Merry Christmas!

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my students a very Merry Christmas!

To get you into the festive spirit, here is the latest podcast from The Allusionist entitled Dear Santa.

Listen here: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/dear-santa

Read the transcript here: https://www.theallusionist.org/transcripts/dear-santa

ANIA 2018: Lesson 26 B2 (Thursday)

Lesson 26
B2 2:00pm
Class

1. Speaking Skills - Barcelona, Holiday Plans
2. Vocabulary - Family Relationships, Holidays
3. Error Correction

Vocabulary

Family Relationships

mother/father in law

sister/brother in law

the in laws

niece

nephew

Holidays

24/12 Christmas Eve

25/12 Christmas Day

26/12 Boxing Day

How did Boxing Day get its name? See: https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-boxing-day-435060

31/12 New Year's Eve

1/1 New Year's Day

General Vocabulary/Corrections

to stay put

to get lost

to fall in love with

my local (bar/pub)

multi-cultural

Grazie ANIA!

Today was a truly gratifying moment in my career as a teacher. Your send off took me completely by surprise and genuinely moved me. Your generosity astounds me and I especially appreciate the thought and effort that went into the card. You have been listening to my pop culture witterings after all!

So here is a quiz for you. Taken from designer Stephen Wildish's Film Alphabet series. Can you name all the 1970s films in the poster below?

Answers here: https://firewireblog.com/2012/01/09/1970%E2%80%B2s-film-alphabet-poster-that-quizzes-your-1970s-movie-knowledge/

ANIA 2018: Lesson 26 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 26 
12:30pm C1
Class
Formative Assessment - Listening
(All page references are to Advanced Expert)

• Part 1 - Short Extracts (p. 156)
• Part 2 - Sentence Completion (p.15)
• Part 3 - Multiple Choice (p. 34)
• Part 4 - Multiple Matching (p.159)

2:00pm C2

Class

Feedback & Feedforward 

ANIA 2018: Lesson 26 B2 & C1 (Monday)

Lesson 26 
(Final lesson for 2018)

12:30pm B2
Class
(1) Reflection on year's progress.
(2) Future aims: developing vocabulary & listening skills.

Going Further
(1) Listening: More or Less: How many words do you need to speak a language? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06bv4lt
(2) Viewing/Listening:
Hans Rosling The Joy of Stats (BBC)

(3) Recommended Reading:
Hans Rosling Factfulness
https://www.gapminder.org/factfulness-book/

2:00pm C2
Class
(1) Listening Skills - A New Way To See Graffiti
https://www.dw.com/en/inside-europe-a-new-way-to-see-graffiti/av-46312777
(2) Error Correction - Formative Assessment

Vocabulary
fernweh = wanderlust

schadenfreude 

Expressions
tall poppy syndrome
to get on with (something)  (compare: to get on with someone)
to shake your head in (+ negative noun e.g. disgust, disappointment, shame)
to be glued to (your phone/the tv/the screen)
to turn your hand to something
to play/beat someone at their own game

Going Further:
Found In Translation
https://www.behance.net/gallery/9633585/Found-In-Translation

ANIA 2018: Lesson 25 B2 (Thursday)

Lesson 25
2:00pm B2
Class

1. Discussion - ANIA Foundation Street Health Promotion 
2. Listening Skills - Branding/Address to staff at a hotel/Persuasive communication (Business Advantage p.96)

Vocabulary

trustworthy

stable/steady job

promote

Pronunciation 

image /ɪmɪdʒ/ Listen here: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/image 

Corrections

I am not agree of I don't agree with 

Going Further 

The Dolce & Gabbana Apology https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dolce-gabbana-apology-video_us_5bfd5b80e4b03b230fa71485?guccounter=1

ANIA 2018: Lesson 25 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 25
12:30pm C1
Class

• Discussion: How can we measure learning? Shallow versus deep learning.
• Feedback on formative assessment writing task 

2:00pm C2
Class
(1) Trends in language. Dox/Doxxing, Vocal Fry

(2) Listening & Discussion the European Elections. To listen again go to: https://www.dw.com/en/inside-europe-whats-at-stake-in-the-european-elections/av-46312774

Going Further: 

1. Like, What is Vocal Fry? https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/30-11-2018/like-what-is-vocal-fry/
2. European Elections - Spitzenkandidat https://www.politico.eu/article/michel-barnier-spitzenkandidat-europea-commission-president-brexit-deal/

ANIA 2018: Lesson 25 C1 (Monday)

Lesson 25
C1 2:00pm

Class
(1) Trends in language. Dox/Doxxing, Vocal Fry 
(2) Listening & Discussion the European Elections. To listen again go to: https://www.dw.com/en/inside-europe-whats-at-stake-in-the-european-elections/av-46312774
Vocabulary
parliamentarians 
votation vote
(to be) up for grabs 
to shrug your shoulders

Homework
Finish/check the 3 formative assessment exercises/

ANIA 2018: Lesson 24 B2 (Thursday)

Lesson 24
2:00pm B2

Class

1. Free Speaking - health & fitness
2. Vocabulary Skills - countable/uncountable: advice, research, work, information
3. Writing Skills - Error Correction - Business email - checking for countable and uncountable errors (BEC MasterClass Workbook p. 27)
4. Speaking Skills - Business meeting icebreakers: http://cisl.edu/wordpress/cisl-premier-english/5-business-meeting-ice-breakers-esl-learners.htm

• One topic - one word
• Career highlight
• The lunch question
• Book recommendation
• A career goal 

Homework
Think about your answers for the 5 business meeting ice breakers we discussed today. How could you develop them?

