(Student writing) Hand-me-down - by Riko

Do you like hand-me-downs? My answer is no. I really dislike them.

I have a brother. He is 4 years older than I. So when I was a child, my parents usually gave me hand-me-downs from my brother. For example, clothes, ski equipment, bags...

But I especially hated to be given hand-me-down bicycles. However, I have a special memory about it.

When I was 4 years old, I was learning to ride a bicycle. And my first bicycle was of course a hand-me-down from my brother. It was blue and was painted with motor vehicles. It looked a bike for boys. I liked red or pink back then, so I was displeased and complained to my parents.

After hearing the story, my grandfather took an action. He repainted the bicycle to red. And my mother made a saddle cover with printed flowers to match his work.

The hand-me-down bicycle turned into the only one in the world, thanks to my family.

To be honest, I don’t remember all this in detail. The thing I remember is feeling deeply satisfied. I have no words to express the pleasure even now. It’s the earliest joyful memory in my life.

As I was growing up, my parents gave me a couple of new bicycles. I liked those bicycles of course, because they were comfortable and stylish. But I’m sure my favourite bicycle will never change.

My grandfather has died now. However, I’ve never forgotten his affection.

A2.2 Unit 2 Project - Travel Vlog

Record a short travel vlog (1-2 minutes) about your stay here. 

1. Make notes about the best activities you have done and places you have visited since you arrived here. What have you learned here? What have been the best parts of your stay?

2. Go online and find out a little information about each activity and place:

 • What is it? • Why do people do it or go there?  • Where is it? • How did you feel there?

3. Use your notes to write a short script for your vlog.

4. Check the pronunciation of any difficult words using an online dictionary.

5. Record your short video using your notes. Don’t worry about following the script exactly.

6. Save your video and be prepared to show your video in class.

Watch this short example here, or search online for other examples.

Travel vlog example

Video Transcript: We're at the top of Mount Snowdon, this is the highest point in Wales Welcome to Wales Wales is full of Castles. If you like history, Wales has 100 in tact castles that are perfect for exploring. Off on a lobster safari. Wales has a magnificent coast that you can explore on boat tours and fishing trips. But why not try something new and board a lobster safari in the Northern part of the country. Make sure you check out some of the many hiking trails in the mountains and all along the coast. Wales! Here we go! Heading down there. Cover your face. Oh it's not scary. Go Coasteering in Wales with Preseliventures! Woohoo Had an awesome day today with Preseliventure here in Wales. Coasterring? Oh Man, you've gotta do it. Off I go! Woo Oh yeah, it's so much fun! We had a great time doing the zip line and Via Ferrata course here at Zip World in Wales. Do it when you're here, it's fantastic. Before we leave you, we have one last tip. To visit the strange town of Portmerien, a picturesque village modelled after Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

Student example

Example video by Dang fa, Punch and Alhanouf

(Intermediate) Michael Palin's Top 5 Travel Tips

Before listening

Discussion:

In groups of 3, come up with your own Top 5 Travel tips. What helps you get the most out of the experience?


Add these words

principles
pole
remarkable
highly
better
myself

Michael Palin’s ______ television success began in 1969 with Monty Python’s Flying Circus - yet he is even ______ known for the travel documentaries he began 20 years later, with Around the World in 80 Days.  Since then there has barely been a patch of the planet that has not welcomed this ______ engaging presenter - whose TV journeys have taken him from ____ to pole, across the Himalayas and the Sahara, and full circle around the Pacific.

“I’ve learned a lot from the world,” he says. “I’ve learned to see_______  from a different perspective, to see the rest of the world from a different perspective, to see our own country from a different perspective.”

He has also learned five important _______ of travel:


Watch:

Palin's 5 Tips

Note taking:

1. Don't __________

...they want you to r________
....so long as you're giving out some sort of emotional r________

2. Know ___________

3. Write ______

...it's very good to write them down ___ ______

4. Go ______________

Go have a look ___ ___ ________

5. Find _____________

Make sure you have a ________

A2.2 Unit 2: Travel

Aims

Read an article giving travel advice
Ask for and give travel information
Describe customs and obligations
Write about travel experiences and give advice

Vocabulary

Verbs - especially in the past participle form

24 items (Quizlet)


Grammar

Present perfect (The "non-exact" aspect of time)
Have to and don't have to (obligations, necessities)
Should (advice)

Project

Make a travel vlog

PPT lesson collocations


Kahoot Review

20 Questions on supplementary language

(Pre-Intermediate) How to Train Your Monkey Mind

Listen to the Buddhist monk and how easy it is to tame his "monkey mind" and how you can all add this in to your day to day life:

How to Train Your Monkey Mind

Ted Talk on meditation:

10 mindful minutes


Put this on the back of the toilet door:

(Any level) Shades of Emotion

A2.1 Unit 6: Holidays

Aims from previous week continued:

1. Keep working at past simple tense.
2. Keep looking at uses of verbs and object together (i.e. learn a language, get a headache, ask a question etc.)

