LET'S TURN OVER A NEW LEAF!

2022 has arrived and tomorrow we are kicking off a new term full of unexpectedness and, of course, restrictions. This pandemic does not seem to come to an end and teachers need to go on pulling up their socks to reinvent themselves for their first January lessons. Motivation is key! So, let us uncover some!

As usual at this time of the year, I have been cudgeling my brain to figure out how to welcome students as we arrive in class tomorrow morning. I have even been scanning previous posts looking for a flash of sheer inspiration. And I have been lucky enough to bump into it! I am going to re-use the activity here to re-think the classic new year´s resolutions idea and build it around the concept of language learning in a more realistic and manageable way. 

Hopefully, my students will be able to put together different ways that can help them progress in their learning over the next twelve months. Although it looks like a long time... time does fly! So, let's get ready to give the new year our best shot!

And just in case the video above does not do the trick, I will definitely put the cherry on top by playing a game on idioms that might come in handy to ring in the new year. 

Happy 2022, everyone!

E TI DE QUEN VES SENDO?

Dear all, 👋 

I am proud to present you with the project that our school has been carrying out this year regarding idioms. In the presentation below, you will be able to see a lot of different idiomatic expressions in the different languages that you can study at school. I am particularly proud of the English section, as a lot of familiar faces appear. Please, take a look 👀 and judge for yourselves!

Do not hesitate to share this wonderful work. Show your family and friends what we are up to at school.

I would like to thank my C1 students for their contributions and enthusiasm!

2021: OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Isn´t it absolutely true that some of us might prefer to forget about 2020? There has been plenty going on. So, it might not be too hard for students to look ahead to 2021 as an all-round change. 

My first class in January will be devoted to going back in time and reflect on how we will remember the year that has just come to an end, trying to come up with some positive thoughts and hopes for 2021. If the @wooclap game above does not do the trick and is not motivating enough, I´ll try to spice up the class a bit with this video from my first-class-in-the-year post in January 2020. 

Hopefully, both activities will get my students in a cheerful mood to play an idioms game, as there is an English idiom for every aspect of a new year! If this does not work, I do not know what will!

LAUGHTER AS A COPING MECHANISM

Many people find themselves confined at home at the moment, which can be a significant source of stress, particularly for those who experience some level of anxiety. However, when we become able to laugh about troublesome situations, we take the pain out of the memory and replace it with a good measure of humour. This can help you de-stress the case because sharing a good laugh can definitely be transformative. Learning the ability of being able to laugh at disturbing conditions will definitely improve our current state. So, here I am now! Struggling to expand your ability to laugh and look on the bright side of life. Shift your focus to something else that might help you cope. It´s always a good time to laugh!