Corrections
Verb Structure
to make someone do something - e.g. It made me feel good.
to tell someone something
to say something to someone

Vocabulary
plastic surgery
to light a cigarette
to puff on a cigarette
to throw something away

I lit a cigarette, took two puffs and then threw it away.

ANIA 2018: Lesson 24 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 24
12:30pm C1 (CAE preparation)
Class
Discussion & Error Correction of Paper 1.
Formative Assessment - Paper 2, Writing Part Two (BC Advanced West Test)

Homework
Read the strategy for the Cross Text Multiple Matching exercise  and apply it to part 6 in Paper 1. Work backwards from the answer.

2:00pm C2
Class
1. Speaking - the week in popular culture:
Sense 8

Vanity Fair

2.  Off the beaten track or off the beaten path? Most dictionaries will list both. See: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/off-the-beaten-track-path and https://www.dictionary.com/browse/off--the--beaten--track Off the beaten track was first recorded as a phrase in 1638 so is most probably the oldest version which might account for why Proficiency have it as the correct option and not path. However, if we look at usage, we get a different picture. The English Ten Ten Corpus which contains over 19 billion words taken from texts on the internet shows that beaten path is the more common collocation (see below)

The British National Corpus (BNC) though, only lists the collocation beaten track. The BNC is a 100-million-word collection of samples of a written and spoken language of British English from the later part of the 20th century. The BNC consists of the bigger written part (90 %, e.g. newspapers, academic books, letters, essays, etc.) and the smaller spoken part (remaining 10 %, e.g. informal conversations, radio shows, etc.). 

In conclusion beaten track seems to be the older, more traditional term which has now been surpassed by beaten path.

3. Formative Assessment:

• open cloze 
• word formation
• key word sentence transformations

ANIA 2018: Lesson 24 B2 & C1 (Monday)

Lesson 24
12:30pm B2
Class

1. Learning Skills - the principles of adult learning 
2. Listening Skills - The Grameen Bank - Business Advantage p. 112

Homework

1. Read the audio-script and check any new words with your dictionary (e.g. to sue someone)
2. Watch the video on The Grameen Bank (above)

2:00pm C1
Class
Vocabulary Skills - The multiple choice cloze exercise does not just test meaning but also structure (e.g. word complementation) and usage (collocation). When working on this exercise, use a monolingual dictionary and a search engine to discover the most typical or natural usage.

Homework
Work on the next page of exercises including:

• open cloze (grammar & structure)
• word formation
• key word transformations (structure & fixed phrases) 

Going Further:

Language Change - We added a gender-neutral pronoun in 1934. Why have so few people heard of it? https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/third-person-gender-neutral-pronoun-thon

ANIA 2018: Lesson 23 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 23
12:30pm C1
Class
Formative Assessment - Reading & Use of English (Source: British Council Advanced West Exam)
Homework
Correct your answers and then assess what data you have collected from today's exercise (e.g. timing, strengths, weaknesses, key vocabulary)
Vocabulary
to nail your colours to the mast
to take something in your stride
Going Further
The Architecture of Happiness

2:00pm C2
Class

1. Discussion - Engaging adult learners/a presentation audience/workshop participants.
2. Language Skills: Multiple Choice Cloze. What does it test?

• phrasal verbs
• lexical precision
• fixed expressions
• word complementation 
• metaphor & idiomatic expressions

Homework

Check out this website: Found in Translation https://www.behance.net/gallery/9633585/Found-In-Translation

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 Lesson 23 (Monday)

Lesson 23
12:30 pm B2
Class
The Grameen Bank Discussion, Reading & Word Formation (Business Advantage, p. 111)

Vocabulary
What's the difference between payer and payee? N.b. payer is used mostly in a compound form e.g. ratepayer, taxpayer.
What's the difference between to borrow (noun - borrower) and lend (noun - lender)?
To beg, beggar (n)


Corrections

• Pronunciation & Spelling: Woman/Women listen and practice: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/woman_1
• Over translation - open an activity start a business

Homework
Complete the word formation exercise (question 2, p. 112)
Going Further:
Podcast - %0 Things That Made The Modern Economy - Insurance https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04r1sjb


2:00 pm C1
Class

1. Corrections - Key word transformations - to set your heart on something
2. Assassinations & Statistics - listening comprehension task. For the podcast go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06qmfpp

Key Vocabulary: hit squad, to trawl (through something), to get lucky, to trend up, crack down (noun & phrasal verb), trade off (noun & phrasal verb)

Homework

1. Multiple choice cloze
2. Listen to Nate DiMeo’s interesting take on Abraham Lincoln’s assassination: http://thememorypalace.us/2018/10/the-dress-in-the-closet/

ANIA 2018: B2 Lesson 22 (Thursday)

Lesson 22
2:00 pm B2 
Class

1. Vocabulary recycling - retrieval practice: Ice Breakers and Functional language for opening, directing, showing interest and closing conversations.
2. Pronunciation features of fixed phrases
3. Role-play pre meeting small talk 
4. Feedback 

