"E@E", Our Happy Second Birthday

"English@Edrissis", 

Our Second Birthday !

On December 20th, 2010 

We started an adventure called

"English@Edrissis".

To tell you the truth ...

2 years ago, I had no idea 

about the repercussion 

of this "educative experiment".

During this Christmas holidays

 We celebrate the Second Birthday 

of "E@E".

Originally, just a blog for my students 

of English as a Foreign Language.

Today, We can't believe our eyes, 

after the results achieved by "E@E" ...

... so far! 

 

           "English@Edrissis"  en pocas palabras                          "English@Edrissis"  in a few words

24 meses 91 entradas publicadas 73.025 Visitas: 23.897 Visitas desde España 49.128 Visitas desde el Extranjero Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Alemania, México y Argentina encabezan, junto con España, la lista de países con mayor número de visitas Presentación en distintos lugares: *Madrid: “Ejemplo de Buena práctica educativa en una Visita de Estudio” (OAPEE) *Mérida: “Congreso Nacional Contenidos Educativos Digitales” (INTEF) *Milán: Presentación en Europa (por segunda vez) durante una Visita de Estudio en Italia (Liceo S. “Antonio Banfi”) Mencionado en otros blogs educativos: * “ENGLISH CORNER” (Toledo) * “ENGLISH HELENA ROQUET” (Barcelona) Ha entrado a formar parte de la "Red de Buenas Prácticas 2.0" del Ministerio de Educación

24 months 91 posts published 73.025 Visits: 23.897 Visits from Spain 49.128 Visits from Foreign Countries USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico and Argentina are at the top list of countries with a greater number of visits Presented in different places: *Madrid: “Example of Good educative practice in a Study Visit” (OAPEE) *Mérida: “E@E” participates in a National Congress about “Educative Digital Contents” (INTEF) *Milan: Presented in Europe (for the second time) during a Study Visit in Italy (Liceo S. “Antonio Banfi”) Mentioned in other educative blogs: *“ENGLISH CORNER” (Toledo) * “ENGLISH HELENA ROQUET” (Barcelona) Selected as a Good Educative Practice ("Red de Buenas Prácticas 2.0" ) by the Spanish Ministry of Education

To check the results obtained by "E@E" during the first year, 

you can have a look at: "E@E", Our First Birthday

So, You can imagine...
We are really glad
with the unexpected results.

 Let's celebrate Our Second Happy Birthday 
not with the traditional song, 
but with a Classic ...

"Birthday", 

by The Beatles

                                                                                                           I hope you like it!

*********************************************************************

*********************************************************************

If you are interested in The Beatles, it is worthwhile having a look at this website.


Just to finish...

Simply let me say a big...

THANK  YOU

... for being there and
sharing your time with us...

... and I wish you all 

a Happy New Year 2013!

Jesús Canca

PS. See you next year!

;-)

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SPANISH VERSION

Después de dos años, os debo confesar algo... 

El Blog "English@Edrissis" se ha desviado ligeramente del enfoque inicial. Originariamente, estaba pensado ser más teórico o academicista (es decir, tener un tratamiento más formal, desde un punto de vista lingüístico - de la lengua extranjera objeto de estudio), pero el devenir de los acontecimientos lo han convertido en una herramienta más funcional, desarrollando algún que otro tema de rabiosa actualidad del momento en el que se ha publicado cada entrada. A modo de ejemplo, podríamos mencionar: "DIGNITY",  "WhatsApp",  "UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S DAY", "VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN", "CEUTA IN LONDON 2012", o "WRITERS FOR CIUDAD JUAREZ" .

Por otro lado, también se ha producido una desviación de la audencia destinataria. Este blog se diseñó teniendo en mente un grupo-diana concreto. Se esperaba, única y exclusivamente, la visita de mis alumn@s, pero inesperadamente el Blog "English@Edrissis" ha traspasado las paredes del CEA "Edrissis" de Ceuta (... ¡y de qué manera!) y ha recibido en estos dos años más de 49.100 visitas desde numerosos lugares fuera de España. Lugares entre los que destacan (por su número de visitas) Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Alemania, Argentina o México; así como visitas desde tierras lejanas: China, Rusia o desde la República de Yemen (en Oriente Próximo); e incluso desde lugares recónditos como Trinidad y Tobago, o las Islas Guadalupe (en el mar Caribe). No obstante, "E@E" sigue publicando sus entradas pensando en su alumnado, aunque -como no podía ser de otra manera- seguimos con curiosidad y asombro la evolución en lo que a visitas desde más allá de nuestras fronteras se refiere.

