Hollyoaks!

Hollyoaks!
The only British TV program I'm going to miss is Hollyoaks! Il y a une emission télé qui va me manquer c'est Hollyoaks: c'est à peu près comme Plus Belle La Vie. C'est exellent!
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# Posted on Thursday, 28 May 2009 at 2:31 PM

Evictions!

Evictions!
These days in the UK, loosing your job is often followed by loosing your house. If you think about it bankers win all the time: they are the ones responsible for the economical crisis but we are the ones paying for it. If you can no longer pay your mortgage the bank will take your house. This is how you end up with empty houses and people living in the streets. If the government put money into the banks for «our» sake you end up paying for it through taxes while you're still paying for your mortgage.
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# Posted on Thursday, 28 May 2009 at 7:50 AM

Edited on Thursday, 28 May 2009 at 8:00 AM

Going out of business!

Going out of business!
Yesterday I went into town and I could not help but notice there were so many shops that went or were going out of business. Because of the credit crunch many shops have been on sales for months, but most times it's not enough so owners have to make the ultimate choice: CLOSING DOWN!
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# Posted on Thursday, 28 May 2009 at 6:43 AM

I feel great!

I feel great!
As my year abroad is coming to its end I realize I have come such a long way. Now my English may not be perfect but I was good enough to make the kids wonder if I was really French. Some even told me I sounded like I live in England. The teachers also agreed I could speak English very fluently. Thanks to all of them I was able to build my confidence. I gained so much more than I expected this year and, despite all the challenges, I think everybody should experience this at least for a year.
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# Posted on Wednesday, 27 May 2009 at 4:58 PM

Edited on Wednesday, 27 May 2009 at 5:17 PM

Role play lesson with year 8s!

Role play lesson with year 8s!
Last week I had my last lessons with the year 8s. The subject of the lesson was French restaurants and the objectives were:
- to be able to place an oder in French
- to be able to recognise what they were ordering
- to be able to pay for the order

As a starter I asked them to write down on their whiteboards the words for food in French they could remember. They had 5 min to finish the activity. Then I made a brainstorm with them and wrote the words they found on the board. Then I asked them to translate a French menu I had found on the internet. I aksed them to tell me what ressources they could use: this is a way for them to work on their skills and analyse the way they are going to work. So they found out they could use their dictionnary and their books to find the vocab they needed. I also allowed them to ask me but they could only have two chances. I am proud to say that only one or two pupils per class used their two chances. After the translation, I worked with them on a role play that was in their books we translated the play together. It showed them how to order in a French restaurant. Then I asked them to write their own play in pairs ( one student playing the waiter and the other playing the customer). I had ordered some croissants and some pains au chocolat (no no this is not a mistake this is how they call it here just like the French say "sandwich" for sandwich) so that it would make the plays more realistic. I also had some drinks (apple juice and water) for those who ordered drinks. Even if the food or drinks was not what they ordered in the first place they had to pretend it was. As for the bill, they used fake euro coins.
I think they really enjoyed this lesson and I had a great time too.
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# Posted on Tuesday, 26 May 2009 at 10:01 AM

Edited on Tuesday, 26 May 2009 at 11:13 AM