MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! THANKS FOR FOLLOWING!

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR CHRISTMAS?

Ho ho ho! It's Christmas time!

Do you think you are ready for it? If you are unsure about this, I've come up with a test that can help you figure out if you are!! Read the questions below, award points and add up your score at the end. If you get more than 15, you are definitely looking forward to your Christmas feast!!! Please, let us know about your answers on the comments below!

And if you are not ready for Christmas yet.... try our Christmas Kahoot and get in the mood!!

Seasons Greetings!!

A COFFEE AND A CHAT AT THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

As any teacher would tell you, the classroom isn't the only place where learning happens. Extending teaching far beyond the classroom walls offers a chance to engage and empower our students. That is why I keep looking for ways to harness their interests and passions with out-of-the-classroom activities.

Last week was time for "Café con Letras", a library-based activity carried out by our school library team. We went down to the library and had a great chat over a coffee and a snack. The main topic was "stereotypes" and what lies behind them. 

I would like to thank my students for their passion and motivation every time we do this activity. It has always proved to be fun, enjoyable and a complete success!

Arousing my students' interest and curiosity at the library tables has been a pleasure. That is why I keep going every year. In fact, I am already looking forward to our next "Café con Letras" experience!  

ITip OF DECEMBER: SPEEK

Here is a new ITip for ESL students to practice English at their own pace. Speek lets you record and share voice notes, memos and responses without an account. You just click on the microphone and start giving your two-minute speech. That is just how much the web allows you to speak. As soon as you are done, click on the microphone again and you will be able to save your clip as a link that you can share on social media afterwards. Simple and user-friendly!

Experience the sense of giving your voice a try in English and hear what it really sounds like! If looking for more voice recorders, check all my ITips of the month. Some others are also worth a try!

WINTER FESTIVAL 19

Christmas season is just round the corner. Come and join us to celebrate it! Next Thursday 19 December at 19.30. There'll be music, desserts and lots of fun!

A COFFEE AND A CHAT AT THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

Our library has opened its doors to our traditional "Café con Letras", which has become a classic speaking activity at school that both teachers and students love. I will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity that the school library team gives us every year to move my students forward and get them to talk over a coffee and a nice snack.

I would also like to thank both my school and my students alike for their passion and motivation when carrying out this activity. It will definitely be really rewarding to find the class going on with their discussions even once the lesson has already come to an end! This is what really makes teaching worth it! Arousing my students' interest and curiosity at the library tables will be a delight. That is why I keep going every year. In fact, I am already looking forward to next week's "Café con Letras" experience! How about you?

HERE COMES A CLASSIC: CHRISTMAS DESSERT COMPETITION

Got a killer dessert recipe? Looking for a delicious way to show off your skills? If your answer is.... yes!! why not registering for the Christmas Dessert Competition at school on 19 December before 18.30?  Bring us your best pastry, pie or pudding dessert. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a wonderful Christmas Basket assorted with all kinds of Christmas specials. Second and Third Prize Finalists will also receive a prize. For more details about the competition, review the Competition Rules.

Start cooking, baking and mixing now!! Get ready for our festival then. There´ll be food, music and much more!

ITip of November: LISTEN AND WRITE

Listening is one of the skills our students can get to practise outside the classroom. Language learners can hear English from various speakers and sources at different speeds thanks to the wide variety of apps and websites the Internet provides. Here is a website to find dictation exercises. You can listen to the clip and take a wide array of tests. There are many English conversations and audios for different levels and it allows you to train your English listening skills anywhere: at home, on the go, on the couch, at your desk, even on your holiday. Learn in your own comfort and at your own speed!

ITip OF OCTOBER

Time does fly! October is about to come to an end and I haven't posted my ITip of the month yet!

As my students are coping with the writing task in unit 1, I thought it would be a good idea to give them some feedback on their writing skills. That is the main reason why I have chosen Grammarly as this month's tip.

Grammarly is an app that automatically detects potential grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice and style mistakes. Using artificial intelligence and natural language processing, Grammarly offers not only grammar and spelling checking but also suggestions about word choice, style and writing clarity. 