A modo de resumen de lo que "English@Edrissis" ha dado de sí en estos dos años, y aprovechando para despedir el año 2012 que se nos va, aquí os dejo algunos de los posts más visitados hasta la fecha:

"The Power of Words"  (9.339 visitas)

"Karaoke-addiction"  (5.141 visitas)

"Beatlemania"   (5.114 visitas)

"MADE IN CEUTA"  (4.861 visitas)

"INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE BOOK"  (2.049 visitas)

Yo, en lo que se refiere a  "E@E", despido el 2.012

satisfecho con el trabajo realizado

contento con el tiempo invertido

pero, sobre todo, orgulloso con los logros obtenidos

(... por ahora, porque aún nos quedan ganas de seguir aprendiendo 

y seguir compartiendo esta ventana virtual 

con tod@s los que nos quieran acompañar).

 

 ¡Gracias a tod@s 

por asomaros a esta ventana!  

... ¡Y Feliz Año 2013!

Jesús Canca

PD. ¡Nos vemos el año que viene!

;-) 

 

MUSIC AT CHRISTMAS TIME !

                                                      Photo by Lucia Canca

It's Christmas time...

... A good time to enjoy music!

Christmas and music go hand in hand.
Don't you think so?

Apart from the popular Christmas Carols

there are many well-known Christmas Songs too.

Pay attention to the following video.

For some people, these are the top 15 songs 

that best capture the essence of this season.

(Perhaps, in your opinion, they are not right).

First, to warm up...

Have a look at the the following list:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Christmas time 

HappyXmas

All I want foR christmas is you                                                                                                                                                               

I wish it could be christmas ever day

LaSt christmas

Do They know it's christmas

Merry christmas everybody

FAirytale of New York

Step into christmas
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Do you know what they have in common?

Yes, apart from being titles of the songs that appear in the next video, 

all of them are related to...  CHRISTMAS.

 

Now,
Sit back and enjoy the Music of Christmas !

After that, send us a comment with your answer
to the next question...

Which Christmas Song is your favourite?

************************************************************

SUGGESTED PROCEDURE

(STEPS TO FOLLOW) 

Watch the video & Listen to the melodies of the 15 songs.

Select the song you like most.

Search that song on YouTube

(using the title of the song and its singer -from the video).

Look up the lyrics of the song on a selected website.

Print out the words. Follow along with the song.

As you become more familiar with the words, start singing along with the recording.

And finally, sing the song -on your own- to bring in some Christmas spirit into your life !

                                                                                                                 ;-)

************************************************************

Merry Christmas 

Everybody !

Merry Christmas to everyone !

Just a few words

(and a home-made video)

to wish you all

Merry Christmas...

***
Please, 
accept my invitation!

Watch the video and
Listen to the music carefully! 

Do you notice anything "strange" or "different"? 

 

 The video has been produced -for this very occasion- by my friend Victor Ferrer.

Thank you, Victor! ;-)   

***

If you pay attention to the lyrics, 

you will notice that the version used of this famous Christmas Carol 

is a bit different from the traditional "Jingle Bells".
Have you noticed it?

In fact, the music selected by Victor (in his video)
is the Australian version of the well-known "Jingle Bells".
 

****
Here you are the lyrics of this 
 Australian "Jingle Bells" 

 Dashing through the bush,
in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust,
esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side,
singing Christmas songs,
It's Summer time and I am in
my singlet, shorts and thongs.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut !,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Engine's getting hot;
we dodge the kangaroos,
The swaggie climbs aboard,
he is welcome too.
All the family's there,
sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Aussie way,
by the barbecue.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Come the afternoon,
Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce,
are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes 'round to go,
we take the family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through,
before the washing up.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

****

However,
If you wish to learn the traditional version of "Jingle Bells"...

pay attention to the lyrics presented in the following video...

and sing this Christmas Carol with the help of the following Karaoke....

Let's practise:

I hope you like it and have a great time!

I wish you all...

A Very Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year !

Jesús

LET'S STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

                                                                                          ©iStockphoto.com/funky-data

THE FACTS

DID YOU KNOW THAT...?

 

In a quiz realized by an American digital publication to help promote a world without violence against women, you can read the Question:   *Which of these risks factors, for women aged 15-44 years, rates higher than rape & domestic violence?   a)      Cancer b)      War c)      None rated higher   The correct answer is the option “c” (None rated higher); since for women aged 15 to 44 years, violence is a major cause of death and disability. In a 1994 study based on World Bank data about 10 selected risks factors facing women in this age group, rape and domestic violence rated higher than cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria.   Source: UNIFEM (the United Nations Development Fund for Women). http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/

 

Today it is NOT ...

the INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION

OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ...

 

But We have to take action against that "virus" and ...

"Say No to Violence Against Women"...

... today!

... and tomorrow!

... and the day after tomorrow!

... and the 365 days in a year!

It is a serious issue we must take seriously everyday,

and not only on November 25 each year

(that is considered officially "the INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION

OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN", by the United Nations).

 

So, yesterday it was just  an occasion for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women.

