1x.5 Violent video games

We've just read about how a family's experience of playing Grand Theft Auto clashed with widespread beliefs and prejudices against violent video games. What are your opinions on this matter? Discuss the questions below in small groups.


- Do you usually play video games? How often?
- Have video games changed the way teenagers spend their free time? How?
- In your opinion, what positive and negative impact can video games have on people's lives?
- Human personality is shaped and defined during adolescence. In your opinion, can video games play a role in the development of teenagers' personalities?
- Do you think violent video games can influence people's behaviour? Why (not)?


Well, let's take a look at what different experts have to say on this issue. Watch this video and take notes to try to answer the questions below.



Comprehension questions:

- What did the study carried out by the Ohio State University consist of?
- What were its conclusions?

- What are some differing viewpoints that the video presents about playing video games?

- What do the students interviewed say about video games?

- What measure has the video game industry taken to help protect society from exposure to violence?

1x.4 Destination America. Life stories of today's immigrants.

1. Discuss these questions in small groups:

• Define migration. What can be its causes?
• Do you have ancestors from other Spanish regions or foreign countries? Why did they migrate to Majorca?
• How do immigrants adapt to Spanish culture?
• Imagine you must settle in a foreign country. What aspects would you find key to successful integration?

Sophia, last year's assistant teacher, participated in a workshop in which high school students like you interviewed immigrants in their schools or neighbourhoods and wrote articles about their life experiences.

2. Read one of these extracts and discuss the questions in your group:

3. When you finish, join students who read a different story and compare the three life experiences.

• In what ways are the three stories similar? In what ways are they different?
• Which story did you find the most striking? Why?
• Can you think of similar situations migrants are facing in Spain? Discuss them.

Homework

4. Read the complete story you have been assigned comprehensively and watch the accompanying video when you finish. You can find the stories here. The following online dictionaries can help you with your reading at home.

www.learnersdictionary.com

www.wordreference.com

5. When you finish reading, complete the reading file below thoroughly. You will need this file next day in class to take part in a class discussion. 

6. On June 16th 2015, a well-known American businessman called Donald Trump announced that he would be running for US President in 2016. His Presidential Campaign Announcement speech was very controversial because of what he said about immigration. Watch the video and discuss the questions below:

• Does his view on immigration match the real-life experiences you've read about? Why (not)?
• What different reactions do you think his words may have caused? Think about different types of audiences such as Mexican immigrants, American citizens, the international community, etc.
• Is this a conservative or a liberal view on immigration? Why? 
• Do you think he will become the next US President? Why (not)?

1x.3 Surviving in Japan

After learning some interesting things about Japan and listening to Malcolm's experience living in the country, I want you to take a look at this website which offers survival tips for people who would like to move to Japan.

Imagine you're planning to move to Tokyo for work-related reasons. Browse the guide summary (click here to open the website) and read the sections which are relevant to the questions you've been assigned. Take notes to discuss them in class later on.

Group 1

What important things should you do before leaving Spain?
What tips or recommendations do you consider to be the most useful?

Group 2

What type of jobs should a person who doesn't speak Japanese fluently try to find?
What important considerations related to job interviews, contracts and work should you take into account?

Group 3

What advice on free time does the guide give?
Which tips or recommendations do you consider to be the most useful?

ご幸運を祈ります! (Gokoūn o inorimasu!) - Good luck!

2x.5 Amy Cuddy: "Your body language shapes who you are"

Shaking like a leaf about your upcoming oral presentation? Harvard professor Amy Cuddy can help you! Watch her awesome TED talk and find out how her research has demonstrated that your body language shapes who you are. No need to worry - her "power poses" can help you fake it 'til you become it!

1s.10 The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Take a virtual tour of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. What (animals, objects, etc.) can you see in the museum? Write down at least ten. Which is your favourite one?

http://www.mnh.si.edu/vtp/1-desktop/

1x.2 The good consumer

In this unit we are discussing adverts, consumer society and the art of persuasion in general. Watch the following video and take notes about what you hear on these ideas.

advertisers - catchy slogans - (to) ban - consumer society

(to) be bombarded by brands and ads - slaves to fashion

1. Which of the terms above is not referred to on the video?
2. How are the other terms connected with what you hear on the video? Explain in your own words.

Discuss and analyse the video:

1. How are the actors presented / described on the video?
2. Do you think this description matches today's consumer society? Why (not)?
3. In your opinion, are the actors on the video "good consumers"? Explain.
4. What do you think the ultimate aim of the video is?
5. What strategies do the authors resort to in order to achieve this aim? Think about all of the elements you can see, read and hear.

