Learning Journeys

This week we review our Learning Journeys in English.

Marco Polo was a famous explorer. He went places no European had gone before. Going to new place or learning new things can be like Marco's journey. Everything is new, exciting, scary.

What dangers do you think Marco imagined? What new things did he see and learn about?

Here is the "fold and do" dictation about Marco Polo.

Here is the story (with questions) about Marco Polo.

Here is a map of Marco's journey. 

Look at a modern atlas and list the countries Marco travelled through

Learn about another explorer, Christopher Colombus and complete the quiz (BBC)

Other Students' Learning Journeys

Read about the learning journeys of other students studying at PRACE, a community learning centre in Preston.

Leave a message of encouragement for one of the students you read about.

Take some notes about one of the students. Share with a friend. Which learning journey story did you like the most?

Individual Learning Plan and Portfolio Work (VBQU 117 / VPAU 500)

Use your portfolio for this term to complete the learning review worksheet for this term.

Which week did you like the most? Which week did you like the least? Did you learn something new? What do you need to study more?

Learning Review Term 1 : Ups and Downs of English

Assessment Task (Level 1 and 2) VPAU 501.4 and VBQU117.4)



Do you know the story of Sisyphus? He offended God and was punished. He had to push a rock to the top of a hill ... then watch it roll all the way down. He had to start pushing up hill again - forever!

Life is like that. English is like that. The struggle never ends.

Here is a dictation about Sisyphus to practice your spelling.

Download the dictation sheet here. (Fold and listen to the dictation below).

Listen, watch and read some other Greek myths on YouTube (click here)

Here is nice story called Prometheus and Pandora :




Let's think about what we learned this term. (Print the Assessment Task)

What did you like learning the most this term?

What did you find difficult? Why?

How do you think you could improve?



Can you learn English without a teacher?


Which one can you learn on your own? Which one can't you learn on your own? ...

LISTENING

SPEAKING

READING

WRITING

GRAMMAR

PRONUNCIATION

Learning Mountain

Week 1 / Week 2: Term 1 / Assessment tasks: Level 1 VPAU 501 Plan Language Learning with Support / Level 2 VBQU117 Develop and Document a Learning Plan and Portfolio with Support

Welcome back to Duke Street! I hope you enjoyed the Summer holiday?

Let's think about Learning.

Learning English is like climbing a mountain ... it can be very difficult! But if you have good training and tools it can be a lot easier.

Discussion Exercise 1: What do you need to learn another language well? What tools do you need? Order these from 1-8 in importance:

motivation / dictionary / a teacher / other people to practice with / computer and internet / textbooks / a class / CDs, tapes and videos

Can you think of two other "tools" you need?

Discussion Exercise 2: Learning Mountain

We study Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking skills in our English class. Which skill is the easiest for you? Which skill is the most difficult?

1. Print out this Learning Mountain exercise
2. Fill it in by yourself - from easiest (base) to most difficult (peak)
3. In groups of 4 compare your Learning mountain. Are your feelings / opinions the same or different?

Download Learning Mountain worksheet (PDF 60kb)

Now compare your Learning Mountain about learning English to my own learning mountain about learning Spanish. Are your feelings / opinions similar to mine?

Download Dale's Learning Mountain worksheet (PDF 72kb)

Grammar: Adjective / Comparatives / Superlatives

easy --> easier --> the easiest

difficult --> more difficult --> the most difficult

the same --> the same as

different --> different to/from

similar --> similar to

Game: The Adjective Detectives

Learn more about Comparatives / Superlatives with this fun interactive game.

From The Childrens University of Manchester.

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Level 2 : Relative Clauses : ... who ..., ... which/that ..., ... where, ... what

Here is a simple mini-lesson for explaining how to use Relative Clauses (using guessing game quizzes)