Sample Post 4

The human brain

I’ve always been interested in how the human body works. One of the reasons why I’m interested is because I practice sports, so why we sweat, stretch and how we can work out our muscles are intriguing facts about our bodies. Those, among other incredible facts like gestating as to have new generations. Sleeping, dancing, walking and reading are just some of the activities that have to do with the brain.

Biology and Education are closely related if we analyse the brain activity. As a teacher, when we study the way human beings learn, we study Psychology but unfortunately we didn’t study Neuroscience. Therefore, as this science has always caught my attention I wanted to learn more about it. A couple of years ago, because of the Masters programme I was studying, I had the chance to read lots of interesting papers about how the brain works when we read and how the way we stimulate the brain affects our learning process.

The human brain is a complex organ and as human beings we are supposed to be the only ones to know something about the way the brain works. With that skill, Pierre Paul Broca (1824-1880), a French pioneer doctor was able to draw a map of the brain and consequently, he discovered a small area in the left hemisphere, which controls the production of language. Indeed, 100 billion neurons in our brains* are responsible for language, communication and many other aspects of our lives.

*http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/facts-about-your-brain/7038?image=2

Blog Session 4 Free post

Dear Class,

This is the first time you can choose the topic this semester. So, as this is a free topic you can choose anything you want.
In my case I'm going to write about the human brain. When I was in school I wasn't as interested in Biology as I am now, so I think this is a good choice.
This time please write 180 words minimum and remember to make at least three comments on your classmates' posts.


Good luck,

Belén

Blog Session 3 Sample Post

A country I’d like to visit

It’s incredibly difficult to choose one single country I’d like to visit because I want to visit at least two in every continent. One country I’d love to visit is Angola, in Africa, because this continent is one of most interesting in so many respects. I know very little about Angola but when I go, I’ll visit the capital city Luanda. I heard about this place because my first capoeira teacher my first Portuguese teacher are both from there; and I know they speak Portuguese because Portugal invaded that part of Africa. I also know it’s a poor place but not as poor as many others in that continent.When I’m there, I’d like to visit Miguel and Zeferino, -my first capoeira teacher and his cousin, my first Portuguese teacher- as well as their families. They’re both from there and they’re currently working there too. Apart from that, I’d love to go to the beach, walk around the city, dance zouk and practice Portuguese.Although I haven’t been there yet, I’d like to work, to study and live there. As a teacher I could work teaching Spanish and/or English, I could also study there and if I stay to live there, I’ll try to find a place near the Atlantic Ocean.

Blog Sesion 3 A country I would like to visit

Dear Class,

This post is not about how many countries you have visited but about the one you would like to visit, maybe for the first time, maybe again...

Say:
a) Which country would you like to go? Why?
b) What do you know about it?
c) Whay would you like to do there?
d) Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain
And also, make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts. 170 words minimum


Good luck,


Belén

Sample Post 2

My ideal job

Before I explain my ideal job I have to say I really enjoy the jobs I have in the present because I love active jobs where communication is part of it. I have three ideal jobs but this time I’ll explain the one I would enjoy the most… and “dreaming is free” so this is what I dream to have as a job.

My ideal job would be to teach to read, children and adults, somewhere in Africa. As I speak English I think I could teach the first steps for them to read syllables, words, phrases and then ideas and concepts! I think the traits and skills I would need for this job are patience, enthusiasm, good human relations skills, motivation, and of course to know the contents to able to provide quality teaching. Also, I need to be organised and flexible and to create a nice atmosphere for learning.

I’m always trying to improve all these traits and skills but I think I would be good at teaching to read because I’ve incorporated the most necessary ones to work as a language teacher. Also, as I’m a risk-taker woman; therefore I wouldn’t mind to move far from Chile and I wouldn’t mind not having electricity, the food I eat here, tap water or similar sanitary conditions to what we have in Santiago.

I think it would be difficult to find a job like this because I don’t have the experience –just the enthusiasm – and maybe, NGO’s are going to choose people from Europe before choosing someone from South America. Maybe it’s not as difficult as I think but as I haven’t found out about how to apply for a job like this, I’m not sure.

Blog Session 2 My ideal job

Dear Class,

This time, please write about your ideal job. Say:

a) What your ideal job would be
b) Whay qualities and skills you would need to do this job
c) Why you would be good at this job
d) How difficult it would be to find this kind of job

Write this in 160 words minimum and make comments on at least three of your classmates' posts.
Remember not to use google translator. You can write using www.wordreference.com or www.linguee.es

Good luck,


Belén

Sample Post 1

The first semester this year

During the first semester I studied plenty of things. I studied languages (Spanish, English and Portuguese) because I love learning languages but sometimes I can’t find all the time I’d like to have to study Russian or Italian. Also, because of my job as a tour guide, I studied wilderness first aid, the History of Chile, and the History of native people together with the flora and fauna in the different regions. And I learnt about inclusive tourism and the kinds of disabilities such as hearing, cognitive, physical and visual disability.

In my free time, I practiced yoga and only a bit of capoeira but in terms of sports I climbed many hills in Santiago mostly. As I love photography, I took lots of pictures in the marches during the first semester and outdoors when we were in the mountain, and I read about inclusive projects round the world, trekking and I practiced singing.

The first half of this year, I had more challenges than problems. The most important challenge was to create our own tourism company and work as a guide. The other challenge in terms of teaching was to have for the first time a course at DETUCH. Before, I’d taught at FACSO, ICEI or INAP but teaching Scenography students has been a great experience because I love meeting people and I’ve learnt a lot about this career and its needs.

On the other hand, I can’t pretend there’s nothing going on in the city I live because it affects everybody in various ways. I feel sad and mad about all the unfair situations people live, especially students, mapuches, workers and people from other regions. There are many things I can’t understand but the worst and something everybody who’s involved should solve soon are pollution and fundamental social rights.

Blog Session 1 The first term this year

Dear Class,

This time please write about the past. Write about your experiences during the first term this year.

Describe:

a) What you studied/learnt
b) The sports and free time activities you did
c) The challenges/problems you had to face
d) Others like family, friends, your faculty and/or school, etc.

Write 150 words minimum and make comments on at least 3 of your classmates' posts.

Good luck,


Belén

Welcome back to English!

Dear Class,

Get ready to keep posting every week as part of your language learning process. Remember to use online dictionaries and forget about any kind of google translator or friends who can translate for you.

Hope you can make the most of this and hope you have a great second semester.

Belén