 

But, in my opinion, we all have to draw attention to the need for continuing action to eliminate violence against women in our everyday life, at any time.

 

***

Thinking about "those women"...

I would like to finish this post with

a video of a song by Bryan Adams

and a question for all those who have ever practised that type of violence... 

 

(from the official website of the singer: www.bryanadams.com)

                                                                                       I hope you like it!

 

***

Students' Tasks

 

1.- Which video do you like most (the previous one or the one about the concert)?

 

* You can watch a different version of the same song in the video-clip of the concert at:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeEFHJFUbEg
(from the official website of the singer: www.bryanadams.com)

 

2.- Do you know some colloqial expressions (Informal English)?

Have a look at the lyrics of the song and make a list of them.
You can find, at least, 8 of them.

* You can check the lyrics of the song at:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bryanadams/haveyoueverreallylovedawoman.html

Colloquial English	Non-Colloquial English
1. gotta know
2. N’
3. lyin’
4. Ya
5. ‘Cuz
6. gonna last
7. til
8. takin’

Extra Question.-

By the way,

Do you know the name of the Spanish flamenco guitarist,

born in Algeciras (a town near Ceuta), that appears on the first video?
.

UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S DAY

                                                           Photo by Jesús Canca

"We were all children once"

("Todos hemos sido niños alguna vez")

United Nations

On 20th November 1959, the United Nations established
the "Declaration of the Rights of the Child".

Since then, every year many countries celebrate the "Universal Children's Day". 

(You can read more about this topic in English or in Spanish
on the official website of the United Nations).

To commemorate this date, let's watch the following video created by Ani Boghossian
with an instrumental version of the song "Life in Technicolor", by Coldplay...

... Have a look at the 30 Articles of Human Rights and

Select the one you like most for the Universal Children's Day.

Students' Tasks

* Handout 1

* Handout 2

DIGNITY

     A ship in Lago di Como - Italy   (Photo by Jesús Canca)

                             

 ***

"Dignity does not consist in possessing honors,

but in deserving them".

Aristotle  (384BC-322BC)

***

Do you know the story of the man who works honestly all his life, 

saving as much money as possible, with just a dream in mind?

His dream ... ?

... To buy a small ship,

call it "Dignity" 

and sail on it!

...

These difficult days, when everybody talks/listens/reads about the ECONOMIC CRISIS, on the one hand, it is worth remembering the song "DIGNITY" by Deacon Blue and, on the other hand, reading the short article "DIGNIDAD" written by the journalist David Jiménez (in Spanish); published today on his Blog .

(Please, go and read David Jimenez's post/article. You have the link on the previous line.
In my opinion, it is simply brilliant!)

Despite the crisis,
it is crystal-clear that

everybody has dreams and ambitions in life.

So...

Why not fighting hard to fulfill them?

 *** 

 Listen to the song "Dignity", by Deacon Blue (with Spanish subtitles).

And have a look at the Lyrics (in English) -if you wish...

I hope you enjoy it !

 DIGNITY

by  Deacon Blue 

There's a man I meet, walks up our street  

He's a worker for the council, has been twenty years  

And he takes no lip off nobody and litter off the gutter  

Puts it in a bag and never thinks to mutter

 
And he packs his lunch in a sunblest bag, the children call him Bogie  

He never lets on but I know 'cause he once told me  

He let me know a secret about the money in his kitty  

He's gonna buy a dinghy, gonna call her dignity

 
And I'll sail her up the west coast, through villages and towns  

I'll be on my holidays, they'll be doing their rounds  

They'll ask me how I got her, I'll say, "I saved my money"  

They'll say, "Isn't she pretty, that ship called dignity?"

 
And I'm telling this story in a faraway scene  

Sipping down raki and reading Maynard Keynes  

And I'm thinking about home and all that means

  And a place in the winter for dignity

And I'll sail her up the west coast, through villages and towns  

I'll be on my holidays, they'll be doing their rounds 

'll ask me how I got her, I'll say, "I saved my money" 

They'll say, "Isn't she pretty, that ship called dignity?"

 
I'll set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up  

Yeah, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again  

Set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up  

Yeah, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again

 
And I'm thinking about home and I'm thinking about faith  

And I'm thinking about work and I'm thinking, how good it would be  

To be here some day on a ship called dignity  

A ship called dignity, that ship

READING COMPREHENSION.-

Read the Lyrics of the song and then answer the following questions:

1.- What is the dream of the man in the song?

2.- What is the name of his dream?

3.- How can he get his dream?

Just to finish...

REMEMBER 

OUR PIECE OF ADVICE

Despite the crisis, and despite difficult times,

Whatever you do, 

no matter how hard it may be, 

...don't give up the ship!

***

PS. I would like say THANK YOU to David Jimenez for his wonderful article "DIGNIDAD". His words have been the inspiration for this post.

.