Post 7: a carreer-related website / an expert on your field

Dear Students

This week you have to write about a career-related website that you enjoy visiting: 

1. Provide the link 

2. Describe the website (sections, features, etc) 

3. Say how often you visit the site 

4. Explain why you like the site

BUT if you don't have or know a website related with your future career you can write about an expert/a person on your field that you admire

You have to mention:

1. Who this person is (short biography)

2. What this person has done (examples of his/her work)

3. Include his/her image

WORDCOUNT: 170 WORDS
Make comments on 3 of your classmates' post + your teacher

Thinking of a specific career related website is difficult for me because I visit many nowadays; but I remember when I just started to work as a teacher I had one it was my favorite: www.mes-english.com. Even though it is neither an appealing nor a relatable name for an English teacher’s website for me it was like a first time teacher’s paradise. 

This website has flashcards, PPTs, worksheets, games, etc. and the thing that I liked the most; the site allows you to use its images and formats to create your own brand new material!!! I modified a lot of PPTs and create tons of wordrsearches, crosswords, spelling readings and vocabulary handouts; all of them including visual aid, of course!!!

I was so happy because I was able to put in practice all the ideas that I had in mind on attractive teaching material. I have admit that not all the material created by me worked 100% well but that wasn’t an issue because I had the chance of improving it for the next course.

Currently, a website that I use quite often is www.wordreference.com, which is one the best online dictionaries, it is also available as an APP so you can carry it with you 24/7. Apart from getting a word translation you can know and understand its meaning in context and most of the times also listen to its pronunciation with several accents, for me that is simply awesome!!!

Post 6: MUSIC

·         Now you have the chance to write about your favourite music: singer/band/music style.

·         Tell us when and how was the first time that you hear their music.

·         Say why you ended up liking this music.

·       Demonstrate that you are a fan of their music.

·       Add any other piece of information you considered relevant

·         Remember:

ü  organize your ideas well

ü  express your opinions or experiences in a coherent way

ü  your writing must have a guiding thread

ü  divide your composition into paragraphs

·         Comments: leave a comment on my post and on 3 of your classmates posts

·         Word Count: 160 words

Today I’ll let you know about a “guilty pleasure” of mine; my favourite female latin singer “Ana Gabriel”

I remember that I was 13 years old the first time that I heard a song of hers called “Simplemente Amigos”; actually I heard and watched it at the same time because I saw her video clip on my granny’s black & white TV.

I got immediately impressed by her powerful rough voice, her interpretation was full of emotion, every single word sung by her sounded so true; it was as if she had been sharing an episode of her life, maybe she was!!!

It is also interesting to highlight that she isn’t the prototype of beauty; some people would dare to say that she is ugly, but that made her even more appealing to me; a real Mexican woman singing her grief in such a peculiar way like no one did before, so true to herself.

   In this album you can find her single "Simplemente Amigos"

After discovering her in 1989 I started to buy many of her albums in cassette format, like “Tierra De Nadie”, “Quien Como Tú”, “En Vivo” (here she sings “Hasta Que Te Conoci”); then when CDs became popular I bought these same albums again in digital format and I added “30 Grandes Éxitos” to my collection. Finally, I started to get all her new singles on the Internet using eMule.

For many years it has been said that she is a lesbian and based on her latest statements given to the press, most probably she is but I think maybe that is one of the many reasons why she is such a special artist and this makes me admire her even more.

If I had to make a “mea culpa” it would be that I have never seen her singing live. Shame on me!!!

Post 4: PETS (your favourite animal)

·         Now you have the chance to write about current or past pets of yours.

·         If you have never had the chance of having a pet before or you don’t like the idea of having one please explain the reasons why in detail.

·         If you don’t have a pet but there is a wild animal you find appealing or interesting please write about it in full.
·         Remember:

ü  organize your ideas well

ü  express your opinions or experiences in a coherent way

ü  your writing must have a guiding thread

ü  divide your composition into paragraphs

·         Comments: leave a comment on my post + 3 of your classmates posts

·         Word Count: 150 words

During the course of my life I have had a lot of pets, cats mainly, dogs, fish and I even had a rabbit; however “the dog is the man’s best friend”, no question about it.

This is not just my opinion I am simply quoting the common phrase about domestic dogs, referring to their millennia-long history of close relations, loyalty, and companionship with humans (first recorded use of the phrase in the 18th century).

Leaving controversy behind I am going to tell you about my “Copito”. He was left outside my window when he was a very little puppy. I noticed he was there because of his crying but as soon as I saw him I knew he was a gift sent to me so I decided to adopt him right way and since then we have shared a lot of experiences.

He has made me company and shown his affection towards me for over ten years, I have seen him grow and grow old too.

It is easy to love an animal at its young age when it is healthy and playful but having a pet is a huge responsibility, it is a commitment with another living being that will need your care for the rest of its life, especially during its golden years, where special food, permanent intake of palliative medicines, frequent visits to the veterinarian and even medical procedures are part of its necessities. 

Both of us were so young!

LEVEL 3 >> POST 5 >> A PHOTOGRAPH YOU LIKE

Write about a photograph you like.

