LI 3rd Generation

Ok, here we go again! Another generation is about to leave UANE, this is the 3rd generation of Licenciados en Idiomas (you can see the 1st and 2nd within this blog) this generation challenged me in many different forms, at the end they did it! they are about to graduate and I hope they learned some of the good things the school tried to give them, and I hope they matured enough to learn from their mistakes!

Be brave and take the bull by the horns!!

Atte. Memo

ELASH 2

This test stands for "English Language Assessment System for Hispanics" and it is a new way to evaluate the English level in some universities, this is a link to download the study guide:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/TOEFL/Guia^_ELASH^_2.pdf

if you have any problems tweet me: @grojasgordillo

TOEFL Listening Pre and Post Tests

After some technical difficulties, I'm finally uploading the files that contain the listening of the TOEFL post-test!

Practice! and enjoy!

Download the PRE Test from this link:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=e57ad46b7956f5a2&resid=E57AD46B7956F5A2!127

Download the POST Test from this link:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/TOEFL/TOEFL%20Post%20test.rar

Problems? send me a tweet: @grojasgordillo

Atte.

Guillermo A Rojas Gordillo!!

Project Oriented Learning as teaching methodology

The new Education Act stated that outcomes based education (OBE) have to be introduced,
not only in schools, but also on tertiary level. Technikon Northern Gauteng embarked on
Project Oriented Learning (POL) as a teaching methodology for OBE.
Project Oriented Learning is a teaching methodology where a group of learners,
independently, works on a real life problem or question. The problem is analyzed, and
according to the specifications given in the task or assignment, the group works to an
outcome.

POL simultaneously supports important objectives of higher education:
• Acquisition of knowledge, which is retained and usable
• Self-directed learning
• Learning to analyze and solve problems

Working in groups (tutorial groups) occupies a central role in POL. The difference between a
tutorial group and a class or lecture is that a tutorial also offers a platform for learners to
exchange knowledge and ideas. To be able to exchange knowledge, communication has to
take place within the group. Learners are expected to ask questions, give opinions or explain

Metodologia 2 Manual:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/view.aspx/2011/POL%20Metodologia%202%202011.docx

Metodologia 1 Manual:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/view.aspx/2011/POL%20Meto%201%202011.docx

Balance your life and work

I just read this article and I thought that it would be a good idea to share it, this is in www.lifehacker.com:

It's commonplace to feel we need to find a balance between our work and our lives, but sometimes that just isn't possible. Instead, you may be better off aiming to keep a healthy body and mind.

Many of us feel a bit overwhelmed by work, to the point where we're underperforming in our lives outside of the office. If you fall into this category, you've probably made a few attempts to gain greater balance—and probably failed, too. When we like what we do and get a little obsessed, this isn't necessarily a bad. The problem is, sometimes work can wear us out and balance is harder because we're just too mentally and physically exhausted to maintain it. Psychologist Marcia Reynolds recommends the following:

• Keep your body healthy - Eating healthy and exercising makes any added stress easier to handle. Studies have found that exercise helps to prepare our bodies to handle stressful situations.
• Maintain social bonds - Thought you may feel like you don't have time or don't need help, often times a very brief social encounter is enough to keep you energized and happy. If you have to work, consider working with someone else in the room. Being around people you like, even when you feel that you want to be alone, can often be a big help.
• Regularly notice the world around you - Even if it doesn't feel like it, you have five or ten minutes to go take a walk and appreciate what's around you. When you're in a hurry, don't forget to stop and look around. Actually paying attention to the world around you not only will make a major difference in the little annoyances in life (e.g. almost walking into people, losing/forgetting things, etc.) but it will frequently feel like a breath of fresh air. Appreciate the world around you and you (as well as everyone else) will be better of for it

Reynolds mentions that the best part about these easy suggestions is that you can combine them:

For example, plan on regular walks with family and friends to enjoy them while you absorb the sun and nature. Then if you work into the night to catch up on the emails that came in while you were walking, make sure you get enough sleep so you wake up excited about the work you will do next.

It's worth noting that if your life is being overtaken by a job that you hate, anything you do short of quitting that job is probably not going to help you too much, but devoting a little of your free time towards a balanced mind could certainly help make things a little easier.

Forget About Work/Life Balance [Psychology Today]

Rosseta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is part of an Ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele with engraved text that provided the key to modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs. The inscription records a decree that was issued at Memphis in 196 BCE on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three texts: the upper one is in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle one in Egyptian demotic script, and the lower text in ancient Greek.

Originally displayed within a temple, the stele was probably moved during the early Christian or medieval period, and eventually used as building material in the construction of a fort at the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile delta. It was rediscovered there in 1799 by a soldier of the French expedition to Egypt. As the first known bilingual text, the Rosetta Stone aroused wide public interest with its potential to decipher the hitherto untranslated ancient Egyptian languages. Lithographic copies and plaster casts began circulating amongst European museums and scholars. Meanwhile, British troops defeated the French in Egypt in 1801, and the original stone came into British possession under the Capitulation of Alexandria. Transported to London, it has been on public display at the British Museum since 1802. It is the most-visited object in the British Museum.

Link to file:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/Class%20Files/The%20Rosetta%20Stone.pdf

Methodology 1

I am teaching this subject called "Metodología de la Enseñanza del Ingles 1" which is giving me the chance to be the guide of possible future teachers, this is a great opportunity to refresh my approach to teaching, the students' fresh ideas and innovative thinking will enrich my experience as a teacher, some of the topics we are going to cover are:

1. Knowing your students.
2. How long does a class last?
3. What topics can be covered in the class?
4. How can students learn and how should teachers teach?
5. Teaching strategies

So, as you can see there are good topics than will be covered and will be better because we are going to use POL

Download Manual and related files:

http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/POL%202009/UANE%20Meto%201.rar