Englishat8

RESULTS IMPORTANT INFORMATION

2008-01-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Hi,
Firstly I have finished calculating your marks. I have just realised though that you cannot see them yet because I have to go tomorrow to the Serviços Académicos to "sign for them" and only then can they be published. If you want to know today, send me an email. (Though I will be out taking my children to Evil Machines in the afternoon as my reward for finishing on time!!).

Perhaps the most comforting information for some of you is that NOBODY WHO DID ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS HAS FAILED. In other words, everybody has got 10 or more as their final results. Not the students who dropped out along the way, of course...

This means that nobody needs to do an Exame de Recurso (a second chance exam for those with 8 or 9).

There are Melhoria Exams on Friday 11 February 10.00 -12.00 in Room 1.05

Basically you do a written test and get a mark. If it is the same or lower than your end of semester mark, you keep that. If better, you get a new mark. It is normally quite hard to get a better mark so I would only do this if you feel VERY confident of getting a better mark.

Well done to everybody - even I was not completely sure what "Excel" would tell me, so I am very happy. If you got 10 or a low mark, though, please work hard next semester. This is just the beginning. If you do not have rich parents or lots of cunha, then you must work hard to finish university with high language skills to stand a chance of getting a decent job.

Uncle David signing out!

PS If you want to see a more detailed breakdown of your results, collect any essays, you can talk to me next Friday 8.00 - 10.00 in the computer room T3 on the second floor of the big tower. I am doing exams for another subject but expect to have free time on that day.

End of classes 1

2008-01-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

Today is Friday 25 January. I hope you have all survived the last week of classes and handing in assignments.
Well done to many of you! Your first semester on this course. I have been very pleased with the hard work and dedication of those of you who have lasted to the end. I have a lot of respect for you and wish you well in the future.
Results will be out in the Secretaria Virtual by Monday morning (possibly earlier but just in case)....

If any of you have any "justificações" for missed work e.g. medical certificates, get them in as soon as possible.

If you want to discuss your results, I will be in the Faculty on Friday 1 February from 08.00 to 10.00 in T3 (second floor main building, where some of you did Informática para Tradução with me) to do the exames de recurso/melhorias for that course.

If you get less than 8 you have failed the course and will have to try again next time. You can go to B2.2 classes, however, and enrol for that course.
If you get 8 or 9 you are automatically enrolled for the exame de recurso.
You have a written and oral exam, which produces a mark, which is then average against your first mark to produce your final
If you get 10 or more you can do a melhoria. Only consider doing this if you think you are likely to perform substantially better. You get a mark for a written exam. If it is worse or the same as your final semester mark you keep that mark. If it is better, your mark becomes that mark.
David

January 2008

2008-01-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

The last few lessons we will be doing Unit 6 from our textbook.
You can also do Units 1 and 2 at home during the break to keep up your English.

This month you have to do an oral presentation, your last timed essay and an oral in pairs with me. Time is tight, so be prepared to be hurried on.

Please note that if you miss a timed essay, presentation or your oral exam, you will receive zero as a mark for them, unless you submit a valid medical justification for missing the class. I have to produce your results by Monday 28 January so the last chance to send me work is 25 January.

Good luck with everything!

18 December

2007-12-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to write an essay in class. Before that we will finish Unit 4. This means that over Christmas study Units 3, 4 and 5.

Extra grammar
Some of you really, really, really need to buy a book such as Spectrum (Oxford University Press) and practise practise practise. I have indicated who you are but some of you have not been working on your basic grammar sufficiently.

Discursive Essay(s).

I have thought about this and decided the following:
1. You can give me one or two compositions. You decide whether you want to practise one or both models.
2. You can give me the work EITHER on 20 December or 3 January. In other words, if you think you will miss the class on 3 January, give me the work now.
3. You have a timed discursive essay on 15 January. I need to have time to mark your essays to get them back to you.