It offers three different versions of the app: 

Grammarly for Microsoft Office. You can install Grammarly as an add-in. No matter whether you have problems with dangling modifiers or wordiness, Grammarly will spot them all for you!

Grammarly for Windows 7+ or MacOS 10.8+ right on your desktop to access your documents or open a new project with one single click.

Grammarly for Chrome. You will write your best with Grammarly for Chrome. It will eliminate writing errors and find the perfect word for you to express what you want to say. Besides, by registering your account you will get a writing report each week! This will help you understand your mistakes with clear explanations so that you won't make them ever again. This free browser extension will allow you to write mistake-free in Gmail, Facebook or anywhere else you write on the web!

EXPLORING THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

On October 24 we are celebrating the day of school libraries. It will definitely be a great occasion for our students to go and explore the wide range of both learning and discovery opportunities our school library provides.

The school library team is also running a competition to commemorate the date. Visit the school blog and fill in their quiz to win instant prizes!

PROMOTING VOLUNTEERISM

Don´t just stand there! Volunteer! Discover why some of the richest people in the world are not millionaires, but volunteers.  

As usual at this time of the year, the school library is opening up its volunteer programme. Would you like to join and support our school? We need you!! Take part in this rewarding experience and assist others in your community by volunteering now.

For more information about the programme at the library have a look at the school website.

By becoming a volunteer you are making a valuable contribution to school! The gift of your time is priceless!

OUR ENGLISH BOOK CLUB: THE GLOBEPLOTTERS

Are you keen on reading? Would you also like to improve your speaking skills? The GLOBETROTTERS book club invites you to join their first meeting for both advanced and intermediate level students:

Advanced level meeting: 21 october at 18.00 at the library.
Intermediate level meeting: 23 october at 17.00 at the library.

Enjoy a wide variety of books and relax in the perfect atmosphere! Click for more information on registration and further meetings! 

OUR LANGUAGE ASSISTANT

I am glad to inform you that our English Department has just been "re-appointed" our foreign language assistant for the school year 2019-2020. His name is Ross. He is from USA and he will presumably be involved with conversation classes. He has been living in Pontevedra for a year now and is looking forward to come and join our school community again. We are excited about meeting Ross so, let´s get ready to give him a warm welcome!!

Ross will be teaching my C1.2 students every week! I am sure that he will be more than glad to teach you!!

FREE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST: WHAT LEVEL ARE YOU?

There are many online sites that give you the opportunity to check what your English level is. However, this is one I particularly like. It is simple, quick but very enlightening!

How optimistic are you? Would you like to give it a try? Then, take the free test on the image above to check out where you are on the official scale of European Levels and give your English a boost!

WELCOME TO SCHOOL YEAR 19-20!

The bell is about to ring!! and I am happy to welcome each and everyone of you to a new school year at EOI Pontevedra. It is hard to believe.... but it is that time of the year again!!! 

I hope you all had a very good summer break to be ready for a wonderful start. Are you willing to embark on the exciting journey that begins with the new school year?? There will be lots of opportunities for language learning!!!

Starting over is always an exciting time of year for most students – learning how to navigate the classroom, meeting friends and the teacher, and reconnecting with the old ones will likely be the primary focus of interest for the first few days. As in any time of change and transition, this can also be a rather stressful period; these are a few things you can do to settle back into school:

1. Establish a routine to make sure an early start is not too much of a shock.

2. Go and buy some exciting new kit!! What about picking up a fun new school notebook or pencil case... some brand-new stationery stuff.

3. Have a positive attitude. Make sure you see the school year as a new opportunity rather than the end of fun.

4. Stay organised and get into the habit of preparing everything you need to make your English learning easier.

5. Introduce a new school year´s resolution. Choose your own challenge or goal and stick to it! How about ending up the school year watching TV series in English with no subtitles and managing to get most of it!

If you are really looking forward to the new school year, send us your own tips and goals in the comments section below or let us know how you are coping!! Let´s develop our own passion for learning together!

