Portfolio for Intermediate 2 by Ana Sancho

“Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lightning of a fire”

Name: Group: Coursebook:

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Introduction This Portfolio has been designed to help you improve your learning and language skills and to let you assess how well you are doing with your English classes.

• By means of this Portfolio, you will know what your learning style is and what you are good at, and therefore, you will learn to learn better. • You will be given some advice on how to improve both your study and languages skills, and you’ll be offered a selection of different activities to develop some learning and linguistic strategies. • You will also be given some ideas on how to make the most out of the resources we have • The material on the assessment section will enable you to assess what you have learnt after each unit and reflect on the whole process of learning, during and at the end of the school year. • Finally, you’ll be given some information on the MCR (European Framework of Reference) levels and you’ll be able to assess yourself according to them.

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Content In this Portfolio you can find different sections, which you can work on at different times: 1. Getting started -

Why do you learn English? How do you want to learn English? How do you learn better? (introduction to the topic)

2. Getting to know each other: -

Me Me and my friends Talking about you and me: Do we have anything in common? My profile

3. The ways I learn best -

The ways I learn best guide Worksheet 1: Multiple intelligences test Worksheet 2: VAK learning preferences Worksheet 3: Language learning strategies The ways I learn best chart

4. Are you a good student of English? -

Are you a good student of English? Guide Worksheet1: Being an active learner Worksheet 2: Listening - Learning to learn

5. Learning strategies -

Learning strategies guide Some activities to improve your study skills: o Worksheets 1 &2: Learning how to use a dictionary. o Worksheets 3 & 4: Storing vocabulary

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o Worksheets 5 & 6: Deducing meaning from context o Worksheet 7: Learning about new words o Worksheet 8: Planning and editing your writing -

Some advice and ideas on how to improve your language skills o o o o

How to improve your listening How to make the most out of your reading How to improve your writing and your speaking Strategies for your oral exam

How to make the most out of the resources we have, both at home and at the school

6. Unit progress cards 7. Mid-term assessment -

How well am I doing so far? How well is the teacher doing? How satisfied am I with the course so far?

8. End-of-the-year assessment -

Checking my oral skills Checking my writing skills Checking my grammar and vocabulary Common European Framework of reference: Self-assessment grid My Passport Final composition: Past, present and future of my English

9. Final assessment report (to be done yet) 10. My dossier -

My dossier guide My dossier list My most common mistakes My most often mispronounced words ……………………………………………….

11. Special thanks 12. Material sources and bibliography

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Getting started Why do you want to learn English? Tick the answers you agree to

1. Why do you study English? -

Because I need English to get a job or be promoted Because I have a few friends who speak English and I also would like to meet some new people Because my parents/ boss urge me to study it Because I want to go and visit or stay for a while in an English speaking country Because I’m going to sit for an English exam: First/ Advanced Certificate (Cambridge), Selectividad, … Because I like learning languages Because it was a pending subject Because I want to travel around the world and meet other people and cultures Other reasons (and/or some explanation)

2. What do you expect to be able to at the end of this course? -

Read and understand the main points in newspapers, magazines or the Internet Fill-in forms with my personal data: check-in in a hotel, get a visa, fill in an application form, write a formal letter Keep a conversation about immediate necessity topics or everyday matters Understand somebody when they speak slowly and clearly asking me about me, my family, my interests, my everyday life, … Keep written correspondence – emails, postcards, letters – with friends and relatives: congratulating them, thanking them, telling anecdotes about my holidays, … Write and clearly express your opinion on topics of general interest Express and share my opinion in class, with my classmates and teacher, or outside – explain a problem, compare and contrast alternatives, … Other expectations: …

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3. All in all, what skills would you like to improve in this course and how well? (Use arrows to join items in both columns) Speaking Understanding Reading Writing

Beginner 1 (A1) Beginner 2 (A2) Intermediate 1 (B1) Intermediate 2 (B1+)

How do you want to learn English? Tick the answers you agree to

1. What material would you like to work with during this course? -

Newspapers and magazines Blogs and the Internet in general Songs Literature: novel, short story, play and poetry CD-Roms and language software TV and radio programmes: series, quizzes, talk shows, â&#x20AC;Ś Class cassettes/CDs, audio files and Podcasts from the Internet Class videos/DVDs and other programmes recorded from TV or the Internet Interactive activities and presentations on an IWB Comics Essays Other materials (and/or explanation): â&#x20AC;Ś

2. Do you use any of these materials in English in your everyday life?, which one(s)?, how often? Daily Weekly Monthly Occasionally Seldom Very rarely

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3. Write the names of English-speaking writers, singers, film directors, … you like

4. What topic(s) would you like to discuss? -

Everyday life in English-speaking countries: timetables, meals, festivals, traditions… Political situation in English speaking countries: political regimes, power institutions, … Geography and history of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Commonwealth, the old empire and its colonies, their presence and influence today in UK and USA Social reality in English speaking countries: wealth distribution, family patterns, health welfare, immigration, education, … Art and culture in English speaking countries: literature –old and new-, music, films, entertainment, … Other topics (and/or some explanation): …

How do you learn better? (You will learn more about this in the following section, this is just and introduction to see how much you know about yourself, which is very important if you want to know how to better learn) Tick the answer(s) you agree to

1. What learning style do you identify yourself with? -

Analytical- Analytical pupils likes language: do grammatical exercises, practice their pronunciation, analyse and know the grammatical rules, … They only speak when they feel confident and know they will do it correctly. Global: Global pupils prefer to learn with real languages samples: read newspapers, watch TV, listen to the radio. They take advantage of any chance they have to speak English, both in the classroom and out of it, because they prefer communicating and don’t mind making mistakes.

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Visual: Visuals pupils learn through their eyes. They are good at learning new words by writing them. It is also easy for them to read newspapers and magazines, watch films, … Auditive: They learn through thanks to their ear and their ability to listen and concentrate on what other people say. They are good at learning new words by listening to them, they easily understand songs, they work with their textbook CDs and other audiofiles (Graded readers, Podcasts, …) Kinesthesic: In order to learn, this pupil needs to touch objects, move around the classroom, carry out activities that imply physical effort, and what is most important, they learn by doing, so they need a lot of practice and games, to move around the class and get entertained. Individual style: Every one of us has their own style, which is usually a combination of several of the above mentioned styles. There are also people who prefer to work individually and others who like much better learning in pairs or in groups. There are musical people, who learn with sounds and tunes, and others, who are Naturalistic, and like me, love classifying things. We will later talk about it in more detail and see how you can use this to learn to learn better. If this is your case, if you don’t have a single learning style, and you are a sort of mixture. Please try to describe here your learning style and reflect on the things that you could do to learn better and the things you should definitely avoid:

2. What strategies do you use to learn something new? (unfinished) -

Memorizing Based on knowledge Compensating Meta-cognitive Affectionate Social

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3. Do you use your mother tongue when you are learning another language?, what do you think about the use of your language in class?

