This challenge was inspired by English language teacher Dave Dodgson.I'll tell you the truth in a week or so.
Useful language:
"Tara, the first one can't be true..."
"I don't believe that you..."
"Number _ sounds like a true/made up story."
"I doubt that you..."
"You're pulling our leg about getting/having..."
"I think you made up ..."
A teacher friend put out a challenge for English language teachers to provide two photos that English learners could use to compare and contrast. Another teacher friend (a member of MyEC) suggested I challenge the MyEC members to take up this challenge. Are you up for the challenge? Here is what you have to do:
1) Open a new blog post.
2) Post two photos that have some similarities. (your own photos please)
3) Use the title Compare and Contrast.
4) Write a few questions for your visitors.
4) Review other Compare and Contrast posts and describe the similarities and differences. (Listen to my sample audio response to Brad's photo challenge. You can leave a written or spoken response to compare and contrast any of the photos uploaded for this challenge.)
Useful language to compare and contrast:
To describe similarities
is similar to
Both
Similarly
in the same way
Likewise
resemblance
On one hand...
To contrast
On the other hand...
Neither
in contrast
Unlike
While
differs from
is not the same
My Photos for Brad's Challenge:
1. What is similar about the pictures?
2. What is different about the pictures?
3. What assumptions can you make about these photographs?
4. What would you like to know about these photographs?
5. What do you think these people did after the photos were taken?
Did you know that today, September 21, is International Day of Peace? Some people call it Peace Day. It's wonderful that a club like MyEC has people from so many countries. There are sometimes arguments about race, religion or politics in the chat room, but for the most part MyEC is a very peaceful place. I have learned so much about different countries from all of you!
Another thing I love about MyEC is hearing the different English accents from all over the world. Many of you have tried using Audioboo this year and I'm so happy to listen to your recordings. Every time you upload your voice, you give others a chance to learn a bit of English.
Today, on Peace Day, I would like to hear your voices. Please join me TODAY by finding a quote about peace. Record your quote using a tool such as Audioboo. After you make your recording, embed it in the comments below. If I get a lot of recordings, I'll compile them into one file for the listening pleasure of the world.
In your recording please include the following:
1) Say your name (or MyEC name) and the country you are from.
2) Read the quote.
3) Read the name of the person who wrote/said the quote. If you don't know the name, say "Anonymous" or "Author unknown".
Here are some places to find quotes on Peace:
Please participate today! It will only take you a few minutes. (Teachers: Please join in and invite your students too.)
Here is my quote:
| "There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in peace. " Kofi Annan |
This month we are going to write about September 11th. As you know, the tenth anniversary is coming up on Sunday.
MyEC is a great place to share our feelings about September 11th because our members are from all over the world. A member from India will have a different memory than a member from North America. We all bring a different perspective to this historic event. Some of you may have been too young to remember the event, and will have different views about it than those who watched it on the news.
Your Task
1) Create a new blog post. Use the title "Writing Challenge #35: My September 11th Memory"
2) Write a paragraph (or more) about your memory of September 11th by answering the following questions:
a) Who were you with on September 11?
b) What were you doing when you heard the news?
c) Where were you when you heard the news? (please include the country as well)
d) How did you feel that day?
e) What is one of your most memorable moments from that day? (If you were too young, ask your parent or sibling and share their memories.)
3) Proofread your paragraph(s) for spelling and usage errors. Use bold to highlight vocabulary or expressions that may help other learners.
4) Publish your post. Share a link to your post in the comments below. Visit other #35 posts and ask your friends questions about that day.
*BONUS challenge (optional): Record your memory using a tool such as Vocaroo or Audioboo.
My Example:
On September 11th, 2001, I was living in Vancouver, Canada. I had taken the bus to the English language school where I taught English conversation and writing to teens and adults. My students were mainly from Japan and Korea, but there were also a few international students from other countries such as Mexico and France.
I had forgotten to bring my coffee with me that morning, so I was downstairs in the lobby of our building having a coffee in the café. There was a very small TV in the coffee shop, and the news was showing something disturbing. I remember thinking there had been a subway accident. Before long, I realized that there was something more serious, but I still couldn't figure out what it was. When I looked at my watch I realized I was going to be late for class. I hurried into the elevator and went up to the school. The students had started to arrive, and many were confused and worried. They knew something major had happened in the US, but they didn't understand what it was. They wanted the managers and teachers to explain the news.
