EARTH HOUR 2012

Once again tonight 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Official video:

WALLACE & GROMMIT COME TO CLASS

These last days before Easter holidays, we'll be watching an episode of Wallace & Grommit in the 1st year ESO classes (C & D). Here's some information about them:

Wallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series consisting of four British animated short films and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. All the characters are made from moulded plasticine modelling clay on metal armatures, and filmed with stop motion clay animation.

Wallace, an absent-minded inventor living in Wigan, Lancashire, is a cheese enthusiast (especially for Wensleydale). His companion, Gromit, is an anthropomorphic intelligent dog. Wallace is voiced by veteran actor Peter Sallis; Gromit remains silent, communicating only through facial expressions and body language.

Because of their endearing personalities and their wide popularity, the characters have been described as positive international icons of modern British culture in particular and of the British people in general. The short films The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave and the full length feature The Curse of the Were-Rabbit received Academy Awards. The first short film A Grand Day Out, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

Links: 
- Follow them in their website clicking on their name above.

- Watch "THE WRONG TROUSERS" episode in Youtube: clicking on its name above.

GERMAN STUDENT'S EXCHANGE 2012: ARRIVING TODAY

We'd like to welcome the German students from the Willstätter Gymnasium in Nuremberg, who have arrived to A Coruña this afternoon. They take part in our school-exchange programme. Tomorrow will be their first day in our school. They are going to be with us until Thursday 29th March.
They'll be around our school, but we also have a lot of extra activities prepared for them.
Wedsnesday 21st: Welcome breakfast at 10:10h at Big Video Classroom. Visit to A Coruña city centre in the morning, stopping at Plaza de Lugo fish market and Picasso's House. Visit to the Old Town in the afternoon.
Thursday 22nd: Visit to the Aquarium in the morning and trip to Betanzos until the afternoon.
Friday 23rd: Visit to A Coruña's port in the morning and trip to Santiago de Compostela in the afternoon with their Spanish partners.
Weekend with their host families. On Sunday evening they'll go to the football match Deportivo-Córdoba at Riazor Stadium.
Monday 26th: Visit to the Emilia Pardo Bazán's House-Museum in the morning. Reception at the City Hall in Mª Pita in the afternoon.
Tuesday 27th: Trip to As Rías Baixas (Cambados, Illa Arousa, Combarro). All day together with their Spanish partners.
Wednesday 28th: Visit to the Bellas Artes Museum workshop in the morning. In the evening, there'll be a farewell dinner with all the students, their host families and teachers at the school's cafeteria.
Thursday 29th: Trip back to the airport in the afternoon.

Welcome and enjoy.

GIVING DIRECTIONS

You know how to ASK for directions, but what happens when an English speaker asks YOU for directions. This is not a time for small talk. Give only basic directions with short phrases. Do the best you can.

Questions you may hear
How do I get to Main Street?
Is there a post office near here?
Where is the closest gas station?
Can you tell me where the community centre is?
I’m looking for Jane Street.
Are you from around here?

If you know the way…Use basic English to offer directions. Short phrases are best. Speak slowly and use very careful pronunciation. Spell out a word if necessary.
The easiest way is to…
The quickest way is to…
The best way is to…
go + direction (right, left, down, up, through)
take + road name
turn + right/left
stay on + road name for + distance or timeExamples:
The easiest way is to go right on Commercial Avenue.
The quickest way is to take Road Number 1.
The best way is to turn right on Main Street.
Stay on Route 1 for about ten minutes.

Use transitions. Separate each leg of the route with a transition.
after that
then
next
when you get to…go…
finally

Offer “Ballpark Figures” (rough estimates of time or length of travel)
Some people feel better knowing how long it will take to get from A to B.
It’s just around the corner (not far).
It’s not far.
It’s a bit of a way. (it takes a while)
It’s about a five minute walk.
It’s about a twenty minute bus ride.

Use landmarks. Tell the person what to watch for.
You will see a large clock on the right.
You will pass a gas station.
It’s across from the blue church.

More useful language
It’s on + street name
It’s across from
It’s opposite
It’s near
It’s around the corner from

Offer warnings
Stay in the right lane.
It’s a very busy road.
It’s a big hill. (if they are walking or on a bike)
There might be construction.
If you pass the … you went too far.
There’s no parking.

Repeat yourself. YOU repeat the directions again, the other person will feel more confident. Repeat important details including street names and turns. You can also ask the other person to repeat the directions back to you.

If you are in the car with the driver… Give a lot of warning.
Turn right at the next street
Get in the left lane.
Go one more block. Then turn right.
At the next traffic lights turn…
It’s going to be on your right.

Clarify. Make sure that the other person understood your directions. Say: “Did you get all that?”

If you don’t know the way…Don’t guess! Don’t just shake your head and walk away. Use one of these phrases:
I’m sorry, I’m not from here.
I’m afraid I can’t help you.
Sorry I don’t know my way around here.

Offer another solution
You could ask the bus driver.
Ask the front desk clerk.
Follow me. I’ll show you the way.
Do you want me to draw you a map?–
“Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.”
(Alice in Wonderland)

Link to: Exercises on asking & giving directions.

ROXETTE ARE TRAVELLING

Swedish duo Roxette (Marie Fredrikson & Per Gessle) made their successful comeback a year ago with their album "CHARM SCHOOL". Since then they have travelled throughout the globe on a worldtour which started in Russia a year ago, taking them to South Africa, South America, Europe, Australia and lately to Japan & Taipei. One million concert tickets sold in more than 100 shows in 30 countries and they still have 50 more shows to go. During their tour, they've also had time to make up a new album "TRAVELLING", recording the songs in studios, stages, hotel rooms and other strange places... Some new songs and some revisions of older ones. This new album is out this month. Here a video about it and the audio of the first single "IT'S POSSIBLE" with English & Spanish subtitles.

Video "TRAVELLING", EPK, Roxette:

Audio "IT'S POSSIBLE", Roxette+English/Spanish subtitles:

Video "IT'S POSSIBLE", Roxette:

8th MARCH: CELEBRATING WORKING WOMEN (INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY)

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements

Video Celebrating Working Women:

COLDPLAY'S "FIX YOU" FOR SPANISH CANCER CONCERN CAMPAIGN

(AECC) Spanish Asociation against Cancer presented yesterday an ad campaign which uses a Coldplay's song "FIX YOU" to raise awareness on how this illness is being fought with the help of many people around the ill person, because being more people makes us be stronger. Here are the videos of the song with lyrics, Spanish subtitles and also the Cancer ad campaign video.


Audio-lyrics "FIX YOU", Coldplay:

Video "FIX YOU", Coldplay with Spanish subtitles:

Video Spanish Cancer Campaign Ad (2012):

Video animation+lyrics "FIX YOU", Coldplay:

IS THERE A NEED TO CHANGE OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM?

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence. He lays out the link between 3 troubling trends: rising drop-out rates, schools' dwindling stake in the arts, and ADHD. An important, timely talk for parents and teachers. Here is his talk on RSA Animate video.

Video "A Change in Education":