Stop phubbing! But... what is that??

Has it ever happened to you that you're with somebody who just can't stop looking at his/her mobile?? How annoying can that be? Well, apparently you're not the only one who gets annoyed!!

In English a new word has even been invented to describe this phenomenon, and it's "PHUBBING":

This kind of situations has become "trending topic" in the last years, and it's just that people don't seem capable of disconnecting from the virtual world!! An entire website (extremely funny, by the way!!) has opened: www.stopphubbing.com. They include data, figures, interesting facts and even a letter you can send to your friends to make them stop phubbing!!

Some of the facts they publish are certainly thought-provoking... See for yourself!

According to this, what will communication be like in a few years? Are you scared of what can happen?

Many people prefer to take it humorously and denounce the situation making videos as funny as this one, by "The Britishes"!:

Funny, huh? :P

Now, if you want to take it a bit more seriously, below I include probably the most watched YouTube video on this topic. It's very straightforward, but composed beautifully in the form of a poem. Its rhythm, careful choice of words and the story behind certainly manages to touch the viewer.

"Look Up", by Gary Turk (click for full text):

Well, after all this I do hope we manage to change our attitude towards smartphones and learn how to enjoy life minute by minute! :)

Read more...

I want a non-native teacher! (or a qualified native one!)

A few days ago I came across a newspaper article defending why a Spanish can be a better English teacher than a 'native'. This can be a highly controversial topic, but it's one that badly needs clarification, and, in my opinion, an urgent re-evaluation of 'non-native' teachers.

There has always been the idea that ‘native speakers’ of English are the best teachers of English. Indeed, in hiring practices ‘native speakers’ are very often given preference, and some language schools even take the liberty to charge more if their teachers are ‘native’.

This disadvantage in the job market, besides the social pressure of having to imitate a ‘native’ model, has had a truly harmful effect on ‘non-native’ language teachers, many of whom have lost confidence in their lessons, especially as regards the teaching of pronunciation. As Canagarajah puts it, "their predominant concern is in effect “How can I lose my accent?” rather than “How can I be a successful teacher?” (1999: 84-85).

The reality today is that 80% of teachers of English in the world are not native. Be that as it may, the difference should not really reside in the dichotomy ‘native’/‘non-native’, but rather in the opposition ‘qualified’/’non-qualified’. In other words, qualified teachers, be they ‘native’ or ‘non-native’, are superior to ‘native speakers’ who have not undergone training (Pavón Vázquez, 2010).

By all mens, 'native' teachers have the advantage of having a flawless command of the language. Still, there is now growing agreement that ‘non-native’ teachers have a number of advantages worth mentioning:

• Only ‘non-native’ teachers can serve as imitable models of the successful learner of English.

• Their previous status of learners of the language allows them to provide students with more information about the English language.

• They are endowed with the priviledge of bilingualism, which allows them to have a better understanding of the learning situation.

• They can teach learning strategies more effectively.

• They can anticipate areas of potential problems.

• They can benefit from sharing the students’ mother-tongue and culture.

• They are trained in methodological issues.

Paradoxically, all these advantages stem from the fact that they have undergone a process of learning that ‘native speakers’ have not. These advantages, combined with the fact that the vast majority of them present an adequate level of language competence to perform their task, can certainly place ‘non-native’ teachers in a superior position over ‘native speakers'.

So the next time an academy sells their lessons saying that their teachers are native, ask if they are qualified, since that is what really matters.

Read more...

The 50 most common spelling mistakes

While the Spanish strive to learn English... Cambridge University reveals the 50 most common spelling mistakes we make. See if you can find them! (The answers are at the end)

(Taken from ESQUIRE | 06 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2013)

wich

confortable

becouse

accomodation

polution

dificult

posibility

nervious

imposible

diferents

comunication

coffe

wises

possitive

tipical

hellow

embrrasing

reponsabilities

responsable

recieved

decission

bougth

arround

posible

belive

bycicle

enviroment

beatiful

recomend

begining

reponsability

demostration

recived

oportunity

advertisment

untill

ruber

bussiness

succesful

adress

nowdays

necesary

enought

whith

goverment

bussines

CORRECT ANSWERS:

wHich
coMfortable
becAuse
accoMmodation
polLution
difFicult
posSibility
nervous
impoSsible
difFerent
comMunication
coffeE
wisHes
positive
tipical
hello
embArraSsing
reponsIbilities
responsIble
recEIved
decision
bougHT
around

poSsible

beliEve

bIcYcle

enviroNment

beaUtiful

recoMmend

beginNing

reponsIbility

demoNstration

recEived

opPortunity

advertisEment

until

ruBber

bussiness

succeSsful

adDress

nowAdays

neceSsary

enough

with

goverNment

businesS

Read more...

On public speaking

Hi there,

I've just come across this article on "public speaking", which is -fortunately- becoming an important matter for educationalists in Spain.

Why is "public speaking" taught in British schools but not in Spanish ones? What are the consequences of this? Read the article to find out...

¿Por qué los colegios ingleses enseñan oratoria y los españoles no?

Read more...

How to get your point across in Spain

Hi there,

I've just found this very interesting article on how we communicate in Spain. I believe the writer manages to capture many of our cultural features, and how we display them in communication... or doesn't he?

How to get your point across in Spain

What do you think of the image given of the Spanish? Do you agree with the way we are portrayed? Feel free to post a comment below!

Read more...

42 Idiom Origins

If you are a "word nerd", check out the following video: the origin of 42 idioms explained in under 10 minutes!

Read more...

¿Por qué se nos atraganta el inglés?, in ABC

Here I leave you with another item of news published in ABC, entitled "Por qué se nos atraganta el inglés".

http://www.abc.es/sociedad/20130915/abci-atragantados-ingles-201309141744.html

Do you have any comments or opinion? Please, feel free to post below.

Read more...

"Cero en expresión oral", in ABC

Please, check this newspaper article on the art of public speaking.

http://sociedad.elpais.com/sociedad/2013/09/13/actualidad/1379089531_961683.html

It was published in ABC following Ana Botella's performance to defend Madrid's venue for the Olympics.

Very insightful, indeed.

Read more...

Ten characteristics of a good teacher

Hi everyone!

Sonia Sánchez, from Avanzado 1 CAL, has sent me this article entitled "Ten Characteristics of a Good Teacher", by Patricia Miller. It is particularly interesting for the CAL group, but those in the ordinary group can obviously read it too. Really insightful!

Ten Characteristics of a Good Teacher by ana_uk877884

Read more...

International Day of the Book

Hi again!

As you all know, yesterday was the International Day of the Book.

I've just found this video from the Book Council in New Zealand, whose aim is to promote reading.

Watch it till the end, even if you don't understand what the man is reading. It perfectly shows the magical and unique effect that reading has in our heads :)

Read more...