We didn't have a TV set up at the school, so we relied on the managers to find out information for us. The teachers tried to teach as usual, but it was hard to concentrate. Eventually, we had a meeting about it. The events coordinator explained what he knew in simple English. Students were sad and shocked as were teachers. Many students went back to their homestay houses to watch the news.
I spent most of the day worrying about my stepson. He had just moved to the US with his mom and he was starting at a new school that week. It felt like he was so far away. My husband and I made a meeting plan in case anything happened in Canada. We wondered if the world was about to go to war. This is what the journalists were suggesting. We planned to meet at a bookstore nearby if anything happened to prevent us from going home in the days ahead.
One of my most memorable moments of the day was talking to my mother on the phone in Toronto. She was dying of cancer at the time, but was at home that week instead of in the hospital. While everyone else was glued to the TV, my mom seemed uninterested in the news. She was fighting for her own life, and didn't have the energy or spirit to reflect on things like terror or hatred. I think she knew she only had a few more months to live. To her, that was all that mattered.
"Difficult Landing Port"
This week's winning caption was provided by Hardi!
You can participate in Wordless Wednesday on your own blog. Add a new blog post. Upload a picture to your post. Invite your friends to share a caption. Wait a week, then declare a winner! If there's a funny story behind your photo, please share it after all of the captions are posted.
"Unusual Cargo"
Caption submitted by Irina Baburina
Do you want participate in Wordless Wednesday? It's easy. Open a blog post. Title it "Wordless Wednesday". Choose a photo that you took. Invite your MyEC friends to write a caption.
How many of you were members of MyEC when we did Writing Challenge #13? This was a partner challenge. We interviewed a MyEC member. Some of you even interviewed Josef! I interviewed Salim.
Many members have joined since November, 2009. I think it's time to repeat this challenge.
Is there someone in your list who has an interesting story to tell? Does he or she have a unique job, a huge family, an identical twin? Has she climbed a big mountain, traveled the world, or overcome a major difficulty? True life stories are the best stories, and we all have one to tell. This month, put one of your MyEC friends in the spotlight.
Your Task
1) Choose a friend to put in the spotlight. Ask your friend if he/she will answer some questions.
2) Decide on a topic. Can you find an unknown fact about your friend? (Check his or her photos for inspiration.)
3) Write 5 (or so) questions for your friend and send them in a private message. Ask your friend to send you the responses in a private message.
4) Create a new blog post. Use the title: Writing Challenge #34: MyEC Spotlight on -- (member's name). Paste the questions and responses in your blog post.
5) Ask your friend to send you an image to go with your post. Add the image to your post.
6) Publish your post. Share a link to your post in the comments below. Don't forget to leave comments for other writers.
Note
interviewer: the person who writes or asks the questions
interviewee: the person who responds to or answers the questions
BONUS CHALLENGE: Record the questions and answers by using Vocaroo or Audioboo. (Or, record a video chat!)
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My Example: A Spotlight on Expector Smith
MyEC Member: Expector Smith
Country: China
Occupation: Doctor
Motto to live by: Live and Learn
Special role on MyEC: Blog Moderator
Popular Blog Post: Learn to Use Idioms in your Writing
Tara: It is hard to believe you are back in China already! It seems like just yesterday when you shared the exciting news that you were heading to Canada to study at the hospital in Montreal. Did the time go by quickly for you?
Expector: Yes, it did. I wish I could have chosen to stay there longer.
Tara: Can you tell us how you got this opportunity and what you hoped to gain from it?
Expector: The hospital where I work paid for my study in Canada. I hoped to sharpen my surgical and English skills in a developed English-speaking country.
Tara: Tell us one main difference about hospitals in China compared to hospitals in Canada.
Expector: Patients in Canada don't need to pay for their stay in the hospital, while patients here in China need to pay, if they have no medical insurance or their insurance failed to cover all the expenses.
Tara: What surprised you most about Canadians in general?
Expector: They enjoy the summer sunshine so much by lying on the grass (lawn) in the park, while people here seem to avoid the harsh sunlight.
Tara: True, it's rare to see someone walking around with a parasol here in Canada. The winters are too long! What interesting word(s) or phrase did you pick up while you stayed in Canada? Where did you learn it?
Expector: "Monster", which is used to describe a huge tumor. I learned it in the operating room.
Tara: Yikes. I guess that's something you don't like to see. We do tend to use that word to describe anything that is really large. What was the most challenging part about being abroad for an extended period of time?
Expector: Being sick or under the weather.
Tara: This was a particularly bad year for flus in Canada. We had the flu shot, but we still had many colds and flus this year. As you know, Vancouver is my hometown, and home is where the heart is. I miss British Columbia every day and I was so happy to hear you were going to visit the west coast before you returned to China. What did you love most about BC?
