A very proud city!!!

Just couldn't help sharing to show pride in my hometown and university :)))
A deserved award, no doubt about that!!!



Check the site of the printscreen above at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1387/ for further info (description, maps for location, documents, gallery with some more pics and indicators) as well as the article http://portuguese-american-journal.com/award-university-of-coimbra-granted-word-heritage-status-unesco/.

Here is the candidacy statement, here you find the updated list of World Heritage Sites in Portugal and also here and in English there is plenty of info on the University of Coimbra (Facts and Figures).

If it's true that Coimbra long deserved this world recognition and award, it's also true that with it comes the heavy responsibility of preserving our historical and cultural heritage. Are we up to this?

Hope so, as do future tourists / visitors. We are waiting.

World Book and Copyright Day

Today's Google Doodle: St George's Day

23rd April marks different observances. It's St George's Day, England's National Day, as well as the anniversary of the birth and death of famous writers such as Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare.        

Logo

For this reason,UNESCO chose this date to pay tribute to books, authors and copyright laws that protect them.
Therefore, to promote reading among all age groups, a range of activities usually take place worldwide which include reading alouds, the distribution of bookmarks, announcement of literary prize winners, ...

guardian.co.uk

What about you, yes, have you discovered the pleasure of reading? How? When?
What are you currently reading? What do you recommend? How do you read, in other words, would you rather read physical books or digital ones?
If willing to read more about the importance of reading, take a peek to see previous articles
http://issuu.com/teacheralex/docs/the_importance_of_reading_def_p_issuu_nov_2011/1
http://issuu.com/teacheralex/docs/reading_challenge_in_l2_-_part_1/1
and former blogposts with many different suggestions on reading and reading sources.
Happy Reading, y'all!

Poems signed by students

Stop.
Wait!
Poems by students? By adult learners of English?
Well, that's right.
Since the year 2000 that 21st March has been World Poetry Day. Having in mind that UNESCO's aim with this date is to promote Reading, Writing and the teaching/learning of Poetry and using an interactive resource  from Read Write Think, I challenged my adult learners to write Acrostic Poems, in other words, poems that use the letters in a topic word to begin each line. Some sts chose to use their own names, others chose topics as family or love, others still, festivities. Not all managed to complete their first poetic attempt; other poems were saved and sent without a final correction. Nevertheless, the result was so encouraging and rewarding that we would like to share these beautiful poems with you all.
Their poems follow below - and because we are approaching Easter, this "story" starts with an Easter bunny made with the students' names :=) So, what do you think? Approved, right?

World Poetry Day

Every year on March 21 UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) celebrates World Poetry Day - a time to appreciate poetry and poets all over the world.
Quoting Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

"Poetry is one of the purest expressions of linguistic freedom. It is a component of the identity of peoples and it embodies the creative energy of culture, for it can be continuously renewed".

Message for the World Poetry Day 

To celebrate this date and the beginning of Spring, a poem, what else???

IT'S SPRING

It's spring

And the garden is changing its clothes,

Putting away

Its dark winter suits,

Its dull scarves

And drab brown overcoats.

Now, it wraps itself in green shoots,

Slips on blouses

Sleeved with pink and white blossom,

Pulls on skirts of daffodil and primrose,

Snowdrop socks and purple crocus shoes,

Then dances in the sunlight.

John Foster in The Works 10th Anniversary Edition

What about you, what are your favourite lines?

Happy World Poetry Day, y'all :)

IWD 2013

8th March has been International Women's Day for over a century and in previous years I have left here info and some resources.
This year I planned something slightly different as some of you might have noticed and voted- I'm thankful for that.
There was a poll and here are the results as to 8pm:

This poll is certainly a good starting point for a discussion on Women's rights and gender (in)equalities worldwide. To provide a kind of "language bank", have a look at this link which contains different ways of expressing agreement / disagreement... as well as arguments.
BBC news has a moving article on women who inspire others and in honor of IWD, Globe and Mail has a very curious article on "Where's the best place to be a woman?"
Scholastic has literally tons of interesting resources for teachers and ESLvideo has a very updated interview with Malala Yousafzai (the Pakistani school girl and women's rights activist recently shot) as well as a quiz - a role model for bravery that we could use in classes!
The best for me though is an interactive experience we should all (including sts) try out: "Mind the Gap - Gender & Education" already says much and is described as "An interactive data game that lets you explore the progress and pitfalls of girls’ and women’s education around the world". Here it is:

Mind the gap infographic by UNESCO Institute for statistics.

In my classes and with my adult learners, today I showed the students a tribute video to women which combines good music and pics of women who, throughout the time and in different areas, made a difference. Afterwards I elicited some info from them for a written task I'm sharing below. (the worksheet below has the link to the video):

21 Feb - International Mother Language Day

WORLD BOOK and COPYRIGHT DAY

An updated version of Shakespeare's dilemma...

"In all formats, books embody ideas and values considered by men and women to be worth passing on. They are valuable tools for knowledge-sharing, mutual understanding and openness to others and to the world."

Irina Bokova
Message for World Book and Copyright Day
23 April 2012

 

World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on 23 April, organized by UNESCO, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
The Day was first celebrated in 1995 and in 2012 the UK World Book Day was celebrated on March 1, 2012.
World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on April 23. The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes who died on that day. In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on this date because of the Catalonian festival and because the date is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare and the death of Miguel de Cervantes, among others.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Book_and_Copyright_Day and
http://www.un.org/en/events/bookday/

So, Happy Birthday Shakespeare!!! Watch and enjoy artists and athletes read a famous Shakespeare passage:

For more info, please check http://festival.london2012.com/
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history
http://www.history.com/news/2011/10/24/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-william-shakespeare/?cmpid=INT_Outbrain_HITH_HIS&obref=obnetwork
...
or my latest resource, a webquest on the English Bard at http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=145126 and the worksheets at http://issuu.com/teacheralex/docs/handout_webquest__april2012

FADO earns UNESCO recognition

Streetart of Amália, Lisbon

That's right! Today the Portuguese FADO was added to UNESCO's List of World's Intangible Cultural Heritage which includes traditions and skills passed on within generations.
For those who aren't very acquainted with FADO, Fado songs are usually peformed by a solo singer, male or female, traditionally accompanied by a wire-strung accoustic guitar and the Portuguese guitar. The most famous Fado singer was / is Amália Rodrigues, who in the 20th century made Fado known beyond Portugal, performing all over Europe, Japan, South America, and even in the United States; contemporary FADO singers include Mariza (considered the new "Queen of Fado"), Carlos do Carmo, Dulce Pontes among others.
Let's hope Portugal and the Fado Museum cling to their goal of preserving FADO's cultural legacy throughout generations :)))

Now Enjoy!



For further info,
http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00002
http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00011
http://www.economist.com/node/250031
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariza