Saturday 29 January 2011

Hellenic/American Union- University of Michigan exams

Exam Date Exam Fees Registration Period

ECCE Saturday, May 14 2011 160€ February 1-February 28, 2011

ECPE Sunday, May 15 2011 180€ February 1-February 28, 2011

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Five Tips for Teachers New to Blogging

Five Tips for Teachers New to Blogging

Today-and not tomorrow-is another day

I have always considered chatting as one of the worst passtimes. However, after taking part in some chatting sessions among teachers, I found out that there are so many of us out there, thirsty and eager to evolve, grow and most of all offer.

I would strongly recommend those chatting sessions, which usually are focused on a precise topic each time; they are inspiring. A breath of fresh air when we feel alone and when you really need someone to lend you an ear...

This is nothing else but a thank you note to Kevin. Thanks Kevin.

FCE, CAE and CPE εξετάσεις 2011

Ημερομηνιες εξετασεων και εγγραφων 2011
Εξέταση Ημερομηνίες Ημερομηνίες εγγραφών

CBFCE* Πέμπτη 14 Απριλίου 14–18 Μαρτίου
CBCAE* Παρασκευή 15 Απριλίου 14–18 Μαρτίου
CAE Σάββατο 7 Μαΐου 14–25 Φεβρουαρίου
CPE Σάββατο 7 Μαΐου 14–25 Φεβρουαρίου
FCEfS** Κυριακή 8 Μαΐου 14–25 Φεβρουαρίου
FCE Σάββατο 14 Μαΐου 14–25 Φεβρουαρίου
CBFCE* Παρασκευή 2 Δεκεμβρίου 7–11 Νοεμβρίου
FCEfS** Σάββατο 3 Δεκεμβρίου 19 Σεπτεμβρίου–4 Οκτωβρίου
FCE Κυριακή 4 Δεκεμβρίου 19 Σεπτεμβρίου–4 Οκτωβρίου
CAE Κυριακή 4 Δεκεμβρίου 19 Σεπτεμβρίου–4 Οκτωβρίου
CPE Κυριακή 4 Δεκεμβρίου 19 Σεπτεμβρίου–4 Οκτωβρίου
CBCAE* Σάββατο 10 Δεκεμβρίου 7–11 Νοεμβρίου

* Computer-based FCE/CAE (Εξέταση FCE/CAE σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή)
** FCE for Schools

Προφορικες εξετασεις
Εξέταση Ημερομηνίες προφορικών εξετάσεων
CBFCE & CBCAE 11–17 Απριλίου
FCEfS, FCE, CAE & CPE 2–22 Μαΐου
CBFCE 28 Νοεμβρίου–4 Δεκεμβρίου
FCEfS, FCE, CAE & CPE 18 Νοεμβρίου–11 Δεκεμβρίου
CBCAE 5–11 Δεκεμβρίου

Η ακριβής ημερομηνία για κάθε υποψήφιο αναγράφεται στο προσωπικό πρόγραμμα εξετάσεων.

Επικοινωνία στο http://www.britishcouncil.org/gr/greece-exams-cambridge-fce-cae-cpe-registration.htm

Ανακοίνωση εξετάσεων ΚΠΓ Μάιος 2011

Δελτίο Τύπου

Αναλυτικό πρόγραμμα των εξετάσεων Κρατικού Πιστοποιητικού Γλωσσομάθειας

Από τη Διεύθυνση Πιστοποίησης της Γνώσης Ξένων Γλωσσών του Υπουργείου Παιδείας, Διά Βίου Μάθησης και Θρησκευμάτων ανακοινώνεται το αναλυτικό πρόγραμμα των εξετάσεων Κρατικού Πιστοποιητικού Γλωσσομάθειας περιόδου Μαΐου 2011 οι οποίες θα διεξαχθούν στις 7 και 8 Μαΐου 2011 για την πιστοποίηση των γλωσσών Αγγλικής, Γαλλικής, Γερμανικής, Ιταλικής Ισπανικής και Τουρκικής για τα επίπεδα :

α) Α (Α1 «στοιχειώδης γνώση» και Α2 «βασική γνώση») σε ενιαίο διαβαθμισμένο test, στις γλώσσες Αγγλική, Γαλλική, Γερμανική και Ιταλική.

β) Β (Β1 «μέτρια γνώση», Β2 «καλή γνώση») σε ενιαίο διαβαθμισμένο test στις γλώσσες Αγγλική, Γαλλική, Γερμανική, Ιταλική, Ισπανική και Τουρκική.

γ) Γ1 «πολύ καλή γνώση» στις γλώσσες Αγγλική, Γαλλική, Γερμανική, Ιταλική και Ισπανική.
Υπενθυμίζεται ότι από τη Δευτέρα 31 Ιανουαρίου 2011 μέχρι και την Τρίτη 22 Φεβρουαρίου 2011 θα υποβάλλονται στις Διευθύνσεις ή Γραφεία Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης της χώρας, αιτήσεις για συμμετοχή στις εξετάσεις του Κρατικού Πιστοποιητικού Γλωσσομάθειας περιόδου Μαΐου 2011.

Monday 24 January 2011

Dark age

Is it laziness? Is it indifference? What makes a teacher to use the same coursebook for at least four years, or even more?

There are many teachers amongst us here in Greece who feel an utter and complete disappointment on many levels: financial, phycological and moral. They feel unappreciated. They don't want to work any more. Even if they do, they just enter their classroom, or if they are private tutors, thei student's room, they simply explain the day's vocabulary, grammar or anything else they consider necessary to be explained, assign next time's homework and that's it. How about an additional activity? What about a little game? How about talking about the students themselves and ask them how they really are and feel. What do they need?