Expector: Vancouver is gorgeous, and I hear a lot of rich people live there. To my surprise, I even didn't need to speak English at the airport because there were so many chinese-speaking people, though I wanted to practice English, not Chinese. I love the natural beauty, the fantastic skyline (especially watching from the Stanley Park), and the wonderful weather there.
Tara: I'm glad you got good weather! People have been calling it a "bummer summer" in Vancouver. It's been unseasonably cool and rainy there this year.
If you could have done one thing differently, what would you have changed about your experience?
Expector: I would have stayed with a local English-speaking family rather than a Chinese-speaking one.
Tara: Yes, that would have been great if you could have fully immersed yourself in the language that way. What tip would you give to anyone who is considering visiting or immigrating to Canada? Expector: Visit it in the summer (I don't really like skiing.) Immigrate to Vancouver if you're wealthy, or Toronto if you don't like to speak French, or Montreal if you want to enjoy a fantastic French-speaking city in an English-speaking country.
Tara: Montreal is beautiful. I lived there for five years when I was a child. Okay, I have one more question for you. What is the funniest thing that happened to you in Canada? Did you have an embarrassing moment?
Expector: The funniest thing is I was even allowed to bring my bike with me when I took the metro/subway/underground. I did have an embarrassing moment: I pretended to understand what they were talking about, and responded with something unrelated.
Related posts by Expector
Expector is about to study in Canada
Expector's study experience in Canada: Part 1
Winning caption by Victor: "I look tattered, but be careful, I'm really an ancient Arabic magic carpet. Do you want a ride?"
Note about the image: This is my son's blankie. He calls it "Nana". We think the name came from "night night" but we aren't sure. He doesn't have a grandma named Nana. :) I repair this blanket on a weekly basis. Thanks for all of your fun captions. You gave our family some giggles!
You can participate in Wordless Wednesday by uploading your own picture on a blog. Invite your readers to write a caption for your picture.
This week's winning caption is by the talented caption writer "Forget-me-not":
Those "paparazzi" are really annoying us with their cameras! Could you please respect our little nap?
Do you want to create your own Wordless Wednesday post? Choose a photo to post in your blog. Use the title "Wordless Wednesday". Make sure to use your own photo or one you have permission to use.
Many of you learn English through EnglishClub.com's Weekly News. I have been reporting the world news for many years now. English Club used to have the Monthly News Digest. It had four stories from the previous month. This year we changed the format to a weekly news report. I add one new story every Tuesday.
This year is the most exciting year. Do you know why? A group of MyEC members are using English Club's weekly news for pronunciation practice! If you haven't visited the Audio Speaking Group, be sure to check it out. There is something for everyone in this group. The Be a Newscaster group would love to have you.
But, let's get back to writing! This month, we are going to use the Weekly News as a model. You are going to write your own news reports and questions.
Your Task:
1) Visit EnglishClub.com's weekly news. Take note of the format of the news.
2) Choose a recent news story. (It can be about your town or country! It can be wacky.)
3) Read at least three sources of the news story. (These can be in your native language.)
4) Write a news report in your own words (in English). Use less than 200 words. *
5) Choose 3-5 words to define in English from your report. Write your own definitions (no copying).
6) Write a discussion question about your report.
7) Write 3 comprehension questions about your report.
8) Publish your post. Then come back here and leave a link to it. Answer the comprehension and discussion questions from your friends' reports.
*Please, please, please do not copy or translate real news reports or definitions. Use the information and rewrite the report in your own words. If you want, you can even be creative. Write a news report about something on MyEC. Or, write some fictional news. (Let us know that it's not true!)
BONUS: Do you have a microphone? Why not include a recording of your report? If not, ask another member to record your news report. Then add the recording to your blog post.
Please use the following format:
News Headline
word: definition
word: definition
word: definition
News Report
(100-200 words-1 paragraph)
Discussion Question:
Comprehension Questions
1.
2.
3.
My Example: This month I'll direct you to the many samples of the weekly news on EnglishClub.com.
Salim wins this week with the following caption:
The owner of the book has put it aside for his eyes started to hurt , but an unknown voice with a long arm says : "I can't resist taking a look at it "...
"Chutttt, don't tell Tara you saw me here, i don't feel like having my english lesson today !"
[Winner: Forget-me-not. Great caption! This bunny keeps coming back into my yard. Maybe he wants to learn English after all.]
