Monday, August 20, 2012

Problems with Neighbours



GENERAL DISCUSSION

* Do you think someone should keep 130 cats in a house or flat?

* What problems would this lady have living with 130 cats in Sunshine?

* What does your local council say about pets?

What are they saying on our Facebook page (join - now - click here!) ...


















READING (Level 1) - Story about a Barking Dog (Super Easy Reading for ESL)

Complete the exercises ... vocabulary / cloze / sentences 

READING (Level 2) - Problems with Barking Dogs (adapted from Brimbank City Council Info Sheet)

Download the worksheet and complete the questions / Write a dialogue between you and a neighbour about his barking dog

Listening / Speaking (Level 2) LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR ....


LEVEL 2 and 3

Remember the article we read in class, Love Your Neighbour? Sometimes it can be difficult!?

We discussed these problems:

They talk loudly.
Their babies cry all night.
They have noisy parties.
Their dogs bark.
They watch TV late at night.
They move furniture.
They play the violin.
They argue with their partner.

Speaking: Requests - Asking your neighbours to change their behaviour

Click here to go to VOXOPOP.

Use the situations above. Practise kindly asking your neighbours to change their behaviour.

eg. "Could you please turn down the TV? It's late. I have to get up early.
eg. "Would you please stop moving your furniture. My kids can't sleep.

***



Level 1 and 2: Watch the video. What can we do to clean up this house? Finish the sentences ...

Empty ___ ________.

_____ up the bedroom.

Scrub the ______ bowl.

Get ___ __ the Kittens.

___ away the things in the kitchen.

Throw ___ the old computers.

_____ the bath!

(Call in the health inspectors?)


Level 3 : Watch this video. How do you feel about this messy house? Who does the owner blame for most of the mess? Do you think Cary's problems are funny or serious?



Speaking Exercise : Giving Opinions

Here are some opinions by others who watched the video:

"it is the parents responsibility to keep a safe enviroment for the kids and set a good example."

"lots of people have kids and thier homes are nothing close to this. I'm surprise she still has her kids."

"How dare you say her kids should be taken away from her! ... some people just need help in their lives, and a gentle push in the right direction. Depression is a sad thing to live with it can destroy families. She obviously got so low she stopped functioning properly."

Do you agree with these opinions? Do you feel sorry for Cary? What would you do to help her? Where would you start?

Phone in your answers to ipadio.com - use the 1800 number and codes I gave you in class.

***


WRITING (Level 2/3)

Last week we used the worksheet to help us write about two silent films. This time let's use the same worksheet to help us write about a short film made by some high school students from the USA? It is called "The Boy Who Cried Wolf". Do you already know the story? It is based on a fable by the ancient Roman writer, Aesop.

Download the Reading worksheet




VIDEO / READING (Level 2) : Information Text : How Silk is Made




CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

This week we are writing about HOW THINGS ARE MADE. In class last week you studied How Tea is Produced and Distributed. You also know about How Bananas are Produced and Shipped to Europe and America.

Watch the video above about HOW SILK IS MADE in Bangladesh.

Complete the following exericse:

Instructions:

(i) Put the steps in the correct order
(ii)Change the sentences from ACTIVE voice to PASSIVE voice


A) The women immerse the coccoons in boiling water. The silk worm inside the coccoon dies.

B) The women collect and sort huge piles of golden silk worm coccoons

C) The women wind the raw, silk thread onto a spindle. They dry it and then ship it to a textile factory

D) After boiling, the women cool the coccoons and take them to a loom. They unravel the coccoons onto the spool.

TO READ THE SCRIPT (& FIND THE ANSWERS) CLICK HERE

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Silent Film Festival

Silent Films (Level 2 VPAU 500.4)

Today in class (level 2) we watched this silent film.

Where is it filmed? Who are the characters? What happens : how does it start? what happens in the middle of the film? how does it end? Does the film have a message, meaning or lesson to teach us? Did you enjoy it or didn't you like it - why?

Exercise 1 : Ask yourself these questions as you watch the film again. Can you answer the questions?

Download the Silent Film Reading worksheet to see Dale's notes. 

 

Exercise 2 :  Here is a link to many other short, silent films on YouTube.

Use the worksheet to take notes on another silent film. Use Dale's notes as a model.

Bring your notes to class to share and show your teacher. We will write a review together.

Can't find a film? Try taking notes and writing about this short, silent film ...




Listening : Making A Film (Level 2 494.3)


Jeff and his brother made a film about their journey across India in a motor-rickshaw.

Listen to his story. Complete the vocab and comprehension quizzes.

Watch the film and read more about Jeff's journey across India in a motor rickshaw here!

Grammar : Passive or Active Voice?

We have been studying Passive and Active voice in our lessons recently. When do we mostly use passive? What is more important - the subject of the action or the object of the action?

Try this exercise.

Still confused? Watch this lesson ...



Level 1 (494.1) : Happy Birthday Mr. Duncan



Writing (495.2) : Leave Mr Duncan a happy birthday message on his You.Tube channel or Facebook page.

... Or write him a birthday card - Print a birthday card from here

Facebook - Join "Dale Pobega's Free ESL Club"

What are we talking about on Facebook this week? Take a look ...





































Reading: Where were kites invented?

We read a story in class about the invention of paper. Read this story about where kites were invented. Note down examples of passive voice.