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 Lesson 22 (Wednesday)

Lesson 22
12:30pm C1
Class

1. The importance of pronunciation. Listen to Adrian Underhill talk about the physicality of pronunciation and the "grip"of the mother tongue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHx02rUtH0k&list=PLbEWGLATRxw_2hL5hY164nvHdTpwhEOXC&index=6
2. Punctuation - correction
3. Multiple Matching (p. 111) Key words: to entertain, to be blown away, reserve (n)

Homework

1. Listen to the exercise again - noting the key words and phrases that give you the answers.
2. Watch Adrian Underhill's Youtube series on pronunciation here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbEWGLATRxw_2hL5hY164nvHdTpwhEOXC

2:00pm C2
Class

1. Health & Safety - Earthquake drills. For more information see the New Zealand Civil Defence website here: https://www.shakeout.govt.nz/
2. Assassinations & Statistics - listening comprehension task. For the podcast go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06qmfpp Key Vocabulary: hit squad, to trawl (through something), to get lucky, to trend up, crack down (noun & phrasal verb), trade off (noun & phrasal verb)
3. Language, accent and satire. Peter Serafinowicz & Sacha Baron Cohen

Homework

1. Multiple choice cloze
2. Listen to Nate DiMeo’s interesting take on Abraham Lincoln’s assassination: http://thememorypalace.us/2018/10/the-dress-in-the-closet/
3. Who is America? How to survive a terrorist attack (1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Kms1sNy8o (2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rzx_XuzHRA
4. The Dictator - The Helicopter scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjpoU6fVNCQ

ANIA 2018: Lesson 22 B2 & C1 (Mondays)

Lesson 22
12:30pm B2
Class - The English Tense System & Thinking In English 
(1) The English Tense system may be organised differently to your own language. In English, for example, “time” is only one concept that the tenses describe.  It may be helpful to think of the English tenses as describing different forms of “distance”.

• Distance in Time
• Distance in Relationship
• Distance in Reality  

For this reason it is always important to consider the context of a sentence first – the use of a past tense does not always mean we are talking about a time in the past!
It maybe useful to think about these concepts visually. Click on the document available here: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/41658221/English%20Grammar%20and%20Thinking%20in%20English

(2) Time & Aspect
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442655/The%20English%20Tense%20System

(3) Future Forms http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/66834515/Future%20Forms

Homework 
Find a written or audio text (article. video, interview) and highlight all the tenses. Why do you think the writer/speaker choose those tenses.

2:00pm C1
Class

1. Silvia's presentation - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/nov/10/anna-burns-milkman-difficult-novel 
2. Name Therapy - Jigsaw reading & discussion. 

Vocabulary

(1) critic (noun - the person), criticism (noun - the action), humblebrag, dismaying, publisher, (to be) at play 
(2) to be stumped (for something), a nod to someone, to put your stamp on something, from the get go, a slippery slope, to come across as, to be on board (with).

Corrections
The few little energy I have
Too much challenging 
I don't know wouldn't have known of this book if it don't win hadn't won a prize a prize.
Risks not to be sold not being sold

Homework 

1. Listen to Duana Taha talk about her own issues with her name: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/name-therapy
2. Read Duana's advice to the email writers you looked at today. Do you agree?  https://www.laineygossip.com/Name-Nerd/Lifestyle/Category/1284
3. Key Word Transformations 

ANIA 2018: B2 Lesson 21 (Thursday)

Lesson 21
2pm B2
Class
Open questions (What do you think about...? What's your take on...?) versus closed questions (Do you...?)
Functional Language for building relationships
Categories:

• opening a conversation
• directing a conversation
• showing interest
• closing a conversation

Vocabulary
Tip = advice
(to be) ill at ease = to feel stressed or uncomfortable

Homework

1. Prepare for a pre-conference role-play using the functional language from today's and previous lessons
2. Read the following article from The Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/people-still-biggest-risk-in-insurance-and-banking-central-bank-1.3674331This can be used as a current affairs conversation builder (Tip 6)

ANIA 2018: Lesson 21 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 21
12:30pm C1
Class
Punctuation (check the pronunciation of apostrophe /əpɒstrəfi/) p. 110
Word Formation Corrections - shortage, overrule, mislaid

Homework
Punctuation correction exercise p. 110, question 4

2:00pm C2
Class

• Key Word Transformations - to set your heart/mind on something/doing something, to come to light
• Name Therapy - Jigsaw reading & discussion. Vocabulary: to be stumped (for something), a nod to someone, to put your stamp on something, from the get go, a slippery slope, to come across as, to be on board (with).