Brad Patterson recently challenged teachers to interview members of their PLN. You remember what a PLN is, don't you? A PLN is a personal learning network. Here is a writing challenge that we did about PLN's. I wrote about a few people from mine. If you don't have a personal learning network, it's time to create one!
I was interviewed by a member of my PLN a few weeks ago. I met Vladka at the IATEFL conference, but we already knew each other from twitter. Twitter is a great place for teachers to meet. We tweet about teaching English in different parts of the world. We also give each other teaching tips and share resources.
Many people took Brad's challenge, and I knew it was my turn to interview someone. I decided to do my interview on twitter. Watch this video to read the interview. You have to watch it in full screen to read the text. (Click on the little box in the bottom right corner, to the left of the word "Screenr" to make it larger.) If you don't recognize the name @kalinagoenglish, you may know my guest as MyEC teacher, Karenne Sylvester.
Have you heard of Seth Godin? He is a blogger with a huge fan base. People enjoy his style of writing and his mission to motivate. He wants people to be doers.
Seth Godin has great advice for business people, marketers, and anyone who has a creative idea. Why is Seth Godin a good model for bloggers? He carefully chooses every word.
For this month's writing challenge, we are going to work on a writing skill called paraphrasing. We are going to borrow some of Seth's blog posts to practise this skill. When you paraphrase, you put someone else's writing into your own words. You explain or clarify the text that you read by rewriting it. It is best to use a different format than the original. Paraphrasing helps you avoid plagiarizing.
Your Task
2) Choose a post that interests you. Look through the archives to find one at your reading level. Some are short and simple and others are longer and more detailed.
3) Read the post you chose a number of times. Then close the post. (Try not to look at it as you write.)
4) Create a new blog post called "Writing Challenge #32: Paraphrasing Seth"
5) Write some important points from Seth's blog in your own words. Don't use the same format as Seth. You can paraphrase Seth by writing a list, a letter, an essay, a paragraph, etc. (In other words, if Seth wrote a list, don't paraphrase as a list.)
6) Include your source. (See my example.)
7) After you post your challenge, come back here and leave a link to your post.
*If you borrow any exact wording from Seth, use "quotation marks".
Paraphrasing checklist. Did you......?
My Example: Paraphrasing Seth
Which came first the library or the librarian?
In a recent blog post, book lover Seth Godin took an in depth look at the past and future of libraries. To paraphrase, there was a time, long ago, when only wealthy people could afford books. Over the years, libraries made it possible for the average person to have access to reading materials. Today, the library is undergoing a huge change. Publishing is moving to digital platforms. What this means is, some of the books on library shelves are beginning to gather dust. This is especially true for educational materials. Information changes so quickly, and eBooks are the latest rage. Will libraries and librarians become obsolete in the digital age? Seth hopes not.
According to Seth, the library of the future will be a place where ...
Look at it this way. We'll still have libraries, they'll just be more connected to real information, and the people who run them will be some of the most tech savvy people you know. (Let's hope.)
"When kids go to the mall instead of the library, it's not that the mall won, it's that the library lost." Seth Godin
Source:
Godin, Seth Seth's Blog [Internet]. New York. May 16, 2011 - [cited June 10, 2011] Available from http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/05/the-future-of-the-library.html
(Above is an example of a formal citation. Use this for academic purposes. The source below is fine for MyEC purposes.)
Seth's Blog: The future of the library (May 16, 2011)
4 Suggested Seth Posts (If you can't choose your own.)
Buying an Education or Buying a Brand
Useful phrases when paraphrasing
Basically
In other words
As (author name) mentioned/said/put it/wrote
To sum up
As I see it
What he/she means is
In short
Think of it/look at it this way
Note: This month's writing challenge was inspired by a teacher friend named Tyson Seburn. He practises paraphrasing with his advanced students. I enjoyed his presentation at a recent online conference.
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY WINNER: Ranu who wrote: "This little girl is a future scientist. So she says (the caption):
"Do you know that there are more than 100 products made from pork?"
I chose this one because this is something she would probably say. This kid knows far too many facts for her age because she memorizes every word she reads!
Did anyone watch Oprah's final show? I did. I even took a picture of my TV to capture the final moment. The only TV show I missed when I spent a year without TV was Oprah.
Why did I miss Oprah last year, and why will I miss her in the years to come? I used to think it was because Oprah offered a mini break from life. At 4:00 PM, for many years, I took a break from school, work, or motherhood to relax in front of the TV. A few weeks ago, my husband hooked our TV back up for the NHL hockey playoffs (The Vancouver Canucks are going to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 17 years!). Little did he know there would be an added bonus for me. During the past week, I was able to catch a few of Oprah's final shows. Today I realized The Oprah Show was more than just an hour for me to unwind in front of a screen.