EXAM TIPS: HOW TO OVERCOME STRESS

The exams that are about to start will be an amazing opportunity for students at school to demonstrate their skills and knowledge and prove how hard they have tried throughout the course. On June 5 my C1.2 students will have to come to school at the time the have been called to do their best in the exams and try to pass the C1 Standardized Test. Here are some useful exam tips for them not to get the creeps!

Whatever happens, don´t think about the fear and keep on task!!

"LET'S DISCOVER PONTEVEDRA" WINNER

I am really proud to announce that one of my students, Ana Muñoz Vilariño, is one of the winners of the video competition that the EOI Pontevedra school has held to promote the city of Pontevedra for the ITU Multisport Championships. 

Congratulations to Ana for having taking part in the project and eventually winning it! I am certain that she is really worth it, don't you agree?

Watch the video and discover why she has been awarded a prize!

PROBAS CERTIFICACIÓN 2019

 EXAM TIME IS JUST ROUND THE CORNER!!

Xa está publicada na páxina web da EOI toda a información relativa ao calendario e desenvolvemento das probas de certificación de nivel básico, intermedio e avanzado que terán lugar na escola durante os meses de xuño e setembro:

• Consultade o calendario de xuño e setembro para as probas, único para todas as EOI de Galicia.

• As quendas definitivas das probas orais serán publicadas, alén de nos taboleiros da Escola, na mesma páxina web da EOI, na categoría do departamento correspondente.

É altamente recomendable que consultedes tamén a guía do candidato de nivel C1 e os modelos de exames que diferentes comunidades autónomas teñen publicado nas súas webs. Botade unha ollada ao mapa, clicade no destino, escollede nivel e idioma e practicade arreo! Podedes traballar con modelos de probas de produción, coprodución e mediación oral, comprensión oral, produción, coprodución e mediación escrita... poderedes traballar sen límites!

Terán que realizar as probas de nivel AVANZADO C1 todolos meus alumnos.....!! Para todos eles, ahí van unhas cantas recomendacións!! Incluíndo algún que outro consello sobre como afrontar unha proba destas características:

Good luck everybody....!! and as I know that my C1 level students are really worried about these exams... don´t forget that "Practice makes perfect"!!

LET´S DISCOVER PONTEVEDRA! ITU MULTISPORT VIDEO CONTEST

Here are the videos students at school have made to promote the city of Pontevedra just a few days before the ITU Multisport event starts! Congratulations to all of those who took part in the project. Pontevedra is worth a video, don't you agree? Winners will soon be revealed!

Remember that, as the city will be holding this outstanding event from 27 April to 5 May, you will have to check traffic restrictions on the council website in case you are driving to school on those dates! Find the best way to enjoy the venue without freaking out!

ITip of April: VOICE HEADLINER

You type. They talk! Can you believe it? I have just come across this great app that allows you to make famous people say what you type! It quickly turns your text into sharable audio gif using your most favourite - or least favourite - celebrity voices. 

Voice Headliner has proved to be a great app to practise pronunciation, have fun and learn at the same time. I will definitely implement it to give my lessons a twist!

X CERTAME MICRORRELATO NA EOI

O Equipo de Dinamización da Lingua Galega da EOI de Pontevedra, en colaboración coa Concellaría de Normalización Lingüística do Concello de Pontevedra, convoca o X Certame de Microrrelato en Galego “EOI de Pontevedra”.
 
DATA: mércores 10 de abril de 2019 ás 19:30h (duración: 2 horas)  

LUGAR: salón de actos da EOI de Pontevedra e, simultaneamente, nas sección do Valle Inclán, A Estrada e Lalín.  

RELATOS: as persoas participantes deberán crear un texto literario de 150 palabras como máximo “in situ”, durante 2 h, a partir da “inspiración” que lles suxiran 3 palabras escollidas no momento de comezar a proba.  

PARTICIPANTES: Poderán participar no concurso todas as persoas que o desexen (sexan ou non alumnado da EOI de Pontevedra).  