4. What is your ideal teacher like? He/she is nice Yes Helps those students who have problems Is creative: uses different activities and techniques Always check students’ understanding of the topic Makes students work in pairs and groups Knows how to treat students who are tired or late Is demanding but not strict Advises students to overcome their learning difficulties Corrects students’ spoken and written mistakes Uses games and activities so that students can relate to each other ……

+/-

(Unfinished)

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Getting to know each other

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ME My life – Choose some of these words to write about your life In the future Turning point My weakness Great success A good laugh My nightmare A childhood memory My best friend A big disappointment

There’s something I have to tell you about me… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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ME AND MY FRIENDS

entences with information about you and then interview some of your classmates You

Partner 1

Partner 2

Partner 3

me â&#x20AC;Ś

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Talking about you and me: Do we have anything in common? Walk around the classroom and see if you find someone who has similar experiences to yours Background

When did you first start learning English?

How was a typical English class then?

My weaknesses

What do you find most difficult in English?

What could you do about it?

My strengths

What can you do best?

Were you born with this gift or have you trained yourself?

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The ways I learn best

What kind of activities do you enjoy most in class?

What do you do to improve your English on your own?

My expectations for this year

What would you like to achieve by the end of this year?

How do you plan to contribute to your learning?

Learning contract This year I commit myself to ……………………………….…………………………………………….. and I expect the teacher to ………………………………..…………………………………………….. Student’s signature

Teacher’s signature

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My Profile Personal

Name:

information

Age:

Qualifications:

Job:

Interests and hobbies:

Experience

Years learning English:

learning

Places where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learnt English:

Year you entered the school:

Your marks last year:

Experiences abroad:

What are you good at?

What are you bad at?

How did you do in your initial assessment?

What do you need to improve?

My marks last year:

15-20

20-30

30-40

40-50

50- 60+

English

Assessing your English

Grammar

Reading

Listening

Writing

Speaking

& vocabulary 1st term 2nd term 3rd term Final

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The ways I

What are your main areas of interest?

What kind of activities do you like doing in class?

What kind do you dislike?

How can you best improve your different skills?

What can I do to learn English more quickly and

learn best

efficiently in class?

How

Can I assess my own learning?

How often do I ask the teacher for help / remedial

autonomous am I?

work?

Overall

What do I do to practice English on my own?

Am I a good student of English?, what else could I do?

What do I need English for?

What are my goals and how can I achieve them?

impression Plans for the future

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The way I learn best

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The way I learn best guide Each of us has a different kind of intelligence and a different learning style. The best way for you to improve your learning is by getting to know how you learn best, see what kind of activities are more suitable for you and which you enjoy most and see how you can apply all this to your study. (For more information on multiple intelligences and learning styles, visit the learning to learn section on the blog) So, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start with some tests: 1. Look at the first worksheet on multiple intelligences. Tick the boxes which better describe your interests and needs, put the different kinds of intelligences in the boxes and then decide what you are most and what you are least. Linguistic Naturalist

Musical

Logical-mathematical

Spatial-visual

Bodily-kinaesthetic

Intrapersonal Extrapersonal

2. These intelligences can be grouped in three main learning preferences: Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic. Look at the second worksheet, grade yourself in each category, add your scores on the table below and see what your learning preference is. 2 6 8 11 13 16 20 24 27 V:

1 5 9 10 14 18 21 23 26 A:

3 4 7 12 15 17 19 22 25 K:

3. On the third worksheet, tick the activities and strategies which you think will better help you improve your language skills, both at home and at school, and then classify them and write them down on the chart: the ways I learn best 4. Write down some ideas on what you would like to do in the classroom to improve your language skills and competences, and get prepared to discuss it in class

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Grammar and vocabulary Listening

Reading

Speaking

Writing

5. Discuss with your class-mates your reasons for learning English and see what your needs and main areas of interests are, then write down some ideas on the topics you would like to see covered in class

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Worksheet 1: Multiple intelligences test

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Worksheet 2: VAK learning preferences

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Worksheet 3: Language Learning strategies

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Worksheet 4: The ways I learn best chart

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Are you a good student of English?

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Are you a student of English? Guide 1. What is in your opinion a good active learner?

2. What should and shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do a good active student of English? Discuss it with your partner and write down your ideas Yes

3. Read the worksheet: Being an active learner and see if you can add anything else. 4. How much do you work on your own to improve your English? Write down some ideas on what you could do outside the classroom to further work on your English

5. Listen to a teacher talking about how her students practice their English and tick the activities she mentions, then see if you can add any activity to the list you have just done in the previous exercise.

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Worksheet 1a: Being an active learner

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Worksheet 1b: Being an active learner

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Worksheet 2: Listening -Learn English faster

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Learning strategies: â&#x20AC;˘ Study skills â&#x20AC;˘ Language skills

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Learning strategies guide In this section you will find some advice and some activities to help you improve your learning and language skills. 1. In the first part you have some activities from Cutting Edge Resource Pack to help you improve the way you learn: -

Learning how to use a dictionary Storing your vocabulary Dealing with unknown words Planning and editing your writing

2. In the second part you have some advice on how to better improve your language skills: -

How to improve your listening How to make the most out of your reading How can I improve my writing and my speaking? How can I get prepared for the oral exam?

3. Some guidelines on how to make the most out of the resources we have

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Study skills from Cutting Edge Resource Pack

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Worksheet 1: Learning to use a dictionary 1

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Worksheet 2: Learning to use a dictionary 2

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Worksheet 3: Learning to use a dictionary 3

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Worksheet 4: Recording new vocabulary 1

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Worksheet 5: Recording new vocabulary 2

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Worksheet 6: Recording new vocabulary 3

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Worksheet 7: Learning about new words

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Worksheet 8: Guessing meaning from context 1

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Worksheet 9: Guessing meaning from context 2

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Worksheet 10: Planning and editing your writing 1

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Worksheet 11: Planning and editing your writing 2

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How to improve your language skills

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How to improve your listening skills -

In class, listen carefully to the CDs or the DVDs we watch. First listen for gist and second for detail, writing down key words or drawing simple diagrams, which you’ll later check and develop into longer sentences or explanations. Compare your answers with your classmates, make sure you understand new words and see if you understand it better if we listen to it again.