Homework

1. Listen to Duana Taha talk about her own issues with her name: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/name-therapy
2. Read Duana's advice to the email writers you looked at today. Do you agree?  https://www.laineygossip.com/Name-Nerd/Lifestyle/Category/1284

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 Lesson 21 (Monday)

Lesson 21
12:30pm B2
Class
Speaking Skills - Discussion
(1) Sustainability
(2) Smart Working

2:00pm C1
Class

1. Speaking Skills - Carla's news article presentation https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/oct/17/nadal-and-djokovic-need-to-break-silence-over-saudi-exhibition
2. Speaking Skills - Discussion - Can sport and politics remain separate?
3. Language skills - word formation 

Homework

1. Read the article and note the use of the vocabulary we talked about today e.g. to elicit, to rage, debris
2. Watch the video above and read the following article about the same issue - do you notice any differences in how the story is reported? http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/11/rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-saudi-arabia-exhibition/77808/
3. Silvia to prepare next week's article presentation

ANIA 2018: Lesson 20 C1 & C2 (Wednesday)

Lesson 20
C1 12:30pm
Class
Emphasis: Cleft Sentences & Intonation
Advanced Expert p. 109

Homework
Word formation task sheet

C2 2:00pm
Class
1. Word Formation task sheet
Check spelling: mislaid, overweight, overruled, happiness, shyness

2. The Longest word in the English language. Antidisestablishmentarianism is often cited as the longest word in the English language (excluding coined and technical terms). The longest word found in a major dictionary is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, but this is a technical term that was coined specifically to be the longest word.
The word construction is as follows (the numbers succeeding the word refer to the number of letters in the word):
establish (9)
to set up, put in place, or institute (originally from the Latin stare, to stand)
dis-establish (12)
to end the established status of a body, in particular a church, given such status by law, such as the Church of England
disestablish-ment (16)
the separation of church and state (specifically in this context it is the political movement of the 1860s in Britain)
anti-disestablishment (20)
opposition to disestablishment
antidisestablishment-ary (23)
of or pertaining to opposition to disestablishment
antidisestablishmentar(y)i-an (25)
an opponent of disestablishment
antidisestablishmentarian-ism (28)
the movement or ideology that opposes disestablishment
antidisestablishmentarian-ist (28)
a person that opposes disestablishment
antidisestablishmentarian-istically (34)

adverb derived from antidisestablishmentarianism

3. Listening & Discussion - The Memory Palace
http://thememorypalace.us/2018/10/antidisestablishmentarianism/

Homework
Listen to the podcast again - this time noting any new fixed expressions e.g. to have a head for dates/names/facts, to get into a tizzy

Going Further - Halloween Viewing 
Mulholland Drive (2001)

The Witch (2015) 

Hereditary (2018)

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 Lesson 20 (Monday)

Lesson 20

12:30 pm B2
Class:

• Analysing style & relationship
• Draft email to boss
• Draft email to client
• Peer correction

(Business Advantage, p. 117)

Homework:
1. Read the example emails again to see why they fit where they do on the chart on page 117.
2. Finish your client email collaboratively

2:00 pm C1
Class:
Listening skills - multiple matching

Homework:
Listen to the podcast again while reading the audio script. What made the listening difficult: The language (e.g. fixed expressions)? The pronunciation (accents, fast connected speech)?
Listen and read here:
https://www.theallusionist.org/transcripts/nounnames

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 Lesson 19 (Wednesday)

Lesson 19
C1 12:30pm
Class

1. Correction - Multiple Choice Cloze p. 107
2. Comparing Open Cloze & Multiple Choice Cloze for testing phrasal verbs, verb structure, dependent prepositions, discourse markers and fixed phrases. To live off someone/something, on the contrary 
3. Listening Skills - Short extracts p. 108

Homework 

1. Listen to the short extracts task again noting the phrases that are key to finding the right answer.
2. General listening - Name Therapy from The Allusionist podcast https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/name-therapy

C2 2:00pm

Class

1. This week in popular culture: Agatha Christie, 800 Words, The Haunting of Hill House
2. Comparing Open Cloze for testing phrasal verbs, verb structure, dependent prepositions, discourse markers and fixed phrases. To live off someone/something, on the contrary 

Going Further

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 (Monday) Lesson 19

B2 12:30pm
Class 

1. Commonly confused abbreviations - e.g. (for example) & i.e. (that is or in other words) I eat all citrus fruit, e.g. oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit. I eat all citrus fruit, i.e. anything juicy with a sharp taste. 
2. Functional phrases for emails
3. Starting and finishing emails (Business Advantage, p. 117)

Homework
Using the chart on p. 177, mark where you think each of the 5 example emails on p. 116 sit in terms of style and relationship.

C1 2:00pm
Class

1. Discussion and Vocabulary Why does Airbnb’s guarantee make it so difficult to claim? Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/oct/03/airbnb-damage-redress-guarantee 
2. The etymology of irregular verbs (wend,wrought)
3. Words for lawyers: Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney
4. Puns: Illusionist + allusion = allusionist

Homework

1. Going further: Related Air B&B stories: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/04/what-happens-when-airbnb-goes-wrong
2. Scroll through the podcasts on The Allusionist website: https://www.theallusionist.org/ What language issues are you most interested in? 

ANIA 2018: B2 (Thursday) Lesson 19

Lesson 19
B2 2pm
Class

1. Building relationships across companies. (Revision of Business Advantage p.16)
2. Pre-meeting small talk - vocabulary, practice, role-play
3. Question tags for encouraging conversation

Vocabulary

Key Phrases

Trip

How was your trip?

Did you get here all right?

Did you fly/take the train?

Weather

How was the weather in Milan/Berlin/Madrid?

Warm here, isn't it?

Not like autumn at all, is it?

There aren't any seasons anymore, are there?

Never know what to wear, do you?

Meeting

What do you think of the venue?

How are you getting to the meeting? On foot? By taxi?

