LUISS Business School Lesson 2 Recruiting Project

Lesson 2
(1) The nature of fast connected speech continued. "Chunking"for presentations. http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442648/Pronunciation
(2) Recruitment Project
Language Leader Advanced (Longman) Unit 1.5 
A. Self Awareness - Qualities and Skills 
B. Covering Letters:

• Listening Task - advice on covering letters
• Structural and language features of covering letters
• Planning and writing

C. Internship Ideas:
Look at the descriptions what skills/qualities are needed?
Marketing: http://internships-uk.com/job/marketing-internship/
*SEO search engine optimisation
Project Management:http://www.indeed.co.uk/viewjob?jk=81abf180433004e0&q=Project+Manager+Paid+Internship&from=ifa&utm_source=publisher&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=newifa
Human Resources: http://targetjobs.co.uk/employer-hubs/unilever/347562-human-resources-industrial-placements

Homework:
1. Finish your letter and bring it to our final class on 13th June.
2. Reading:
What do you know about the directors P.T. Anderson and Quentin Tarantino? What films of theirs have you seen? How would you describe them based on their work or what you know about them?
Reading http://www.forbes.com/sites/netapp/2014/05/05/tarantino-anderson-recruiting/
What are the 5 tips that they give in the article?
How can you apply this advice to your own job hunting or interview technique?

If There Were Only 100 People In The World ...

Thanks to http://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/05/the-world-as-100-people/ for the info graphic. Click on the image to enlarge.

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 4

Lesson 4
Listening for (1) comprehension (2) language features (vocabulary and grammar)
Business Advantage p.11

• The Competitive Environment in Sport and Business
• Monopolies, oligopolies and perfect competition

Notes:

Company Law A merger takes place when one company is absorbed into another company.

A+ B = A (A is the acquiring company and survives, B is the acquired company and disappears).

In a consolidation both companies (A & B) disappear, and a new company C is formed: A + B = C.

Key Vocabulary: 

take over bid/tender offer (U.S.) = acquiring company makes a public invitation to shareholders of the target company, 

hostile/friendly takeovers (the latter is supported by the management of the target company, the former is not) 

Competition Law 

Merger Regulation

Barriers to entry

Price fixing (illegal)

Predatory pricing (illegal) 

Homework:

p.11 question 3

Going Further:

(1) Sport and Business: What are the the different views of competitive sport presented in the following films?

Moneyball (2011)

Next Goal Wins (2014)

(2) English Tenses and Thinking in English 

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41658221/English%20Grammar%20and%20Thinking%20in%20English

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442655/The%20English%20Tense%20System

For Economics Students - Follow-up Reading on Inequality

This week the Equality Trust has posted a number of interesting articles on the issue of inequality. Read them by going to the links below:

• Inequality & the immigration debate following the European elections: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2014/05/structural-inequality-not-immigration-is-the-uks-problem/

• Inequality in New Zealand - follow-up on the Mind the Gap video http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/news/new-zealand-and-spirit-level

• Policy or Capitalism - who's to blame? http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/8eb5e942-e49d-11e3-894f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz32vFBks7x

Pronunciation! For All Students.

On social media recently, I have come across the following memes about pronunciation. What does the first tell you about the New Zealand (Kiwi) accent and what does the poem tell you about English pronunciation in general?

LUISS Business School B2/C1 Lesson 1

Lesson 1
Class

• Goal Setting - the 4 keys to success
• Vocabulary Strategies http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41184334/Vocabulary
• Reading http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/may/18/classrooms-film-editing-teaching-job-media-studies-teacher
• Listening Strategies - Coping with fast connected speech/Learning grammar through listening - The Third Conditional  http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32174148/Conditionals%20and%20Pronunciation

Error Correction
Word Forms & Suffixes: difficult (adjective), difficulty (noun)
False Friends: company/society, vocabulary/dictionary
Countable & Uncountable Nouns: information, advice, evidence, proof etc. 
Tenses: I have been graduated last year.  I graduated last year (present perfect versus past simple, active versus passive)

Homework/Self Study Suggestions

• Look at the conditional sentences from the listening exercise again. What were the features of fast connected speech that made them difficult to understand? 
• Vocabulary - remember the 8 x 8 rule
• For more on Conditionals see http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442621/Conditionals or practice with the R.E.M. song on the link above
• Conditionals through song