After class, listen to the class CD again at the Multimedia room, check your answers again and then read the transcript for full analysis of vocabulary and grammar structures. You may listen to it again for full understanding.

Use Speak Up magazine and CD, which you can borrow from the library or buy at any newsagent’s, to read and listen to some articles or do some exercises (there are different levels for you to choose from).

Watch satellite TV at home, if you have any, or at the Multimedia room.

Watch films or TV series with subtitles in English. You can either borrow them from the Multimedia room or watch them there on the computer, or you can buy them at any store or download them from the Internet. Speak Up magazine comes also with a film and a booklet with vocabulary and other useful things, and many of them are available at the Multimedia room too.

Listen to songs and read the lyrics. If you don’t have them, you can look for them on the Internet, a good site is: http://www.lyrics.com

Visit my blog: http://www.anuskis-cyberenglish.blogspot.com and: o Go to the music folder, listen to some of the songs and do the exercises. For more songs with exercises, you can go to: http://www.eslvideo.com o Go to the listening folder and do some of the activities or visit the links on the sidebar to interesting places where you can practice your listening, some of the best ones are: § § § §

http://www.elllo.org http://www.esl-lab.com http://www.mansioningles.com/listening00.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/mu ltimedia/

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You’ll find many other links on the list of selected links for Intermediate level, which you’ll find both in the links and listening folders. o Go to the learning guides folder and choose some of the listening activities for each unit o Visit http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com where you can read and listen to articles and do some exercises o Go to the TV or the video folder and watch some documentaries, videos, TV series, links to film scripts. There’s a wider list of links at the list of selected links, but some of the best I know are: § § § § §

http://s12.alluc.org/ http://www.megavideo.com http://www.dailymotion.com http://www.youtube.com http://www.euronews.net

o At http://es.yappr.com/welcome/Welcome.action you can find some videos with subtitles and at http://www.eslvideo.com videos with interactive exercises o Visit some of the links to Podcast directories, which you will find in the list of selected links for Intermediate level, and download some audio files to listen to on your MP3 player. You can also download and install Itunes in your computer and use this program to buy or freely subscribe to Podcasts, audiobooks and music, download them in your computer, manage and transfer them to your portable MP3 player o Visit http://www.librivox.org or any other site you may know of and download audiobooks for you to store in your computer, record on a CD or listen to on your MP3 player, when on your way to school or work, or next summer when you’re lying on the beach

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How to get the most out of your reading There are two kinds of reading you can do: intensive and extensive reading. Intensive reading is what we usually do in class. It consists in reading a short text for detail. We normally read it first to get a general idea and then, we read it a second time in order to answer some questions on specific information and do some exercises, where we concentrate on the analysis of language and vocabulary. When doing so, it is important that you should write all the new words and structures in your notebook and read the text again at home to see if you have understood everything. Extensive reading is what you may most often do on your own. It consists in reading much longer texts – such as newspaper or magazine articles, articles on the Internet, short stories, …- or even books, where you are more likely to come across many more unknown words and new grammar structures. For this sometimes arduous and most often challenging task there are some good techniques which may help you to avoid discouragement and frustration: -

First, keep your goal in mind. Remember that you don’t need to understand it all, that you are either reading for pure pleasure or to achieve some specific purpose, which is by no means to understand it all. If you are reading for pleasure, especially if it is a book, choose a suitable level and a topic which is of your interest- motivation is very important to keep on going-. Then, simply enjoy it!, don’t look up every single word in the dictionary, you can underline them while you are reading and then check some of them in your dictionary, but don’t do both things at the same time, it takes all the pleasure out of reading! When reading shorter texts, either for pleasure or for a specific purpose, you can try some of the following techniques: § §

Try to predict content from title, subheadings, first and last paragraphs, the first few lines, accompanying pictures or photographs Practise skim reading: read the text for gist and then ask yourself what the article is about. Based on this, think about what kind of specific information you expect to find in it, and then scan the text to see if that information is there. Scan reading will also help you if you have a specific purpose, such answering some specific questions or find some information you need. With long texts, you can first look for key words and then read in more detail, when you have found some information of your interest or which

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§ §

may concern the questions you have to answer or the task you have to fulfil. You can try speed reading: Don’t try to understand every word and see how fast you can read for gist or general meaning Improve your inferencing skills: Try to guess the meaning of unknown words from context – e.g. what part of speech is it?, what does preceding and following information suggest the unknown word might mean? Try to deal with new structures: Work on unravelling complex ideas by breaking sentences down into more manageable units and rephrasing the ideas for yourself in simple terms Work on developing better text awareness skills: Compare several texts from the point of view of register and see what stylistic features characterise texts that share the same register. Can you identify the writer’s attitude towards his/her subject?, what linguistic clues lead to your conclusions?

Some places where you can find texts to improve your reading skills are: -

For intensive reading: o You can use some other course-book materials and work on your own. Or use your workbook. o On the blog there’s a section on reading. There you’ll find some exercises on fables, cloze tests, … and links to some interesting sites, such as: § http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com § http://miguelmllop.com/practice/intermediate/readingc omprehension/readingcompindex.htm

For extensive reading you can try: -

Graded readers: Most of them come with a CD, which allows you to improve your listening at the same time. There are many at the multimedia room for you to choose from. Make sure you are choosing the right level! If you don’t know what to read, there’s a post on the blog with links to a list of the 100 best novels and the 100 best books ever written, and information on books which have been awarded. Surely you are not ready to read them yet, but you may find an adapted version to start with.

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Newspapers and magazines. You even have special magazines for learning English, such as Speak Up, which comes with a CD and a DVD Go to the blog and try some of the Treasure Hunts in the reading section Visit on the blog some of the links you have been suggested on the right-hand side bar. There are links to: Mystery stories, children stories, fables, newspapers and magazines, books online and audiobooks, … Visit other links to interesting content, where you may find articles on cinema, travelling, food, sport, …. Simply Google the Internet for topics of your interest and practice skim and scan reading Try to design a Treasure Hunt for your classmates on a topic of your interest Get involved in a Webquest with other classmates Publish in your blog or in your group’s blog some interesting articles you may have found or links to sites where there’s something of interest to read.

