SYMBOLS: # AND @

 

Two very common symbols of the technological age. Here's a video that explains the origin of the hashtag (#) and the at (@) symbols.

Video:

TODAY'S THE DAY...

Today's the day... 

We'll get to know... 

...in which groups we're in, 

...who are our class-mates, 

...who are our teachers, 

...who are our pupils...

By the way, in my case...

...I already know who I'll be teaching this year: all 1st BAC groups. So most of us will already know each other... Some will be new, though.

I'll also have students from 2nd ESO.

So, see you soon. And a good start and good luck to you all in this 2015-16 school year.

6 YEARS WITH "CLICK ON ENGLISH"

About to start a new course, this blog celebrates today 6 years of posts to help you learn, practice and use English. Here we are collecting posts day after day, thanks for following! And remember you can always look back on previous posts...

Check here how we've started all these school years since 2009:

STARTING OFF A NEW COURSE: 2009-2010

THE BLOG RE-OPENS FOR THE 2010-2011 ACADEMIC YEAR. WELCOME BACK!

WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR 2011-2012

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL & TO THIS BLOG. 2012-2013

2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN... & WELCOME BACK...

"CLICK ON ENGLISH" 5th ANNIVERSARY!

2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR. WELCOME BACK!

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES & ACCENTS IN THE BRITISH ISLES

As we saw in the previous post yesterday, Britain has different languages and accents, as an example, the longest name of for a village in Welsh. 
Today we're presenting the map that shows the geographical distribution of the different languages/dialects (____) and accents (_ _ _) spoken throughout the British Isles. Another interesting curiosity.

LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYMDROBWILLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH

While we wait to start off the new school year, let's begin with a funny curiosity. The title of this post is nothing strange... It's not exactly English, but Welsh. It's the village with the longest name in Britain and in the whole world with 51 letters (considering ch and ll as digraphs in Welsh, so single letters). You can see in the photos above, the name and where the village is on the map.

which means: Parish [church] of [St.] Mary (Llanfair) [in] Hollow (pwll) of the White Hazel [township] (gwyn gyll) near (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the parish [church] of [St.] Tysilio (Llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]g ogo[f] goch).

but if you want to hear it being pronounced, here's a video of a weatherman on British TV saying the name correctly live on the weather forecast.

Video:

By the way you can also check on the weather vocabulary once again.

BACK TO SCHOOL 2015: WELCOME!

September exams having finished, we're on the countdown to the start of the new school year 2015-16. Are you ready? Batteries charged? Enjoy the last few days and be prepared to discover lots of new things at school and here...

Are you ready for school?

[You can leave your comments in English below]

THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS AGAIN...

HAPPY SUMMER HOLIDAYS 2015!

We're off on holidays, enjoy and relax!

See you again back in September!

BEACH VOCABULARY

It's holiday time, but just in case you go to the beach... here's some vocabulary.

HOW LONDON TUBE EXPANDED: THE TUBE MAP TIMELINE

Just in case any of you have the oppotunity of visiting London this summer, here's a map you will have to be acquainted to, if you go: the London Tube's Map. But here's also a video which shows the history and the expansion of London's Tube network from 1863 (152 years ago). Watch and listen the whole story:

Video:

"WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY"

Now that we're about to start our holidays, remember that a good way to practice your English is watching films in the original English language with subtitles (either in English or Spanish/Galician). And it's always great to watch a film which has a bit of everyday life. Here's a recommendation, which is still on at the local cinemas, but it would be interesting to be able to watch in the original language: "WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY". It's a 2015 British comedy-drama, directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkins and starring Rosamund Pike, David Tennant and Billy Connolly, and some three charming kids in between, during their last summer holidays at the Scottish Highlands.  More on its plot HERE. The video trailer below.

Video-trailers "WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY":

THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION

IF 'GAME OF THRONE'S' "WESTEROS WERE EUROPE

Are you fan of "Game of Thrones"? The Huffington Post have worked out the equivalent of Westeros map of the Seven Kingdoms with its real European equivalents.

- North Of The Wall = Greenland

- The North = Scotland

- The Iron Islands = Norway

- The Vale = Switzerland

- The Riverlands = Germany

- The Westerlands = England

- King's Landing = London

- The Stormlands = Wales

- The Reach = France

- Dorne = Spain

For more detailed information link here.

"YESTERDAY" IS 50

The Beatles' classic song becomes mature and turns 50, today we pay tribute to it here, listening to it and linking to a page that remembers it below.