I love stories. I enjoy reading novels and children's stories, but most of all I love hearing true stories. Many of Oprah's guests told inspiring stories. I'll never forget the story about a woman who walked for hours each day just to get fresh water. It reminded me of how difficult I thought it was to carry the heavy water jug to our campsite when I was a kid. I also loved the story about the woman from Africa who buried her wishes under a rock. She believed they'd come true, and they did. Have you tried this trick yet? For 25 years, Oprah's guests shared stories that inspired viewers around the world. As Oprah said in her final farewell today, her show was a platform where humans felt safe enough to share the stories from their lives.
My favourite part of the farewell show today was when Oprah showed a picture of a sign in her studio. It was inspired by Jill Bolte Taylor, a guest I'll never forget. This brain specialist had a stroke and lived to tell about how it changed her life. This is what Oprah's sign says:
"Please take responsibility for the energy you bring to this space."
This got me thinking about MyEC. The members who bring positive energy to MyEC get the most out of it. They tell their stories through pictures, videos, blog posts, and comments. And just like Oprah said, they get back what they put in. They work hard on building friendships. They help others who have a question or concern. In return, they make friends from around the world and improve their English skills.
If you stumbled across this post today, I hope you will be one of those members who brings positive energy to our club. Thanks for everything you do to make MyEC a fun, energetic, and safe place to practise English and share stories with the world!
I'll miss you Oprah. Thank goodness we have TED to take your place!
If you were an Oprah fan like me, what was your favourite show?
Have you tried out Fotobabble yet? This is a fun tool for talking about pictures. You need to have a microphone to use it.
The Fotobabble team has had its eye on MyEC since we began playing Fotobabble tag. Yesterday, they contacted me and invited us to test out their new feature: Fotobabble Slideshows.
Will you help me test it out?
Find more videos like this on EnglishClub.com
This is what you need to do:
1) Choose a blog post on MyEC that meant a lot to you! It can be yours or a friends. Take a screenshot of the blog post. (If you can't take a screenshot, send me the link and I'll take one for you and send it back to you. Be sure to include the URL of the blog post you want to pick.)
2. Go to Fotobabble.com. Sign up if you don't have an account. It's FREE.
3. Upload your screenshot of the MyEC blog post that meant a lot to you.
4. Record yourself talking about the blog post. (Click "Allow" microphone. Watch the orange bar. You don't have too long to talk about it. Make it short and sweet. Be sure to include the name of the writer.)
5. Tag your Fotobabble: MyECblog (no space) *This is very important. You must do this to have your Fotobabble added to our slideshow.
6. Give your Fotobabble a title.
7. Come back to this post and let me know that you have created a Fotobabble for the MyEC Blog Slideshow.
Let's see how it works. Let me know if you have any questions. Here is my example:Expector Smith's Tribute
Note: If you want to share your Fotobabble ahead of time, simply create a new blog post. Embed your Fotobabble. Use the Title: MyEC Blog Fotobabble Slideshow. Be sure to tell your friends and link to the instructions here.Have you seen the beautiful welcome messages that some members of our Welcoming Committee have created? These members create their own images and text to place on the walls of new members. Ali inspired many members to do this. These messages sometimes include useful links. I am so thankful for the members who take the time to do this good deed. It means so much!
Here is a new MyEC challenge for you inspired by Ali: Create your own MyEC Welcome Message
Your Task
1) Create a unique welcome message for new members. Use an image (that you own or created) and a short amount of text. Include a few helpful links.
2) Add a new blog post. Use the name Ali's MyEC Welcome Message Challenge as your title.
3) Share the image/badge that you created and write the text and links. Publish your post.
4) Go to the Welcoming Committee group and share a link to your post. If you are not a member, join the group. If you do not want to be a member, leave a link to your post in the comments below.
6) Welcome at least 5 new members by using your Welcome Message. Be sure to personalize your message slightly each time (especially the member's name). This will prevent the auto anti-spam system from incorrectly locking you out.
Note: Please use an image you took yourself, or one that you have permission to use or that you created with an online tool. If you need an editing program, try Picnik. You can also ask the experts to share their secrets.
Hi , ___(name)
Here are some helpful links for newbies to get you started:
MyEC User Guide
Tech Help (Browse through before posting new)
Audio Speaking Group
Cheers,
Tara
