EXTRA ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES

 

                                            Extra materials and resources

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Try out these challenging puzzles that´ll encourage you to think outside the box (C1/C2):

Ten top lateral thinking puzzles 

More lateral thinking riddles 

Great yummy and healthy stews and casseroles C1/C2

Top 20 greatest inventions ( text with audio to read along) C1/C2

Learning English podcast for curious minds C1 

Horrible histories (bbc series) C1/C2

Summary of "Emotional Agility" C2

https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO

https://www.susandavid.com/

English file C1.1 and C1.2 vocabulary:

C1.1/B2+ Eng-Sp word list

C1.2 Eng-Sp word list

Vocabulary you need to use at C1 level:

On pages 30-36 you have the core language contents for B2 and C1: CEFR CORE INVENTORY
There is no specific core inventory for C2

C1 word list a-z

C1 grammatical and lexical contents

REMEDIAL WORK AND EXTRA PRACTICE FOR C1

Remember that learning to express yourself in a foreign language is like playing a sport or an isntrument, it requires constant practice, all the more at an advanced level. 

The first step is always to understand the new grammar and  vocabulary but then you have to practice  until those new structures and expressions become part of your expressive repertoire when communicating. In this respect doing use of English  exercises (WB) is very useful, together with reading, because you revise and activate your linguistic knowledge and turn it into a skill.

To give your grammar and vocabulary a boost remember to do the workbook pages after every unit and the online activities for your book.

You can use the following websites to work on your pronunciation reading the texts aloud and reading along while listening to the recording. You can also increase your reading speed:

- NEWS ITEMS READ OUT SLOWLY: VOICE OF AMERICA and BREAKING NEWS

Below you have some writing and speaking exams that you can use for extra practice at home. Feel free to send me as many compositions and audios as you can.

PCTE-SEP19       PCTE-JUN19       PCTE-SEP20      PCTE-JUN20

PTO-JUN19    CPTO-JUN19     PTO-SEP19     CPTO-SEP19      MO-JUN19

EOH-June18       EOC-June 18       EOH-Sep 18       EOC-Sep 18

To work on your listening skills keep on listening to podcasts and watching videos (with and without subtiltes) on at least a weekly basis. The BBC sounds app is great for daily practice (radio and podcasts).

Here you can find  a sample of the CAE speaking test

Written samples of C1 speeches

And below you have model compositions of different text types:

C1 WRITING AND GRAMMAR REFERENCE

C1 MODEL TEXTS

C1 PRACTICAL PODCASTS and C1 SPEAKING CARDS

Here you have  some C1 ESL podcasts you can use to  practice your listening skill while revising vocabulary and topicss. And you can also take advantage of the pdf document to boost  your pronunciation  reading along:

Phrasal verbs about health               pdf script

False friends                              pdf script

Emotional Intelligence                 pdf script

Idioms about clothes              pdf script

American vs. British English              pdf script

Making a good first impression    pdf script  

Money talk       pdf script

Eating in England     

Eating in England 2

MEDIATION VIDEO:

C1 SPEAKING PRACTICE:

ORAL MEDIATION (J-19)                      PTO (J-19)                   CPTO (J-19)

ORAL MEDIATION (S-19)                     PTO (S-19)                  CPTO (S-19)

THE GENDER DEBATE AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE

                                                     

                                                    The nature vs. nurture gender debate 

DO we treat treat girls and boys differently?

Common types of unconscious bias

3 RULES FOR BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE

         NATURAL TALENT IS OVERRATED: HOW TO UNLOCK HIDDEN POTENTIAL

PRINCIPLES OF DEEP WORK

UNIT 3 EXTRA ACTIVITIES (Shakespeare, aging and positive psychology)

SHAKESPEARE (C1)

Which "to be or not to be" scene do you prefer?  Kenneth Branagh´s or Mel Gibson´s?

 

A selection of contemporary puns 

                                                                    REVIEWS (C1)

Films

Play

                                                               MEDIATION (C1)

VIDEO

Task

                                           MORGAN LEVIEN ON AGEING AND DIET

                                                     POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY (C2)

Emotional Agility

Personality test to find out about your character strengths

Initial assessment exam and Unit 1 extra activities

ENGLISH MATTERS OCTOBER

9 LIFE LESSONS BY COMEDIAN AND COMPOSER TIM MINCHIN

Johann Hari on intrinsic vs, extrinsic motivation:

GRIT: HOW TO PERSEVERE TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS IN THE LONG RUN:

WORLD FOOD DAY (16 OCT.)

