Level 4 >> Post 10: English Language Challenges * What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university? * What about the use of blogs? * What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this? * Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for? - Wordcount: 260 - Leave comments on 3 of your classmates' posts and one on mine. Dear students, this is our last blog session!!! There are 4 skills in English that are meant to be developed when learning the language: writing, speaking, reading and listening; even though most people would say that "speaking” is the most difficult one to be acquired the truth is that "writing" gets the first place in terms of complexity and accuracy. Writing Blogs is a good opportunity to put in practice our knowledge, to exercise it and to improve it and therefore to increase it. We are living in a globalized world where the common language for doing business and exchanging information such as advances in medicine and science is English. All relevant research results if given the case of having them published must be done in English since international magazines are in the so called “Universal Language”. It is a known fact that for example when doing business with China enterprises there’s no need to know Mandarin but English; first approaches via email and the following contracts are written in this foreign language. Covenants among universities from different countries are agreed in English too.

Level 4 >> Post 10: English Language Challenges

* What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university? 

* What about the use of blogs?

* What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?

* Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for?

- Wordcount: 260

- Leave comments on 3 of your classmates' posts and one on mine.

Dear students, this is our last blog session!!!

There are 4 skills in English that are meant to be developed when learning the language: writing, speaking, reading and listening; even though most people would say that "speaking” is the most difficult one to be acquired the truth is that "writing" gets the first place in terms of complexity and accuracy.

Writing Blogs is a good opportunity to put in practice our knowledge, to exercise it and to improve it and therefore to increase it.

We are living in a globalized world where the common language for doing business and exchanging information such as advances in medicine and science is English.

All relevant research results if given the case of having them published must be done in English since international magazines are in the so called “Universal Language”.

It is a known fact that for example when doing business with China enterprises there’s no need to know Mandarin but English; first approaches via email and the following contracts are written in this foreign language.

Covenants among universities from different countries are agreed in English too.

Summarizing: in modern society the way of communicating is through e-mails and texting; relations among friends, employer-employee, teacher-student, companies, universities, governments and so forth are importantly carried on in a written manner.

Nowadays our mobile phones are used more for writing rather than speaking.

Therefore WRITING is and has been a skill of great significance, in any language, and its communication value and usefulness go hand by hand with the everyday development of a more modern society

One last piece of advice: speak as you write and not the other way around, especially when formality is a must and you’ll prove yourself worthy of using the language of William Shakespeare.

LEVEL 4 - Post 9: CHANGES TO MY STUDY PROGRAMME Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (major) Among others, think about: > The curriculum (the subjects you have to study) > Workload and length of studies > Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure) > Use of technology > Teaching methods - Word Count: 250 - Leave comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts and one on mine. This time I will have to make a big effort to think about my study programme since I left university several years ago and in time you usually end up remembering just the positive things specially when you consider that the decision made was the correct one. Nevertheless, taking into account the curriculum that I had back then I remember it didn't prepare the future teachers to face disruptive students and even less to deal with a disruptive and crowded classroom environment, which sadly is the reality of many schools nowadays and makes the task of teaching a real challenge. All methods, approaches and learning strategies were exemplified thinking of an ideal student in the perfect learning atmosphere, too unrealistic!!! At least for our country :(

LEVEL 4 - Post 9: CHANGES TO MY STUDY PROGRAMME

Write about some changes that could be made to your study programme (major)

Among others, think about:

> The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)

> Workload and length of studies

> Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)

> Use of technology

> Teaching methods

- Word Count: 250

- Leave comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts and one on mine.

This time I will have to make a big effort to think about my study programme since I left university several years ago and in time you usually end up remembering just the positive things specially when you consider that the decision made was the correct one.

Nevertheless, taking into account the curriculum that I had back then I remember it didn't prepare the future teachers to face disruptive students and even less to deal with a disruptive and crowded classroom environment, which sadly is the reality of many schools nowadays and makes the task of teaching a real challenge.

All methods, approaches and learning strategies were exemplified thinking of an ideal student in the perfect learning atmosphere, too unrealistic!!! At least for our country :( 

In those years were possible to teach a subject at schools without having the degree via a special permit granted by Ministry of Education but only under the condition of being studying the corresponding major, so there were several classmates of mine who were already working teaching at schools and they talked to us, even in front of our proffessors, about the current educational reality and its many flaws.

I am completely unaware if the curriculum for pedagogies has been changed or modified but without any doubts subjects which provide the future teachers the necessary tools to face the current educational system in depth and in truth should be mandatory (my opinion)

Regarding the length of the programme, I know a lot more now than when I graduated from university, so you must never stop learning, always keep yourself curious; this is how I see it.

Concerning the faculty facilities and use of technology, I studied at a good big private university so there were no issues about that ;-P 

POST 8 >> PERSONAL OPINIONS

- Choose 4 of these questions and give your opinions about them.
- Number of words: 240 minimum (60 per answer aprox.)

What is your opinion about owning an exotic pet?

What is your opinion about women in the military?
What is your opinion about child labor?

What is your opinion about violence on television?

What is your opinion about tattoos?

What is your opinion about killing stray dogs to prevent sanitary problems and animal over population?
What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana and other drugs?
What is your opinion about the Chilean tradition called “mechoneo”?
What is your opinion about cloning?

What is your opinion about recycling?

What is your opinion about “barras bravas” (hooligans)?

What is your opinion about legalizing abortion in some cases?

- Make comments on 3 of your partners' posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

What is your opinion about women in the military? 

I think women should definitely have a strong presence in the armed forces, starting by being part of the military service as they are along with men for example in Israel. They should also be able to make a career in the army and hold the position of Commander in Chief. I’m sure relations among countries would be less warlike.

What is your opinion about tattoos?

Tattoos weren’t appealing to me when I was younger, but when I turned 40 I decided to have one done and I don’t regret the decision at all so in my opinion if you are truly conscious of its meaningfulness and mature enough to realize that it is going to be part of your bo most probably for the rest of your life, go ahead and have one (or many) done.

What is your opinion about recycling? 

Nowadays recycling should be mandatory! We, as human race, have the planet full of waste and by recycling we would diminish garbage in a great deal. The excuse given by governments is that recycling is expensive and non profitable but these shouldn’t be matters of discussion when thinking about the future of next generations. Nevertheless we can all do our part to help now; in my case, I have a compost bin in my yard.

What is your opinion about legalizing abortion in some cases?

Abortion should be legalized in all cases as it is in developed countries. Chile is a country full of double standard people where clandestine abortions are profitable business for doctors and clinics, where these same doctors claim for having the right of “conscientious objection” and where women who have had abortions done in secrecy vote for the right wing to keep the hypocrisy in which they live.

Question, research, analyze, and discuss your
individual opinions and beliefs as well as those of others.