Upload it and say:

ü  Who took it

ü  What it shows

ü  When it was taken

ü  Why you like it

ü  Include any other information you'd like to mention.

v  Write at least 150 words.

v  Add comments to your teacher + 3 partners

This picture shows the first time I went to a sky center. It was the year 2015 and a friend of mine, Alba, came out with the idea of taking advantage of the winter season and travelling to a sky center in order to go skiing or snowboarding.

Her idea was followed among our friends in common and we decided to go to Lagunillas and go SNOWBOARDING!!! 
Nobody knew how to do it so it was a spectacle of never-ending fallings off, luckily none of us got hurt but the following day we woke up with serious muscle aches and bruises, well... not that serious because we came back the next year XD

The picture was taken by someone who was there having fun same as us but to be honest I don’t even remember if it was a man or a woman.

We enjoyed every moment; it is one of my treasured memories. Having new adventures with your friends is the best!!!  

3^rd Blog (week 5) YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY

v  Write about your favorite piece of technology and say:

·         What it is

·         When you got it

·         How you use it (what you use it for)

·         How often you use it and why you like it 

·         What life would be like without it and any other piece of information you consider relevant

·         Remember:

ü  organize your ideas well

ü  express your opinions or experiences in a coherent way

ü  your writing must have a guiding thread

ü  divide your composition into paragraphs

·         Comments: leave a comment on my post + 3 of your classmates’

·         Word Count: 140 words

Awrrr, my first cellphone...

My favorite piece of technology is my cellphone (I’m pretty sure it must be everybody’s favorite piece of technology)

I haven’t had that many during my life, 6 in total, however you have to consider that I was born in the ANALOG ERA!!!

I think that nowadays mobile phones are a need, in my particular case I use mine for working purposes rather than for fun.

Thanks to the application software built for mobile platforms (app for short) I am able to have access to good and useful dictionaries and programs such as WORD, POWER POINT, EXCEL and PDF to mention some of them.

I also use it for storaging English audio files that I need for my classes and checking my e-mail, which is something of huge relevance since I got all job offers and work related info by this mean of communication. I’ve just have realized I could continue with this check list of uses FOREVER!!! :/

Anyway, last but not least, I use this device for socializing, of course!!! Not everything in life is about work.

Something I would improve of these devices is their durability; I honestly believe they are not built to last for long, their battery life is quite short and their memory capacity diminishes gradually with use.

Nevertheless, in my opinion, a mobile phone has been one of the greatest inventions so far.

Level 3 - Post 2 (week 4) Why did you choose this major/study programme?

Write about:

- your dream jobs when you were a child

- other major options that you had at the moment of applying to university

- what made you decide in the end

- your experience at university until now

- the kind of job you would like to have

> word count: 130 words

> don't forget to leave comments on 3 of your classmates posts and on my post as well.

When I was a child I didn't have a dream job, however I remember that my mom tried to influence me by constantly saying: “you have to be doctor”. I think maybe I will someday but a Doctor in Education :P

When I became an adolescent and I was close to finish High School I considered the idea of being an actor, this was a strong calling that I felt for several years but I got a lot of animosity towards this option from my family and close ones and in the end I wasn’t brave enough to do it so acting was left in the past...

However I was always good at English so I decided to take advantage of it and develop myself in that area and I can say that so far everything has been going well. As I always say in class: so far so good!!! (but in this case with exclamation marks)

After almost a decade working at *CFTs and **IPs, last year, I started working at Universidad de Chile. It was a dream come true, I never thought my first experience teaching at a university would be here.

I also dream of getting a job at the Ministry of Education. Perhaps I will get it one day, you never know!!!

*(centro de formación técnica)
** (instituto profesional)

POST 1- LEVEL 3 - PRE INTERMEDIATE

POST 1- LEVEL 3 - PRE INTERMEDIATE 

MY AUTO BIOGRAPHY

Dear students, as the first post of this semester, you have to write about your biographies.

Remember: the last 2 items are mandatory!!!

You have to include:
- Birth information
- Studies information (elementary/high school/university)
- Family's information
- Hobbies
- Others... (upload some pictures of yours)

- Number of words: 120 (minimum)
- Make comments on three of your classmates posts + a comment on your teacher's post as well.

My full name is Alejandro Daniel Vilca Flores, most of my friends call me Vilca so I can say that is sort of my nickname as well. 

I was born in Santiago 42 years ago on December the 5^th. 

I am an only child and my mom is retired.

I studied at Oratorio Don Bosco, back then during the 80’s it was only an elementary school but currently, it is a primary and secondary school. I loved studying there! Salesians rock! 

Anyway, I had to finish my secondary education at Colegio Santa Cruz (a nuns’ school) and even though it was a co-educational institution I did not enjoy the experience that much.

Salesians rock!!!

After some unsuccessful attemps studying Veterinary Medicine and Business I decided to follow my heart and study Bilingual Translation at Instituto Chileno Norteamericano, then since there was a covenant between the institute and Universidad Mayor I continued studying pedagogy there until I got my degree as a Teacher of English and Licentiate in Education. 

Nowadays I am finishing a Master in Education (minor in English as a foreign language) at Universidad Central.

I have had many hobbies and done many extra activities in my life but the one I am very much into now is Karate. I do it 3 times a week at the YMCA (I got my green belt last year) and even though it is tough and demanding it is really rewarding.