Book
You have to read a book in English and be prepared to talk about it in an oral. These will take place on 22 January and 24 January, in pairs.

Presentation.
I want you to give a presentation on a subject of cultural interest to yourselves.
These will take place on 8 10 15 (part) and 22 January (part).
You can do this by yourself or with a partner. Minimum five minutes per person (your work, not just reading a page from the internet or pressing play on a DVD).
You must give me an indication of what you want to do before Christams or email me during Christmas.

So lots of work, but that is why we are here (I hope!).

BTW some of your narratives were fantastic. Publish them on Maria's blog! You do not need me to do that!
David

Theatre in English The Virtuoso

2007-12-03T23:38:00.001-08:00

Last week in class we agreed that the day to go to the theatre would be this Saturday, 8 December.
Let's meet at 8.30 p.m. at the Casa do Artista, near the ticket office inside. Starts at 9 but tell yourself 8.30!

If you come by car, there is a parking area inside.
The Carnide metro is very close. Come out and cross the street.

Estrada da Pontinha 7 Phone: 96 251 93 60

If you want to bring a friend, grandmother, boyfriend (just one, though....) please do so!

See you on Saturday.

Composition in class

2007-12-03T23:37:00.001-08:00

There will be a composition to be written in the class of 18 December. It will be a narrative. I will give you back your homeworks on 13 December so you can prepare.

Worker students should send me an email if they have a problem with this. Although you do not have to attend classes, you have to do evaulation tasks and this is one carried out in class. David

Composition for Homework

2007-12-03T23:33:00.000-08:00

I have set a narrative homework. There is a list of titles to get from me.
Minimum 250 words. No maximum (well, within reason).
Deadline: Tuesday 11 December.

Theatre in English

2007-11-12T15:33:00.001-08:00

The Lisbon Players are a theatre group who present plays in English. Normally in Estrela Hall, but as it is being repaired, their first performance this season in at the Teatro Armando Cortez.
Shall we go???

The Lisbon Players present
THE VIRTUOSO at
Teatro Armando Cortez ~ Casa do Artista!

Thursday, Friday & Saturday - 9:00pm
November 22, 23, 24
& 29, 30December 1,
6, 7, 8 &
13, 14, 15

"Science has never been quite so sexy before..." as The Lisbon Players opens its 2007-2008 Season with The Virtuoso, an irreverent, saucy comedy in English by Thomas Shadwell.

The Virtuoso, a Restoration comedy written in 1676, is a high-spirited satire on scientific pretensions and impossible sexual predicaments.

Based upon early ticket sales patrons are urged to make their reservations as soon as possible.

Casa do Artista, located near the Centro Comercial Colombo shopping centre at Estrada da Pontinha 7, has ample parking and is easily accessible at the Carnide station on the Metro Blue line (Carnide exit.)
For more information on Teatro Armando Cortez - Casa do Artista, please visithttp://www.casadoartista.net/

Due to the sexual content of The Virtuoso, The Lisbon Players do not recommend this production for children under the age of 16.The VirtuosoAuditório Armando Cortez - Casa do Artista

Lesson 8 November

2007-11-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

In this lesson we started by doing a writing review exercise (ex 1. page 83) of our exercise book, using patterns similar to the one we practised to learn how to write a review.

We studied ever word s(ex: wherever; whatever; whenever) just take a look at page 48 of our book. David also then showed us an extract from the American series of "The Office" where they discussed whomever.

We also by writing down three adjectives to describe various nationalities. We then talked about racism and stereotyping.

(Summary by Nelson)

PS These are the words we chose to describe the nationalities

The Spanish are: selfish noisy romantic ugly stubborn traditional talkative amazing cheerful religious culturally endowed

Italians are relaxed noisy funny pretty fashionable bad drivers expressive melodic culturally rich football mad romantic

The English are: punctual practical kind traditional polite hectic aggressive sarcastic pleasant humorous

Americans are: fat arrogant selfish rude overproud uneducated boastful imperialistic drunk
noisy

Germans are: strict creative clever beer rinkers organised nationalistic tough tall open-minded

The French are: arrogant snobbish artistic talkative arrogant imaginative dirty friendly elegant untidy omantic good kissers good actors

The Portuguese are: sad naive friendly lazy selfless burocratic frustrated sexist sweet nostalgic
beautiful

True or stereotypes?????