PREMIOS:

1º premio: vale de 200€ para a compra de libros, CDs ou DVDs en galego
2º premio: vale de 150 € para a compra de libros, CDs ou DVDs en galego
3º premio: vale de 100€ para a compra de libros, CDs ou DVDs en galego
Ademais, o xurado resérvase a posibilidade de entregar dous accésits de 50€ cada un.

Non dubides en participar e moita sorte! Pon á proba as túas habilidades literarias!  

CONSULTA AQUÍ AS BASES DO CONCURSO

FILM FESTIVAL AT SCHOOL: 2019

The film festival at school is dedicated to emotional films this year. As for English, INSIDE OUT will be screened in its original version with subtitles. The length of the film is 94min and it will be on next...

Tuesday 9 April at 16.00 and 18.00
Friday 26 April at 9.00 and 11.00

Inside Out is an American 3D computer-animated adventure comedy-drama by Disney/Pixar.  It was released on June 19, 2015 and tells the story of an 11-year-old girl who is reluctant to move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Let´s warm up a little by watching the trailer. I hope it makes you come to school and watch it with us!!

After watching the film, I would like you to share your opinion with us. Open the comment section below and write your own ideas about the film. You could include a summary of the story, mention other films that it is similar to or describe what you particularly liked or disliked about it. 

Use the "Reacciones" section below to give us your rating about the film!!

ITU MULTISPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS: POSTER DESIGN

The final countdown is coming to an end and Pontevedra is about to experience an amazing adventure. The ITU Multisport World Championships are next 27 April and the city will be packed with athletes, journalists and tourists.

At school we have already prepared for the event. What about you? Are you ready?

ROSS CONVERSATION CLASSES IN APRIL

LET´S MAKE A POSTER!

As you all know, the school is deeply involved in supporting the city of Pontevedra as the host of the ITU Multisport championship that is taking place next April. We are running campaigns to recruit volunteers, organizing a video competition and promoting the city that will get packed with visitors and athletes by the end of next month.

One of the activities teachers have been suggested to take part in the event is to make posters that show how amazing it is to have Pontevedra as a host city. 

Students in class are going to design the posters that will be displayed to encourage people in Pontevedra and its surroundings not to miss the event because we all know that it will be an unforgettable experience.

Here are the tips to be followed in class to carry out the activity. I will soon show you the resulting posters!

MATRÍCULA LIBRE 2019

HOW ABOUT MEETING A NATIONAL LITERATURE AWARD-WINNING WRITER?

National Literature award-winning writer Ledicia Costas is visiting our school next 27 march. Do not miss this great opportunity to ask her about her work and discover her real self. Hope to see you all there! Do not relish the opportunity to meet the woman behind the writer or... is it the other way round? Come and find out!

WELCOME SPRING!!

It is time to welcome spring and embrace sunlight and warm breeze. To celebrate the change of the season I am posting my new update on the monthly ITip: VOA Learning English.

VOA Learning English is a site for students of English as a foreign language that covers a wide variety of subject areas at different levels (from beginner to advanced). It is great for students to get informed on different types of news and improve their reading, listening and grammar skills. You can even give it a go on your mobile if you download the app.

Please, let me know if you find this useful. Hope you enjoy it! 

VEo CINE

A new event organised by the students' association: LADY BIRD. Do not miss this funny coming-of-age comedy-drama next 1 April at 18.00 and support them!

See you all at the assembly hall!

ARE YOU GOING TO MISS IT?

Counting the days until our school dives into the hustle and bustle of one of the most outstanding events ever held in Pontevedra: ITU MULTISPORT 2019. What about you? Don't miss out on this unforgettable event!

BRITISH FOOD: IS IT YOUR CUP OF TEA?

It has generally been agreed that Britain does not have a good reputation for food. It does not often get the praise it deserves. Surprisingly enough, however, there is quite a bunch of tasty British culinary delights and we are determined to dispel the myth that British food is terrible.

So, come and join us for a live talk at school next 10 April at 16.30 and be prepared to give British food the recoginition it deserves!

