FIFTEEN OF OUR SCHOOLMATES HAVE SET OFF TO NUREMBERG TODAY ON A STUDENT'S EXCHANGE TRIP

Fifteen students of 4ºESO from IES Rafael Dieste and two of our teachers have set off today for a ten-day stay in Nuremberg (Germany). They go on the first part of our course exchange that has been going on now for several (6) years. Our students will be staying in the houses and with the families of another fifteen German students and attending classes at the Willstätter Gymnasium at that German city. In Spring 2011, as usual, our school will receive the German students for the second part of the exhange. We hope our students have a good trip and enjoy their stay.

Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal and is Franconia's largest city. It is located about 170 kilometres north of Munich. The population (as of January 2006) is 500,132. The urban area of Nuremberg has 1.2 million inhabitants.

"STAY": ANOTHER HURTS SONG TO SING ALONG

Today, another song by Hurts to sing along: "STAY".

Video "STAY"+lyrics:

Official video of the song "STAY" by Hurts:

JAMES BLUNT IS BACK, HERE'S HIS NEW SINGLE

British songwriter & singer James Blunt is back. James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount; 22 February 1974) is the stage name adopted by the Grammy Award-nominated English singer-songwriter whose debut album, "Back to Bedlam" and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005. His repertoire is a mix of acoustic-tinged pop, rock and folk. Blunt won two BRIT Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, and by 2006 was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The following year, he released his second album "All The Lost Souls" (2007). Blunt's third studio album, "Some Kind of Trouble", is due to be released in November 2010.
Blunt was an officer in the Life Guards, a Cavalry regiment of the British Army, and served under NATO in Kosovo during the conflict there in 1999. While posted to Kosovo, Blunt was introduced to the work of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF or "Doctors Without Borders"). Since then, Blunt has supported MSF by holding meet-and-greet auctions at many of his concerts. Blunt's primary residence is now on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

Here is his new single "Stay the night" on its official video and audio with lyrics to sing along.

Video "STAY THE NIGHT", JAMES BLUNT:

Audio "STAY THE NIGHT" +lyrics:

JOHN LENNON WOULD HAVE BEEN 70 TODAY

John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles and, with Paul McCartney, formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager, his first band, The Quarrymen, evolving into The Beatles in 1960. As the group began to undergo the disintegration that led to their break-up towards the end of that decade, Lennon launched a solo career that would span the next, punctuated by critically acclaimed albums, including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine".
Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, his writing, on film, and in interviews, and became controversial through his work as a peace activist. He moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while his songs were adapted as anthems by the anti-war movement. Disengaging himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his family, Lennon reemerged in 1980 with a comeback album, Double Fantasy, but was murdered three weeks after its release.
Lennon's solo album sales in the United States alone stand at 14 million units, and as performer, writer, or co-writer he is responsible for 27 number one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002, a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth greatest singer of all time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fam in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

NOBEL LITERATURE PRIZE TO SPANISH LANGUAGE LITERATURE: MARIO VARGAS LLOSA

Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa (born March 28, 1936) is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist and 2010 Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation. Some critics consider him to have had a larger international impact and worldwide audience than any other writer of the Latin American Boom. He was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat".

Vargas Llosa rose to fame in the 1960s with novels such as The Time of the Hero (La ciudad y los perros, literally The City and the Dogs, 1963/1966), The Green House (La casa verde, 1965/1968), and the monumental Conversation in the Cathedral (Conversación en la catedral, 1969/1975). He continues to write prolifically across an array of literary genres, including literary criticism and journalism. His novels include comedies, murder mysteries, historical novels, and political thrillers. Several, such as Captain Pantoja and the Special Service (1973/1978) and Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (1977/1982), have been adapted as feature films.

