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announcement

Temporary on hold

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This blog is temporarily on hold. I used this blog to communicate with students about class content and assignments. However, I have now transferred this facility to DWC’s Learner Management system known as Manabi, so this blog is now superfluous.

There are some things which Manabi does not manage well, such as allowing students to comment or exchange messages, also contacting me directly seems easier just with regular email. Using Manabi is therefore an experiment and, depending on how it goes, I may, if necessary, resurrect this blog.

In the meantime, feel free to browse around the various resources offered, including the downloadable worksheets and student writing samples.

2019 WS, Writing Strategies

WS1: Week 14, July 19th, 2019

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Announcement

Please take the online class survey on Manabi on the DWC website.
Check carefully the class name and instructor’s name before you answer.
This survey is anonymous and no personal information is passed to the teaching staff.
You can complete this survey from a pc or smartphone, during class or in your own time.
The deadline is Aug. 8th.
Once submitted, you cannot revise your answers.
The class results can be seen on Manabi after late September.

Homework

Write a 3-paragraph essay (about 500 words) about any story or stories that you have read for  this class this semester.
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
  4. Reference page
Print it out and bring a copy to class, as well as uploading it to Manaba

Today’s class

Read the story “When the desert blooms” (p. 38) and write a 3-paragraph essay
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
Write a paragraph giving an example of someone judging their own experience by some outward sign instead of using their own feeling and judgement, like the old man in the story “The old man’s milk”.
2019 AS, Academic Skills

AS1: Week 14, July 19, 2019

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Announcement

Please take the online class survey on Manabi on the DWC website.
Check carefully the class name and instructor’s name before you answer.
This survey is anonymous and no personal information is passed to the teaching staff.
You can complete this survey from a pc or smartphone, during class or in your own time.
The deadline is Aug. 8th.
Once submitted, you cannot revise your answers.
The class results can be seen on Manabi after late September.

Homework

– final essay: choose ANY TOPIC OR TOPICS COVERED THIS SEMESTER, including your two movie reports, but remember that the topic is BRITISH HISTORY

  • 500- 800 words (not including References)
  • feel free to add illustrations, maps, pictures, etc.
  • don’t forget your References page
  • correct academic format (APA style, double-spaced, cover sheet,  Reference page, etc.)

Today’s class

Presentations by remaining students. Generally speaking, the quality of presentations was better than last year’s. I will give feedback next week.
2019 WS, Writing Strategies

WS1: Week 13, July 12th, 2019

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Homework 1 (for July 17th)

Read the story “The Old Man’s Milk” (p. 34) and write 3 paragraphs about it:
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
  4. Reference (this story in the textbook in correct APA style: see this resource to help you Reference List: Books – article or chapter in an edited book
Your paper should be double-spaced in the correct APA style.

Homework 2 (for July 26th)

Write a 3-paragraph essay about any story or stories that you have read for  this class this semester.
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
  4. Reference page
Print it out and bring a copy to class, as well as uploading it to Manaba

Today’s class

  • What is the root problem in the story “The King’s Desserts” and why is it a problem?
  • Demonstration of a model summary of the story “The Archer and the Oil Salesman”. (Uploaded to “Resources” on Manabi.)
2019 AS, Academic Skills

AS1: Week 13, July 12, 2019

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Homework 1 – (only for students who did not present on July 12th; see below for details)

Prepare your oral presentation (topic: British history movie report #2). 2-4 minutes (4 minutes MAX).

If you are using Powerpoint, bring a USB and copy your Powerpoint file to Sheffner’s pc before class. If you did this on July 12th, you don’t need to do it again! I have your presentation.

Save your Powerpoint document with the name “AS1 British Movie Report 2 (Your Name)” so that Sheffner will know which is your Powerpoint presentation.

If you are NOT using Powerpoint, please upload your document to Manaba before class.

ALL students who did not present July 12th will present next week July 17th.

Homework 2

HW for July 26th – final essay: choose ANY TOPIC COVERED THIS SEMESTER, including your two movie reports, but remember that the topic is BRITISH HISTORY (not the movie).

  • 500- 800 words (not including References)
  • feel free to add illustrations, maps, pictures, etc.
  • don’t forget your References page
  • correct academic format (APA style, double-spaced, cover sheet, etc.)

Today’s class

Presentations by 9 students.The presentations were pretty good – better than last year’s! Well done, everyone.

Homework 1 – advice

  • What is the purpose of your presentation?
  • The purpose of your presentation is TO TEACH YOUR CLASSMATES SOMETHING ABOUT BRITISH HISTORY and British society today (e.g. famous actors, famous directors, famous movies, etc).
  • Don’t forget your purpose!
  • Only give your classmates the important information that they should remember!!
  • Do not give information that your classmates need not remember!
    • The information you give should be what you want your classmates to remember.
    • E.g. Do not tell your classmates the names of the actors in the movie UNLESS YOUR CLASSMATES SHOULD REMEMBER THOSE NAMES!
  • Do not use difficult English: your classmates will not understand.
  • Remember the English teacher in Dragon Zakura:
    • *use short, simple sentences
    • * use your own English
    • * use simple words that you understand.
    • * use simple words that your classmates will understand.
    • * If you do not understand the words in your presentation, your classmates will not understand either!
    • * If you do not know how to pronounce the words in your presentation, your classmates will not understand!
    • Do not use words that you do not know how to pronounce!!

Total length should be about 300-500 words, and take about 2 – 4 minutes. 4 MINUTES IS THE MAXIMUM.