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How to improve your writing and your speaking Writing and speaking are the final stage in your learning process, they are productive skills where you put into practice what you have learnt by reading, listening and reflecting on the use of grammar and vocabulary. So, on the one hand, it is important to be exposed to real English by reading and listening to interesting texts and audios as much and as often as you can, and reflect on the use they make of vocabulary and grammar structures. On the other hand, to use what you have learnt and develop these skills, it is essential to practise them as much as you can and follow some guidelines to improve the way you express yourself. To improve the way you write, here’s some tips you can follow to improve your writing: -

First, look at native speaker samples of writing in the target language Plan your writing and organize your ideas before you start writing Use your first notes to produce a first draft Proof-read your draft before you produce your final piece of writing, and check if it complies with the follow requirements: It has good and original content It has a good structure and the right number of paragraphs There’s a good use of linkers and connectors There’s an appropriate use and good variety of verbal tenses It boasts a wide range of vocabulary: § A good use of adjectives to enrich your sentences and qualify the things and the people you talk about § Use of adverbs to connect paragraphs, express opinions and modify actions § Use of new words learnt in class, nice expressions, collocations and phrasal verbs Then, before you write your composition, edit your draft for accuracy. Check first your list of most common mistakes and then revise the following: o Right use of verbal tenses o Word order o Articles o Prepositions o Punctuation o Spelling And finally, try to put yourself in your reader’s place and test the clarity and effectiveness of your writing, and ask yourself for the last time: is it logically organised?, is there an introduction, main body and conclusion?, are the ideas clearly expressed?, are more examples or explanations needed? o o o o o

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Use now your best hand-writing to produce a piece of writing with a good layout and format, which meets your teacher’s requirements.

Some ideas to practise your writing: - Keeping a language learning diary in the target language - Corresponding on email with a native-speaker. You could find an email partner through the international Email Tandem Network available over the web at: http://www.slf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/emial/idxeng00.html or at the any of the links to language exchange sites you have on the blog - Collaborating with your ideas in the class or teacher’s blog -you can even write an online book or a magazine a publish it on the blog or simply write an article for your classmates to read - Writing in your own blog or keeping an e-journal - Chatting over the Internet at Dave’s ESL Café or using the chat on the blog - Using your teacher’s writing samples to write either compulsory or optional pieces of writing, which you can hand in for correction - Keeping a dossier of your corrected pieces of writing together with a list of your most frequent mistakes (alternatively, you can publish everything you have done in your blog or e-journal) - Publishing a class or school magazine - There are some websites where you can find some more tips to improve your writing, you’ll find the links on the blog, both in the learning to learn and the writing sections. Regarding speaking The chances of practising this skill sometimes are fewer, anyhow here there are some ideas for you: - Group useful items of functional language together and try to learn useful situational expressions by heart, then try to find opportunities to use them to reinforce your learning. - Use the phonetic script in a print or electronic dictionary to practise the exact pronunciation of new phrases and words ( when available, you may compare your pronunciation with the recorded pronunciations in an electronic dictionary or pronunciation, such as the one you have at the multimedia room) - Also to improve your pronunciation, you can check the resources available on the blog and you may as well keep a record of your most often mispronounced words - For accuracy, you can check a correct form or pronunciation you are uncertain of with a native speaker or with your teacher - For fluency, here there are some things you can do: o Get actively involved in speaking activities in class o Seek opportunities to practise speaking outside the classroom:

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§ § § § §

Try and find a native speaker and set up a tandem partnership. You can advertise a partner on the noticeboard Get involved in international school projects and student exchanges Get informed about grants and any other kind of economic support to join a language course abroad Go to places where English speaking people usually hang out See if there’s any way you can practise your speaking on the Internet, using video-conferencing or a virtual environment, such as Second Life or Lively

Practise on your own, saying things aloud or recording yourself on a tape: o You can say new words and phrases aloud both to help commit them to memory and to practise pronunciation o Practise mimicking intonation patterns and varying sentence stress to familiarise yourself with these aspects of speaking and to develop your confidence o Record yourself on tape to develop your fluency, giving spontaneous talks about yourself, what you have done this week or on a specialised topic you have been researching, then replay it and critically analyse the recording. Note mistakes in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and hesitations – afterwards find out how to say what you wanted to say better.

Find a partner to record a conversation on any of the topics dealt with in class and publish it on the blog Listen to your teacher’s recordings of your and your classmates’ oral exams on the blog Use any of the resources on the blog to practise your speaking and pronunciation, you have some very good places as Talk to Alice, where you can ask a female computer robot any kind of questions, Text-tospeech, where you can a text read aloud by the computer, or Howyousay.org, where you can have words and expressions pronounced. Draw a mind map with ideas and vocabulary related to the topics dealt with in class and reflect on what you could say about them, or what kind of questions you could be asked about Finally, use your teacher’s advice on strategies to be used to succeed in your oral exam

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Strategies for your oral exam -

Look at the pictures and identify the topic

Describe relevant things and say how different and how similar the pictures are

Describe the pictures in detail (Check the file: How to describe photos for vocabulary and useful expressions). You can talk about: o Type and origin of visual document. Possible author and reason why he/she took the picture o Description of the visual document §

Scene and atmosphere

Location of people and things

People’s appearance and clothes

People’s moods and possible feelings

o Subjective description §

Hypotheses about what it may be about or might be going on

§ -

Your opinion and reaction

Link to your experiences and knowledge o Have you ever seen such a scene? o Have you ever had any experience related to the topic being discussed or described in the picture? o What do you know about it?, what would you do in such a situation? o …

Try to remember what we said in class about the topic and bring out some of the ideas you wrote down on your mind map

Move onto the questions: Try to say as much as you can so that the examiner doesn’t have to keep you asking for details

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How to make the most out of the resources we have Nowadays there are many resources available for you to improve English on your own, most of which you can find at our school multimedia room, and you can either use them there or take them home, except dictionaries and reference books, which canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be taken on a loan. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very interesting to visit the Library-Multimedia room, since there are so many things which can be of good use to you. There are always activities going on and you may even win a prize, if you take part in any of the contests they usually organize during the school year. They also have a series of blogs where you can get informed about all the things going on, take some quizzes on languages and culture, or get informed about the latest titles published in the language you are learning, which you may start reading next summer, when your English has improved a little bit more. So, where to start? First of all, you have the computers, which have free access to the Internet, and you just have to ask for a card to use one of them, as long as and as often as you want. You may go there, before or after your class, to do your homework by the tables and then work a little bit on the computer. What can you find in the computers? -

Talk to me, a language programme where you can set your own plan of work and schedule, and regularly work on your language practising the different skills, specially pronunciation, as you can record your own voice and then check how well you have done it.

