JAZZ CHANTS!

We would like to talk about our last discovery for children. There are some exercises called Jazz Chants with wich students repeat rhythmically words and short phrases to music. A "Jazz Chant" is a rhythmic expression of natural language which matches the rhythms of spoken American English to the rhythms of traditional American jazz. We felt absolutely fascinated with this due to our love for music.


People usually confuse jazz chanting with rapping, nursery rhymes, or songs, but the difference is that these distort the spoken language for poetic effect, and Jazz Chants don´t do this at all. The rhythm and intonation pattern of the chant should be exactly what the student would hear from a native speaker in a natural conversation, and this is what makes it special.


But to help you to understand what we are talking about, here you have a video where all these things are explained. :)

The creator of this technique is Carolyne Graham, who worked with this Jazz Chants during her twenty five years of teaching in the American Language Institute of New York University. She has produced many Jazz Chants books, and other language teaching books, all of them published by Oxford University Press.


We hope you like it!


Raquel Fontan and Lucía Gil.

Music, the great communicator

My question is: Why not use music in English classes?




Nowdays all children listen to music frecuently, in their mobile phones, in the computer, in the radio, in the television... Everywhere. It is a great resource that is within our reach, it is too fun and easy work with songs in classroom. What are we waiting for?

There are many ways in which we can use music to help our English students. Just listening to music in platforms like Youtube while they are in their computers. It will probably help to improve their pronunciation, vocabulary and English listening skills. How?

Pronunciation: Singing along with their favourite English songs will help to learn how to pronounce English words correctly and will also help to improve their accent. They will learn more about the rhythm of sentences and how to link words together when they speak.

Vocabulary: Listening to music will help to learn more vocabulary quickly. They are also more likely to remember new words and English expressions if they listen to them in a song.

Grammar: You might think that grammar needs to be learnt in a very structured way but listening to music will help they to remember grammar and learn how to use grammar correctly in everyday conversation.

There are many websites with songs and exercises for English learners. One example is http://www.esolcourses.com/topics/learn-english-with-songs.html. 

On this website, there are many English songs with exercises and instructions.

 

In my opinion I think that it could be one of the best ways to motivate the children to learn English using one of their favourite hobbies. I´m sure that they will learn a lot.

Enjoy the post and thanks you for read it.

Sergio Martínez González

English at early ages.

The capacity that the babies have to learn a second lenguage is developing gradually with their age. By this way, we can say that babies:

-          To three months, they have the aptitude to learn any language, because his stutter is equal in everywhere.

-          To four months they realize the language in you are talking about and they understand the meaning of words and sentences.

-          To six months, the stutter already has the accent of his mother language.

-          To eight months, the baby can produce sounds of any language that he/she has listened.

So that, as soon as possible the baby listen other languages she/he can learn more than one language simultaneously in a natural way without effort and achieving a perfect pronunciation.

With the methods of learning language, designed specially for the learning from 0 to 3 years, the baby receives an early ideal stimulation that will facilitate to him the learning of multiple intellectual activities.  The babies take part in the groups of learning and game from 4 months up to 3 years in company of a confidence adult.

The baby has the aptitude to learn English, native and spontaneously from 4 months.

The parents don´t have to have a high level in English to be able to teach his children, the important thing is to look for the necessary tools to favour the learning.

Children are like sponges for his enormous aptitudes to absorb new knowledge and all the information that we facilitate to them will be good for his future learning.

Ana Mª González Lareo

Paloma Rodríguez Comesaña

Being AuPair

Experiences from an au pair

Benefits of being an Au pair

When you are an au pair you can meet a lot of people and you can know about other places, customs or cultures. But the most important thing is learning a different language.

For example, if you want to learn English you can go to England, Ireland or U.S.A.

What do you have to do when you are an Au pair?

If you are an au pair you have to do a lot of things. We can show you a timetable and au pair duties from.

Time table

Working Week – 30- 35 Hours excluding babysitting and you would never be expected to do more than that even during holiday times. Morning schedule is 8.00am to 9.30 a.m.

This timetable is general hours of work during school times, however the boys sometimes have days off for odd reasons and therefore we might ask you to work different hours.

Au Pair Duties

·      You will tidy Kid’s bedrooms.

·      You will collect the children from school.

·      You will have to clean the house.

·      You will care children.

·      You will have to cook some food for all family.

·      Sometimes, you will have to baby sitting.

Money

It depends of the place and the family but normally they will pay you €100 per week.

Everybody thinks that it´s a lot of money but when you are living abroad you know that it´s not too much.

How can you find an Au pair Job?

The most convenient way to find a job is through websites that allow families. We can find a lot of websites that are free.

If you aren’t sure with these websites, there are a lot of companies where work with it. Here, they will help you with everything what you need.

Now, you can watch a video from a girl who was an Aupair.

Álvarez Alonso, Laura

Caíña Sobrado, Carla

  

MINDFULNESS

Hello everybody!

We are the psychologists at the University of Massachusetts, and we want to share with you a method of relaxation useful for everyone, but especially for those who work with children.

The first thing we will do is explain to you the meaning of Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is an ability of the mind to be aware at any given time, the ability to focus on one thing (such as breathing) so relaxing our body and mind of things that worry us.

         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNmMH6tqiMc

¿When is it good for us to practice this technique?

Mindfulness practice is really beneficial at any time, but especially beneficial when we notice that children are worried about something, for example before an exam or because of an argument with a friend.
It is also a good idea to practice mindfulness at the end of classes, in order that they return home with a calm mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQKF-9poLM

How affect Mindfull in our mind?

Mindfulness is a way to regulate our own emotions and thinking reducing symptoms related to anxiety and depression. It´s use extended from clinical psychology to education and work.

The three central components in the practice of mindfulness is the intention, attention and attitude. It is based on the observation of inner experience and external. But equally important is the why and the how. The motivation to practice mindfulness seems to change with experience, ranging from self-regulation of one's thoughts and emotions to the self-liberation and development of compassion. Meditation requires contemplation of thoughts and emotions without interpreting, judging or evaluating them.