Collocations from Unit 4

Unit 6 Aims

1. Learn to talk about the future: plans, predictions, intentions, hopes, arrangements.
2. Build vocabulary on the topic of travel.
3. Learn to make and justify choices as a team.

Unit 6 vocab and grammar

(Grammar) Prepositions

Easier (A1/2):

A1/2 prepositions


Writing task:

Describe your country

Some questions:

In

What is in the north, south, west, east, centre?

Which part of the country do you live in?

Where's the best place to be in winter, summer etc?


Far / near

Which parts of the country are far away from / near your town? Which towns are near the ocean?

On

Which cities are on a river?
Do any people live on islands?

By

Which places are by the sea?

Through

Do you have to go through forests or mountains or valleys when travelling anywhere?

Between

Which places are between one place and another place?

Next to / beside

Which places are next one another?

Of

What's at the top of or bottom of your country? What's in the middle of your country?

Across

How do you travel across the country? Do you have to take a ferry across the water to get anywhere?
How long does it take to drive across the country?

Up / down

What's like to drive up or down the coast?

To

What's you favourite place to go to?

Around

Is there a place that's good to walk around?

At

What's the first thing you'll notice at the beginning of a trip to your country?

(A2) Silent letters

Silent letters

mb

bt

dg

nd

al, ol, ul ??

A2.1 Unit 4: Events

Aims:

Talk about and order past events
Express thoughts feelings about life changes and events
Read a short biography


Project:

Make and present a timeline of your life.


Grammar:

Continue building accuracy and fluency with past simple tense (irregular and regular forms)

Continue building confidence in using basic verbs: make, do, be, have, get, feel etc...

Continue building range and competency in use of time adverbs.


Vocab:

Language to describe life experiences: alone, single, stressful, (un)lucky, worried, difficult, learn, grow, discover, start, meet, get a boyfriend / girlfriend, miss out, die, live with, flatmate/s,  classmate/s, housemate/s, roommate/s, (un)happy, friendship, relationship, partner, milestone, become, turn (5, 13, 18, 21, 30 etc) move out, travel, get experience, graduate, study, fail, succeed, learn how to, go to uni, join, play, get sick, recover, change, apply for, manage to, do a course, while, during, after, before, until, (un)fortunately, next, then, when, but, so, in order to, because....


Speaking:

In pairs, look through the pictures and talk about your own memories.


























































Unit 4 Kahoot review


25 phrases (Quizlet)


24 collocations (harder!)




Speaking using the vocab:









Have you ever lived alone?















Are you single?











Talk about a stressful time in your life.










In what ways are you lucky in life?








Are you worried about anything at the moment?








Which parts of life are difficult? Which parts are easy?

Friends    School    Money    Weekends    Mondays     Love    Family   New Experiences







Besides English, which languages would you like to learn?










Does your hair grow fast or slowly?











What did you discover about yourself this year?










Would you like to start a company or business one day?









Do you sometimes miss out on good things?










Who do you live with?











Have you made some friendships in Auckland?










What is the most important relationship in your life?










What is the next big milestone for you in life?






What would you like to become?









Can you remember turning 5?

Same place different time

Bookabach

I use this service a lot. It's really easy to use and it gets you off the main tourist trail. You'll pay between $100 and $200 per night, but that's for maybe 4-5 people, so it works out to be very economical. Often the places will have bikes and kayaks and even wet-suits or fishing gear. Also the owners often give you really good tips on how to get the most out of your stay. It's a very nice way to discover NZ.

NB: I like to use the google map on the site to find interesting looking parts of NZ I haven't been to. I just zoom in and see what's available. Sometimes you discover real gems and really charming parts of the country that don't get a lot press in the travel guides.

Go to the site:

Bookabach

Everyday

Noah takes a photo of himself every day for 12.5 years.

Watch:

Everyday

The Mirror

The Mirror

My Career