Audio files from the different textbooks we have in the different levels and classes, where you can listen again to what you heard in class.

Class DVDs, which come with your textbooks and which we often use in class, for you to watch again and better understand what they say.

Some films from the department and the library for you to be able to watch them on the computer.

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There is a programme (I think the new one is called JVC) for you to watch satellite TV or listen to international radio stations (I recommend you Euronews, BBC, CNN, CNBC, …)

As I said, you have free access to Internet. Check below for things you can do at home if you have Internet access, and if you don’t and you prefer any other place, remember that you can have access at most libraries and that there’s wi-fi for you to connect at school, at cafès and even at the airport, hospitals, and many other places, so no excuse. And if you don’t know how to do things, it’s about time you started (You don’t want to be a XXIst century illiterate!)

But let’s go back to paper and more traditional ways to improve your English, which are indeed many too. On the bookshelves around the room, you can find different kinds of dictionaries- monolingual, bilingual, collocations, phrasal verbs, language in use, …-, to check unknown words or see how a new word is used; grammar books to revise, expand or deepen into some of your teacher’s explanations; self-access materials on grammar and vocabulary with key, for you to work on your own (see year instructions for suitable titles for your level or ask the teacher for some advice, obviously it will depend on what you need to work on, and you certainly may as well just occasionally ask your teacher for some remedial work on whatever you need at that moment) And then, why not sit on the sofa? There are some books you can browse and some newspapers and interesting magazines, such as National Geographic, Travel or Vanity Fair, if you like gossiping about the rich and famous, which you can also find at a newsagent’s. I also like magazines in English about cinema, or music, or photography, gardening, cooking,… where you practice your English and learn interesting things at the same time. (You have a link to some of these magazines online in my blog, if you don’t want to spend money or you don’t know where to store so much paper) You can also have a look at some ESL (English as a Second Language) publications, such as Mary Glasgow magazines or Speak up magazine, CD and

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DVD. Before you leave, you can borrow one of these films or magazines with its CD, or get a new graded reader with a CD to take home for a while (check year instructions for recommended levels). There are many titles available (check your class’ blog for a list of favourite books and films and some book and film reviews). Many of my students read the book first, then, some other time, they check unknown words, they later read the book again and finally listen to the book. You can choose the way you like it better, but do remember that reading and listening are the best ways to be in contact with the language and start gaining fluency and confidence. After a while, you will soon see the results in your speaking and writing. Don’t do so much grammar and vocabulary, though it is obviously also necessary, and do try to listen to and read as much English as you can, you’ll see how easily you learn! If you have a computer and Internet access at home there are obviously many more things you can do: -

Buy some language software and work on your computer (I have seen some interesting ones at the main stores)

Check the Internet for both simply interesting or specifically ESL sites, such as: o On interesting sites, you can scan articles on varied topics or read something of your interest in detail o On ESL sites, you will find language practice and explanations, textbook sites, Listening labs, ESL Podcasts, Pronunciation practice (the BBC has even explanative videos where you can learn how to pronounce sounds and compare others which sound similarly and you often confuse), writing guides, and vocabulary games and activities o There are also other sites with reference online, such as dictionaries or encyclopaedias o You can find links to most famous British and American media: TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, …. And subscribe to their podcasts on the different sections: health, sport, news, culture …

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o There are sites where you can participate in a language exchange or find a pen-pal friend to exchange correspondence with o There are chats, forums, networks, virtual environments, … , some of them specially created for ESL students, such as Randall’s Cafè, where you can meet other people and communicate in English o There are videos, songs, quizzes and games to have some fun and learn English at the same time. (check blog for addresses, you will find most at the Having fun folder). Don’t underestimate the power of games, that’s the way you learnt when you were a child! o You will find links to all these sites I have mentioned on the year instructions and on the blog. So, use the blog to find links to recommended sites. There’s a file with a complete list of links and the very best ones are on the right-hand sidebar next to the folders, where you can browse through the different things I have published for you. o You also have the learning guides to guide you through different links which can help you extend what you have learnt in class, unit by unit. o I have also created a blog for you students and another, called Anuskis’ How to blog, where you can learn how to publish your own things. So, start being imaginative and do please write and participate in the class’ blog. You may have a look at the list of activities and recommended tasks, to get some ideas, or simply try to publish your best compositions, once they have been corrected.

In your computer too, you can download free software (for example ITunes) to subscribe to Podcasts to later listen to them either from your computer or from your MP3 player, when you are walking to school, on the way to work or back home, lying on the beach or doing some sport,

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… or simply lying on the sofa or on your favourite armchair, or in bed before you go to sleep (I won’t recommend you to do it while you are in the bath-tube, calmly relaxing and trying to unwind after an exhausting day of work, should you have an electro-shock!) I also recommend you to either watch satellite TV or buy some DVD series at any of the main stores in your city. Series are usually much easier to understand than films and you’ll easily get used to the way they talk. They come with subtitles both in Spanish and English, to make it easier for you to understand at first. You may start with Spanish subtitles and then move on to English ones, as soon as you gain some confidence and you start getting used to the accent. Finally, be sociable! Talk to tourists, go to the pub, meet someone interesting, go to the cinema and watch a V.O film, listen to the radio, … And TRAVEL!!!, the Travel channel is not enough and there is a lot to be seen and done!, and do remember English is a Universal language, so don’t keep your knowledge at home and do communicate and express yourself!!!

