here

Sheila's last lesson

This is a picture taken by Sheila on her last lesson with Aple2.

I can't live without...

 4º ESO C & D

 Deadline: 20th May

 


Check your  marks and comments here

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones, one of the greatest rock bands of all times, have been going since the 1960s. How much do you know about them? When did they start? What are their best known albums and songs? Who are the most popular members of the band?
Watch and see how many of the questions below you can answer.

1. When was the band formed?
2. What two singles were first released?
3. When was their second album, 12X5, released?
4. What was their first international hit?
5. A tabloid newspaper published an article about the band causing the authorities to investigate them. What was the article about?
6. What bands and singer appeared in the Circus themed concerts?
7. Why did Brian Jones leave the band?
8. There was tension between which two members of the band?
9. How many members have the Rolling Stones had?
   

Natural Disasters

2011 was the worst year on record for natural disasters.Watch the video and then write a list of the different disasters mentioned and the place where they occurred.

Happy Easter!

I hope you are all enjoying your Easter holiday.

This time I am not going to suggest any videos. How about some music instead?
Here is a song by the choir Antara Korai Voces Blancas de Alcorcón. They have just released their first audio CD! Congratulations Sandra!!

Hunting Children in Sudan

One of the world's most brutal rebel groups, Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), is on the move from the Congo, terrorizing civilians.

This is Moses's terrible experience at the hands of the rebels.

1. Who are the LRA? What do they do? Where do they operate?
2. How old is Moses?
3. What happened to Moses?
4. How was he treated by the LRA?
5. How long was he kept prisoner?
6. Did his brother manage to escape?
7. What happened to the little girl?
8. How did Moses manage to escape?
9. What does his father worry about?

Others were not so lucky and stayed with the LRA for years. Read the interview with former LRA soldier Moses Rubangangeyo, abducted in 1996, when he was also 15 years old.

Read more about the LRA

Tapping for Tuition.

Josh Johnson is tap dancing his way through college. Watch the video and answer the questions.

1. What is Josh raising money for?
2. What is he studying?
3. How much money does he need?
4. How often does he travel to New York? How long does the journey take?
5. What do we know about his family?
6. Where does he stay when he comes up to NY?
7. how much does he make on a good day?
8. Has he ever had a problem or accident while tap dancing?
9. What adjective does the commentator use to describe Josh?

Who wants to be a Millionaire?

A game to help you practise your modal verbs. Good luck!

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!!

Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago today. The whole world is celebrating his birthday.
Watch this cartoon about his life.
See how many facts about his life you can learn.
And for those of you in 4º ESO reading David Copperfield, see if you can find events in his life which could have inspired him.

The Green Mile (APLE 2)

Wear Sunscreen

The following video was suggested to me by Estefanía in 1º C. You will hear some interesting advice on how to live your life.

Listen to it and feel free to comment.

President Obama's State of the Union Address

Would you like to listen to the full speech?

Read President Obama's speech text here.

Who wants to be a millionaire? (1º Bach.)

Another game to test your English. (Units 1 to 3)

Jeremy Irons talks about the death penalty

Listen to Jeremy Irons talking about the death penalty and fill in the gaps.

For more for and against arguments go to Balanced Politics

Read us a story! (4º ESO)

Choose a favourite passage from the book David Copperfield of about 30 lines and share it with us.
Make sure you listen to it on your CD a few times and practice reading it out loud before recording it. Remember: Practice makes perfect!
Don't forget to mention chapter and page.

Deadlines:
4 C: 3rd Feb
4 D: 7th Feb

Any technical problems should be solved before those dates, so don't leave it for the last minute!)
And remember: you won't hear your recording until I make it public!




Check your marks here.

Greg Lutzka: A professional skateboarder

Listen to Greg being interviewed and try to answer the questions.

1. How old was Greg when he started skateboarding?
2. What sport did he use to play?
3. Where does he live now?
4. How old is he?
5. Does he do other sports?
6. How does he stay in shape?
7. Who writes him emails?
8. How long will he keep skateboarding for?

What's in the news

Woman survives bungee jump after cord breaks.




Police arrest guy with weirdest name ever.