sábado, 9 de marzo de 2019

Do something "like a girl". 8th March IWD

When did do something like a girl became an insult?

Has anyone ever told you that you run, play or fight like a girl? This expression is often used in a pejorative way meaning to do something badly and it can deeply affect young girls' self-esteem. But gender does not define the way we are or the things we can do.


Our students in 3rd ESO know that there are plenty of talented women who have worked hard to achieve their goals and they have tried to show us some examples with this poster.


domingo, 3 de marzo de 2019

Close the dream gap. Women's International day.


International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8th every year. It is a focal point in the movement for women's rights. After the Socialist Party of America organised a Women's Day on February 28, 1909 in New York, the 1910 International Socialist Woman's Conference suggested a Women's Day be held annually. 


A few days ago, I came across a stirring video. I think that everyone needs to watch it and think about the gap we have created in terms of building up girls' own identity throughout the years.  




What is the Dream Gap Project?

The Dream Gap Project is an ongoing global initiative that aims to give girls the resources and support they need to continue to believe that they can be anything. Here’s why you should care and how you can help the girls in your life.

Over the past year, research done at NYU, the University of Illinois, and Princeton identified that starting at age five and by age six, young girls are less likely than boys to view their own gender as smart, and begin to lose confidence in their own competence. They begin to develop limiting self-beliefs and they stop believing their gender can do or be anything. The self-limiting beliefs these stereotypes create can snowball to affect a girl’s trajectory and future career choices. They may even discourage women to pursue prestigious careers, especially in fields that value brilliance. This is called the “Dream Gap.”

Does it affect me?

If you don’t think this affects you, I promise it does. Even if you’re doing an awesome job raising your daughter (you very well could be!), you don’t have a daughter, or you’re not a parent, these cultural stereotypes are often perpetuated by the media and grown-ups who subtly reinforce them. You might be contributing to this gap without even knowing it.
So how can you help? The Dream Gap Project website lists seven fabulous ideas that are easy and that everyone can do, such as challenging gender stereotypes or nurturing social and emotional learning.

The video is worth watching, there is no doubt about it. However, it should not be forgotten that it is Barbie the company that has created this movement. Aren't they responsible for creating that proptotype of  "perfect"women with extremely long and unreal legs?


jueves, 3 de mayo de 2018

Why English?


Sometimes it happens... you are in class and your motivation goes out, it fades away or just jumps out of the windows... In these moments, remember the reasons why learning English is so important!

It is not just because I tell you that it is important, I am just your teacher, but I want you to be better people, I need to prepare you all for your future life, that is my main concern in our school. And do not tell me that the future is not yours, because you are the future!

Remember that...
English is one of the most dominating language of the world which is having its impact on every field of work. Undoubtedly, English plays a much greater role in the world that it is inevitable for people to ignore it fully. Here are 10 reasons why English is such an important language.

1. It’s the most commonly spoken language in the world 
Depending a bit on how you count, in addition to the approximately 400 million native speakers, English is understood and/or spoken by 1-1.6 billion people. With over a quarter of the world speaking the language, there’s always someone to practice with, especially when you travel.

2. It’s the language of international business
With world business headquarters predominantly in the financial hubs of the UK and USA, English has long been the default language of trade.
Therefore, English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a necessity for people to speak English if they are to enter a global workforce. Its importance in the global market place therefore cannot be understated, learning English really can change your life.

3. Most movies are in English
Hollywood is a powerhouse of global entertainment, so it’s natural that English would become the main language for movie-making. Sure, the movies are often dubbed over or subtitled – but they’re really best enjoyed in the language in which they were intended.

4. It’s easy to learn
This is debatable depending on who you speak to, but it’s generally accepted that English isn’t the most taxing language to get to grips with. The vocabulary is simple to grasp and it has developed throughout different languages regarding its evolution. Therefore, many speakers of those languages can see where concepts in English originated from and fast adapt to understand the basics of English.

5. It helps you understand other languages
English has a long and fascinating history that spans wars, invasions and influences from around the globe. Cultures that have helped shape modern English include Romans, Vikings and the French. For this reason it’s a hybrid language comprised of Latin, Germanic and Romance elements.

6. You can say things in a hundred different ways 
One of English’s best assets is its flexibility: you can often find many different ways to to explain the same thing thanks to its wide range of vocabulary.

7. It can be used around the world
English is also hugely important as an international language and plays an important part even in countries where the UK has historically had little influence. It is learnt as the principal foreign language in most schools in Western Europe. It is also an essential part of the curriculum in far-flung places like Japan and South Korea, and is increasingly seen as desirable by millions of speakers in China. Therefore, if you have the basics of English language you can make yourself understood in nearly every corner of the world.

8. It’s really flexible 
Non-native English speakers who learn it as a second language often comment on how many ways there are to say things. That’s because English doesn’t discriminate – you can use it however you like. Countries like Singapore have taken this concept to heart, inventing an entirely new type of English called ‘Singlish’ that has absorbed facets of other languages like Chinese and Malay.

9. It’s the language of the internet
Most of the content produced on the internet (50%) is in English. So knowing English will allow you access to an incredible amount of information which may not be otherwise available.

10. It continues changing
Selfie, Hashtagging, Blogging, Smasual, etc. All these words are new to the English language but have already become valued members of the lexicon. More than any other language, English continues to evolve and absorb new words that branch out – often untranslated – into other languages. Every year approximately more than 1.000 new and approved words are added to the Oxford Dictionary. This tremendous development is the result due to technology, Social Media and how people spontaneously coin new words during daily life.


Still demotivated?


How to practice listening...


One of the skills that you find more difficulty with is LISTENING.

In order to improve your listening skills, you need to listen to music and search for lyrics at the same time...   Lyrics Training  is a website where you can learn English and enjoy at the same time, or if you do not like the variety of songs in here, just go to YouTube.

Something more academic could be done in Randall's ESL listening lab,   here you can find lots os complete lessons to practice listening! Enjoy!




Welcome!


Welcome everybody!


This will be our meeting site. Here we will comment or share any views, ideas or just anything you want us to know...

Let your imagination fly and post or comment whenever you want to...

We will be happy to read you!

As this is our first date, I would like you to listen to a welcome song. Even tough we won't sing a song all together (unless you wish to do so...), this is a good song because I would like you and I to build this corner "all together". The video of this song is quite colourful and happy... Sing it!

Their Satanic Majesties Request is the most unusual of all the albums in the Rolling Stones’ repertoire, and is certainly their only psychedelic album from start to finish. It is quite evident that the Stones were competing with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with this album; people are still torn as to whether it was a successful effort or not. In many ways it pushed beyond the Beatles’ album, risking harsh dissonance far more often, evoking the cosmic and the future instead of a rock vaudeville show. John Paul Jones’ orchestration compares well with that of George Martin, and Brian Jones comes up with as many sounds out of this world as John Lennon. But the album has two long noisy and wandering instrumentals that are difficult for a mass audience, and have an effect like that of Revolution #9 on the Beatles’ White Album. Only an audience schooled by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention could sit through them.