VIRTUAL SCHOOL LIBRARY

Our library volunteers have been carrying out a great project! As a result, we now have a new virtual library at the EOI. Isn't it amazing? Visit the library, sit at one of the computers and download the free books to your e-reader, simply because reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body! Isn't that a fair enough reason to do it?

NATIONAL POETRY DAY

National Poetry Day is a Spanish-wide celebration of poetry taking place every March. It generates an explosion of activity nationwide with amazing events taking place in libraries, hospitals... and, of course, schools! We would also like to make our own contribution to the celebration of poetry's power to bring people together. We have a nice selection of poetry books to share with you at school and would also like you to collaborate by writing your own poem. Contact me if you are willing to participate. Have a look at the info on the posters to come up with great ideas to join the competition!

If running out of ideas, even though Britain celebrates the occasion on a different date, you can likewise find inspiration here!

SCHOOL SURVEY: HELP US IMPROVE!

As usual at this time of the year, it is time to complete the school survey here and give us your feedback on how to do better! Click on the link and get straight into it. Do not forget to be honest and take it seriously because your opinion counts!

CONVERSATION CLASSES IN MARCH

Here are the dates Ross will be giving conversation classes in March. Great opportunity for B1 and B2.1 students at EOI Pontevedra to learn English through an informal chat. Do not miss them!

LET´S GO... TRIATHLON!

If you want to know more on how the project is going to be carried out and how to become a volunteer, do not miss the information session at the Assembly Hall next Tuesday 26 February at 18.00. The Volunteering Programme Coordinator will let us know all about how we can make our own contribution and support the event. 

"COÑECE PONTEVEDRA" VIDEO CONTEST

As you all already know, the school is taking an active part in the 2019 Triathlon and Multisport World Championships to be held in Pontevedra next April. We are also recruiting volunteers for the event and promoting active and representative participation of the school.

That is the reason why I am glad to announce the video competition the school is running to encourage athletes and other visitors to not only visit but also indulge in the city.

Do not hesitate to participate. You will make an invaluable contribution to the city of Pontevedra.

Come and join us for an unforgettable experience you will always remember!

 

CARNIVAL AT SCHOOL

Conferences are what you make of them. If you are not sure why you are attending or what you want to get out of the experience, you are unlikely to get it. So, for the new conference at school next Friday 21 February do not just be a passive observer. Become an active listener and get ready to pose questions that challenge the speaker!

Practise active listening to fully get engaged!

 

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

...to put it bluntly...

ITip of February: JOHNNY GRAMMAR'S WORD CHALLENGE

This quiz app allows English learners to test themselves against resident expert Johnny Grammar! This is a 60-minute quiz app that will challenge you to beat the clock and to answer as many spelling, grammar and vocabulary questions as you can in just one minute. 

Once you meet the challenge and complete all levels you will have the opportunity to get Supreme Badges... and who knows? You may even win the ultimate Johnny's Gold Badge!

Get the app on Google Play or the Apple Store and learn English having fun!

CONVERSATION CLASSES WITH ROSS

Here is the new schedule for the conversation classes with Ross in February. It you are studying B1 or B2.1 English at school, do not miss them!

CINEFORUM MATERLINGUA: LA LA LAND

Our students' association has come back to school and they are offering a wide variety of enjoyable activities. Speaking clubs in different languages, concerts, films... Here is their next venue: screening and film discussion at the Assembly Hall next Friday 1. Don't miss this awesome opportunity to practise your English in a relaxed atmosphere. Hope to see you all there!

And if you are also interested in taking part in one of their English workshops, follow them on Facebook and be a part of the team!

ITip OF JANUARY

Happy new year, everyone! Time flies, doesn't it? Here I am back again with a new ITip for the new year. Does anybody know the site dreamreader.net? I do think it is a great tool to practise pronunciation and intonation. It will allow you to do shadow reading at different levels and check your pronunciaton skills. It is definitely worth a try! I have just discovered it thanks to my colleague Cristina Cabal and am already crazy about it!