Where do you stand? 1  Useful C1/C2 phrases to express opinions

Initial assessment exam C2 (entry test)

Initial assessment exam C1 (entry test)

C1.2 Entry Chequer key

Killer expressions for C1/C2

Killer expressions questions for C1/C2

C2 REVIEW SAMPLES:

Music albums

Films

Play

Books

WHAT´S GOING ON IN THE PICTURE? C1/C2

This American Life (great stories from real life with tapescript)

C1 Mediation video

C1 Mediation task

 Welcome to the 23-24 school year! My name is Juan and my email is jjgs26@educastillalamancha.es. 

I hope we can learn a lot and have some fun together.

Presentación curso 23-24

26 SEPTEMBER IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF EUROPEAN LANGUAGES:

20 things you might now know about the world of languages

language tree

This is the ice-breaking activity we´re going to do in our firsts class to get to know one another a little bit: 30/35:

C2 activity      C1 activity

 200 questions to really get to know someone

B2-C1-C2 comparison

And here you have the curricular description of C2 and C1

This is an extract from the DAILY SHOW we´ve seen in class:

And the former host´s video on the Southafrican accent:

C1.2 Classbook audio files

C1.2 video files

C1,2 conversation videos

C1 and C2 blog

If you want to keep up to date with what´s going on in our country you´d better do it in Engllish:

 https://english.elpais.com/

Best podcasts to learn English C1.2

To get started and  ease your way into the world of English podcasts you can also try BBC 6 minute English B2/C1.1

Best British radio and podcasts and  Great ad-free US radio and podcasts  C2

Top-notch podcasts with tapescript

I recommend to listen to some podcasts intensively, focusing on the grammar and vocabulary as well as modelling your accent on the speakers´, but you should also listen to others in a more leisurely way as if you where listening to the radio. Playing a radio station in the background when doing something else can prove to be very useful too.

Free audiobooks Free audiobooks-2

Best TV shows to practice British English C1/C2

 

The audio long reads from the Guardian + podcast C1/C2

ASPECTS OF BRTISH AND AMERICAN SOCIETY IN TV SHOWS AND FILMS

 Here you have some prestigious tv series and  films that tackle different aspects of  American and British society and  will help you keep your English alive while staying in touch with contemporary issues:

MASS MEDIA

The newsroom (News) HBO

Succession (Media moguls) HBO

Mad Men (Advertising) Amazon

 

HISTORY

The Knick  (history of medicine) HBO

Band of Brothers ( War World II) HBO

Deadwood (Wild West) HBO

Boardwalk Empire (Prohibition) HBO

 

POLITICS

House of Cards Netflix

The West Wing Amazon

Vice Amazon

The Plot against America HBO

The man in the High Castle Amazon

 

FINANCES

The Laundromat Netflix

The Spider´s Web Youtube

SOCIAL ISSUES

The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel  Amazon

Years and Years HBO

This is Us  Amazon

The Wire  (HBO)

 

Recommended series for the summer

If you´re interested in series that depict cultural and historical events in British or American history I include a few prestigious series that  will help you improve your English and gain an insight into some important aspects of British and American history

THE CROWN (netflix)

WHEN THEY SEE US (netflix)

AMERICAN CRIME STORY (netflix)

MRS. AMERICA (hbo)

A VERY PRIVATE SCANDAL (amazon)

Return to "new normal"

Hi everybody!

I hope you´re fine and  making the most of the new normality.

As a tribute to the all the victims of systemic racism and police brutality in the US and all over the world I offer this visual quote by the great writer Maya Angelou that encapsulates  the solution to this disgraceful reality:

 I´d also like to share an article by the renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall on the challanges the world is facing now:

Humanity is finished if it fails to adapt after Covid-19

Here you have a blog where they recommend "the best 17 podcasts to learn English": 

Best podcast to learn English

And a video where you´re talked through the best British TV shows to improve your English: 

Best TV shows to practice British English

Take good care of yourself and of someone else if you can!

Getting through the pandemic with greater wisdom

Susan David on Getting through the pandemic with greater wisdom

Right now we are facing one of the biggest challenges in our lives: a global pandemic which is forcing us to stay within our homes or distance ourselves from our family, friends, and neighbors. It’s a time full of uncertainty, anxiety, and sadness, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed with these tough emotions.

On the one hand, we might obsessively brood on our feelings, struggling to sleep in the face of discouraging statistics or overthinking a minor quarrel with a spouse. On the other, we might bottle our emotions, blindly pursuing a sense of normalcy that right now doesn’t truly exist, or rationalizing our way out of them (“I shouldn’t be sad.”). Our culture often dictates the idea that natural emotions are either good or bad, positive or negative, and we can find ourselves forcing happiness rather than observing how we are actually feeling. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-happiness. I like being happy. I’m a pretty happy person. But when we push aside normal emotions to embrace false positivity, we lose our capacity to develop skills to deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Now is not the time for white-knuckled control. Instead, it’s the time to cultivate the wisdom and courage to move forward with emotional agility.

