Teachers are human, too

Today, I took a day off sick. 

And, as you can imagine, I feel very bad about it...

(source of the picture: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2012/dec/29/secret-teacher-sick-day-guilt-cover)

You can now add a feeling of guilt to that awful picture. Yes, guilt. 

Mainly because the date is not the most convenient one. Ok, OK, I agree. There are NO convenient days when we are talking about sickness but... it's exam week and I cannot afford to miss more days.

The following classes will take their exams tomorrow:

1ºB, 2ºESO D, 3º ESO D.

See you tomorrow then!

More practice

As promised, you can now check your answers with the following answer key. Remember that I'll be available tomorrow morning during the second hour. 

SKILLS (page 24 of the Workbook)

1. 

1. up-to-date

2. out-of-date

3. multi-purpose

4. accurate

5 efficient

6.long-lasting

7.foolproof

2.

1. user-friendly

2. practical

3. complicated

4. realiable

5. convenient

6. latest

3.

1. b

2. a

3. a

4.

1. in both pictures

2. the pictures are different because

3. while

4. more...than

EXTRA READING (page 26 of the Workbook)

1. 

1.II
2. IV
3. I
4. III

2.

1. miss when they are in hospital for a long time.

2. connect a hospitalised student to his or her classroom.

3. signals that he or she wants to ask a question.

4. to be in hospital.

3.

1. b

2.c

4.

1. attend

2. raise

3. hang out

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS (page 27 of the Workbook)

4.

1. won't... be going, will be taking

2. will be working, will have become

3. will have started, will ...be showing

More listening practice! (online)

In this post I've gathered a series of webpages that offer free listening practice following the Cambridge format. It is online, public and for free!

Enjoy!

PET EXAM PRACTICE

PET EXAM PRACTICE 2

PET EXAM PRACTICE 3

This morning, when I started my classes in English and you - and I'm now addressing my students- couldn't follow me as usual, made me think...

It seems that they have forgotten everything. Christmas holidays were too long for some of my students.

If they are reading this post, they will be open-mouthed and arguying that they needed to calm down after a long busy academic year. 

But, this morning you didn't understand me. 

You know it. 

I know it too. 

Because it was written all over your faces.

Source of the picture: https://es.pinterest.com/englishclub66/idioms/

Listening time! Cambridge past papers!

This morning you asked me to post more listening examples. And here it is! You may start dusting off your listening skills after the Christmas break. 

Click on the following link to download the complete file with the answer key:

PET LISTENING EXAM (pdf). Past papers.

Test 1. Part 3 (mp3)

Test 2. Part 3 (mp3)

Future tenses

This morning, while I was happily detailing the future tenses in English to my Spanish students I noticed that the classroom was disturbingly silent. 

So I turned my head to my students and saw their faces. Mmmmm, 

I wonder how I can describe it so you can see what I saw....

Oh yes! Let me show you a picture!

Voilà!

Source of the image: http://educational-alternatives.net/welcome/?page_id=119

Since I obviously need to change my approach, I've decided to slow down a bit and to post a series of reinforcement activities to help them solve their doubts.

And below is the first of those posts:

Click on the link to download a fill-out chart involving the different future tenses seen in class. I hope you find it useful.

Future fill-out chart

Talking about New Year Resolutions...

When asked about New Year Resolutions some people get upset...

Fortunately, when asked about their New Year Resolutions my students didn't fall into this category (I'm a lucky teacher). 

In fact, they admitted they wanted to improve their marks and that they would try to study more(!). 

And now you are probably envying me for having such mature and sensible students. Well, just so you now, I had threatened them with piles of homework and essays ;P

And what about me? Well, the following picture pretty much summarises it...

So, this year, I won't have any BIG RESOLUTIONS and I'll just try to keep it simple. I'll try to post more frenquently, for instance. 

Let's get it started!

I now it's a bit late to make my New Year wishes but classes officially start tomorrow. 

So, I'm not as much of a procrastinator as you might have thought.

2016, here we go!