Benefits, Risks, Dangers, Relationships

 VPAU 505.4 - Write a descriptive or narrative text 



Exercise 1 - Viewing/Discussion : Watch the video. What is "Le Parkour" or "Free-Running"?

(In class or with a friend at home) make a list of its ...

BENEFITS (eg. develop fitness)
RISKS/DANGERS (eg. break bones)

Review : Giving advice

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting this activity?

Practice using these openers in your discussion ...

*If I were you ...
*You should/shouldn't ... / You ought to / oughtn't ...
*It would be a good idea ...
*Don't ...
*Remember to ... / Don't forget to ...

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Exercise 2 - Listening/Dictation/Vocabulary: About Free-Running

1) Download the fold/listen/fill the gap worksheet (fold the answers out of sight)

2)  Listen to the dictation "Free-Running" (Mp3 - 400k) here

3) Fill in the gaps
4) Check your answers on the fold/listen/fill the gap sheet

(Remember: you can right click on the Mp3 link to download the dictation to your computer. Keep it in your own listening text collection for future use)

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Exercise 3 - Reading : Free Running (from New Headway, Oxford Uni Press)

In class we read a story about one of the pioneers of Free Running or 'Le Parkour'. If you missed the class, ask me for a copy of the one-page story.

Download my Reading Comprehension Questions here

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Exercise 4 - Writing (Opinion): 

What do you think about Free-Running (First draft)

Write a first draft in class. Use your Benefits/Risks/Dangers list (Exercise 1) as well as your completed worksheet (Exercise 2) to help you.

Bring your draft to class for the writing workshop. You can then write your final copy and choose how you submit it to me.
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Grammar : Order of Adjectives

eg. A talented, French free-runner
eg. A beautiful, antique, mahogany wardrobe
eg. An eerie, dark Winter's night

Do you remember the general rules for ordering adjectives in English? (See Murphy, Grammer in Use, 3rd Edition, Unit 99)

Knowing about this order of adjectives can help with writing descriptions.

The best rule is to keep your descriptions simple - no more than 2 or 3 adjectives when describing a person, thing or situation.

Activity:

Play games and exercises to review this grammar (British Council)

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Speaking: Describing People 

Discussion : With a friend spend a few minutes ...

...describing yourself

...describing your partner or a friend

Viewing: (Real English)

Watch the video ... what do people say about each other. Focus on one or two couples only



Exercises : Complete the comprehension exercises for this video at the Real English website

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JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP!!!

If you are an ESL student you can apply to join Dale Pobega's Free ESL Club Facebook Group

This is what has been going on recently ...

Micro Living

SPEAKING: MICRO APARTMENTS
VPAU560 Current Affairs

1) Watch the video   2) Download this worksheet and work with a partner to answer the questions



READING (Level 3): Read this article about micro-apartments in Melbourne (The Age, August 19, 2013)

What are the advantages and disadvantages? What are the main criticisms? Would you buy a micro-apartment?

DISCUSSION & DICTATION : Australia Votes for a New Government (VPAU 560.1)

Download the class cloze dictation exercise

Read the full text and listen (from ESL News New Zealand)

READING: Expectations

Did you expect the Coalition to win? Did you expect the Labor Party to lose? What were the big issues in the election?

Compare the information on this graph.

How many seats did the Liberal Party expect to win?
How many seats did the Liberal Party actually win?
What about the Labor Party?

VOCABULARY : to expect to / to suppose / to suppose to / to actually +verb




DICTATION/LISTENING : SWEDEN TOPS ENGLISH SPEAKING LIST

Source: "Sweden Tops English Speaking List" from www.NewsEnglishLessons.com

1. Print the Gap Fill exercise (or do the listening exercise totally online)
2. Listen to the story
3. Check your answers by reading the full story here

4. Do the follow up exercises - download the whole lesson here


Listening and Speaking (Level 3): Instructions (Assessment Task) VPAU 503.3

tying a full windsor knot

1) Comprehension: Download the assessment task, complete and either give me or email me your task (Duke Street Access 3 students only)

In class ...

2) Speaking: Bring a tie to class (and be able to give clear instructions about how to tie a full Windsor Knot)

Silent Films (Level 3 VPAU 505.4)

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 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:  

WRITING NARRATIVES using Past Simple and Past Continuous (VPAU505.4)

 In class we looked at the possibility of using the past simple and past continuous together, especially when we are writing narratives or sentences with two actions occurring.

Try these exercises: Past simple and past continuous, by lovinglondon

Find this and other past continuous exercises in English Exercises .org

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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.