Now thy enemy and you'll conquer him. (by Chrystian)

On my internships and now with our classes of Pedagogical Practice (???) I could confirm something that I've already had in mind. The importance of work with things that really catch the attention of our Students. Like musics, movies and the most representative to me... cartoons.

Who here never watched the serie called "The Simpsons" and never learned something new? With their Smart philosofy of life showing all the bad side of the things with an awesome good

 mood and making us to think better about the things. Or even the offensive and hilarious "South Park" that is the mix of dark humour with infomation to think about. And those are only 2 options that we have to work with them. If you watch TV today you'll receive lots and lots of information that can be very useful to you in class. Moreovre I dare say that is good to you to know about some cartoons due the fact that one day you'll need to explain somethin

g that they are not understanding and using an example more attractive, certainly they will get it really fast.

I did it some time and I always got a positive outcome.

Well, I leave here my idea to help us at classroom, the day that you have a chnce of d it... please do. And you will see that you won't regret.

catch ya later.

Child stuffs becoming Adult stuffs (by Priscila Cunha)

This time I’m going to talk about a thing I like to do in my leisure time which is read manga. Manga is a Japanese comic book. It’s usually printed in black and white and you must read the left to right side. Often comic books are associcated to children but in japan are totally different. Manga is read by people of several ages and the vast kinds comprehend adventure, romance, sports, drama, sex, mystery, and etc. The manga’s target public is divided by genre which contain shojo, josei, seinen, shonen, seijin, yuri and yaoi manga.
Shojo manga is usually focused in young girls and deal with ideal romance, comedy and in this style they show what the characters feel through the story. Josei manga is focused in young woman and deal with daily life and real relationships. Shonen manga is focused in young boys and deal with adventure and action. Yuri and yaoi manga is focused in relationship between girls and boys of same genre. Yuri is focused in girl’s relationship and yuri is focused in boys relationship.
What become manga so amazing is the divertsity of designing that the drawer put in each page and what make diference when you see the figure. Besides the reasons I presented here to know manga what stimulate me to read is because through stories you can learn about japanese culture and how they live, its really nice.
This time I’m going to talk about a thing I like to do in my leisure time which is read manga. Manga is a Japanese comic book. It’s usually printed in black and white and you must read the left to right side. Often comic books are associcated to children but in japan are totally different. Manga is read by people of several ages and the vast kinds comprehend adventure, romance, sports, drama, sex, mystery, and etc. The manga’s target public is divided by genre which contain shojo, josei, seinen, shonen, seijin, yuri and yaoi manga.
Shojo manga is usually focused in young girls and deal with ideal romance, comedy and in this style they show what the characters feel through the story. Josei manga is focused in young woman and deal with daily life and real relationships. Shonen manga is focused in young boys and deal with adventure and action. Yuri and yaoi manga is focused in relationship between girls and boys of same genre. Yuri is focused in girl’s relationship and yuri is focused in boys relationship.
What become manga so amazing is the divertsity of designing that the drawer put in each page and what make diference when you see the figure. Besides the reasons I presented here to know manga what stimulate me to read is because through stories you can learn about japanese culture and how they live, its really nice.

Our Blog (By Anelise)

This is the last time that we writte in our blog and I would like to know that it was an excellent idea and I enjoy a lot to writte and read all that was wrote were for my friends.
In this semestre we could read about very interesting subjects, controversials things, points of view, very good ideas and feelings .
As we never had wrote in a blog before, it was great for us lose the shyness and this is one more form be exposed in a language.
I hope that this idea continue in the next semestre and with news ideas.

An angel watching over me (by Lucila)

Some time ago I was feeling a bit blue and, to cheer myself up, I decided to make a list of the nice things I have in my life. The list included places I have visited, the dear friends I have, my beautiful daughter, things that I have done, experiences that enriched my life, the interesting people I have met, and so on. All I could think of and, above all, what really mattered, have become, one way or another, part of who I am.
I have lost a dear friend recently and again, what is left of him is still with me. His things, his house, his car, his favorite book, the bag he always carried with him, a CD I once gave to him may be used by someone else, may be disposed of, or might as well be forgotten. The things we lived together, the people he brought into my life, the things I learned with him, and his candid laugh will remain.
Although I am going to miss him, one thing is for sure: he is on my treasured list!

The Black in the Power (by Bruno)

After many important black people, as Martin Luther King and Malcolm Little (Malcolm X), fighting for civil rights in the United States, in the first half of the XX century, now this country has its first black president called Barack Obama. This is the expressive results of the election won by Obama: 67,66% of votes to Obama and 30,11% of votes to McCain (by The New York Times). These are some information about the new president:


Born August 4, 1961 (1961-08-04) (age 47) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

Birth name Barack Hussein Obama II

Spouse Michelle Obama (m. 1992)

Children Malia Ann (b. 1998) and Sasha (b. 2001)

Residence Kenwood, Chicago, Illinois

Alma mater Occidental College, Columbia University and Harvard Law School

Profession Attorney and Politician

Religion United Church of Christ

The spread of the English Language!!! (by Antônio)

Hi everyone last week I was looking for an article for a paper and I found a very nice one, which I’d like to share with you.
As we are studying the varieties of English, the article refers to the spread of English worldwide and the multiple “Englishes” generate by this spread. At first it establishes the basic differences between English as an International Language (EIL) and English as a Native Language (ENL), showing two attitudes towards the spread of EIL (“Fawlty Towers and Ivory Towers”) and how this spread affects ENL.
Another important point in the article is the 3 misinterpretations about the nature and functions of EIL such as International Language = English language, British and American varieties are understood as the only legitimate varieties of English and finally that native speakers are the best teachers because of their “nativeness”.
Apart from these misinterpretations the article also deals with English varieties, specially the British and American ones and some myths about them. It is possible to see the prejudice towards another varieties of English, the complete misunderstanding of the influence of the local culture in languages and the misunderstanding about the evolution of languages, which is a natural and inevitable process.
The Article states that the EIL, which is being taught nowadays, are in fact the British and American varieties in disguise.

