How to take the most of THE WORLD CUP

2014 World Cup Mascot

With the World Cup in motion and our students enjoying their summer break (though not the teachers), time for fun and some learning in-between, don’t you agree?

I’ve collected some resources / links with stuff connected to football and the World Cup.

1. Let’s start with books - simple ones and not that expensive, ok?  ;)

Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, is an award winning football classic.

Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend by Francesca Simon has a low level of English and is therefore great for newly confident readers.

The Story Of Football, by Rob Jones, takes a look at Football through the ages, from the Roman Army to the modern day.

The Story of The World Cup, by Richard Brassey, is definitely a book for all ages that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

World Football Facts and Records, unlike the previous books, is packed with info and stats on football.

2. In what concerns vocabulary - or games - there is absolutely no shortage, but quantity means we have to be very careful in selecting the most appropriate ones for our classes. 

Here you will find a very clear, simple and organised soccer / football guide. Do have a look! Also here you'll find basic football vocabulary.

However, the most comprehensive place for students to practise football vocab is at the British Council - check its variety and quality!!!

3. Now, finally, games:

Check FIFA! Yap, there you'll find plenty of interesting games for you to play.

There is another great place for nice games. At ESOL Games, especially under the heading "Activities for English Beginners and Elementary Students", the games are quite easy for 7th / 8th graders. Why not check this one or this to have an idea?

Again, the British Council has fantastic games for all to play here.

There are also movies. An example is "Bend it Like Beckham", a 2003 comedy about bending the rules to reach one's goals and explores the world of female football (some worksheets included here).

As a curiosity, I'm including a video about the introduction of QR Codes made with Portuguese cobblestone in Brazil  in order to guide and provide tourists with relevant information. Technology also at the service of the World Cup!

Now that so many of our students already have smartphones, QR Codes are also a great idea to use in our classes - for scavenger hunts, for worksheets, for pics...

Have fun and enjoy the matches!

Snow White and the Huntsman

As already disclosed here and here after having spent the morning at the IH Coimbra, we headed to the mall to have lunch and then a flick, but this time students didn't even know what I had in store for them - it was a complete surprise, first for them who reacted with some protest and even disdain when I told them we were going to recall our childhood stories (?) with Snow White, and then also for me once it proved better than expected.
"Snow White and the Huntsman" is a modern day fairy tale: among other examples, it still includes the proverbial "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" but "in a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen." Check for yourself this good movie: great visual effects, good acting (though a much "fairer" evil Queen than Snow White), awesome landscapes, not like the Disney films we are used to.
I'm not going to tell you much more about it but just for you to have an idea, check this stunning "Breath of Life" music video from the soundtrack of the movie:

You might also be interested in checking my resources for the movie in my next blogpost :D