Video Nobel Prize announcement 2010:

WORLD TEACHER'S DAY 2010

"EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME", SHARON CORR & THE KORGIS

"Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" is originally a hit single from the pop group The Korgis. The song was released in 1980 from the album "Dumb Waiters". This was the peak of The Korgis's success, peaking at #5 in the UK Singles Chart. "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" is currently the second single by Irish singer–songwriter Sharon Corr from her debut solo album "Dream of You". Sharon Corr was one of the original members from Irish family-group The Corrs, who are a Celtic folk rock band from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea (lead vocals, tin whiste); Sharon (violin, vocals); Caroline (drums, piano, bodhrán, vocals); and Jim (guitar, piano, vocals).

Today we present the original song by the Korgis with the lyrics and the video by Sharon Corr.

Video with lyrics "EVERYBODY0S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME"; Korgis version:

Video "EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME" by Sharon Corr

(Video shot in Nerja and the Alhambra of Granada):

ALBERTO CONTADOR POSITIVE ON DOPING TEST

Surprising information on the news this morning. Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador blamed contaminated meat Thursday for his positive doping test during this year's race, the latest blow to a sport battered by drug scandals. We include a video-report on the subject.

Video-report on Contador's doping positive:

SPAIN ON STRIKE

Here's a report from CNN previous to the strike-day in Spain held today. Watch and listen, see how much you understand.

A video from today:

NADAL SPEAKING IN ENGLISH AFTER WINNING THE U.S. OPEN ON SEPT 14th

Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera (born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player currently ranked No. 1 in the world. He is regarded as one the greatest players of all time. Nadal has won nine Grand Slam singles titles, the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles, a record 18 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and also was part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008 and 2009. He completed the career Grand Slam by winning the 2010 US Open, being the 7th player in history, and the youngest in the open era, to achieve it. He is the second male player to complete the Career Golden Slam (winner of the four grand slams and the Olympic Gold medal).
Nadal was ranked World No. 2, behind Roger Federer for a record 160 consecutive weeks before earning the top spot, which he then held from 18 August 2008 to 5 July 2009. He regained the World No.1 ranking on 7 June 2010 after winning his fifth French Open title.In 2008, Nadal was given the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports, in recognition of his achievements in tennis.

We have found a video of Rafa speaking in English after winning the U.S. Open. Do you understand him? Do you think he speaks English well? Give you opinions & comments.

Video Rafa Nadal:

Another video:

29th SEPT: THE ECONOMIC CRISIS BRINGS SRIKES THROUGHOUT EUROPE

The European Trade Union Confederation has called an international day of workers' action for 29 September. The coordinated protests, action and general strikes, have the potential to shake the continent.
The Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) will work enthusiastically to mobilise workers and youth to take action on the day, under the banner of international struggle and solidarity, against Europe's axe-wielding governments and the dictatorship of the capitalist markets.
The attacks implemented across the continent in most cases represent the most brutal austerity programmes implemented in living memory. The devastating policies of the Greek government have meant dramatic attacks on the already impoverished Greek working class.
A real cut of between 30% and 50% in public pensions and public-sector wages slashed by between 25% and 30% have been emulated in Spain and Portugal.
The Spanish government's austerity package will see public-sector wages and pensions attacked, as well as a €55 billion public spending cuts programme.
In Portugal, where workers receive among the lowest wages in Europe (with a monthly minimum wage of only €475), public sector workers are being hit with a four-year pay freeze and a raising of the retirement age to 67.
In Britain the Con-Dem coalition government has announced a package which includes attacks on social benefits and savage cuts of 25% or more in every area of public spending. Angela Merkel's coalition government in Germany is set to slash €80 billion in the next four years.
Greece has recently been the epicentre of developments in Europe. However, as well as the near collapse of its state finances, it is the tidal wave of struggle - with six general strikes in 2010 - that has put it at the centre of developments. This has aroused the fighting instincts of workers around the continent.
Massive strikes and demonstrations have been seen in France where two million took to the streets to defend pensions. Italy, where a general strike against the government took place in July, is braced for a significant national demonstration on 16 October organised by the FIOM, a metal workers' union, which has led the way in putting forward a militant strategy in fighting attacks on wages and conditions.
On 29 September Spain will be shaken by its first full general strike in response to the devastating crisis that has left over four million unemployed and to the anti-working class reaction of its government.

