What do you think of GREXIT - the exit of Greece from the Eurozone? What impact will it cause to the world? To Brazil?

Dearest all,


This month I bring the escalating and controversial discussion of GREXIT!


I invite all my Intermediate and Upper students to post your opinion, based on the reading and video material posted below to better offer arguments to your opinion. 


If, by any chance, you have other material to recommend, be my guest and spread it around.


1) Readings:


    Prepare Grexit - Officials tell eurozone countries to make contingency plans
    
    Articles on Greece exit from Eurozone - Google docs


2) Videos:


    Inside Story (Aljazeera News) - Will Greece exit the Eurozone?


    New Generation of Greek entrepreneurs


Hope you can get engaged in this discussion that can directly or indirectly affect us in the mid and long terms.


Let's practice English wisely!


Hope to see you here soon.


Flávia

The Future of Magic with Marco Tempest

Dearest students,

Let's have some future entertainment!

If you haven't had the chance to get to know magician Marco Tempest, this is your chance.

For those who have already known him, I invite you to see the 1st and 3rd video links posted below.

It'd be really nice to have your comments here, as if you believe this is going to be the future of Magic.

1) The Augmented Reality of Techno Magic

2) The Magic of Truth and Lies

3) A Magical Tale (with augmented reality)


Have fun with English!

Hope to see your posts here.

Flávia

Theme Class for Intermediate and Upper Students: US Presidential Elections. Who do you support: A Republican or Democrat President?

Dearest all,

This is Presidential Election year in the USA.

Do you understand how it works?

If not, I propose below a series of links to readings and videos so you can better understand the election process as well as know about the candidates views on a number of both domestic and international issues.

Hope you really get engaged in the discussion and post your comments here, so that your virtual colleagues know a little bit about your views:

Are you a supporter of a Republican or Democrat President? Why?

Here goes the list of links to help us better understand:

1) The step by step of American Presidential Election

2) The step by step in the Campaign Trail

3) US Election 2012: Republican Candidates

4) Obama x Romney


Have a wonderful time and see you soon.


Flávia

OSCAR Ceremony on Feb. 26th! Which is/are your favorite movie/s? What about Best Actor/Actress?

Dearest all,

Well, after our biggest and best known Brazilian festivity,Carnival, now it's time for the biggest and world's best known showbiz event: the Oscar Award Ceremony! Are you ready to go for it?

We can start our blog discussion by saying which movie/s you've seen or would like to see and why; which ones you recommend, which one/ones should get the Golden Statuette, and so on.

Let's rock  and roll! Count on your participation!

Do you know all the nomination categories ? FYI, find a list below. I'll also leave the link to the Oscar site for you to know the list of nominees 2012.

Go to Oscar Nominees 2012   and go to  Oscar Nominations 2012 on Youtube

 Best Picture
Actor in a Leading Role and Supporting Role
Actress in a Leading and Supporting Roles
Animated Feature Film
Art Direction
Cinematography
Costume Design
Direction
Documentary Feature
Documentary Short
Film Editing
Foreign Language Film
Makeup
Music (original score)
Music (original song)
Short Film (animated)
Short Film (live action)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Visual Effects
Writing (adapted screenplay)
Writing (original screenplay)


See you here!

Flávia

PIPA, SOPA? What do they mean to the world, to my professional and personal life?

Dearest all,

Let's share your opinion, until it's still legal (LOL!), on this blog page, as we never know until when our own opinions will be themselves copied and considered a threat to the Intelectual Property legal world. 

Jokes apart, this is serious business and I invite you all to post your comments (remember, A+1 comments) on the issue. Below, you'll see video links and reading material to be more up-to-date.

Hope you all enjoy taking part in this discussion.

1) Ted.com video: Clay Shirky: Why SOPA is a bad idea

2) SOPA and PIPA

3) PROTECT IP SOPA Breaks The Internet - Fight for the Future

4) Wikipedia: Stop_Online_Piracy_Act

Look forward to your post here. Let's practice English giving meaning to your ideas!!

Best regards,

Flávia

How to participate on the blog! Let's shake your minds and bodies!

Happy New Year, everyone!


Hope you all had a great time with family and friends and are eager to return to your English studies!


I would really like to have your regular participation here this year, by posting different topics, comments and ideas to share with your virtual peers.


Therefore, I'm sharing teacher Jeff Dionne's fun idea of A+1 blog writing strategy to make the most of your participation. See the jpg files below.

This is an example of how best use a blog.

Can you see the difference between a A+1 blog comment and  not a good one?

So now, let's try to do this quiz. Hope you can write lots of A+1 blog comments this year!

So let's have a great start in 2012!


Flávia

End of the Year Message - Compassion as Catalysts for Change - with Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu

Dearest all,

Ho-Ho-Ho!!

"...Here we go climbing up the mountain, to see what's gonna happen...
... Here we go climging up the mountain, to see what's gonna happen around you" 

 This is an extract of a lyrics which I composed many years ago.

So, what's gonna happen to you and around you when you reach the mountain top?

 Good reflections on this philosophical question. We are gonna talk about it on our 2011 Happy Hour II...which is pretty near... in December.

Here is a great moment to share with you, by mixing wise words and the use of technology, as we can see by clicking on the YOUTUBE link below...

Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu hang out on Google+ 


I really would like to have your thoughts on these men's wisest thoughts.


Hope you really enjoy!


Be ready for our 2011 Happy Hour II !!

All the best and  see you here and at our Happy Hour II.


Flávia