Work

How's it going at (name of company)

How long have you worked for them now?

Where are you based?

Local Events

Are you going to the match/game/concert/festival while you're here? 

Homework

Worksheet One - Improve your knowledge of building relationships

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesday) Lesson 18

Lesson 18
C1 12:30pm
Class 

• Reading & correction for multiple choice comprehension 
• Idiomatic Expressions - home & family
• Word Formation
• Speaking - extending discourse & brainstorming vocabulary My ideal home

Resource: Advanced Expert pp. 104 - 106

Vocabulary
to stir (someone/something) up
to spark off
to not know which way to turn
defensive 
destructive

Homework

1. Multiple Choice Cloze p. 107
2. Make a list of typical suffixes for adjectives plus examples https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/adj-forms.html

C2 2pm

Class

Speaking - your week in pop culture

Listening - multiple matching 

Source: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/nounnames

Homework 

Listen to the rest of the episode and check your answers to the class exercise by re-listening with the audio script: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/nounnames

Going further: You might want to follow up by listening to this: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/name-therapy

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 (Monday) Lesson 18

Lesson 18
B2
Class

• Emails - relationship, register, writing concisely
• Error correction - effective communication in emails

Vocabulary

on me/us c.f. your shout/your round

give someone a ring

to mess someone about 

Homework
Check the meaning of common email abbreviations:
i.e., e.g., c.c., b.c.c., a.s.a.p., re

C1
Class
Error correction - pair exercise & discussion:
punctuation & spelling, verb structure, dependent prepositions, articles

Homework
Reading Air B&B & Insurance
Prepare for discussion next week
Why does Airbnb’s guarantee make it so difficult to claim?
It promises hosts won’t be left out of pocket for damage but it’s hard to get in touch
Anna Tims Wed 3 Oct 2018 07.00 BST 
Source:https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/oct/03/airbnb-damage-redress-guarantee

ANIA 2018: B2 (Thursday) Lesson 18

Lesson 18
B2 2pm

Class
Strategies for listening & speaking effectiveness in international meetings.

Homework
For your self study why not combine reading and listening practice using ebooks & audiobooks together. For a range of free ebook and audio book downloads (as all these titles are in the public domain) go to: http://www.loyalbooks.com

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesdays) Lesson 17

C1 12:30pm
Class

1. Introduction to Chapter 7 - Values p. 103
2. Easily Confused words p. 106, question 1

Homework 
Reading: Why going back home can be dangerous. pp. 104 - 105

C2 2:00pm
Class

1. Commonly confused words occurrence/incident, differ/differentiate
2. Air B&B and Insurance

Vocabulary
to be left out of pocket
to stonewall someone
an add-on
wrought havoc (what is the present tense? see: http://virtuallinguist.typepad.com/the_virtual_linguist/2011/08/wreaked-havoc-or-wrought-havoc.html)
to stump up for something

Reading
Read TB's letter below.

1. What are the insurance/legal issues? 
2. What would you advise TB to do? 

Why does Airbnb’s guarantee make it so difficult to claim?
It promises hosts won’t be left out of pocket for damage but it’s hard to get in touch
Anna Tims Wed 3 Oct 2018 07.00 BST 
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/oct/03/airbnb-damage-redress-guarantee

I decided to list my flat on Airbnb for two months while I was working abroad. One of the bookings was for two guests, but neighbours report there were more and they left damage to furniture and fittings.
Airbnb claims to provide a guarantee that the host will not lose out if a guest causes damage. However, I have been totally stonewalled in my attempts to claim.
Customer service staff can’t discuss the case over the phone and don’t reply to my emails. I have had to decline reservation requests until the damage is repaired, as the apartment is not fit for guests as it is.
TB, London

Now read the response from Anna Timms below - what is your view? 
“Live a richer life; start hosting,” Airbnb’s website urges homeowners.
Some hosts have found themselves considerably poorer, however, after guests wrought havoc and the company refused redress.
The host guarantee, which promises cover for up to $1m, can lure owners into a false sense of security, for it is not an insurance policy – indeed, hosting can invalidate your home insurance. And because it’s not a paid-for policy you are named on, there’s no recourse if Airbnb refuses to honour a claim.
Moreover, there’s a long list of exclusions, including damage caused by guests who were not included on the booking and damage to communal areas. And you have to claim before the next set of guests arrives, which, if you’re abroad, gives you no chance to identify the problems.
It’s hardly surprising Airbnb makes it as difficult as possible, since it provides the potentially crippling guarantee for free.
However, the company acknowledges it failed you. “Our original handling of this case did not meet the usual high standards we set for ourselves and we have apologised to the host for the delay,” it says. It has now stumped up £2,859.

Some insurers offer a Airbnb add-on to home insurance, and there are specialist companies that cover paid-guest stays.

Corrections
Damage & Furniture are uncountable and therefore only used in the singular.
Compare the difference in meaning between damage & damages.