Enlace / Link:

50 Years Ago: The Beatles Record ‘Yesterday’

Audio with lyrics "YESTERDAY", The Beatles:

WORKING WITH VERBS IN ENGLISH

Working with English verbs. Here are two links where you can check all the different possibilities of a verb in English.

- ENGLISH VERB CONJUGATOR

- ENGLISH VERB FLOWCHART.

"TO ALL THAT LOVE THE FAR AND BLUE", A POEM BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

A week ago today, during the 2015 2nd BAC Graduation, our Galician teacher Miguel Mato, mentioned a poem by Scotts-man, Robert Louis Stevenson called 
"TO ALL THAT LOVE THE FAR AND BLUE".

We've searched the internet to find it, and here it is for you to read:

To all that love the far and blue:

Whether, from dawn to eve, on foot

The fleeing corners ye pursue,

Nor weary of the vain pursuit;

Or whether down the singing stream,

Paddle in hand, jocund ye shoot,

To splash beside the splashing bream

Or anchor by the willow root:

Or, bolder, from the narrow shore

Put forth, that cedar ark to steer,

Among the seabirds and the roar

Of the great sea, profound and clear;

Or, lastly if in heart ye roam,

Not caring to do else, and hear,

Safe sitting by the fire at home,

Footfalls in Utah or Pamere:

Though long the way, though hard to bear

The sun and rain, the dust and dew;

Though still attainment and despair

Inter the old, despoil the new;

There shall at length, be sure, O friends,

Howe'er ye steer, whate'er ye do -

At length, and at the end of ends,

The golden city come in view.

[You can find a Spanish translation @ our etc page or on the following links: 1 & 2  ]

PREPARING 'ABAU TESTS': 9 HELPFUL TIPS

Here are 9 useful tips to take into account for the ABAU test, they're not only meant for the English exams, but for all of them.

1- PROFIT FROM ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE BEFORE DURING THE COURSE.

2- SELECT THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTENT.

3- WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

4- DON'T CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE.

5- DO WHATEVER YOU WANT THE DAY BEFORE, BUT REST THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.

6- ISOLATE YOURSELF DURING THE EXAM.

7- DON'T PUNISH YOURSELF FOR YOUR MISTAKES.

8- DON'T LEAVE BLANK SPACES.

9- CONTROL YOUR TIME.

You can read these 9 tips for ABAU in more detail and in Spanish: HERE.

RAFAEL DIESTE'S 25th ANNIVERSARY 2nd BAC SCHOOL CLASS GRADUATION 2015

Yesterday evening, the 2015 Graduation of "RAFAEL DIESTE" 2nd BAC class students was held at the nearby Assembly Hall of the Professional Music Conservatory. It was our 25th anniversary graduation. As usual, dressed up students and their families gathered together with teachers to celebrate the end of their secondary school years.

By the way, thanks a lot for the Prize of Best Blogger and, as I said in my acceptance speech, I wish you all the best for you in your future. 

(P.S. But you owe me a laptop!)

Galician version of this post @ ArquivosDoTrasno.

SPAIN'S LOCAL & REGIONAL ELECTION RESULTS SEEN FROM BRITAIN

This is the map that shows the results of yesterday's local elections held in Spain, and below you've got the links to the reports seen from a British point of view in the nespaper THE GUARDIAN. Link to the reports and read them, you can see how well you understand when the context is known.

Enlace / Links:

Spain's indignados could rule Barcelona and Madrid after local election success

Spanish regional elections will be critical test for broken two-party system

SWEDEN WINS EUROVISION FOR THE 6th TIME WITH "HEROES"

Last night the 60th Eurovision Song Contest was held in Vienna (Austria) and Sweden won once again, the 6th time, after ABBA's "WATERLOO" in 1974 for the first time, and Loreen's "EUPHORIA" being until yesterday the latest. But since last night Mans Zilmerlöw has been added to this winning list with another song "HEROES", as usual with the Swedish entry, in English. And here's the original video of the song with lyrics to sing along and the video of his performance in last night's contest.

Video "HEROES", Mans Zilmerlöw (Eurovision winner 2015 for Sweden):

Video Mans Zelmerlöw @ Eurovision Song Contest Final 2015, Vienna:


And here the possible reasons for this success in this link:

Eurovision 2015: From Abba To This Year's Favourite, 8 Reasons Why Sweden Always Does So Well At The Song Contest

And all the information about the singer in this other one:

Five top facts: Sweden's Eurovision Mans Zelmerlöw