4/02/2016

How Music Saved Venezuela's Children (B2/C1)



Before you watch

Look at the photos above and discuss the questions.

  • Do you play any musical instrument? How long have you played it for?
  • How did you start playing it?
  • What are the advantages of teaching children to play musical instruments? Are there any disadvantages?
  • What is the best age to learn how to play a musical  instrument?
  • Have you ever heard about the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra? If so, what do you know about it?

Reading & speaking

Cut these slips of papers on the different benefits of learning music and give out one to each student. They should read it and try to memorize the main idea.  Play a song and let them move around the class sharing what they've read with their classmates. Then, ask them to go back to their seats and take turn to say what benefits they remember.

http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/twelve-benefits-of-music-education/


Look at the mindmap below. What information do you expect to learn from the video?


Watch

A. Watch and make connections with the images and information in the mindmap. Then, share your findings with the class.


 

Focus on Language


Match up and provide examples related to the video


 

Other Collocations you can use:


An ambitious scheme
Excluded children                         
An unlikely setting   
Amazing results  
Classical music                          

Now, write a short summary of the video, using the collocations above. Then use the mind map again and try retelling the video using the collocations you've learnt.

Sample Summary: 

In the unlikely setting of Venezuela, an ambitious scheme called the 'Sistema' was set up in 1975 by the acclaimed musician José Antonio Abreu. This extraordinary project, utilizing the power of classical music, aimed to fight poverty and have a big effect on the lives of excluded children in the nation. By providing free instruments and lessons through after-school centers, the Sistema successfully kept kids away from drugs and gangs, turning the community into artists. The results were absolutely amazing, with the creation of 30 professional orchestras and the enrollment of approximately 275,000 children in El Sistema schools. At the forefront stood the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, led by Gustavo Dudamel, one of the best conductors in the world.


FOLLOW UP: Choose 3 questions and discuss them in small groups. Then, share your conclusions with the whole group.

  • How does music have the power to transform lives?How does music contribute to emotional well-being and mental health?
  • Can you identify any examples from history or current events where music has been used to inspire social change or promote important causes?

  • How does participating in music-related activities, such as playing an instrument or singing in a choir, enhance personal growth and development?
  • Can you imagine a world without music? How would it be different, and what aspects of human life would be affected?
  • How can small actions or gestures in our daily lives contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable society?
  • In what ways can education and awareness-raising campaigns be effective in promoting social change?
  • How can technology and social media be utilized as powerful tools for mobilizing and organizing social movements?
  • What role does empathy and understanding play in driving social change?
  • How can community involvement and collective action contribute to addressing social issues and creating lasting change?
  • What are some ways individuals can use their skills, talents, or resources to actively contribute to social change in their local communities?
  • What are some challenges or barriers that individuals or groups may face when trying to initiate social change, and how can they be overcome?

3/10/2016

Money buys happiness (B2/ C1)

WARM UP

  • What do you make of the images above?
  • Do you agree with the statement “Money buys happiness”?
  • Would you rather spend your money on yourself or on others?
  • If you spend it on yourself, what kind of things do you prefer to spend it on?
  • If you spend it on others, what kind of things do you prefer to spend it on?

BEFORE YOU WATCH

Match up the collocations


1.     To be in pursuit                 a. end of the day
2.     A correlation                      b. run
3.     To use money to                c. a raise or commission
4.     To be sensitive                  d. source of happiness
5.     To get                                e. of money
6.     To go into                         f. debt
7.     To spend money                g. on yourself/ others
8.     In the long                         h. question
9.     To go                                i. to change
10.    To be the main                 j. our advantage
11.    At the                               k. between money and happiness
12.    A burning                        l. after experiences

WATCH & DISCUSS
  1. What’s the correlation between happiness and money according to the video?
  2. How does making more than U$75.000 impact happiness?
  3. What does the video say about people who win the lottery?
  4. Where does the problem lie according to recent studies?
  5. What happens in teams and organizations?
  6. How important is the way money is spent on others?
  7. How should you spend your money if you decide to spend it on yourself?
  8. What should you do if you have a burning question? 


FOLLOW UP

  


The following language might help you:

  • Money is likely/ unlikely to affect ... as...
  • Having money makes no/ little difference given that ...
  • The lack of money may have a negative effect on... due to the fact that ...
  • Having money has a profound impact on...in the sense that ...
These are some synonyms of the word "Important": Try to use them in your discussion as well:

ESSENTIAL- CRUCIAL- VITAL- IMPERATIVE- PARAMOUNT


 

2/10/2016

Save the World

Before you watch








  • What do the terms in the wordcloud have in common? Choose 5 words and and discuss what you make of them.   
Watch
  •  Watch Video 1. Which of the issues above does the video display?




 Putting two and two together



  • The mindmap above illustrates some environmental problems. Get into pairs and try to explain the connection between some of the terms. Use the expressions below to connect your ideas.

(MAY) LEAD(S) TO/ RESULT(S)IN                             TAKES PLACE WHEN                         
 DUE TO (THE FACT THAT)          OWING TO (THE FACT THAT)               ON ACCOUNT OF (THE FACT THAT)


  • What can people do to address the problems above? Match up the collocations and find out.
                                           

  1. Pose                                      a.our planet
  2. Protect/ safeguard                   b. containers
  3. Reduce                                  c. on foot/ by bike
  4. Avoid emitting                        d. eco/environmentally friendly means of transport / bins
  5. Lead                                      e. of rubbish in landfill sites
  6. Raise                                     f. the amount of non-organic waste/
  7. Take                                      g. litter on the  street
  8. Not dispose                           h. a serious threat TO the environment
  9. Reuse/ recycle                        i. a healthier life
  10. Use                                        j. awareness of environmental issues
  11. Not drop/leave                         k. action (in order to solve a problem)
  12. Travel                                     l.  toxic/ exhaust fumes



  • Now cover the exercise above. How many collocations do you remember?


Watch Video 2

Which of the ideas above are mentioned in the video?



WRITING FOLLOW UP (FCE Level)


  • Read the following essay and fill in the blanks with the vocabulary learnt above.

   
Now, write any of the tasks below and try to use as much vocabulary as possible. Use the essay above for useful vocabulary and expressions.