The pyramid model I’ve developed (above) illustrates the critical steps we can follow to deal with both the reality of our present and the emotions that come with this reality, in a healthy way. The steps outlined can leave us more resilient and stronger than ever.

1. Gentle Acceptance: As much as we want to, we cannot control every situation–especially a global pandemic. There is no value in struggling to deny or suppress feelings of anxiety, hopelessness or grief. This only makes us feel worse. By showing up to a difficult situation and accepting it, we are freed up to move beyond it. Acceptance is the prerequisite for positive change.
2. Compassion: You must be kind to yourself. These are not normal times: tens of thousands of people are dying and losing their livelihoods. Recognize with kindness that you are trying to live your life and juggle competing demands in abnormal circumstances. Give yourself a break and let go of perfectionism. Now is not the time for perfection but for forgiveness and flexibility. Also, see if you can let go of judging others. They, too, are doing the best they can. You don’t have insight into the history of the woman who is hoarding food or what it is she has seen in her past, but she is scared. Try to broaden your scope.
3. Routine: Human beings need routine in order to maintain a sense of order. It’s the glue that holds us together from day to day. When we are faced with the unfamiliar, we tend to fill in the gaps with fear. We are currently away from our routines–working from home, homeschooling, and living in close quarters with others. We are adapting to unprecedented circumstances. This can be scary. So let’s fill in the gaps of the unknown with things that are comfortable, familiar, and connected with our values. Healthy routines are essential, specifically those associated with sleep, exercise and eating. Our bodies and minds are so interconnected and our physical health is reflected in our psychological state. Try to ground yourself during the course of the day by incorporating experiences that are reminiscent of your normal lifestyle. Whether that means waking up at the time you normally would to commute to work or maintaining your family tradition of Friday movie night, the preservation of these small habits will give you comfort. Remember that it may not be possible to adhere to all aspects of your regular routine and approach this new reality with grace instead of rigidity.
4. Connection: It’s important to note that “social distancing” is really physical distancing. Connection is so important, now more than ever. Even though you cannot be in someone’s physical presence, you can continue to nourish your relationships, especially if you’re feeling lonely. You need that support. Also, if safe, make sure to hug your child and/or partner. Put down your phone and laugh with your family, play games, do puzzles.
5. Courage: Research now shows that the radical acceptance of all of our emotions–even the messy, difficult ones–is the cornerstone to resilience, thriving, and true, authentic happiness. But courage is more than just the acceptance of emotions. Our emotions are data that tells us what we’re missing in our lives. A ‘guilty’ parent might be missing real connection with her child. Grief is love, looking for its home – reminding us of the our special times. Slow down and face into your difficult emotions with courage. What you find there will signpost to you how to make better decisions and take values-based actions.
6. Reset: This is the time for reflection. What priorities did you once have that no longer seem important? What parts of ‘normal’ do you not want to rush back to? Gather your data, keep a journal, and reflect on what you learn about yourself. This information is valuable and it will guide you as you move forward.
7. Wisdom: Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility. We are young until we are not. We walk down the streets sexy until one day we realize that we are unseen. We are healthy until a diagnosis brings us to our knees. The only certainty is uncertainty, and once we realize this as truth, the healthier and more authentically happier we will be. When I was little, I would wake up at night terrified by the idea of death. My father would comfort me with soft pats and kisses. But he would never lie. “We all die, Susie,” he would say. “It’s normal to be scared.” He didn’t try to invent a falsely positive buffer between me and reality. It took me a while to understand the power of how he guided me through those nights. What he showed me is that courage is not an absence of fear; courage is fear walking.

Our time on this earth is all too short and all too precious. Life is asking us all right now–are you agile? Let the answer be an unreserved “yes.” It’s a yes borne of a correspondence with your own heart–in seeing yourself for who you truly are. Because in seeing yourself, you are also able to see others, too: the only sustainable way forward in a fragile, beautiful world.

Virtual tours of the world

To celebrate the chance to venture out for a stroll here you have a few links in case you don´t live near the countryside:

https://artsandculture.google.com/project/national-park-service

Best virtual travel experiences

Google earth virtual tours of 31 national parks

Virtual tours of museums and national parks in the UK

10 Best virtual tours of wolrd´s natural wonders

National parks in US

More National Parks in US

Make the post of the spring weather these days and stretch your legs!

World Book Day

 Happy World Book day everybody!  

WORLD BOOK DAY

The UN and International Book Day

Free graded readers

Run out of things to do in quarantine? We've got you covered with 50 fun, free ways to keep busy during the coronavirus lockdown.

So you’re in lockdown. You’ve completed Netflix list and you’re tired of talking about the news with your flatmate.

Don’t fret, there are still plenty of free things left to do.
We’ve collated a list of 50 fun and free things to do using your internet connection or items you already have lying around to get you through the weeks of lockdown.