Describing Visual Data

In the last few days, we have been working on how to write a visual data description.



While correcting your descriptions I have noticed that some of you simply make a summary of what the chart or graph illustrates. It is very important to remember that the reader of our description has also access to these graphs, so they expect us to highlight any surprising aspects of these visual data.

In order to do so, we are going to use certain verbs and adverbs which help us express not only the data found in these graphs, but also underline those aspects in which we want to call our reader's attention. However, avoid giving personal opinion about the reasons behind the given data (e.g. if the graph shows falling prices and you know it's because of the Covid'19, do not say anything. Your personal opinion must not be mentioned).

Always pay attention to the time frame of the graph or pine charts and use appropriate tenses (past, present or future). The use of the right prepositions is also important.

Another important tip is to focus on getting the appropriate data from the pie charts / graphs into your writing (major trends, major groups, exceptions...).

Finally, one important tip: try to see the big picture, avoid getting lost in very small details. After all, this is a summarizing task of mediation.

For more tips and activities, go to this link by the British Council and complete the multiple choice gap filling activities at the end of the page. Check this vocabulary to help you with pie charts (language of portions) and line graphs.

Models and Advertisements

In lesson 15, Trends, we are discussing about the role of models in advertisements. In this post, I'm asking you to find an ad for a product that uses a model / models. Please, write a comment to this post and paste a link with your selected ad, present it to the readers of this blog, saying what it's promoting, and whether it is successful or not. Tell us if you think the model is objectified and presented positively or not.

My example: This is an ad by the soap company Dove. For years, I've been a fan of the ads by this company because they always try to pay attention to diversity. They show many types of women who are proud of themselves, no matter how fat, masculine, old or "too pretty" they are. At the end of the commercial we find out what they all have in common; with the slogan "my beauty / my say" we find out they all use the same soap. I think the models are not being objectified, but quite the opposite, and they're presented positively. However, while looking for an ad for this post I found out Dove has also made mistakes in some of their advertising ideas and had to apologize about it. Check this link to find out more about it.

Fashion and sustainability

Hi again, everyone.

One new week and one new post. Lesson 15 from our textbook deals with trends. I know you have already completed the activities on pages 134 and 135. If you missed that class, please do them by yourselves -I'll send you the answers by email for self correction. However, I'd like to add a twist to this lesson and mix it with another lesson we have in our Year Programme, sustainability (not in our textbook).

I have found this link I'd like to share with you in order to have a class discussion next Wednesday at 7pm. Are we going back to school? Not, I'm afraid we aren't, but I want to try this knew tool I've been using with friends and family during this quarantine. Its name is Zoom. Have you ever used it? It's very easy. I'll send you a link by email you have to use in order to be part of this online discussion. Please, remember that previously you must watch the Ted talk you'll find at the end of the attached link and think about the answers to the 3 proposed questions. There is also a vocabulary glossary and a quiz you can check.

The ad which illustrates this post is just food for thought. ;)

See you on Wednesday at 7 on Zoom. Now you have an excuse to wear your best top, do your hair and/or shave your beard. Ha, ha, ha!

Don't judge too quickly

People tend to judge other people too quickly, especially in a bad way.

It's very easy to criminalize somebody while we aren't standing in their shoes.

Given today circumstances, that has become something really harmful for some people. We shouldn't pretend to be in a trial from our windows or balconies.

To make you think how wrong you could be, watch these funny advertisements.


(Thanks to Ameriquest Mortage Company for this hilarious campaign)


These videos demonstrate that things are not always what they seem.

Remember, think twice, one day you could be the one there!

Write a comment telling us what your favourite TV commercial is. I love the one in the hospital!

Sharpening your English listening with lyrics

All of us have problems understanding song lyrics in foreign languages, even in our native language, and it's funny all the different theories that arise from what everyone thinks they listen, hahaha!

Don't you trust me? Well, regarding English may be you'll trust the BBC:

Quiz: Have you been getting these lyrics wrong all this time?

It's a little quiz where you'll have to choose among 3 choices what is sung in certain moments of 10 famous songs.

The quiz includes the videos pointing to the exact moment of the song where you have to pay attention.

Don't forget to read the little explanation you get after choosing.

A tip, pay attention to the starting time and if you need it, you can rewind easily using the scroll bar as many times as you want.

I hope you enjoy it!

Flipgrid - Any good news out there?

Hello, again.

My post of this week is not to show you my #no-makeup look 😉, but to let you know about a new educational tool I've just discovered: Flipgrid. Basically, it is a platform to have video discussions.

The way we are use it is the following. I'm going to send you via whatsApp a code that you will use to answer to the video clip I've already uploaded to Flipgrid (press the + bottom to do so). On your video you can ask any questions or make a comment to my video or any of the other videos your classmates will eventually upload. Then, you have to summarize a piece of news you have read, watched or heard in English. Just two requests: try to find something not related to Covid19 and somehow positive (check the sections for culture, education or environment). You only have 90 seconds to do both things (make a question/comment and summarize the piece of news you've chosen). You can use BBC News, The Guardian, or the New York Times if you prefer to read or BBC Radio 4 (British English) or NPR (American English) if you prefer the radio. You can obviously use any media you want, but I recommend you to use a mix of them (reading and listening) in order to feed both skills.

By using this platform, we are working four skills: reading, mediation (summarizing), listening and speaking. Hope you find it interesting and useful. I have to confess I'm enjoying a lot the discovery of new gadgets. Be ready for next week: I have more in my pocket. I can't wait to see yours as well.

Stay well, have fun and keep your English alive and kicking.

María

What's going on?

Hi everybody,

Hope you are doing well. Welcome to our new Blog. The purpose of this blog is to share any tools to keep our English alive and kicking while being in this quarantine. I highlight the word our because we are all authors of this blog, which means that any of us can publish posts. We can share any links, from articles, videos, games, or applications.You name it. The only requirement is, of course, that they have to be in English. In case you do not know how to post an entrance, check this tutorial or find a more detailed one here. You will see it's much easier than it looks. Let's just get started.

My first link is to show you the source of one of my favourite activities of this year: "What's going on?" Can you remember it? The idea is to guess what's going on in different photos published on the New York Times. The photo I've chosen to illustrate this post is a tricky one. If you don't pay much attention, you'd think it's a recent photo, but if you look at it more closely you'll realize that the clothes, hair styles and type of mask belong to a different period of time. When I look at the newspaper these days I wonder what history books will tell the future generations about the current situation. However, I'm not going to ask you what you think they may say -many of you have probably open this blog to try to forget about coronavirus for a while. My idea is simply to share with you the link to this fantastic tool and to invite you to answer the three questions you are asked for each picture. You can also read what other students have written about the selected photos. I think it is a great way to practise your writing and reading skills, isn't it?

Stay well, have fun and keep your English alive and kicking.

María