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Unit Progress Cards (Unit 0: Learning to learn) Unit 1: Friends Unit 2: Relax Unit 3: Dating Unit 4: Sport Unit 5: Childhood Unit 6: Celebrations Unit 7: News Unit 8: Soap Operas Unit 9: Jobs & Technology Unit 10: Travelling Unit 11: The Gender Gap (Houses & Clothes) - Unit 12: Health and age - Unit 13: Global issues -

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How well can I â&#x20AC;Ś? Unit 0: Learning to learn

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UNIT 1- FRIENDS Now I can… Speaking

tick

Listening

• Ask questions and obtain personal and factual information. • Describe personality. • Describe people’s pictures and speculate about them. • Talk about friends and friendship. Reading • Read about friends and friendship.

tick

• Listen to a report an argument. • Listen to and talk about what you value most in a friend.

Writing • Write a description of a friend. • Write an email to a pen pal.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 2 - RELAX Now I can… Speaking • Talk about routines and how we spend our leisure time. • Talk about how relaxed or stressed you are. • Talk about feelings, likes and dislikes. • Talk about books, films and music. • Express opinion Reading • Read about somebody’s experience about how stressed or relaxed she thinks she is. • Read about somebody’s feelings and reaction when she discovered that she was very stressed.

tick

tick Listening • Listen to people talking about their favourite books and giving their opinions about them. • Listen to someone talking about how stressed or relaxed they are.

Writing • Write a book or a film review.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 3 - DATING Now I can Speaking • Talk about relationships and marriage. • Talk about personality and star signs • Describe personality and appearance. Reading • Read about relationships and marriage. • Read about personality and star signs

tick

Listening • Listen to people talking about marriages and dating.

tick

Writing • Describe personality and appearance. • Write lonely heart advertisement.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 4 - SPORT Now I can… tick Speaking • Talk about dangerous experiences and how they make you feel. • Talk about and compare sports. • Make a short presentation on a sport • Say how fit I keep fit. • Answer questions about past experiences. Reading • Read about dangerous experiences and how they make you feel.

Listening • Listen to a woman talking about her experience as a professional boxer.

tick

Writing • Write about a sports event.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 5 - CHILDHOOD Now I can Speaking • Compare education and lifestyle today and in the past. • Discuss the qualities of parents and children. • Describe childhood and special memories

tick

Reading • Read children’s stories.

Listening • Listening to someone talking about his/her childhood. • Listen to children’s stories

tick

Writing • Writing a story: linkers and connectors. • Describe childhood and special memories.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 6 – CELEBRATIONS Now I can

tick

Speaking • Talk about festivals and traditions • Invite, accept and decline invitations • Talk about the main ingredients of a good party • Describe and plan a party • Talk about intentions and plans

Listening • Listen to a song, guess some information from a picture and spot some mistakes in the lyrics • Listen to some people talking about the main ingredients of a good party

Reading • Read about festivals and traditions • Match invitations to replies • Read greeting cards

Writing • Write a letter of invitation • Write a letter accepting or refusing an invitation

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 7 – NEWS Now I can …

tick

Speaking • Talk about celebrity gossip and privacy • Talk about past experiences • Describe pictures and match with news headlines • Talk about favourite TV programmes and newspapers

Listening • Listen to radio news • Listen to people exchanging personal news • Listen to and identify different kinds of radio and TV programmes • Listen to a man describing his experience as a radio reporter

Reading • Match news with headlines • Read about the media in the UK and the USA

Writing • Write an item of news from a headline • Write a letter to a friend giving news • Write a piece of news after listening to a song • Write an opinion essay: the media in our country

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 8 – SOAP OPERAS Now I can

tick

Speaking • Talk about family relationships and characters in a soap opera. • Talk about TV habits and favourite programmes. • Report a conversation. • Make predictions about a TV episode Writing • Report a TV episode. • Write a magazine article about a soap opera star.

tick Reading • Read about soap operas. • Read about characters and family relationships in a soap opera

Listening • Listen to a scene of a soap opera. • Listen to an interview with a soap opera actor.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 9 – JOBS & TECHNOLOGY Now I can Speaking • Talk about jobs and ambitions • Discuss the qualities you need for different kinds of jobs • Talk about rules and regulations at work. • Talk about workplaces. • Talk about time management. • Talk about further education and technologies • Talk about language summer courses Writing • Write an application letter. • Opinion essay: technologies at work

Tick

Reading • Read about time management and punctuality • Read about timesaving tips. • Read about education

Tick

Listening • Listen to people talking about jobs and ambitions • Listen to someone talking about time management. • Listen to people describing their rules and regulations. • Listen to an interview with an expert on body clocks.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 10 - TRAVELLING Now I can

Tick

Speaking • Talk about reasons for travelling. • Describe a journey • Describe travel pictures. • Talk about journeys and holidays.

Reading • Read about somebody’s travelling experiences • Read articles about special journeys. • Read narratives and re-arrange or complete

Writing • Fill in narrative with adjectives and adverbs • Write a narrative. • Write a postcard. • Write a description of a place you have visited on holiday. • Write a letter complaining about a hotel

Listening • Listen to someone describing travel pictures. • Listen to someone describing the perfect weekend. • Listen to people talking about their holidays

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THE GENDER GAP (Houses and clothes) Now I can

Tick

Speaking - Talk about stereotypes and the gender gap - Talk about houses and decoration - Describe and compare morning routines - Talk about tastes in clothes - Describe peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance and speculate about them

Reading - Read about stereotypes and the gender gap - Read about first impressions - Read about the sharing of housework - Read about Feng Shui and gender

Writing - Write a questionnaire and a report about attitudes towards different everyday topics. - Write a description of your favourite room or your dream home

Listening - Listen to phone conversations. - Listen to recorded telephone messages. - Listen to people describing their favourite item of clothing

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit?

Can you use these new grammar structures in context?

Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt?

Do you need any remedial work?

Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 12 – HEALTH AND AGE Now I can Speaking • Talk about eating and sleeping habits and conduct a class survey • Talk about unusual food • Describe an enjoyable evening • Role-play a conversation in a restaurant • Talk about age limits • Talk about age, regrets and wishes • Talk about unreal situations • Ask questions politely • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages to individuals and to society of living to be 150 Writing • Write a report about on sleeping or eating habits. • Write an opinion essay about eating habits • Write an interview: Your life. Wishes and regrets • Write the end of a story.

Tick

Reading • Read a report about sleeping habits. • Read about health and eating habits • Read about how people feel about their age • Read an interview with Bon Jovi • Read a poem about

Tick

Listening • Listen to someone having a first-date conversation in a restaurant • Listen to someone describing unusual food • Listen to people talking about how they feel at their age. • Ask questions politely.

