Blog Session 7 :::: Sample Post

Learning and teaching languages

After reading about different methodologies not only to learn languages but to learn in general, I feel more motivated to continue teaching Spanish and English. There is nothing new in saying that we all learn in different ways but this is especially true when we learn languages. One more thing that is not new about humans is the fact that events in life, can define who we are and what we like or don’t like.

I can say that the idea of learning languages was first triggered by a Russian family living in Santiago. I was 6 or 7 years-old the first time I heard a language different from Spanish. At home, I had heard French and English before but it wasn’t fluent because my father and mother studied those languages at school. They couldn’t speak French or English; however they knew how to pronounce words, phrases and questions.

Speaking fluently in a language that is not your mother tongue is to be able to expand the limits sometimes we create for ourselves. Some people learn languages easily than others and some other people never learn a foreign language but; considering how many and how different we are, learning a foreign language could be a very good idea if we want to travel,  and if we want to meet people. Apart from meeting people, when we speak one or more foreign languages we can understand more cultures. So, the way people think, act, what they believe in and the language they speak can help us learn more about us and our limits.

Going back to Russian, I can’t say I feel frustrated because I don’t speak it fluently because I haven’t been studying it they way I need to. Even though I have nobody to practice Russian with, I really want to learn something else that’s not numbers 1 to 10, days of the week and personal pronouns; so one day I can talk with Russians or with people who speak it as a foreign language, like me.

Blog Session 7 ::: Instructions

Dear Class,

This is second time you can choose the topic of your post and there will be one more post where you can choose what to blog about...

Maybe you can write something about the end of the semester, a piece of news, a tv series, a film...

As long as you write 230 words minimum, choose anything of your interest and don't forget to make the comments. You need 3 comments on your classmates' posts and one on my post.

Best,


Belén

Blog Session 6 :::: Sample Post

Postgraduate Studies

As I have two jobs, it's difficult to choose a topic to continue studying. But I'll try so if it's something about the English language and teaching, I'd love to study Neurolinguistics. I really enjoy anything about the brain and the way it works.
In terms of Tourism, I'd love to study more languages! So we could offer our tours in other languages different from Spanish, English, Portuguese and Chilean sign language. I need to learn more about the Chilean sign language but I haven't been able to meet my deaf friend so I can practice. In the meantime I watch tutorials and keep practicing what I know so far.

More than postgraduate studies, I believe in Continuing Education. I prefer a diploma more than a Postgraduate programme because they're shorter and more specific. You can find some diplomas or training programmes with really good teachers who don't teach in universities, where you usually study a postgraduate programme.

I dream about the country having educational programs for everybody. For example, people could go to the Municipalidad corresponding to the place where they live and register in a 3 or 6 months long training program. People having access to education is the best policy ever and in that way you could encourage people learning even if they're retired.

When I think about Tourism, apart from languages, I'd love to study abroad to learn more about accesible and inclusive tourism. There are countries in the region, like Ecuador, where you can find really nice and interesting tours and they're designed for everybody. So, it doesn't matter if you're blind, can' walk fast, use a wheelchair or if you're old or have 3 kids.

Blog Session 6 :::: Instructions

Dear Class,

Today, as I forgot to upload the instructions last week, please write this post as homework or in the class, after you finish Blog Session 5 -if you have time.

Today's topic is "Postgraduate studies", so please think about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future.

Include the following:

a) Reasons to do the course
b) Subject(s) you would like to study
c) Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)
d) How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)
e) Any other relevant ideas


You need 220 words minimum and don't forget to make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

Best,

Belén

Sample Post 5 :::: My future job

My future job

I’m really happy teaching and working in tourism so a job I’d like to have in the future, should have these two ingredients: teaching and tourism.

In terms of teaching, I could continue teaching English to people who want to work as tour guides for example. I could also teach Spanish to foreigners or something about tourism like some of the basics about inclusive and accessible tours.

I’d love to have a job connected to travelling so that’s why I enjoy working in tourism so much. We travel; we meet people all the time and from many different places and cultures. In the future, I’d love to teach in other cities so I can have a little rest about Santiago and about everything a capital city means…  Also, I’d love to work outdoors because there’s nothing better to learn! People don’t learn sitting in a classroom looking at boring Powerpoints! I do hope this situation changes and teachers understand how important methodologies are.

As long as my salary helps us to eat and educate our babies, I’ll be happy. I’d like to make more money with our small tour business so we’re working for that because we really like the idea of being our own bosses. It’s takes  a lot of time and effort but it’s worthy.

Blog Session 5 :::: Instructions

Dear Class,

Today, you have to think about the future to write. Think about the possibilities you have and write about "Your future job" in a minimum of 210 words.

Please include the following:

a) What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it? Outdoors /indoors?

b) Would you like to travel a lot in your job?

 c) What about the salary?

 d) What major are you thinking of taking?    Explain why 

e) Add any other related ideas.

 Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts plus a comment on your teacher's post. 

Best,


Belén

Sample Post 4 :::: Free Post 2

The human brain

I have always been interested in how the human body works. One of the reasons to be interested is that 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 and breastfeeding when we have babies. Sleeping, dancing, walking and reading are just some of the many 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 as well as 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. Thus, 100 billion neurons in our brains are responsible for language, communication and many other aspects of our lives.

Blog Session 4 (Free post 2) :::: Instructions

Dear Class,

This is second time you'll be able to choose the topic of your post. Be as creative as you can and write this post in 200 words minimum.
Don't forget to make three comments and leave one about my post as well, please.

Best,

Belén