Going Further 
1. The Grammar of Either/Or, Neither/Nor
When using either/or and neither/nor, note the following rules:
1. If both elements are singular, then the verb is singular too.
Either the father or the mother has to attend the meeting. (The nouns 'father' and 'mother' are singular; so the verb 'has' is singular too)
Neither Leila nor Nancy is going to write the report. ('Leila' and 'Nancy' are singular; so the verb ' is' is singular too)
2. However, if one of the elements is plural, then use a plural verb.
Either Sue or the girls are going to prepare dinner tonight. (The noun 'girls' is plural; so the verb 'are' is plural too)

Neither the teacher nor the students were in the classroom this morning. (The noun 'students' is plural; so the verb 'were' is plural too)

Extra practice: https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-either-or-neither-nor.php

2. Learning English with "Friends"

ANIA 2018 B2 & C1 Lesson 17

Lesson 17
12:30pm B2
Class

• Goal setting for this term
• Formal & informal emails at work (Business Advantage p. 116, questions 1 - 3)
• Common abbreviations (can you remember the abbreviations for regarding, (blind) carbon copy and laugh out loud? When would you use them?

Vocabulary
to mess someone around  = to cause someone trouble
to give someone a ring = to phone someone

Homework
Find three examples that demonstrate the difference in use between i.e. and e.g.

2 pm C1
Class

Negotiating the term's syllabus - grammar audit, speaking fluency, listening effectiveness. How can we combine these three aims?

Homework

• Think of 3 - 4 topics to use as resources for our language work this term. Come to class next week prepared to negotiate with your classmates which topics we will focus on as a group. 
• Error correction exercise

Lombardi Segni Legal English Course - Lesson 30

Lesson 30 - Final lesson for the course
12:00 B1
Class
Reading & Discussion Room 101 (Source: Global, pp. 106 - 107).

Going Further
Room 101 the BBC Series

1984 Winston is taken to Room 101

1:30pm C1/C2

Class

1. Reflection on progress
2. Negotiation Skills - discourse markers (jigsaw reading & listening)
3. Discussion: Should justice move online?

Homework

Listening - Should justice move online?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b5t81w

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesday) Lesson 16

Lesson 16
12:30 pm C1
Class

1. Review - phrasal verbs and fixed expressions (p. 102)
2. Listening Skills & Exam Practice, Part 3 - multiple choice (p. 124)
3. Discourse Markers to introduce opinion
4. Listening for new vocabulary

Vocabulary

quite frankly,

anyway, in the end

personally

the best of both worlds

to see what all the fuss was about 

Homework
Review & Correct p. 102 questions 2 - 4
(Alessandra has a copy of the answers when you are ready to check)
Going Further:
The Allusionist Namaste
Listening: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/namaste
Audioscript:https://www.theallusionist.org/transcripts/namaste

2:00 pm C2
Error Correction

• Structure - extra word
• Spelling & punctuation
• The $2 million dollar comma https://www.lawnow.org/comma-law/
• Adspeak

Going Further:

Charlie Brooker's Screen Burn columns

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2010/oct/16/charlie-brooker-best-screen-burn

Lombardi & Segni Legal English Course - Lesson 29

Lesson 29
12:00pm  B1
Class

1. Free Practice - past, present & changing habits http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442664/Used%20to%20Made%20Easy
2. Learner Training - reflecting on progress. What has been your biggest challenge this course?

Homework
Reading: Room 101, Grammar: Dependent prepositions (Global pp. 106 - 107). Tip: Look at the example sentences in a monolingual dictionary to find out which prepositions are possible (there may be more than one - with different meanings).

Vocabulary
to rush
painkillers
grey area
on foot
to tidy (up)
to go shopping (for clothes etc)
to do the shopping (at the supermarket)

1:30pm C1/C2
Class

1. Forensic Linguistics - text analysis - punctuation. The $2m comma http://www.lawnow.org/comma-law/
2. Negotiating - experience, strategies and language. http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/37881077/Negotiations

Homework
Grammar & Lexis - The tentative language of British negotiators.

Going Further

23 fascinating diagrams reveal how to negotiate with people around the world

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-negotiate-around-the-world-2015-8?IR=T

ANIA 2018: B2 (Monday) Lesson 16

Lesson 16
12:30pm B2

Language Input - dependent prepositions
Learner Training - using monolingual dictionaries to learn structure
Speaking - Back pain, pilates, planking and yoga

Vocabulary
foot rest, foot stool
willingness
cushion (on the couch) versus pillow (on the bed)

Patterns
Apologise (to someone) (for something)
shout at, talk at, laugh at versus shout to, talk to, laugh with/about
dream up (phrasal verb = invent) versus dream of/about
What's the difference?
It tastes (verb) of lemon
He has good taste (noun) in music
She has a taste (noun) for adventure

Going further
Video Listening - Planking

Reading - Pilates for back pain
https://www.verywellfit.com/learn-pilates-exercises-to-help-decrease-back-pain-2704746

ANIA 2018: B2 (Thursday) Lesson 17

Lesson 17
2:00 pm  B2
Class
Reading & Discussion Room 101 (Source: Global pp. 106 - 107)

Vocabulary
hire someone for a job
fire someone from a job 
pet hates
to earn (money/a lot/little)

Homework
Dependent prepositions p. 106.