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 3

Lesson 3
Class
(1) Listening Strategies - listening for comprehension, listening to learn vocabulary and grammatical structure
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/37875566/Listening%20Skills
(2) What makes listening difficult - the features of fast connected speech (elision, intrusive sounds, strong vowel sounds becoming weak in unstressed syllables)
(3) Listening exercise with the third conditional http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32174148/Conditionals%20and%20Pronunciation

Homework/Follow Up

• Do the R.E.M. listening exercise on the link above
• For notes, examples and exercises on conditional forms in English see: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442621/Conditionals
• Noticing conditional forms in pop music http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/77337743/Conditionals%20In%20Song

Listening Practice - Small Talk 11th April - How Songs Can Help Your English

Here is another episode from the weekly radio programme Small Talk which is broadcast every Friday at 1pm on Radio Stella Città. We talk about the recent Franz Ferdinand concert in Milan and how you can use song lyrics to help you with your English. We also discuss The Glamour of Italian Fashion exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum and marriage equality in Italy. With music from The Cure, De La Soul, The Screaming Meemees, Abiku and Elton John.

Keep Your English Up With Listening

As I mentioned to many of you in your tutorials, the best way to maintain (and improve) your level is to listen to "real" English frequently. Here are two podcasts from the Small Talk programme which I co-host every Friday on Radio Stella Città. On the broadcast from 11th March we discuss how poetry can help you learn English and listen to music from Jo Hamilton, Saint Etienne, k.d. lang and Nick Drake. The broadcast from 2nd May previews the new Pixies album Indie Cindy and pays tribute to the great British character actor, Bob Hoskins. If you enjoy the programme then you can listen to more episodes on the Radio Stella Youtube Channel .

British Council at the LUISS - Final Results

Dear Students,

I have just finished adding all your grades to the British Council website and this information will be sent on to the university next week. Yes, it's true, teachers don't have weekends. If you did not attend a tutorial this week to receive your results in person, then you will receive a personal email from me in the next couple of days which will contain your 4 assessment marks and your final grade as well as some advice for your future development. Please take some time to read what I have to say (don't just look at the grades) and reflect. If your results are disappointing, then think about what you need to do to turn today's set back into tomorrow's step forward.

Best of luck in your university exams,
Sean

Small Talk Today at 1pm

Don't know a strike from a spare? Then join us today on Small Talk on Radio Stella Città FM 101.2 at 1pm (CET) where we'll be talking Bowling (not Bowls) and British culture aswell as listening to new tracks from Natalie Merchant, Brian Eno and Karl Hyde and the remastered rerelease of the Grace Jones classic Nightclubbing.


Listen on line at http://www.radiostellacitta.it/

For Economics Students

Here is an interesting article from The New Zealand Herald this week, following on from the Mind the Gap documentary and our work on income inequality.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11253734

Professors Pickett (left) and Wilkinson (right),
authors of The Spirit Level, will be speaking in Auckland next week.

English Courses At The LUISS - Last Call For Self Study!

Dear Students,

If you haven't attended a tutorial this week, you have until 5pm tomorrow (Friday 16th) to submit your self study for grading. Remember this is worth 25% of your final grade!

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 2

Lesson 2

Vocabulary Learning
Even though last week's reading was quite challenging, it is good to practise with authentic material. Some of the vocabulary features to note are:
Idioms: to beaver away (at something) = to work diligently on something, to wiggle out of something = to avoid doing something/to get out of an obligation/avoid responsibility for something.
Changing word forms: to green (adjective to verb), a get together (phrasal verb to noun)
Lexical Set/Mind Map
An obvious lexical set/mind map is The Shipping Industry:
Vessel, Tanker, Cruise Ship
Cabin
Ship-owners
Shipbuilders
Marine Financiers
(fuel efficient) ship design
Global shipping trade. 

Class
Business Advantage Unit 1, Competitive Environment - Introduction/Sport as Metaphor p. 10 - 11

Hillary Swank in Million Dollar Baby

New Vocabulary
Monopoly, oligopoly, natural monopoly, perfect competition, business environment
To take it on the chin, to touch base, to kick off, score an own goal, the ball's in (his/her/their/your) court.
to marginalise
upheaval
unemployment
basic necessities
cost of living

Corrections
think to about
depends to on
I am not agree don't agree/disagree
n.b. the difference between hard and hardly
hard (adjective and adverb) = difficult/with great force/effort - I work hard/It's hard work.
hardly (adverb) = scarcely, barely, only just, slightly - By the time we got to the buffet table, there was hardly anything left. 

Homework
Work on learning the new vocabulary from today - remember the 8 x 8 rule
Have a look at the DVD which came with your textbook and do some more listening practice.

