This site has been created as a result of our fortunate meeting as participants at the "Advanced Language and ELT Methodology" Course in Oxford, July 2008.
We are teachers of English from different European countries: Germany, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, all beneficiaries of Comenius grants.
This is our way of sharing our experience with other interested teachers and, of course, of keeping in touch with our latest news.
Welcome!

Monday, 11 August 2008

Oana's Top 10 (the rest are invited to contribute with their top 10)

1. The best thing that happened to me: I met great people
2. The most beautiful place I visited: Blenheim Palace
3. The best restaurant: The Grand Cafe (for the atmosphere)
4. The nicest event: "Mamma Mia"-the feature film-Pierce Brosnan
singing
5. The best dish:"Jack potato"-for the novelty
6. The best place to spend your money: Blackwell bookshop
7. The funniest activity: punting
8. The most demoralizing thing: the rainy weather- 1st week
9. The best deal: a Penguin reference books'collection-9.90 pounds
10.The saddest day: the day Monica left-I saw tears

Collocations-example

A great example of how to use authentic materials in teaching collocations:

All of the words in brackets are grammatically possible. Choose the alternative that sounds best in each case, then listen and check.
An Englishman in New York

I don't drink (coffee/alcohol/beer) I take (soft drinks/water/tea) my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my (accent/voice/words) when I (speak/talk/say)
I'm an Englishman in New York.

See me (strolling/running/walking) down Fifth (Road/Avenue/Street)
A walking cane here at my side
I take it (anywhere/everywhere/most places) I walk

I'm an Englishman in New York.
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the (winner/hero/champion) of the (world/hour/day)
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be (yourself/honest/brave) no matter what they (call you/say/do)...


This can be done to any other song, where the teacher chooses the word that forms a collocation adds 2 distractors. Easy, no?