Going Further
Room 101 the BBC Series

1984 Winston is taken to Room 101

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesday) Lesson 15

Lesson 15
12:30 pm C1
Class

1. Exam Practice - Speaking Part 2 & self assessment 
2. Gender Equality - Reading, discussion & vocabulary https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/may/17/financial-giants-50m-girl-fund-to-back-firms-with-good-gender-balance

Homework
Revision - Unit 6 p. 102

Vocabulary
to plough money into something (e.g. a business) = to invest heavily
to raise hackles = to make angry 


2:00 pm C2
Class
Language Change & Grammar Gripes
Jigsaw reading & discussion
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/12/grammar-gripes-why-do-we-love-to-complain-about-language

Homework
Reading - What's your view on the influence of advertising?
https://www.theguardian.com/media/shortcuts/2018/may/14/smart-knows-thats-not-english-how-adland-took-a-mallet-to-the-language

Corrections 
Check your pronunciation of plural forms - it is not always /Iz/
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/308046/whats-the-rule-for-pronouncing-s-as-z-or-s

Going Further - Video Extras
1. Paris Is Burning
"Reading"

2. Tracey Ullman - Angela Merkel Skypes Donald Trump

Lombardi Segni Legal English Course Lesson 28

Lesson 28

12:00 B1

Class

Speaking - precedent

Language input - present, past and changing habits

Homework

Habits - free practice

What are 3 things ...

You usually do

You used to do

You're used to (doing)

You're getting used to (doing)

You'll never get used to (doing)

1:30 C2

Class

Reading & Analysis - Ruth Ellis's letter

Listening - hypercorrection

https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/across-the-pond

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 (Monday) Lesson 15

Lesson 15
12:30 pm B2
Class
Discussion Smart Working
What is Smart Working? See: http://www.flexibility.co.uk/flexwork/general/Naomi-Stanford-smart-working.htm

Corrections
Pronunciation 
mayor /meəʳ/  major /meɪdʒəʳ /
Dependent prepositions
answer to her manager
take my child at to school
Collocation
make + decision, a distinction, a cake
Confused words
humour/mood
Countability
Homework (uncountable)
So many worried

Vocabulary
efficient
patience (noun), patient (adjective)
hidden
to sponsor

Homework

• Read the article on smart working from the link above
• Room 101 (from Global English pp. 106 - 107) reading & dependent prepositions

2:00pm C1

Class

Language Training - Dependent Prepositions 

laugh at (someone) (excludes the person speaking)

laugh with (someone), laugh about (something)(includes the person speaking)

Language Assessment - Dependent Prepositions

Exam Practice 2 - Open Cloze

Vocabulary

to have second thoughts = to have doubts

something plays on your mind = to think about something a lot

(to be) on standby

Homework

Language Assessment - Vocabulary, Phrasal Verbs, Idioms & Fixed Expressions

Exam Practice 1 - Key Word Transformation

ANIA 2018: B2 (Thursday) Lesson 16

Lesson 16
2:00 pm B2

(1) Presentation - Stefano - 6 Minute English - Women in NASA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac67KPcSqsM

Vocabulary
recruit
selected
a realistic possibility 
unfortunate
aspects
strengths
math (U.S.)/maths (U.K.)/mathematics

(2) Extended Discussion

• Save the date
• Infrastructure Development - Expanding the airport, a new runway for Fiumicino? https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/global-airport-construction-review-2q2018-usd803-billion-costs-412850
• ANIA Foundation - health roadshow (Street Health Tour)

Corrections

Collocation: We did held a press conference

False Friends: Manifestation or Demonstration 

Pronunciation - Vowel Sounds: woman /wʊmən/ women /wɪmɪn/

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesday) Lesson 14

Lesson 14
12:30 C1
Exam Skills - Speaking Part 2
Useful Language (p, 97)

• contrast
• possibility
• certainty
• emphasis
• surprise
• speculating

Practice Test, Speaking Part 2 (p. 205)

2:00 C2
Speaking Skills - Discussion

• Political Discourse https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/15/15585176/motivated-ignorance-politics-debate
• Approaches to error correction
• Approaches to vocabulary - phrasal verbs

Lombardi Segni Legal English Course - Lesson 27

Lesson 27
12:00 B1
Class
Speaking Skills - Discussion

• Approaches to national and global challenges (economic, political, health, environmental)
• The Gapminder Test
• Factfulness

Homework
Hans Rosling- Video Listening
The TED talk should also have the audio script available.

1:30pm C1/C2
Class
Language Skills - Error Correction
Classifying errors: It is important to consider the effect of mistakes and where they come from. Errors that block communication are often caused by false friends or errors in collocation, whereas grammar errors often cause misunderstandings (e.g. modal use, present perfect instead of past simple).

Discussion:

1. What mistakes are you most worried about/feel most self conscious about:
   mispronunciation?
   using the wrong word?
   using the wrong tense?
   sounding too simplistic or unsophisticated?
2. Are you more self conscious about your writing or your speaking? Why?
3. Are you equally worried about slips and mistakes? http://www.errordiary.org/?page_id=7339 
4. What mistakes are you happy to let slide?
5. How far do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

“Americans have ruined the English language.”
“Technology means everyone will have to speak the same English.”
“If Shakespeare were alive today, he’d sound like an American.”
“English accents are the sexiest.”

Homework:
Listening
You are going to listen to an extract from the episode, Across the Pond from The Allusionist podcast from 6th April 2018.
To listen: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/across-the-pond 
For the transcript go to: https://www.theallusionist.org/transcripts/

1. What does the expression across the pond mean?
2. What is hyper-correction? What examples do they give? (16:40)
3. According to Lynne Murphy why do we want to learn grammar? (20:00)
4. What does she say about English in the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries?
5. Complete the quotation from the interview:

English deserves our ______________, not our _______________.