Check the whole article in the link below, it’s an excellent article and it deals with a lot of important issues especially for us, non-natives English teachers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2004/jan/22/tefl.wordsandlanguage

American English (by Solvejg Braathen)

I never thought that American English could change something on British English, maybe the word change does not suit in this case but I cannot think in other word. Of course I know that American English is world widespread and that it influences the whole world but that British English was also being influenced is something new. After I finished reading this article I could realize that I already knew some of the reasons why it is happening, and if we stop to think we will see it is true. As David Crystal points out in his article, Americans were the first one to create lots of things and named these things according to their spelling and pronunciation rules, for example Internet was developed in the USA, and the words related to it have American spelling. I think it very interesting article, I wish you like it.

http://www.davidcrystal.com/DC_articles/English42.pdf

The beach of my dreams (by Júlia Rockenbach)

As I didn't know what to write about here, I decided to tell you a dream…
Unlike many people, I often remember what I dream. This night I “went” to a place which made me feel very well. Actually, I’ve already dreamed about it many times and I always feel good when I “go to this place”. I dreamed about a beach, a wonderful one. For me this is the most beautiful place in the world… I don’t know where it is, but I know that one day I will know this place. There, the sun shines much more than in any other place and there are trees and a lot of vegetation…the sea is really beautiful as well. I’ve already dreamed I was there, in the same beach, at night, in a cloudy day and so on. I’ve tried to find out what this dream means, and all I could conclude up to now is that it is related to emotions. There is a dream dictionary which says that see a beach in dream symbolizes the meeting between our two states of mind. The sand is symbolic of the rational and mental processes while the water signifies the irrational, unsteady, and emotional aspects of ourselves. It is a place of transition between the physical/material and the spiritual. However, I believe this place does exist. All I know is that this dream is unique and has to do with my own experiences or perhaps with my wishes. I love dreaming about this pleace because it renews my body and my spirit.

This photo is one which a friend of mine took of a place she’s been living.. It looks like the beach of my dreams and that’s why I always look to this photo when I want to feel good.

Nowadays are Shakespeare’s words difficult for readers?
(by Valéria Guilherme)

An article from David Crystal called my attention this week. On it, the author explains the wrong idea that some specialists have about the difficult people may have when they are reading Shakespeare. This comment inspired David Crystal to do a research through Shakespeare’s works to certify if this was true or not. Crystal had decided to build a glossary based on the words Shakespeare used in his plots, poems, etc. At the end of all research, the author realized that over 90% of the words used in his works have not lost their meaning. In front of the results of Crystal’s research, we can clarify and confirm two points: first that English did not change so faster, as some people are used to say. Second, the idea that Shakespeare language is losing its meaning is not true.

If you like to read and to learn about Shakespeare follows some web sites where you can find precious materials about it. Enjoy it:

www.davidcrystal.com
www.shakespeareswords.com

(One brief history about me - Vanessa Filippini)

It was August, 2006. I had just got a scholarship from PROUNI at Centro Universitário IPA Metodista. I was working in a very nice home store and I had a cool boyfriend that I was in love with. From August up to October I lived a perfect moment in my life, but I couldn’t imagine the things were going to change.
The timetable of my classes weren’t in accordance with my work schedule. The store was open until 7p.m. and the class started at 7h10 p.m.. So, after one year working there, my boss fired me without prior warning. To complete my sadness, on November 8 (just my birthday) I found out that my boyfriend had another girl. That was terrible for me. Meanwhile I was having my final exams at the university, I was heartbroken, my bills were due and my head was full of problems.
Although al this things were happening at the same time, I could have the support from my friends and new classmates who helped me study for my exams. I went on, but I was still sad. Then, a very good friend told me: “Nothing last forever! Even the grieves of heart. Everything is gonna be alright.” And he was right!!!! Time heals all wounds.
As the mouths went by, I got a new job at Police Academy (from 8 p.m. until 1 p.m.) Now I can study or rest in the afternoon before my classes. And the best of all: I have met a man who loves me and I love him. We get married nine mouths ago. This is my happy ending.

Halloween (By Cecília Haas Mezzomo)

This is the last web post here, and I've decided to write about the Halloween party I went to last Friday.

A place was rented to have the party and it started at 7 p.m., although we got there a lot earlier to decorate and get things ready. There were about a hundred people there, and the kids had so much fun.

I was in charge of the Spooky Bowling, but they could play in the Bloody eye toss, Ghost throw, Jack-o’-Lantern workshop, the horror tunnel among others. This tunnel by the way, was the great sensation. In the tunnel, besides the creepy decoration there were three cauldrons where children had to put their hands in. The first one, with damp sand and plastic spiders, the second one with cooked pasta and the third one with candies. After playing the games, they would get a stamp on a chart and after three stamps they could change it for a gift.

All kids were wearing costumes and even some parents were. In the trick or treat moment, the children had to talk to as many adults as possible and say “Trick or Treat”. If they had candies, the kid would get a treat, otherwise, they little ones had to play a trick with the grow ups, like making a face at them, sticking their tongue out, etc.

At the end, we all had a great time and children left the party with their Halloween bags full of gifts and candies.