Ready to go! Last instructions

Don't forget boys and girls to bring the money and the signed authorisation.

Wait for your respective teachers inside the classroom. We don't want to create any Chaos!

Be respectful in the cinema, we all deserve to see the film in peace and quiet.

Enjoy the film

Write your essays during the Easter Holidays . Remember to write them on your own. Cheating means = 0

Describe the general plot ( you can't be too specific, there's no place) and give your opinion.
(Maximum length: one page on one side in regular handwiting)

On our way to the "Cines Ideal"( Dr. Cortezo 6)

You know perfectly well the way to the cinema, as we have been doing this little trip for the past four years. Anyway, for the sake of new students and also because it makes a good revision exercise for your probably half forgotten giving directions techniques we are going to try this:

Click here at Cines Ideal , you will find the exact location thanks to Google maps. You can move around the map and find our own Juan de la Cierva School which is located at Calle de la Caoba 1, really near the Acacias tube station.

Find the easiest way to go from school to the cinema. You probably remember from previous years, but alternative routes are possible too.

Once you have found the route, describe it as if you you were giving directions to a lost tourist ( a "guiri" to say it plainly).

You'll have to hand your work in by next week. I'd be grateful if you could include a copy of the map with some arrows which could help me to follow your way.

Watching the trailer again

Go back to the trailer with the Spanish subtitles and listen to the following expressions which are everyday language and really useful. It will be easy as the translation comes underneath.

Learn the expressions:

Somebody you don't want to mess with.
Let go.
It's time of taking it easier.
Get off my lawn.
Guys
A gang
Its going to be ugly.
We are having barbecue...(do ) you want to come over?
You don't want to know ( badly translated in the trailer, it means "it is better if you don't know").
Whatever it is.-....they won't have a chance.

Gran Torino:subtitled trailer ( Spanish subtitles)

Have a look at this video. It is from You Tube and it gives us the possibility of watching a trailer of the film with subtitles in Spanish, just like in the cinema Ideal.
Watch it a couple of times to get the feeling of the film and to get used to the voices and accents.
You'll have to do something else shortly, but that's enough for the moment.

Gran Torino (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gran Torino (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gran Torino: plot and main characters

Have a look at the previously edited page of the wikipedia. There you will find a lot of information about the film.

Read the plot and write down the names of the three main characters and any other secondary ones who you find interesting together with some information about them.

Note down the words that you don't understand if they don't let you follow the story and look them up in the dictionary or ask me at school.

Remember that the more you know about the story the easier it will be to understand it.

We'll keep on working on it

Cinema: Gran Torino. 10:00. Wednesday 1st April.

As you know, boys and girls in 1st and 2nd Year Bachillerato, we are going to see a film in original version ( English of course). The Title of the film is Gran Torino and it is starred and directed by the great Clint Easwood.
We will be doing several activities in the next few days here in the blog, but mainly in the classroom, as this is a general activity and it involves 10 groups and many teachers, not just me.
Anyway, for the moment I just wanted to tell you not to see it on your own as the activity is compulsory and you have to come with the school anyway, unless you want to see it twice, of course.
I'll publish some information about the film, which I have already seen and is really great, here , so keep an eye on the blog.
And don't worry, it's easy to understand, except when they use slang and we'll prepare it beforehand. And reading is not hard, I promise.
Ciao

A more formal presentation

Sorry, I got carried away by the thrill of just reading my first words, so my first entry was a bit emotional .

More seriously speaking this is what I intend to do with this blog:

My objective is basically to learn how to use this tool really well in order to implement it with my future "Ampliación de Inglés"students ( school year 2009-10).
Meanwhile I'll practise with some of my current 1st or 2nd year students, although it's difficult as groups are really overcrowded in my School ( even up to 35)and we will never be able to sit in front of the computer together.

With regards to the students the idea is for them to practise the language they are learning while they enjoy themselves... hopefully!

I have not defined the contents very clearly yet, but Ill try to inform about items of general interest first, such as news, books, films....or anything we ( me and my students) find interesting as we go along. They can find information by reading the blog and write comments if they want.
And language practice, of course. The dreaded grammar! I'll find the links to some of the best sites so that they can choose by themseves and I'll also include some items I may find interesting for a particular action.

I really think there's a lot more that can be done but I'll discover it little by little, I'm a bit overwhelmed yet

Hello everybody¡

I can't believe I've done it !
Here I am to be read by everyone. A new born to the fast moving world of communication. I'd better start thinking about what I want to say.
For the moment I'm happy enough to see my name in my own blog. I bet my students won't believe it either.
Bye for now