Blog

I have been silent for a month, and I intend to be for almost another.

Here is why

June 16th: Homage to pro-Remain labour politician, Jo Cox. Murdered for her ideas

On June 16th I interrupted the series of publications on flipping our classes as a technique -or model if you prefer, to pay homage to Jo Cox, on the first anniversary of her untimely death at the hands of a white-supremacist who favoured Brexit.

I was appalled at her death, back in June 2016, but hopeful that the “Remainers” would win, and Britain would remain within the EU. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

I hope now that the British people will not come to regret what, for me, is the worst decision they’ve taken in years. United we are stronger. And we can put pressure and try to change the things we do not like from within. From outside, this is not possible.

Busy with the new edition of Volumen Práctico

After completing the new edition of Inglés. Programación Didáctica, my publishers said that they also wanted to publish new editions of the other two books we have with them.

Inglés Análisis de Textos: Preguntas, textos y soluciones.

After consulting with Susan Black and Vernon Nash, we decided not to make any changes in the Análisis de Textos: Preguntas, textos y soluciones.  The reason is simple: we felt that the types of questions it contains remained valid and useful for candidates -both Secondary and Official School of Languages teachers. The book had been designed to focus on

• detailed word analysis,
• phonetic transcriptions,
• comprehension questions,
• explanation of meanings,
• A few summaries and compositions and, to a much lesser extent,
• a bit of translation.

These types of questions still appear in different Autonomous Regions and may easily come up again at any time either for Secundarias or Escuelas, or both.

The only thing we have changed is the organisation of texts. There are now 10 texts in the first part and 9 in the second and third. Other than that, it has been the job of the printers: more attractive, easier to read fonts and layout.

Volumen Práctico

Originally, I thought of leaving it as it was: the latest edition had been modified in 2011 and there were good reasons for that organisation.

For some years, only a few Autonomous Regions had a language part. Then, it was introduced on a more general basis but with differences:

• Some regions included exercises on phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions etc., a text with questions and, sometimes, a composition and/or a translation.
• Others laid a greater focus on various types of text analysis, including communicative functions, text types etc. Translations were an essential part.

With that in mind, and to align the language questions with the new list of topics which, although later repealed and never properly published, were largely following very closely the organisation of the CEFR’s Communicative Language Functions, I designed some of the questions.

I also thought it proper to have text analysis and translation together.

In the new edition, this has changed. The contents are very much the same -although I have included a few other elements, particularly in the translation part. But I’ll give you details of its organisation when it is finally published.

Projects for July

During the rest of this month, I intend to finish the remaining posts on Flipping, as promised.

I will also be revising the info on the Poppies Blended and Online Courses and, particularly, their contents. I hope to improve them, especially the videos. The Foundation Course will be open as from 1st September. But I’ll tell you more about it on the corresponding page.

For the time being at least, the face-to-face places for the Blended Foundation Course have been all taken.

Only a few places remain available for the Building Block 1, 2, 3 and I’ll start now with the 4th and, in principle, last Building Block.

Silent in August

In August, I plan to rest and recharge batteries. I will also be preparing things and some posts on issues which have come out in the exam in Galicia. Plus other things. But I’ll leave that for September.

Hope you are enoying your holiday!