ANA TORROJA IS BACK. DO YOU KNOW THAT SHE HAS SUNG IN ENGLISH?

One of the most singular voices in Spanish music is back. After a long time without any new songs and recovering from a serious car accident, Ana Torroja is back in the music business with a brand new record: "SONRISA" ("Smile").

Ana Torroja (born December 28, 1959 in Madrid) is a Grammy Award-nominated Spanish singer. She is the lead singer of the pop trio Mecano, considered one of the most popular pop bands from Spain during 1980's and 90's. In 1998 Mecano separated, and she kept a solo career. Ana has sung in Spanish, Italian and French, with Mecano. But she has also sung in English and that's why we can post her here today. In 2003, on her third solo-album "FRÁGIL" ("Fragile"), Ana covered a Pink Floyd's classic song "WISH YOU WERE HERE". Today we include the audio of this song by Ana with subtitled lyrics.

Audio "WISH YOU WERE HERE", Ana Torroja (+ subtitles):

PAUL, THE PREDICTING OCTUPUS, RETIRES

UPDATED: HE HAS DIED

Yesterday, we talked about this summer's top news in Spain: winning the Football World Cup 2010. Today we've learnt, from another English teacher's blog from Neda's Secondary School " that Paul, the predicting octupus is to retire. Here's the news from that blog:

[englisharound.blogspot.com]
One of the stars of the South Africa World Cup is retiring - Paul the predicting octopus!

Paul lives at an aquarium in Germany and correctly predicted the results of all seven of Germany's games as well as the Spain v Netherlands final. When the tournament ended, staff presented him with his own model of the World Cup trophy, complete with treats. But now the aquarium says Paul will now retire to do what he likes best - play with his handlers and delight visitors.

Spokeswoman Tanja Munzig said: "He won't give any more oracle predictions - either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy. "Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh." During the tournament, Paul made his predictions by choosing a snack from one of two glasses that were put in his tank showing the flags of the sides playing.

SPEAKING ENGLISH IN THE ENGLISH CLASS

Here's some help for you to be able to understand and speak in the English classroom:
- WHAT THE TEACHER SAYS:
Open your books (on page...).
Close your books.
Write it down! - Take this down! - Copy this into your notebooks!
Get your notebooks / workbook / student's book! - Get a sheet of paper!
Think! - Spell. - Read loud. - Choose. - Check / Correct.
Listen (to the CD) / Listen and repeat.

Come on...
Has everybody got (a)....?
Draw a circle / cross / tick...
Underline this word.

Look at the blackboard. - Come to the blackboard.
Come on, everybody. Now look at me.
Listen to me! - You aren't listening to me.
Pay attention! - Can I have you attention, please / for a minute?
Stop it!
Be quiet! - Shut up! - Silence, please!

Ask me if you don't understand.
Tell me if it's true or false.
Tell me if you find it too difficult.
Put up / Raise your hand if you don't understand.

You need... to do this.
Do this at home. - This is for homework. - Do it for next Monday.
Finish this exercise for homework, please.
Try to find an example of...
Try to finish this before...
When you finish, revise your exercise before you give it to me.
Please, get into groups of 3 / 4 students / pairs. Make groups of 3 or 4 students.

Let's check / correct the exercise now.
Let's sum up what we've seen today.
Don't worry about...
Now we're going to...

- WHAT STUDENTS MAY NEED TO SAY:
Good morning / afternoon. - Hello / Hi
Good bye / Bye bye. - See you tomorrow / on... / soon.

Excuse me...
What's this in English? / How do you say "---" in English?
How do you spell "---" (in English)?
What does "---" mean? - What's the meaning of "---"? - What's the English / Spanish word for "---"?
I'm sorry. - Sorry, I'm late. - Sorry, I forgot my...
I don't understand. - I don't know. -
I'm sorry / afraid, I don't know / understand / haven't understood the question / I don't know what you mean / I've no idea / I'm not sure
Is this OK / right? - Is it correct / right?
Can / May I come in?
Can / May I go to the toilet?
Can / May I open / close the window / blinds?
Can / Could / Would you repeat / say it again? - Pardon? - I'm sorry I didn't hear / catch what you said. - I'm sorry, what did you say?
Can / Could / Would you explain it again / write it on the blackboard / spell it... please?
Can / Could / Would you speak louder / more slowly, please?