GPIV Lesson 10 Groups 1 and 3

Lesson 10
Negotiating an out of court settlement (Speaking Assessment)
For extra notes and phrases on negotiating see:
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41183559/Negotiations%20-%20Advanced%20Features
Getting a law job
Common interview questions and roleplay

Corrections
Pronunciation - depth
False Friends - company/society, sentence/judgment
Verb Structure - ask to the client
Conutable/Uncounable Nouns - informations, advices

Homework
Next week is not a regular lesson but a tutorial by appointment. If you have not already signed up for a time, contact me this week and I will fit you into one of the remaining slots.

In your interview we will talk about your progress this term and roleplay an internship/law job interview.

Go to one of the following websites and choose an internship position that interests you and that you could realistically apply for now. Print off the details and bring them with you to class next week. In your tutorial we will talk about how you could present and promote yourself in an interview for this position.  You could look at websites that specialise in interships with law firms in the U.S. or U.K., Corporations such as http://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/why-goldman-sachs/our-divisions/legal/positions/interns.html 
or an International organisation (e.g. the WHO offers both an internship
http://www.who.int/employment/internship/en/ and junior professional programmehttp://www.who.int/employment/jpo/en/ 

Small Talk Today at 1pm - Grammar & Food

On today's programme we will be discussing grammar, the Bad Grammar Awards and how important good grammar is. For two differing opinions on the Bad Grammar Awards see the following blog posts from Hadley Freeman and Harry Ritchie.

Have you ever been grammared?

The music this week will be from the most tastiest new album by Kelis, "Food"

Below: Kelis talks about "Food" and music (she is both a sauce maker and R & B singer/songwriter).

Small Talk airs every Friday at 1pm on Radio Stella Città 101.2 FM or you can listen on line at http://www.radiostellacitta.it

Preparing For Your Tutorial 13th - 17th May

The course isn't over with the test. There is still one more, very important lesson to go and the attitude, insights and work you present during your private tutorial could mean the difference between you going on to the next module or repeating the course again. For example, imagine you sit the progress test this week and you are not happy. You find it too hard or you feel you are unprepared. Don't just wait for your bad result and expect to fail. Think about where you went wrong. Revisit the areas you found difficult - in your notes, in the text book or on the internet and come prepared to talk about this in your tutorial. Your teacher can help you - especially if you are the kind of student who has difficulty doing or preparing for written tests.

You can also prepare for your tutorial next week by thinking about the following questions:

• What have you learnt this semester?
• What areas have you improved?
• What areas do you still need to improve on?
• How are you going to improve your English when the course is finished?

The tutorial is your last chance to hand in or do any course work for final marking (e.g. essays, reports, presentations, speaking assessments or progress tests). You will also be asked to present your self study blog/folder/notebook and talk about the ways you have tried to improve your English independently this term.

GPII B2+2 Groups 8 and 15 Lesson 10

Lesson 10
Progress Test
Listening
Reading
Units 3 and 7
Legal English
Homework
(1) Prepare your self study folder/notebook/blog for grading see http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/63767935/Self%20Study for what it should include.
(2) Prepare for your tutorial


Group 8:
In next week's lesson Francesco will have the chance to do the writing assessment. It takes 40 minutes so arrive promptly at 11:30am  and I will fit in your tutorials afterwards.

Gianpiero you can do the progress test which you missed today.

ECII B2+2 Groups 1 and 10 Lesson 11

Lesson 11
Progress Test
(1) Business and Economics Unit 11 Vocabulary, Functional Language & Grammar
(2) General Skills

• listening
• reading
• vocabulary and collocation
• modals, tenses and verb structure

Homework

(1) Prepare your self study folder/notebook/blog for grading see http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/63767935/Self%20Study for what it should include.

(2) Prepare for your tutorial 

Group 1

Next week Giuseppe, Sara C, Andrea B and Giulio will have a chance to complete the writing assessment and Michele will have the opportunity to give his presentation. 

Group 10

Sara V will have a chance to complete the writing assessment. Niccolò and Paolo you will have an opportunity to do the progress test. 

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 1

Lesson 1
Goal Setting and Needs Analysis
Keys to Success
Vocabulary Strategies http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41184334/Vocabulary

Homework
Read the article Will embracing green technology help sustainability in the shipping world?
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/green-technology-shipping-world
(1) Look at the title of the article above – What do you think the article will be about? What  issues will it discuss?
(2) Quickly read the article to get the main idea. Don’t worry about words you don’t know at this stage. Can you summarise the article in 1 – 2 sentences?
(3) Scan the article and note down any new vocabulary (pay particular attention to verb structures and collocation). Remember 8 x 8.
(4) Put the vocabulary you have found into a mind map or lexical set (e.g. The Shipping Industry or Sustainability/Green Technology)

Follow up task: Do you agree with the opinion expressed in the article? Write a response to post in the comments section of the website.

