Class: 31^st January/1^st February

Unit 10: A Sense of Belonging

Can-Do Objectives: Describe groups and membership

    Describe feelings about belonging

Pages: 98 – 99, 104, 106

Grammar: Inversion

http://fullspate.digitalcounterrevolution.co.uk/efl-advanced-grammar/

http://usefulenglish.ru/miscellany/inversion

Vocabulary: Demonstration, cult, sect, fencing, monk, novice, orphanage, sponsor a child, AA, YMCA

Homework: Workbook – pg. 66 ex 2a, pg. 67 ex b, pg. 68 ex 4a & b, pg. 69 ex 8, pg. 72 (ALL)

Also: Please do watch this TED Talk as it will help you with ideas for our next class’ activity.

 

Paul Pholeros: How to reduce poverty? Fix homes

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_pholeros_how_to_reduce_poverty_fix_homes.html

Class: 24^th/25^th January

Unit 9: Icons

Can-Do Objectives: Discuss an icon

    Talk about what something represents

    Present arguments and counter-arguments

    Give and respond to criticism

Pages: 92 -93, 95 & 96

Grammar: Modifying a sentence

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adverbs.htm

Vocabulary: goggles, knockoff, stall, counterculture, resonant, mainstream

Homework: Workbook – pg. 62 ex 8a & b, ex 9; pg. 63 (for ex.12b limit the number of words to 250)

Also: Someone I admire but unfortunately is not considered an icon is Rita Levi-Montalcini. Here is a link to her obituary in the newspaper The Guardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/dec/30/rita-levi-montalcini

Here is also a link to a TED Talk which I don’t expect you to understand as it is in Arabic but the speaker tries to make the point that one should care for one’s own language. I’m sure we all agree with her.

 

Suzanne Talhouk: Don't kill your language

http://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_talhouk_don_t_kill_your_language.html

I’ve included the video below on the B2.2 blog for different reasons but I believe it is also very apropos on this blog.

Nelson Mandela On Oprah Winfrey Show

Class: 17^th/18^th January

Unit 9: Icons

Can-Do Objectives:       Discuss icons

Identify critical language in a text

Pages: 90 – 91; 97

Grammar: Review

Vocabulary: coinage, rip-off, mob, dismissive, dismal, seething, contemptuous, dreary, smother, deem, render, hem in, asphyxia, prop, bash, lexicon, jargon, vogue, tiresome

Homework: Workbook – pg. 59 ex b; pg. 60 ex 3; pg. 61 ex 5a & b; pg. 65

Also: Check out some icons –

Pop’s 20 Greatest Female Artists

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9124443/Pops-20-greatest-female-artists.html?frame=2159484

Top 10 Political Icons of All Time (PHOTOS)

http://www.ibtimes.com/top-10-political-icons-all-time-photos-705969

Top 10 Most Iconic Buildings in the World

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-iconic-buildings.php

The following are about the Iconic Vespa. You don't have to watch the whole thing. 

Quadrophenia final scene

Roman Holiday Trailer

Nanni Moretti on Vespa

Class: 10^th/11^th January

Unit 9: Icons

Can-Do Objectives: Speculate about images and objects

    Interpret and respond to a story

Pages: 88 – 89, 94, 96

Grammar: It’s no…; verb + ing or verb + to or verb + that; each other vs themselves

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/verblist.htm

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/verbs_with_infinitive.php

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/gerinf.htm

Vocabulary: to splurge, flabbergasted, neatly, the apple of my eye, Adam’s apple, to lust, lewd, surge, vegetable garden

CONSIDER AS http://www.just-the-word.com/show_examples.pl?triple=consider_V+padv+as_ADV

Homework: Workbook – pg. 59 ex 1a; pg. 60 ex 2; pg. 61 ex 4a & b; pg. 62 ex 6 & 7; pg. 64 ex. 1, 2 & 3.

Also: Here is some additional trivia about what we saw in class.

http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/pharos/collection_pages/northern_pages/PD_20_1961/TXT_SE-PD201961.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Apple

Please watch this TED Talk. It is pertinent to what we did in class in at least a couple of ways. I also find its message to be fundamental.

 

Boyd Varty: What I learned from Nelson Mandela

http://www.ted.com/talks/boyd_varty_what_i_learned_from_nelson_mandela.html

Class: 21^st/22^nd December

Unit 8: Brand Awareness

Can-Do Objectives: Talk about advertising and marketing

    Describe an advert

    Talk about the image and quality of a product

    Use advertising language

Pages: 80 – 82; 85; 87

Grammar: Verb agreement; Multi-word expressions

Vocabulary: edgy, backdrop, to endorse, to untangle, to unravel, knot, to tap, to bug, bride and groom, seedy, peer, grafter, conman, to peddle, drawback, pump, upholster, souped-up, to double as, to chair, resourceful, hyphen, root beer

Number sign

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sign

Homework: Composition – Dining venue advert (70 – 100 words); Workbook – pg. 53 ex 4 & 5, pg. 54 ex 9a; pgs. 55 – 58

Also: I absolutely recommend this TED Talk. The speaker talks very fast but… you can read the talk. It’s not only funny but extremely interesting.

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man

http://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man.html

Class: 13^th/14^th December

Unit 8: Brand Awareness

Can-Do Objectives: Talk about advertising and marketing

                                 Describe effects and influences

Pages: 79; 83; 86

Grammar: Measuring differences; Use of ‘WHATEVER’

Vocabulary: tough, garment, to hound, whim(sical), stationary store, thorough, nondescript

Homework: Workbook – pg. 54 ex. 6 & 7; pg. 55 ex. 10, 11a and b

Also: To understand Viral Ads I recommend you read the following article and watch the ads if you can. The article contains the link.

 

The 20 Most Viral Ads of 2013

Unruly Media's list of spots people had to share By Tim Nudd

http://www.adweek.com/news-gallery/20-most-viral-ads-2013-154000#intro

I could help it! I also need to include the video of this great band.

STATUS QUO (whatever you want live)

Here is a TED Talk that is related to our topic in an interesting way. Let’s see if we can discuss it during our next class.

TED Talks: What FACEBOOK And GOOGLE Are Hiding From The World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAMP1Wu_M2U

Class: 29^th/30^th November

Unit 8: Brand Awareness

Can-Do Objectives: Discuss Brands

    Describe effects and influences

    Talk about the image and qualities of products

Pages: 77 – 79; 84

Grammar: Affect vs. Effect

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/affect-vs-effect/

Vocabulary: pesticide, herbicide, celiac, lactose intolerant, slaughter house, compromise, commitment, starch, degenerative disease, to take for granted, broad band, providers, generic, to be hooked on, convalescence, inheritance, migraine, Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Valued Added Tax (VAT), government-backed

Homework: Workbook - Finish up Unit 7 and Unit 8 pg. 52, pg. 53 ex. 3. Composition – Write a Letter to the Editor agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: Health care should be universal. (180 – 200 words)

Also: Here are a couple of videos that might further your understanding of the concept of brand:

What is Branding?

What is the DNA of a powerful marketing message?

THERE IS NO CLASS ON THE 6^TH OR 7^TH OF DECEMBER!!!