It's been quite a while since I stumbled on a teacher who really deserves that title. I have "met" a lot of them on line; however, where did all the others go? Are they in the classrooms? I think they are rare, they are "endangered species" in face of extinction...

I feel sad.

Friday 21 January 2011

Smile, it's free! a.k.a how to avoid teacher's burnout

Having an interesting discussion with one of my colleagues the other day, we discovered that we were both moving towards an early burn-out this year and in full speed!

Unfortunately, this is the awful truth! However, regardless the "common" problems a teacher faces in the classroom, the solution is simple: smile, take a deep breath and move on!

Motivate yourself in unimaginable ways; watch a good show on TV. You will get informed and have something interesting to say to your students the next day, other than "Open your books" and "Giorgos, read". I have found myself taking notes and creating a whole lesson plan just by watching (e not so educational show...I know!) Project Runway, just because my B senior all-girls class (don't ask, it's just happened!) would deeply appreciate a lesson dedicated to just fashion! However, always get organized! Don't let it evolve like a useless rambling from your part.

Motivate yourself and your students at the same time. It's been quite a while now, that I post motivational phrases, English expressions or idioms etc, on the notice boards, both in the hall and in the classroom where I teach. I found that even A junior students have begun asking about the meaning. Use colours and pictures and create a small poster!

Think about what your students want to learn. If you use a coursebook, like all teachers in Greece do, make a combination of the lesson you have to teach and a subject (for example, Facebook and social networking) that all students are interesting in.

Read, read and read! Find your old university books about teaching and try also "diving" and "surfing"; there is a huge source of really useful websites on anything regarding teaching. Try old fashion ways: visit the library... Read books, newspapers, magazines.

Transform into a dream, your students' worse nightmare...Grammar! Use examples, games, talk to them about the use in real life. Close that Grammar book, but after you know perfectly what you're going to teach. Let your students enjoy the joy of another language. Don't correct them all the time; just make a slight comment later, while you're talking and don't point the finger!

Have a great sense of humor when your students don't study so hard. Of course, we don't ever forget the fact that, in Greece, people pay us to teach them English... We don't have to transform the whole situation into an "industry" which only cares about money. And of course you have to earn your living, but keep a balance!

Think about yourself. Get some rest. Have fun, do something different every once in a while!

Education World ® Professional Development Channel: Leah Davies: Rewards in the Classroom

Education World ® Professional Development Channel: Leah Davies: Rewards in the Classroom

-ing and -ed adjectives

Thursday 20 January 2011

ESL resources and activities: Present Perfect board game

ESL resources and activities: Present Perfect board game

ΕΝΑΣ ΠΛΑΝΗΤΗΣ ΜΙΑ ΕΥΚΑΙΡΙΑ.mp4

Jamie Keddie's Pecha Kucha: "Grammar Drawings"

Greek TV

I don't what's wrong any more. I've been struggling to correct some projects, listening to the TV in the backround. Eventually I stopped because what I was listening to distracted me (and all my students' homework would finish like being corrected by an alien...) so I decided to turn my attention to the documentary that was on that moment.

Immediately after the ending of a great and enlightning documentary about macroeconomy (http://www.exandasdocumentaries.com/), another one began (http://www.rwf.gr)about great ideas blooming in the middle of a financial crisis.

Anyway, the point is that is was about 11 o' clock in the evening when I started watching the first one, and about 1 when the second one finally finished. Why do they do that? Why don't they broadcast shows and documentaries of this kind earlier, so that everyone could watch them? Why all the great shows are being "censored", as if they were porn films, this late at night, or even later in the middle of the night? What are they afraid of? Of opening someone's mind and especially our children's?

Pass the ball

Pass the ball

Photographs

Photographs

Sunday 16 January 2011

Listening practice

It's this time of the year again. I always discuss the issue of practicing their listening skills with my students; and every time I repeat and insist on the importance of "real" material, such as songs and films. They usually react a little strongly at first, as they think of it as additional homework. Then we discuss on whether they are already fans of any particular singer or band. This is a good way to make them forget about the "homework" part and convince them that it'll be an activity that they'll eventually enjoy!
However, I have to remind-even to myself-the significance of "savouring" and enjoying the English language, or any other language... Who knows, listening to something different other than Greek music, might even result being a discovery for Greek students!
Films, on the other hand, could be used in a great variety of ways. Since we Greek are used to reading subtitles in foreign speaking film, I recommend when students rent DVDs to set the subtitles in English.
Anyway, this may lead to a big discussion about the educational system and the method used by the private schools here in Greece. I'll get back to it later.

Formal expressions for First Certificate in English Paper 2 Letter Writing

Formal expressions for First Certificate in English Paper 2 Letter Writing

Saturday 8 January 2011

New Year's Resolutions

Thanks to Usingenglish.com, here are some useful tips for my students and why not for myself and some of my colleagues:

Next year I am going to:


Read an English book.

Listen to the radio in English Watch a movie in English with English subtitles

Watch a DVD in my language with English subtitles

Watch a DVD in English without subtitles

Use an English-English dictionary

Do online chat in English

Write to a penfriend in English

Listen to radio with an English speaking DJ

Listen to English speech radio such as BBC World Service or Voice of America

Meet with a conversation exchange partner

Do an internet search in English

Write emails in Englis

h Read the lyrics of English language songs.

Play language learning computer games

Go through a list of new vocabulary I have learnt

Listen to an English language audio guide in a museum

Sing English language songs

Record myself speaking English

Friday 7 January 2011

Listening for everyone!

http://www.lyricstraining.com

An amazing link! Practice your listening skills - and not only - choosing your level first!

Thursday 6 January 2011

Great link

http://esolit.wordpress.com/
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