GPII B2+1 Group 1 Lesson 11

Lesson 11
Progress Test

• Reading
• Listening
• Units 1,2,9

Homework

(1) Prepare your self study folder/notebook/blog for grading see http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/63767935/Self%20Study for what it should include.

(2) Prepare for your tutorial 

GPIII Group 12 B2+2 Lesson 11

Lesson 11
Progress Test

• Listening
• Reading
• Units 3 and 7
• Legal English

Homework

(1) Prepare your self study folder/notebook/blog for grading see http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/63767935/Self%20Study for what it should include.

(2) Prepare for your tutorial 

In next week's lesson Giuseppe, David, Ludovica Morgia, Francesco Cursio and Anna Di Giacomo will have the chance to do the writing assessment. It takes 40 minutes so arrive promptly at 11:30am  and I will fit in your tutorials afterwards.

Carolina you can do the progress test which you missed today. 

An Important Message About Tutorials Next Week.

As we discussed at the beginning of the term, every lesson is important. Your final lesson is especially important as it gives you the opportunity to speak directly and privately to your teacher and get valuable personal feedback on your progress. If you have missed an assessment (e.g. essay, presentation or test) it is essential that you attend because this is your last chance to catch up on any work you haven't done. Obviously, the more assessments you have done, the easier it is for me to accurately gauge your progress, so, do make the effort to come to class next week. I shouldn't have to remind you that 70% attendance is obligatory and "going home to study" is not a legitimate excuse for your absence. If you have been absent on more than two occasions this term then you MUST come to the tutorial.

If you really are unable to attend (due to sickness, for example), then please make sure you contact me by email on or before the day of your last lesson. In your email include a link to your blog, Google docs, dropbox file etc , if you have completed your self study digitally, so I can assess your self study grade. If you have been doing your self study in a workbook or in a handwritten notebook or folder, then please include a brief (250 - 300 word) summary of what you have been doing for self study this term in your email. For details on what your self study should include go to: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/63767935/Self%20Study

Also in your email you should discuss the following tutorial questions: 

(1) What have you learnt this term?

(2) What are your strengths and weaknesses?

(3) What are you going to do to maintain/improve your level of English when the course has finished?

The deadline for all assessments, emails and self study is 16th May. Anything received after that date will not be considered towards your final grade.

GPIV Legal English Lesson 9 Groups 1 and 3

3^rd May Lesson 9

Skills focus

Analyzing a set of facts and writing a letter of advice.

Areas of Law

Practice: Company Law – Corporate Governance

Case Study: Contract Law http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/55588522/Contract%20Law%20Case%20Study

Homework: Finish your letter of advice. Invent a name for your client and start it Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms + Surname and end it, Yours sincerely.
Absentees look at the client you have been assigned (see below) and prepare a letter of advice to bring to class next week :
Group 1 Gaia Stefani you are representing Gainsborough Construction
Group 3 Adriano and Giulia Z. you are representing Deep Blue Pools, Francesca S. you are representing Gainsborough Construction.

Key Vocabulary

Corporate governance

Proxy fight – target company, acquiring company

To second guess

Legal English Expressions

The law on this point

To file an action/suit … alleging

To seek to set aside

On the grounds that

To be held at such time… as … not later than

At the discretion of

The provision for

The ensuing year

The law in this jurisdiction

Cases or interpretation of this law

Precludes the holding of

The statutes give wide leeway

On the part of

Gaining representation

To take into consideration

To hold that

Improperly

To violate a statute or bylaw

An obligation/duty  to act in good faith

An appellate body

(Court)step in and overturn a decision

Justify court action

To prevail
Only where/Under no circumstances /Hardly/Not only …. Will a court step in (Following these expressions we invert the subject and auxiliary as we would in a question)

Listening Practice: Small Talk - Today at 1pm

Rock out this lunchtime with Small Talk as we celebrate the release of Indie Cindy, the first album from the Pixies in 23 years. Also we look at what's on this weekend for Anglophiles in Lazio and pay tribute to the late Bob Hoskins. Tune in at 1pm (CET) today on Radio Stella Città FM 101.2 or listen on line here: http://www.radiostellacitta.it/

Listening tests next week so why not practise today?