Changes in India

Education

We've seen from our discussions that education systems in different countries are both similar and different. All of our school systems teach the basics such as math and the country's national language, but some of us studied a variety of subjects and others studied a specific set of subjects. Also, we found that the rules about uniforms, tuition, and books can be different country to country.

Now that you finished the first part of your handout and you learned about the graduation rates in different U.S. states and different countries, I'd like you to research information about some Chicago schools. This will help you see how Chicago schools compare to the school systems you learned about on your handout. Even if you don't have children in school, this is good English practice.

Groups:

Rosalia, Jeoung, and Margarita: Northside Collge Prep

Mary and Christine: Amundsen

With your partner, you will research the school next to your names.

Click on this link http://www.cps.k12.il.us/Schools/hsdirectory/HS_Directory.pdf and it will take you to the Chicago Public School's website. On the left there will be a list and a scroll button. Scroll down until you see "North/Near North School Profiles". The schools are listed alphabetically starting with Amundsen. Scroll down until you find the name of the school you were assigned. Use the profile to answer the rest of the questions on your handout.

Once you are finished, you are going to compare your information with another group. Tell Joanna that you are finished and she will pair you with another group. You will create a poster that compares the information you found for the two schools. Then you will present your information.

Families

We've been talking about family reunions this week and using present perfect to talk about changes that have happened recently. I have a small immediate family and a large extended family. Growing up, my immediate family included just my mother, my father, my brother and me, but I had 9 cousins, 8 aunts and uncles, and 4 grandparents in my extended family. All of us lived in Michigan.

However, things have changed since I was a child. My brother has gotten married and he has had 3 daughters. He has been married for 8 years and his daughters are 7, 6, and 2 years old. Two of my nieces have started violin lessons recently. My youngest niece has learned how to walk and she has started to speak in full sentences. Also, all of my cousins have gotten married and have had children. Now I have over 40 people in my extended family. In addition, 3 of my grandparents have passed away. I have only one grandmother and she is 99 years old. Finally, some of my family members live in Michigan and some of us have moved to different states. We moved because of better job opportunites.

Now I'd like you to describe your family. Also, describe the changes that have happened in the last 10 years. Post your answers and then read your classmates' answers.

1. Describe your family when you were a child.

2. Describe your family now. How has it changed?

3. If you have children, what changes have happened with them recently? (Have they learned to walk, speak English, say their abc's...?)

When you are finished you can go to this reading link
http://www.cdlponline.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=activity1&topicID=3&storyID=154 and read about health insurance for families, or you can go to these grammar links and practice "since/for" http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/and "present perfect"http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~adelegc/medium.html. If you like singing and learning songs, go to this youtube link http://youtube.com/watch?v=ea2Eh6GWc_U and learn the song "We Are Family".

Have fun!

Safety Programs

Today, you are going to work with a partner. Find your names below and click on the link. Then complete the handout. When you are finished, come back the blog and write your answers to the questions.




Jeoung and Christine http://www.chicityclerk.com/kidsidprogram.php

Marta and Dilcia http://199.253.140.81/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?blockName=Promo+Item&channelId=-536879036&programId=536880019&topChannelName=Government&contentOID=11363&Failed_Reason=Session+not+found&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=%2fwebportal%2fportalContentItemAction.do

Yan and Margarita http://usa.safekids.org/tier2_rl.cfm?folder_id=3124

Song and Mija http://www.chicagoredcross.org/general.asp?SN=483&OP=502&SUOP=514&IDCapitulo=VF223FBDFD

Conception and Mary http://www.chicagoredcross.org/general_calltoaction.asp?CTA=2&SN=246&OP=919&IDCapitulo=VF223FBDFD

1. What is the name of the organization?

2. What is the name of the program?

3. Who do you think it is for (children, adults, teenagers, families…)?

4. Describe the program. What do they do?

5. Does it have any activities? If yes, when and where?


Now read the posts your classmates wrote about the programs they found. If you have time, click on the other links so that you can read about these programs. If you run out of time, ask Joanna to help you print a copy of the websites addresses so that you can go to them in your free time.

Health

We are almost finished talking about health. I hope everyone has learned a lot about staying healthy and talking about health issues in English.

After you finish your handout for the Family Doctor website, I'd like you to click on the health link on the right so that you can do some listening practice. First, choose which topic you want to do first: nutrition, diabetes, or high-blood pressure. Then click on the word "English". Listen to the information and then do the quizzes. After you finish one of the listening exercises, you can read the information by finding the same topic at the bottom of the page and clicking on "English". Don't do the quizzes for the readings because they are the same as the ones you did for the listening exercises.

Have fun!

Comparing Cities

Please share the information you found about the cities you and your partner researched. First, tell us which cities you compared. Then describe these things:

- Which city has a larger population?

- In which city do people earn more money?

- Which city has a higher sales tax?

- Which city is colder in the winter?

- Which city is warmer in the summer?

- Which city is more dangerous?

- In which city are homes more expensive?

- Which city do you think is a better place to live? Do both of you prefer the same city or do you like different cities? Why?

We're back!

Welcome back to computer class. I hope you had a great Memorial Day and I hope you had fun at the Community Fair.

Now that we are back, you are going to finish learning about email. Joanna is going to teach the class how to send messages so that we can use it for some projects. If you already know how to use email, just be patient and do the activities with everyone else. Or you can help your friends if they get confused.

While you wait for Joanna to finish setting up email accounts for the students who were absent during the last class, please go to the first link on the right titled "You Tube". You can search for videos about natural disasters. In the search box, type words like tornado, hurricane, drought, or any other word we studied last week. After you watch a couple of videos, come back to the blog, answer the following questions, and read your friends' comments.

