FORMAL E-MAIL. WRITING. B1-B2. BACHILLERATO. PeVAU

 Formal e-mails are paramount in order to communicate in some formal contexts: the workplace, business, university and the like.
In this post, you will learn how to master their structure, linking words and essential expressions. 

WRITING A FORMAL E-MAIL. JUANA MORAL'S ENGLISH SITE. 

JUANA MORAL'S ENGLISH SITE. WRITING A FORMAL E-MAIL

FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY. Bachillerato/Selectividad

Writing an opinion essay can be really easy if you follow this must-have list : 

For and Against Essay. Juana Moral's English Site. Selectividad

Together with this, to learn more, you can visit the following: 

1. Pau Writing tips and topics. Click here

• Writing. Linking words. General overview. Click here

ORAL TASK: INVENT A GADGET. LEARNING SITUATION, SPEAKING

 The main target of this task is that our students use all the knowledge they may have on technology, science and the world around them to create a gadget and describe it in front ot the class. How?

JUANA MORAL'S ENGLISH SITE. INVENT AN GADGET. SPEAKING. UDL/DUA

First, students invent a gadget, it can be related to science, technology, medicine or any field of knowledge that can improve people's lives. 
Later, they make a poster with the elements seen in the picture above: 

• A description

• The purpose of the gadget

• Function

• How it will help people

• Conclusion

In this case, it is essential to be original with every single element and to engage the rest of the class with questions and trying to make them understand the purpose of their invention

CAVEATS AND OPTIONS:

- This can be used as a writing prompt, including the elements explained before

- Students can make it using online elements for their presentation and they can also do it in pairs.

- A fair can be created in the hall of the high school in order to present relevant projects and make everyone aware of the outcomings of this task. Several departaments may be involved in oder to create a profitable interdisciplinar environment. 

To Luisa Ramirez, the real English teacher. 

Ice breakers for speaking and writing all levels

 

ICE-BREAKERS for speaking and writing

This multi-level task was designed using different formats such as a spinning wheel and it's perfect to promote communication and getting to know our students on the first days. 

Ice-breakers for speaking and writing all levels. Juana Moral's English Site. ELT. 

It involves DUA/UDL principles as it is based on previous knowledge, it presents several forms of implication and promotes understanding in different languages. 

• 1st ESO. A1 levels

 

I WISH/ IF ONLY. Wishes and regrets. Bachillerato

 Conditional sentences are widely used in order to explain the conditions necessary for something to happen. 

Related to impossible conditionals (third conditionals), the expressions I wish (desearía) and If only (ojalá...) are used to express wishes and regrets. 

In the following picture we can see the three structures and their meanings. 

I WISH/ IF ONLY. WISHES AND REGRETS. JUANA MORAL'S ENGLISH SITE

Together with this, you can also find the structures. 

• I'd rather you+ simple past.  (preferiría que  tu hicieras/no hicieras....)

• Ex: I'd prefer to stay home tonight: I'd rather you stayed home tonight (preferiríá que te quedases en casa esta noche) El pasado simple sirve para marcar el subjuntivo. Se usa cuando el que debería realizar la acción no es el hablante
• Attention. I'd rather+ infinitivo: I'd rather stay home (preferiría quedarme en casa)  se usa para indicar lo que alguien preferiría y que también el hablante realiza la acción. 

• It's (high) time +subject+ past form (ya es hora de que hagas....)

• I't a long time since you haven't bought any clothes. It's high time you bought some new clothes. No se refiere al pasado, si no que indica un subjuntivo. 

SPEAKING: I'M AN EXPERT AT... (from A1-B2)

What if every single student in our class is an expert at something? What if we all can learn and become more confident because we all know quite a lot about a topic or we have a surprising hobby? This short project is DUA or UDL oriented and focused on our students' needs.

This is the purpose of this task: make our students more confident when speaking and a collaborative learning. 

For that, students choose a topic, hobby or issue they know quite a lot and describe it in front of the class. It is a low preparation activity on the part of the students and they can bring special objects, make a presentation or be as original as they please. At the end of the presentation, it is essential to promote students' questions and dialogue so as to improve communication and uderstanding. 

SPEAKING: I'M AN EXPERT. DUA/UDL. COLLABORATIVE LEARNING. From A1 to C1

In my experience, this activity is enjoyable for students and for the teacher because it helps us to know more about our class and makes them feel the main characters of the story for some minutes, being a student centered task which fosters motivation as well as confidence. 

A further advantage is that it can be adapted to all levels increasing the difficulty in expressions and vocabulary.