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

What grammar content and vocabulary have you learnt in this unit? Can you use these new grammar structures in context? Will you try to use the new vocabulary you have learnt? Do you need any remedial work? Have you checked the blog for extra information and exercises?

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UNIT 13 – GLOBAL ISSUES Now I can Speaking • Make predictions about the future • Express reason and consequence • Talk about numbers • Discuss the importance and possible solutions to different global issues • Talk about hypothetical situations • Talk about climate change and consequences • Make a presentation on a global issue Writing • Write a letter of protest • Write an opinion essay: A bright future?

Tick

Reading • Read about different global issues • Read about climate change and natural disasters • Read about NGOs and their work

Tick

Listening • Listen to numbers • Listen to people talking about social problems and world injustice • Listen to people describing the work of different NGOS • Listen to people talking about climate change and other environmental issues

Checking your grammar and vocabulary -

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Mid-term assessment • • • • •

How well are you doing so far? What are you doing to improve your …? How well is the teacher doing? What would you change if you could? How satisfied are you with the course so far?

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Mid-term assessment How well are you doing so far? 1. Are you being a good student of English?

- Do you regularly come to class and are usually informed about what is going in the class? - Do you participate and show interest in class?, do you actively engage in class activities, such as pair work, group work or class debates? - Do you always speak English with the teacher and your class-mates? - Do you always do your homework and correct it in class?, do you regularly work at home to improve your English, doing exercises in your workbook or reviewing what we have learnt in class? - Do you work in class effectively and write down in your notebook all the explanations, new vocabulary, exercises and their correction? - Do you regularly look up unknown words in the dictionary and keep a good record of the new vocabulary?, do you ever check in the dictionary how a new word is pronounced or how you can use it? - Do you keep a clear and well-organized dossier and have all your copies numbered and in order? - Do you hand in your compositions and other tasks on time? - Do you keep a good store of the compositions you have done with the models you have been given?, do you check what was wrong after correction and keep a list of your most usual mistakes? - Have you read the books you have been prescribed?, have you made the most out of them? - Do you assess your own learning and work autonomously, asking for help when needed?

Yes No

Sometimes

2. Do you work on your own? Check the list I gave you and write down what you have done so far:

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3. What are your marks? Initial 1st term

2nd term

3rd term

G/V R L W S 4. What do you need to improve?

5. What can you do to improve your …………………………….? Check the guides and see what you could do to improve your ………….. and write down some ideas:

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How well is the teacher doing? 1. Have I so far catered for different interests and learning styles? 2. Have I covered your main topics of interest and those which are prescribed by the curriculum? 3. Have I given you enough material to practice your grammar and expand your vocabulary? 4. Have I selected good and interesting texts and audiofiles for you to improve your reading and listening? 5. Have I planned nice activities for you to engage in conversation with you teacher and classmates? 6. Is there a good variety of class activities and different kinds of interaction in every session? 7. Are my explanations clear enough for you to understand difficult grammar points or use of new vocabulary? 8. Am I helpful enough and willing to give you a hand when you need it? 9. Do you think you are being assessed correctly?, Are you satisfied with the corrections of your compositions and other work you do and the feedback you receive after your exams? 10. Do you think that this course has been carefully planned, meets your needs and will prepare you for the final exam? 11. Have I encouraged you and given you enough information about the resources available for you to work on your own? What would you like to change if you could? Things you would rather not do in class

Things that you would like to do

Are you on the whole satisfied with the course and optimistic about your results in June?

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End-of-yearassessment • • • •

Checking oral skills Checking writing skills Checking my grammar and vocabulary The Common European framework of Reference: Self-assessment Grid • My Passport: What’s your level in each skill according to the Common European Framework? (For a better assessment, take the self-assessment test by Dialang at the Multimedia Room) • Final composition: Past, Present and Future of my English

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Checking oral skills Intermediate 2 At this stage I’m supposed to be able to speak and interact with other people fluently and accurately. I can organise my ideas and I can present them with quite a high level of complexity in a coherent and cohesive way. My speech might be slightly influenced by my first language but it does not affect comprehension. I use a wide range of vocabulary in all contexts. All in all, my communication is effective and appropriate for a good task performance. I can … • Ask questions and obtain personal and factual information. • Describe personality. • Describe people’s pictures and speculate about them. • Talk about friends and friendship • Talk about routines and how we spend our leisure time. • Talk about how relaxed or stressed I am. • Talk about feelings, likes and dislikes. • Talk about books, films and music • .Express opinions • Talk about relationships and marriage. • Talk about personality and star signs • Describe personality and appearance. • Talk about dangerous experiences and how they make you feel. • Talk about and compare sports. • Say how fit I keep fit. • Answer questions about past experiences. • Make a short presentation on a sport • Compare education and lifestyle today and in the past. • Discuss the qualities of parents and children. • Describe childhood and special memories • Talk about celebrity gossip and privacy • Talk about past experiences • Describe pictures and match with news headlines • Talk about favourite TV programmes and newspapers • Talk about festivals and traditions • Invite, accept and decline invitations

Well

Not bad

Not at all

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Talk about the main ingredients of a good party Describe and plan a party Talk about intentions and plans Talk about family relationships and characters in a soap opera. Talk about TV habits and favourite programmes. Report a conversation. Make predictions about a TV episode. Talk about jobs and ambitions Discuss the qualities you need for different kinds of jobs Talk about rules and regulations at work. Talk about workplaces. Talk about time management. Talk about further education and technologies Talk about language summer courses Talk about reasons for travelling. Describe a journey Describe travel pictures. Talk about journeys and holidays. Talk about stereotypes and the gender gap Talk about houses and decoration Describe and compare morning routines Talk about tastes in clothes Describe people’s appearance and speculate about them Talk about eating and sleeping habits and conduct a class survey Talk about unusual food Describe an enjoyable evening Role-play a conversation in a restaurant Talk about age limits Talk about age, regrets and wishes Talk about unreal situations Ask questions politely Make predictions about the future Express reason and consequence Talk about numbers Discuss the importance and possible solutions to different global issues Talk about hypothetical situations Talk about climate change and consequences Make a presentation on a global issue