1. What natural disaster did you watch?

2. Where did it happen?

3. Who was in the video?

4. What happened during the video?

5. Have you ever experienced something similar? What happened?

Summer Events

Now that the weather is getting nicer, it's time to think about summer activities. I love to go to parks, festivals, and parades and Chicago has something going on every weekend. So, I'd like you to find 2 or 3 events to go to. Click on the first link on the right and you will go to a the City of Chicago's Special Events website. Use the handout to find some events and then answer the questions on the other side of the paper. After you are finished, come back to the blog and write the answers to the questions so that your classmates can read about the events you want to go to. Also, be sure to read everyone's comments (click on the refresh button to see the new comments).

While you are working on your project, Joanna and Christine are going to help you set up an email account. Then they are going to show you how to use it (if you don't know already).

Have fun!
Robbin

1. What events did you find?

2. Why are they interesting to you?

3. What other information do you want to find out about for having fun in Chicago?

Summer Term

Hi, everyone. Welcome new students and welcome back returning students. I'm very excited to be your teacher this term and the school has some wonderful events planned for you. Of course you are going to study a lot of English, but we are also going to go on 4 field trips to different places around the city and we are going to have a big party at Foster Beach at the end of the term. Chicago is a wonderful city all year around, but it is especially nice in the summer so I will try to keep you informed of special events coming up.

Last week we started the chapter in our book called "An Average American" and now I want you to share with each other what you think an average person from your country is like. Joanna is going to introduce you to how a "blog" works. The program you are looking at right now is called a blog. She is going to demonstrate how to write a comment, read each other's comments, and ask and answer each other's questions. By the way, I am in my office right now, but I can read what you are doing by logging on to the website at the same time you are using it. So don't be surprised if you see a question from me. When you are finished reading this, please let Joanna know so that she can start her lesson.

Have fun and see you in class tomorrow!

Robbin

We're Near the Finish Line!

We are almost finished! This is the last week of Winter Term and we only have 4 more days of classes. We will have one more test (tomorrow), I will meet with each of you to talk about what you should do next term (tomorrow), your groups will meet to finish your projects for International Day (Wednesday), and the party will be on Friday.

You have been a wonderful class and I have enjoyed working with you. I really appreciate how well you have worked together. I have bragged to the other teachers about what a great group you are. All you of you have done good work and your hard work is paying off. I hope you feel like this class has helped you and I wish you the best in the future.

Now, your project today is to answer some questions about International Day and your plans for the summer. Joanna is going to show you how to talk to each other. After you have answered the questions, read each other's entries and ask a question or respond to a question. Remember: you must click on the refresh button to read the latest entry or see if someone asked you a question.

International Day
1. Is your group going to demonstrate a dance? Are you going to bring any music?

2. What kind of objects are you going to put on your table?

3. Describe the food your group is going to bring. Don't just say "chicken". Tell us about it.

4. Is anyone going to wear traditional clothes? What do the clothes look like?

Plans for the Summer
1. What are you going to do next week when we don't have class?

2. What are you going to do this summer (study English, work, take care of your children...)?

3. What is your favorite summer activity?

4. What is the best part about being in Chicago during the summer?

Thanks again for being such a great group. If you are going to finish the program this term, I will miss you and I hope you come back and visit us. If you are going to stay, I look forward to working with you again. Feel free to visit this blog anytime. You can use the grammar, listening, and reading links or you can read the next class's entries.

Take care,
Robbin

Neighborhood Watch

I hope you had a good weekend. The weather is finally getting warmer and Chicago is a wonderful city for outdoor activities. This weekend, I took a long walk around my neighborhood and enjoyed the sunshine. I ended up at a Starbucks and I drank some coffee and read a book.

Chicago is a great city, but like in all big cities, we have to be careful. The picture at the top of the page is for a Neighborhood Watch Program. Is there a program like this in your neighborhood? What do you think this program does?

Please click the Chicago Neighborhood Crime link on the right. Use your handout to complete the activity. After you are finished, answer the following questions.

1. Before you saw this information, did you feel safe in your neighborhood?

2. How do you feel now? The same as before or different? Why?

3. What can you do to make your neighborhood safer?

4. What can you do to make your house safer?

I hope this information didn't scare you. I think that Chicago is no more dangerous than any other large city, but it might help to know what is happening near your house. Chicago is a beautiful city, but let's be careful.

Now you can either type your paragraphs, do a reading or listening activity, go to one of the grammar links, or go to Oxford Picture Dictionary.

Have fun!

Want Ads

Have you ever used a newspaper to find a job? Was the newspaper in English or your language? Today you are going to look at a website that is like the classifieds in a newspaper. You can search many different areas of work such as "Hospitality" or "Administration". Or you can type in the name of a job you are interested in. Do you want to find a job as a waitress? Type the word waitress in the search box. After you finish the job search handout, please answer the following questions.

1. What is the position?
2. What is the name of the company?
3. What are the responsibilities?
4. Is it full-time or part-time?
5. Do you like this job? Why or why not?

Next, you can do a reading exercise by clicking on the CLDP Reading link. There are many readings about jobs. Click on the "Working" picture.

By the way, just like with a newspaper, you can find other things on this website like things that are for sale and apartments for rent. Take some time to look at it.

Resumes

Spring is a good time to start looking for a new job, but you need to be prepared before you start applying. Your resumes look good. Now let's type and print them. After you finish , you can do some reading exercises. If you have extra time, you can do some grammar exercises for tomorrow's test.