Week 34 Monday May 30th-June 4th 2011

This week we finished off Eveline and I promise you an exam paper the next time we met.

Here's hoping everything goes well for you all on the day!

Week 33 Monday May 23rd-28th 2011

This week I gave you back the last homework and class work of the year and commented. We then moved on to work on the last text, Eveline, by James Joyce. Please be ready to continue this next week.

In the group session we started work on a former bac text to get you into the swing of things. You should continue working on this at home.

Week 32 Monday 16th-21st May 2011

This week , after you test on Tuesday EE , you finished off the work on Corliss on Wednesday then started on Eveline , by James Joyce. We will continue with this next week. There was no class on Friday because of the STG/ ST2S oral exams .

Week 31 Monday May 9th-14th 2011

This week, with reduced numbers, we finished off the text His Father the Chief and started on Corliss by Sherman Alexis. You don't really know much about the Native Americans, do you?

Any way we tried to talk about their traditions, their roots and belonging . We also talked about the influence of the Whites, especially on Corliss who was torn between her filial, tribal duty and her curiosity of learning and the unknown.

We will continue this coming week with this.

You were given your last CE homework, Trails of Heartrending Tears , which you have to hand in on Tuesday, May 17th .

Don't forget you have your last EE on Tuesday May 17th too.

Week 30 Monday May 2nd - 7th 2011

This week we worked on His Father the Chief from which we tried to extract 5 wishes and 5 regrets of certain characters present.

You have to complete this work for next Tuesday.

In the group session we started correcting your mock exam. We will finish this next time.

Week 29 Tuesday 26th-30th April 2011

We spent our time this week working on the theme of belonging , being part of a group . The text however seems to have been rather difficult for you to understand, or was it the subject matter that you are not really au fait with? Any way we will be continuing next week so as to improve your knowledge with the Indian community and plight.

During the group session we didn't have time to finish the correction of the LV2 paper so we will see each other again in two weeks time.

Next Friday I will correct the LV1 exam.

Week 25 Monday March 28th- April 2nd 2011

This week was rather short considering that I only saw some of you once and the others twice because of the Cambridge Certification exam. During the lesson you did the Never Again test and I corrected this with some of you on Friday. You really must work on those basics! Good luck for next week but above all think positive!

Week 24 Monday March 21st-26th 2011

This week we started with an informal exchange about our trips to Ireland and Spain. Afterwards we began on a new sequence, Roots, Integration and Assimilation. Be ready to continue this after the Spring holidays. In the group session we worked on an incomplete text in which we had to complete the blanks with the relevant verbs. Yes we were actually checking up on your verb sense!

Apparently you don't seem to have much of it but life goes on much the same. Excuse me for being sarcastic but some of this stuff is really necessary for your exams so please take a bit of time to look into it. I gave you another text to work on for after the holidays.

I gave back your CE on Gun Violence. We will check this through after the holidays.

Next week I see you only once in class and you have a test. On Friday with the group we shall be checking out your written expression and verb sense!!!!!

Week 21 Monday Feb 28th -Mars 5th 2011

After our initial welcome back we started work on Teenage Gangsters text. We spent two hours asking and answering our own questions about it to check how much we had understood. We have to finish off this work next Tuesday.

Don't forget you will have your written expression test on the subject next Wednesday.

In the group session we finished off the work on your silly mistakes. You will be having a test after the cultural trips.

Week 20 Monday 7th-12th 2011

This week we started viewing the mini cartoon about the history of fear of the Americans and gun Violence from Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. You have to finish viewing the video and answer the three questions I gave you.

We then talked about the N.R.A. and you had a little debate on Gun control in the USA.

I gave you a new text, American Teens gun down the American dream to prepare for the first lesson after the holidays.

On Friday in the group session we continued working on your errors.

Have a rest but work too!

Week 19 Monday Jan 29 - Feb 4th 2011

This week I gave you back and we went over your last written comprehension test. Oh dear, some of you had really made a mess of it . However we all know that you arrived a bit late coming from a maths test!

After that we worked on the three documents, a song and two visuals to introduce the subject of Gun Violence in the USA. We will pick this up again next week.

On Friday we worked on your horrors! Be ready for after the holidays with your final questions before the evaluation!

Week 17 Monday January 17th-22nd 2011

This week we finished off the work on Holly, Bolly and Nollywood . You even did a test and handed in a written expression paper.

We started a new sequence on Gun Violence in USA listening to In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley.

In rthe group session we continued working through those problems of yours! Please don't forget to bring your documents in the furture, how can you expect to work if you don't have them? AND stop saying , " Miss,you can make a photocopy. " Be responsible as I was when I gave you the papers in the first place.