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

Here we are once again: back to school! This blog's second year opens up as a new school course opens, too.

A new course which the Rafael Dieste Secondary School receives with many changes. A complete new school organization will start. There won't be one class for each group any more. Now the classrooms will depend on the subject. Each subject/teacher will have its own classroom. Students will have to change from one classroom to another for each session. We'll see how long it takes to get used to the new system and if students, teachers like it or not.

Also this course, Rafael Dieste Secondary School has been selected as one of the two public schools in the city of Coruña to be named a Plurilingual School. This means that, from this year onwards, starting at 1st ESO, all students in this school will have, apart from the English class, other subjects in the English language. This year 1st ESO students will have Physical Education and Interdisciplinary Project in English. (A total of 6 hours in English every week). In following years this will be introduced in higher levels.

Hoping that you all have a successful year, welcome back!

SCHOOL'S OVER. IT'S SUMMER HOLIDAYS, AT LAST!!

School's over, at last!!! The summer holidays are here!!!
This blog closes down for this school year. In September we'll be back with more...
Meanwhile, have a nice holiday and enjoy...!!!

HERE IS SUMMER!

As the Beatles songs says... "Here comes the sun"... because it's summertime already!

Audio "HERE COMES THE SUN", by The Beatles (+lyrics):

IT'S TIME FOR FOOTBALL: 2010 WORLD CUP, SOUTH AFRICA.

In blue, countries qualified for the World Cup Finals 2010

I'm not a football fan, but I must admit that during the following days, football is going to be an important part in everyday's life. Here's some information about the 2010 World Cup:

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is the 19th and current FIFA World Cup, the premier international association football tournament. It is being held in South Africa, beginning on 11 June and scheduled to conclude on 11 July 2010. The tournament is the culmination of a qualification process that began in August 2007 and involved 204 of the 208 FIFA national teams. As such, it matches the 2008 Summer Olympics as the sports event with the most competing nations. The final is forecast to be among the most-watched events ever, possibly behind only the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.
This is the first time that the tournament has been hosted by an African nation, after South Africa defeated Morocco and Egypt in an all-African bidding process. Italy are the defending champions, after winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The draw for the finals took place on 4 December 2009 in Cape Town.

SCOTTISH-GIRL, AMY McDONALD SANG TODAY AT ROCK IN RIO, MADRID 2010

Amy @ RockInRio, Madrid 2010

Amy Macdonald (born 25 August 1987 in Bishopbriggs, Scotland) is a Scottish singer and songwriter. Her debut album, "This Is the Life", was released on 30 July 2007 and has sold more than 3 million copies.

Macdonald started playing on stage acoustic gigs at 15. She has played at music festivals such as Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, T in the Park and the V Festival.

The second album, titled "A Curious Thing", was released on 8 March 2010. It was preceded by the release of the first single, "Don't Tell Me That It's Over", a week earlier on 1 March 2010. The single was released to UK radio on 11 January.

Today she has performed at the Arganda del Rey stage for the Rock In Rio Festival, Madrid 2010. We enclose her live performance of her best known hit and a video with the lyrics to sing along.

Video lyrics of "THIS IS THE LIFE":

Video Amy's performance of the song at RockInRio, Madrid (06/06/2010):

GOODBYE TO ANOTHER GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM RAFAEL DIESTE SECONDARY SCHOOL

Last night we rolled out the red carpet once again in front of our school's main entrance to receive our 2ºBAC students in their Farewell-Graduation party. Students, parents and teachers gathered together to celebrate the end of these students' life in our school. Everybody elegantly dressed took part in a celebration where we took photos, listened to speeches, danced, sang, laughed -or even shed a tear or two. After a snack and a chocolate fondue, the students continued partying... To all of them, good luck!