Going Further
Lynne Murphy, The Prodigal Tongue

https://theprodigaltongue.com

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 (Monday) Lesson 14

Lesson 14
12:30pm B2
Class

Phrasal Verbs
meaning & structure (4 types)

Homework
1. Write your own examples for the 6 phrasal verbs that you learnt today.
2. You can see the importance of phrasal verbs when you look at the list of the 100 most frequent verbs in English and realise how many are verbs and prepositions.

Phrasal Verbs - A Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/user/11142496185/playlist/5IN815vqsJHESck8r070SH?si=Fm4vyOteRnWhziPNZa9LaQ

2:00pm C1
Class
Talking Points: 

• The Italian Political Crisis (1) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/26/charlatan-miracle-cure-italy-populist-new-government-five-star-movement-league   (2) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/28/italy-president-sergio-mattarella-names-interim-prime-minister-carlo-cottarelli
• The effect of the GDPR (1) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/21/what-is-gdpr-and-how-will-it-affect-you   (2) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/25/facebook-google-gdpr-complaints-eu-consumer-rights

Corrections
scaring scary
it's been ready since for two years
ask to you

Homework

1. Follow up reading on today's talking points (see links above)
2. Complete the exercises on the photocopy about verb/noun/adjective + preposition constructions

ANIA 2018: B2 (Thursday) Lesson 15

Lesson 15

2:00 pm B2

Class

Speaking and listening skills:

Supporting the speaker/active listening.

Introducing yourself on the phone. 

Source: Business Advantage p. 124

Vocabulary

To involve someone (in a discussion/conversation)

Teleprompter

Homework

Prepare a short talk based on an article you have read, video,film or tv show you've seen or podcast or interview you've listened to. This can then be the starting point for our in class discussion. 

ANIA 2018: C1 & C2 (Wednesday) Lesson 13

12:30pm C1
Class

1. General listening & discussion Credit Card Roulette (Listening starts at 18:25 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09r82r3)
2. Unit 6B - Vocabulary p. 96 words and phrases expressing anger and happiness
3. Exam Practice, Speaking Part 2 = linking description to deduction (pp. 96 - 97)

New Vocabulary
to be tight/mean (with money)
to mull (something) over
to brood over something/someone

Homework
Analysing the speaking task - listening p. 97 questions 3(b)(c) and 4(a)(b)

2:00pm C2
Class

1. The Royal Wedding: The Economic Effects? (Listening) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p067kzbn The Social Effects?(Reading) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/20/spirit-britain-royal-wedding-brexit
2. Behavioural Economics General listening & discussion Credit Card Roulette (Listening starts at 18:25 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09r82r3)

 Vocabulary
to shout someone something
to part with money
to split the bill

Going Further
http://danariely.com

Lombardi Segni & Associati Legal English Course Lesson 26

Lesson 26
1:30pm C1/C2 
Class

1. GDPR - follow up discussion - comparing the new regulation with the current directive.
2. Approaches To Error Correction  

• errors or slips?
• cause and effect
• categorising errors - blocks information/doesn't block information/causes confusion
• hyper-correction

Corrections
There are is information
Sensible/sensitive
on in March

How would you categorise these mistakes? What caused them? Are they errors or slips?

Homework
The Allusionist Across The Pond
Listen here: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/across-the-pond
Audio script available here: https://www.theallusionist.org/transcripts/across-the-pond

ANIA 2018: B2 & C1 (Monday) Lesson 13

Lesson 13
12:30pm B2
Class

• Bringing up children: Children and education - combatting bullying, teaching tolerance
• Perception: Laurel/Yanny and the Blue/Gold Dress. Reading:                                                                                                     (1)https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/05/16/three-years-of-research-into-thedress-digested-a-lesson-in-humility-for-perceptual-science/                                                                                  (2) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/16/yanny-or-laurel-sound-illusion-sets-off-ear-splitting-arguments
• Supporting the speaker in Italian - follow up to last week's skills work

Vocabulary & Corrections
bully - check the pronunciation here: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bully
to throw in the towel = to give up
more easy easier
go to home
actually = in reality
at present
tidy

Homework
This week listen out for and look out for phrasal verbs when you are reading and listening to English. Make a note of what phrasal verbs you hear, their meaning and their structure. Look at all the phrasal verbs (underlined) there are in this blog post alone.

2:00pm C1

Class
Talking Points:

• The Royal Wedding: Follow up reading & viewing: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/20/bishop-michael-curry-sermon-history-harry-meghan-wedding
• The Cannes Film Festival https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/19/cannes-2018-japanese-film-shoplifters-wins-palme-dor

Language Development: 

Verb/Noun/Adjective + preposition combinations

Vocabulary & Corrections

screening (of a film)

feasibility (noun), feasible (adjective)

to watch something live/a live broadcast

nervous versus irritable

Homework
Complete questions 4 & 5 on the handout - preposition + ing constructions and confusing pairs.
What's the difference between:

• hear of & hear about?
• shout to & shout at?
• anxious for & anxious about?
• care for & care about?
• laugh at, laugh with & laugh about