2019 WS, Writing Strategies

WS1: WEEK 12, JULY 5TH, 2019

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Homework 1 (for July 5th)

Read the story “The King’s Desserts” (p. 28) and write 3 paragraphs about it:
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
  4. Reference (this story in the textbook in correct APA style: see this resource to help you Reference List: Books – article or chapter in an edited book
Your paper should be double-spaced in the correct APA style.

Homework 2 (for July 26th)

Write a 3-paragraph essay about any story you have read in this class this semester.
  1. the main points of the story
  2. the main idea(s)
  3. your personal response to the story
  4. Reference page
Print it out and bring a copy to class, as well as uploading it to Manaba

Today’s class

Topics of last week’s articles:
  • A Christmas Carol
    1. the 1951 movie “Scrooge”
    2. the original 1843 story by Charles Dickens
    3. the main ideas of the story
  • Robinson Crusoe
    1. the main points of the story
    2. one Christian idea in the story
    3. another Christian idea in the story
We read the textbook pp. 21-27 and “The archer and the oil salesman” p. 37
2019 AS, Academic Skills

AS1: Week 12, July 5th, 2019

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Homework 1

Prepare your oral presentation (topic: British history movie report #2). 2-4 minutes (4 minutes MAX).

If you are using Powerpoint, bring a USB and copy your Powerpoint file to your instructor’s pc before class.

Save your Powerpoint document with the name “British Movie Report 2 (Your Name)” so that your instructor will know which is your Powerpoint presentation.

If you are NOT using Powerpoint, please upload your document to Manaba before class.

ALL students will present next week July 12th.

Homework 2

HW for July 26th – final essay: choose ANY TOPIC COVERED THIS SEMESTER, including your two movie reports, but remember that the topic is BRITISH HISTORY (not the movie).

– 500- 800 words (not including References)

– feel free to add illustrations, maps, pictures, etc.

– don’t forget your References page

– correct academic format (APA style, double-spaced, cover sheet, etc.)

Homework 1 – advice

  • What is the purpose of your presentation?
  • The purpose of your presentation is TO TEACH YOUR CLASSMATES SOMETHING ABOUT BRITISH HISTORY and British society today (e.g. famous actors, famous directors, famous movies, etc).
  • Don’t forget your purpose!
  • Only give your classmates the important information that they should remember!!
  • Do not give information that your classmates need not remember!
    • The information you give should be what you want your classmates to remember.
    • E.g. Do not tell your classmates the names of the actors in the movie UNLESS YOUR CLASSMATES SHOULD REMEMBER THOSE NAMES!
  • Do not use difficult English: your classmates will not understand.
  • Remember the English teacher in Dragon Zakura:
    • *use short, simple sentences
    • * use your own English
    • * use simple words that you understand.
    • * use simple words that your classmates will understand.
    • * If you do not understand the words in your presentation, your classmates will not understand either!
    • * If you do not know how to pronounce the words in your presentation, your classmates will not understand!
    • Do not use words that you do not know how to pronounce!!

Total length should be about 300-500 words, and take about 2 – 4 minutes. 4 MINUTES IS THE MAXIMUM.

Today’s class

  1. Last week’s sample movie report “A Christmas Carol”
    1. paragraph one topic = the 1951 movie
    2. paragraph two topic = the original 1843 story by Charles Dickens
    3. paragraph three topic = some important themes or ideas in the original story and movie
  2. Model movie report 2: an oral presentation about the movie “Bend It Like Beckham”.
  3. British history worksheet “Stonehenge to 1066” (pair-work gap speaking, listening and writing activity).
2019 AS, Academic Skills

AS1: Week 11, June 28th, 2019

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Homework

  1. (for July 5th) Read the 9-page handout  “British History: Stonehenge to King Alfred (500,000 B.C. – 1066) (you can download it here: https://sheffnersweb.net/blogs/classblogs/dwc/download/british-history-stonehenge-to-1066/
  2. (For July 12th, in 2 weeks): Choose from the list a different British history movie  to watch and prepare a short  oral  spoken, nor written) presentation on.

Today’s class

  1. Student answers to last week’s questions. I re-wrote some of them. You can download them (if you want) here.
  2. Model movie report 1: Excalibur (download it and the worksheet here)
    1. What is the topic of paragraph 2?
    2. What is the topic of paragraph 3?
  3. Model movie report 2: Scrooge (or A Christmas Carol) (download it and the worksheet here.)
    1. What is the topic of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3?
  4. Write a short comment about today’s class and materials (on-screen comments, Excalibur worksheet, Christmas Carol worksheet)
2019 WS, Writing Strategies

WS1: WEEK 10, JUNE 21ST, 2019

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Homework

  • Read my comments to your book report draft 1 (I will send you two files soon on Manaba)
  • rewrite your draft 1
  • save it as “WS1 Book report1 draft2 YourName” and upload it to Manaba by next Friday.

Today’s class

  1. Group discussions about book reports
  2. Questions:
    1. How did you feel while doing your book reports (finding the book, reading it, writing the report, uploading, etc, everything)?
    2. What was most difficult or what did you not like about doing the book report?
    3. What did you enjoy about this assignment? In addition, give yourself an enjoyment score out of 10 points.
    4. How can you use the textbook and book report assignments to improve your English?
      1. What can you do?
      2. What could I (Mr. Sheffner) do to help you improve ?
    5. How could you enjoy this class more?
      1. What can you do?
      2. What could I (Mr. Sheffner) do to help you enjoy more?
  3. One-to-one discussion about your writing.