Have a nice weekend after all.

Week 16 Monday January 10th-17th 2011

Thids week we continued working on the three largest film industries in the world by comparing two different adaptations of the same novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

You have to write your own comparison and review in a minimum of 150 words for next Tuesday 20th. You will be having a written comprehension test on the subject of the cinema on Wednesday too, don't forget!

Then in the group session on Friday we worked on Elementary my dear Watson!
Don't forget, for your sake, you should always be prepared!!!!

Week 15 Monday January 3rd - 8th 2011

Happy New Year to you all!

We started the year by getting down to business. I gave you back your last tests, written comprehensions and dialogue work and we went over them to see where the problems lay, if any at all, of course.

Then we started a new sequence on The Film Industries, namely Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood. We compared these industries then talked about their characteristics. You even listened to an oral document about Bollywood.

I asked you to find out about two different adaptations of the same novel. They are entitled Pride and Prejudice and Bride and Prejudice.

Try to find out about them for next Tuesday.

The trailers of the above mentioned films are to be found in the film section of this blog or on Youtube. Make the most of them!

Week 13 Monday Dec 6th-11th 2010

This week was quite a busy one for you between finishing off the work, in groups, about Immigration, Source of our Strength then in the group session, in pairs you finishe dwriting the dialogue based on the Ellis Island text and last but by no means least you had your evaluation on Immigration. The text chosen combined enough similarities and differences from the one studied in class to make it interesting and accessible for you.

i also gave you some revision exercises to get on with next week during my absence and please don't forget to do the written expression for the first week of January. We see each other on the 4th I believe.

So all that's left for me to do is to wish you all the best for the coming festive season.
Happy New Year!

Week 12 Monday Nov 29th-Dec 4th 2010

This week we worked on the end of the On the Threshold text then completed a few exercises about the language in the text. To finish this sequence I gave you a new document which you had to study together in groups in order to get out the main ideas. This has to be completed next Tuesday.

In the group session group A finished off their dialogue about Ellis Island and I took it in to mark. Group B will do this next Friday.

Don't forget that you will be having a CE test next Wednesday so come ready!

Week 11 Monday Nov 22nd-27th 2010

This week we worked mostly on the text, On the Threshold of a new World. Things are starting to fit into place, which is good, but you all must really try to read, understand and participate in class. That's how I will know what you have or have not understood!

In the group lesson on Friday we started on the dialogue work about Ellis Island.

See you next week.

Week 10 Monday Nov 15-20 2010

This week we finished working on the background information relevant to your work on immigration such as the different waves, different expressions for instance 'from rags to riches' , 'the land of opportunity', streets paved with gold,'' the melting pot',' ther salad bowl'. All of these and many more should be integrated and used whenever possible .

The last background work is around Ellis Island and will be covered by you all next week.

We then introduced the text On the Threshold of a NewWorld. I asked you to start preparing it for next lesson.

There was no lessson on Friday due to my absence. After you suffering with my croaky voice last Wednesday you don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to understand why!

Week 9 Monday Nov 8th-13th 2010

We worked around the cartoons on Wednesday and came to the conclusion that today althougth people still want to emigrate to the USA the conditions are not as rosy as in the past. The streets are no longer paved with gold for all and the rags to riches story does not always apply unfortunately!

On Friday, in the group session, we worked on Ellis Island and how to write a dialogue. Yes, you are going to write a dialogue to give back all the knowledge you have acquired about Ellis Island. Don't forget to Google it to find out what it is today.

See you next week.

Week 7 Monday October 18th-23rd 2010

What a waste of a week!
I can understand that it was difficult to get into school until Wednesday however as from Thursday the gate was open for EVERYONE who wanted to come in!

So I have decided not to give you the test on the Gap Year but to give it to you as a home work exercise instead! Grace has all of the papers so make sure you see her. I will take off marks for those of you who are not reactive!!!!! You must hand this in on November 5th.

Then there is still the question of the letter you had to hand in at the beginning of the week. I have already received a few copies so thos ewhich arrive late will be sanctioned, heavily infact because I cannot accept pupils NOT DOING their work on time even and above all if there are social problems. I didn't see any of you guys in the front lines!!!!! So what on earth have you been doing?

Today, Friday we started working on the next sequence. Once again Grace has the worksheets so make sure you contact her and familiarize yourselves with the work!

I will see you, atleast group B, on Nov 5th. Then I will see the whole class on Wednesday Nov 10th. I am not in school on the 9th for your lesson.