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Checking writing skills Intermediate 2 At this stage I am supposed to be able to write simple connected text on a wide range of topics which are familiar or of personal interest. I should be able to write personal letters describing experiences and impressions, highlighting the personal significance of events, or expressing feelings, wishes and ambitions; I should also be able to tell stories and anecdotes, describe real and imagined events or situations; and write essays or reports, passing on information or giving reasons in support or against a particular point of view. My writing is expected to be clear, well-organized and relevant to task, my style should be appropriate to purpose and context, I should have a wide range of vocabulary and I ought to make a good use of structures required at this level. I can …. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

well

Not bad

Not at all

Write an email to a pen pal and talk about myself Write a description of a friend, say how we met and describe our relationship Write a book or a film review. Describe personality and appearance. Write a lonely heart advertisement. Write about a sports event. Describe childhood and special memories. Write a story using linkers and connectors. Write a letter of invitation Write a letter accepting or refusing an invitation Write a letter to a friend giving news Write an item of news from a headline Write a piece of news after listening to a song Write an opinion essay: the media in our country Report a TV episode. Write a magazine article about a soap opera star. Write an application letter. Opinion essay: technologies at work Write a postcard. Fill in narrative with adjectives and adverbs Write a narrative. Write a description of a place you have visited on holiday. Write a letter complaining about a hotel Write a questionnaire and a report about attitudes towards different everyday topics. Write a description of your favourite room or your dream home Write a report on sleeping or eating habits. Write an opinion essay about eating habits Write an interview: Your life. Wishes and regrets Write a letter of protest Write an opinion essay: A bright future?

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Checking my grammar I understand and I can use in context .... Questions in all tenses Short answers So/ neither do I Present tenses: Present simple, continuous and perfect Frequency adverbs -ed / -ing adjectives Present perfect v. Past simple Since, for; yet, just, already Present perfect simple and continuous Past tenses: Past simple, continuous and perfect. Used to and would Comparisons Relative clauses: Defining and non-defining. Omission and prepositions Future tenses: Present simple, continuous, going to, shall and will Phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs Passive voice Verb patterns and noun clauses Reported Speech Modal verbs: ability, possibility, permission, obligation, prohibition, advice, deduction Prepositions of place, time and movement Adverbs and linkers Conditional clauses Adjectives Countable and uncountable nouns. Quantifiers Indirect questions and question tags

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Checking my vocabulary I understand and I can use in context vocabulary related to ……………… Personality and friendship Leisure time: Books, music and films Feelings and mood Physical appearance and personality Dating and marriage Sports and adventures Verb collocations with sports: play, do, go Gradable and absolute adjectives Education and childhood. Verb collocations Summer courses Word definitions Word formation Linkers for stories Social gatherings and celebrations Phrasal and prepositional verbs The Media: TV, radio and newspapers Verbs often used in the Passive Family relationships Verb patterns. Most common verbs Jobs. Work and training. Qualities for a job Technology Travelling. Holidays Collocations with make, do, have, take and go Order of adjectives. Describing clothes Clothes. Idioms Houses and furniture Food, health and age Adverbs in stories Adjective + preposition Noun + preposition Social issues and environment. Expressing your opinion Linkers in essays

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The Common European Framework of Reference Self-assessment Grid and Passport

1. Look at the self-assessment grid and decide what your level is in the different skills 2. Fill in your Passport with the information about your level in the different skills (ask the teacher for a printed version) 3. For a more complete assessment on your level of English according to the Council of Europe, go to the multimedia room and take the Dialang test at: http://www.dialang.org 4. To get informed about equivalences between different certifications go to: http://www.alte.org

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Final Composition: Past, present and future of my English Write here a composition or learning memory of what you have done this year to improve your English. Say how satisfied you are with your achievements and talk about your future plans regarding your learning of English.

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My dossier

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My dossier guide It’s a good idea to keep in good store what you do both in class and at home to improve your English, and here I invite you to create a folder with some lists and samples: - Vocabulary charts: Linkers, Phrasal verbs, words with preposition, … - Writing guides - My compositions - My most common mistakes - My most often mispronounced words - My vocabulary lists and mind maps - Grammar help - My learning Diary - Interesting articles I’ve read and new things I’ve learnt - Interesting sites where I can practice my English You can even keep a tape or CD with your recordings: Stories read by you, dialogues and roleplays with your class-mates. Or, alternatively, you can create your own Eportfolio using a blog to publish whatever may help the improvement of your English. If you want to check what my Intermediate 1 students have done, visit: http://www.cyberstudentsintermediate.blogspot.com

I’m sure you can be really creative too!

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My Dossier Keep a list of what you have: -

My most common mistakes My most often mispronounced words …………………………………………….. …………………………………………….. …………………………………………….. ……………..

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My most common mistakes

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Word Stress

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Special thanks to: This Portfolio has been partly designed within the framework of a workshop at the EOI of Palma, organized by the CPR Palma and coordinated by Montse Gonzalo, and has also the endorsement of Programes Internacionals, Conselleria d’Educació, which has been promoting the use of Portfolios in schools for many years, running training courses and school programmes, which have been of good help to me. I have collaborated with Eugenia Ferrer and Vicente Sánchez, within the workshop, to design the Getting to know each other activities and the Unit progress cards, which are to a great extent based on the contents and objectives of Inside Out III. MacMillan Publishing. I have also based the first part, called Getting started, on the work of an English school teacher, María Jesús Fernández, from Andalucía. Except the scanned materials, the rest is original with some ideas from here and there (check bibliography).

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Material sources and bibliography: Worksheets and other attached material have been taken from: - The way I learn best worksheets from Knowing me, knowing you. Delta Publishing - Study skills from Cutting Edge Resource Pack (different levels). Longman - Some ideas on how to develop language skills from Vaak website - Listening Learn English faster from Natural English. Oxford University Press - The ways I learn best chart from Milestones Portfolio. - The unit progress cards have been based on the objectives and contents of Inside Out III for Intermediate level. MacMillan - Images are taken from Educational Cartoons and Mandalas de bolsillo, by Gl貌ria Falc贸n. Mtm editions

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For more information on how to learn and how to improve your English, you can visit my blogs: - For teachers: http://www.anuskis.blogspot.com - For students: http://www.anuskiscyberenglish.blogspot.com

- By my students: http://www.cyberstudentsintermediate.blogspot.com - Tutorial on how to blog: http://www.anuskishowtoblog.blogspot.com - Monteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog for and about the Portfolio: http://implementacion-portfolioeoipalma.blogspot.com

Ana Sancho 2009

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