Lesson 7 November

2007-11-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

In this lesson we looked at Unit5D Bookworm and listened to the material on Oprah Winfrey and also did more language work on Past Tenses, including looking at pages 54 and 55.

Writing a review

2007-11-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

Please write a review of a book, CD, concert etc. Write a minimum of around 250 words. Follow the model we studied in class (see page 130 of your coursebook). This work should be given to me by 20 November latest.
Please note that this must be your work - do not be tempted to take an existing review off the Internet, because I will know.

Creative Writing Workshop

2007-10-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

There is a workshop on Creative Writing by Bruce Holland Rogers, an American writer, next week.
Thursday 8th November 16.00 Room T11
Please note that many teachers will probably not be teaching at that time as there is a conference taking place on that day.
I know a lot of you enjoy creative writing, so this is a good chance to get some tips!!

First Homework

2007-10-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

Task: Please look at the post introducing myself and my children. Write a similar post and include a picture. This will be put on to this blog i.e. it will be a public document.
Around 200 - 250 words Last date: 30 October

Previous tasks: You should be now have written in class.
I gave these back and asked some of you to correct them and give me them back. Don't forget to do this.

Diary. I have encouraged those of you who are weak to buy a book and keep a diary every week. This is not an option if you want to pass!

Creative writing. Maria in the class has kindly set up our blog for being creative. The address is http://englishclass8.blogspot.com and you can put any writing in English there, or any photography or art....
Just remember that contributions are to be in English (nothing against Portuguese of course but you could do that somewhere elese), and that we have to respect each other and not be rude to each other's contributions. Be positive!

Also look carefully for posted links. And don't forget delicious - I will explain.

October 18

2007-10-17T16:26:00.001-07:00

Dear students,
As you know my name is David Hardisty and I am your English teacher in your first semester here. I am really enjoying this and hope I can help you.
Let me say a bit more about myself. Well, here am I last year with my children Maria Ana and Filipe. We are 50, 8 and 5 (no prizes for matching the ages with the people...). I have two adorable children (how do you say pai babado in English?) - I won the lottery when children were given out (and I am always interested to know any babysitters amongst my students).

We live in Telheiras, though not always in the same house (which means...) and go to our different schools in the morning. When I am not teaching I like cooking (in case you haven't noticed :) ). I also play the guitar and had a band until very recently (musicians also welcome). I hope we all get to know each other soon and form a good class unit.

I really enjoying teaching and hope you enjoy learning! I also hope you understand why I may seem a little frenetic in these first few lessons! At first I will be tryng to get us to work in English. I believe in enjoying ourselves in class as we work hard. Please could you send an introduction to yourself and a photo so I can add it to the blog. If you have a gmail or hotmail email I think I can add you to the list of owners of this blog.
David
PS Send your emails to David.Hardisty@netcabo.pt

Englishateight

2007-09-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. This is going to be our class blog.

1. Hello, my name is David Hardisty and I am the teacher and my email address is David.Hardisty@netcabo.pt

2. Each English class has thirty students maximum. On the first day there were 13 students who had registed for the class online and another eighteen students appeared. This in my mind means the class is now full with these students. I have asked to confirm this with the head of the Section.

3. If you are a worker student you still have to do the work I set DURING the semester in the time allowed. If in doubt get in touch with me.

Next Tuesday you are going to do some writing in class. No mark will be given for this but it is important that you come, so I can see your level. I will also be selling the coursebooks (two - one 24 euros and one 15 euros). Please bring the money on that date.

See you in class
David