2x.4 Most groundbreaking inventions of 2011

Take a look at some of the most groundbreaking inventions that have been put on the market recently!

1. What inventions are discussed on the video?
2. What makes them special or different?
3. How much do they cost?

4s.5 "Liberté, egalité, Beyoncé"

After discussing different art forms and even holding our own art gallery in class, we're coming to the conclusion some of the most amazing works of art are all about breaking the mould and causing a great impression on the audience. Don't you think this sounds like a great idea for our 2014 Portfolio project? Get ready for...

1. What is the project about?

"Liberté, egalité, Beyoncé" is an English project consisting of revisiting classic works of art that are connected with freedom and equal rights. It will also be our contribution to the 2014 Portfolio school exhibition.

2. Why "Liberté, egalité, Beyoncé"?

Because it can help you discover classic works of art from a new perspective while having fun working in English.

3. What do I have to do?

You must find a classic work of art that has been reinterpreted by a contemporary famous or unknown artist. Take a look at some examples:

DELACROIX, Eugène. Liberty guiding the people (1830)

KIKIRIKILLER (blogger). Liberté, egalité, Beyoncé (2013)

BARTHOLDI, Frédéric A. Liberty enlightening the world (1886).

FELIX, E. Liberty in crisis (2014).

4. How can I find my work of art?

Contemporary artists, including bloggers, are constantly revisiting art. Classic works of art, such as the ones presented above, are often used as the basis for reinterpretations. A classic work of art may be intepreted from different perspectives:

- As new historical events occur (e.g. popular revolutions, wars, etc.)

- As new social groups are fighting for their rights (e.g. women, LGTB, African-Americans, etc.)

- As new cultural trends or fashions are set (e.g. pop culture, fast food culture, etc.)

A good starting point for your work can be Google. Your objective: find an artist who has reinterpreted classic art from a new, grounbreaking perspective. Remember your work of art must be connected with freedom or equal rights!

5. What art forms can I choose from?

You can choose from any form of visual art. The original work of art and its reinterpretation may include paintings, sculpture, graffiti, installations, fashion design, craft, etc.

6. Need help?
Your English, Art or History teachers can give you a hand!

4s.4 The making of a mandala

How are mandalas made? Watch this video and find out!

4s.3 Damien Hirst's 2012 exhibition at the Tate

We are talking about contemporary art in class. Definitely, one of the most revolutionary artists we have learnt about is Damien Hirst. Do you remember his Mother and Child Divided (1993)?

In 2012, a groundbreaking retrospective exhibition of Damien Hirst's work opened at the Tate museum in London. Watch this video featuring the Head of Collections at the Tate museum, Ann Gallagher, talking about this extraordinary event.

 

Damien Hirst's 2012 exhibition at the Tate from theflyingbeetle

1x.1 White beauty, Asian nightmare

The text "White beauty, Asian nightmare" (SB p. 74) we have read in class reveals that advertising - and the media in general - can shape our view of the world in a very powerful way!

Watch this news report about the Asian craze for a lighter skin complexion and answer the questions below.

1. Why does Uangsuma use a whitening cream?
2. Citra, one of the most important makers of whitening creams in Thailand, has recently organized a contest. What did it consist of?
3. Why did the company pull the contest?
4. According to the reporter, the craze for whitening creams is based on a widespread assumption. Which?
5. Did Uangsuma feel annoyed or offended by the contest organized by Citra?
6. The reporter says at the end of the video: "Some feel companies and ad firms need to learn a lesson - their messages are received well beyond their target market and can take on a completely different colour." What does he mean? Explain.

The text we read in class mentions a cream called White Beauty. Below you can find one of its ads aimed at the Asian market and a TV commercial which was broadcast on Indian TV in 2008.

1. Read the slogan Pond's created to advertise the cream. What words are used to describe fair skin and dark skin? Do they have a positive or a negative connotation?
2. What happens on the video? What subliminal advertising are TV viewers being exposed to?

However, skin-whitening techniques are not exclusive to Asian societies. They are also popular in some African countries and well known celebrities such as Beyoncé or Rihanna have been accused of getting their skins whitened.

 
Wanna learn more about the awesome effects of the media on people's opinions on race? I strongly recommend you watch the following video on the so-called Clark Doll Experiment (1939). It will leave you in shock!

1. This videos shows footage of a real experiment conducted on African-American children. What happens on the video? Do you find it surprising?
2. In your opinion, what factors do you think cause children to make such decisions?

4s.2 Do you have an unusual job?

Read some of these posts about people who have unusual jobs. Answer the questions below on the blog. Identify yourself by clicking on the "Name / URL" tab!

1. Which job do you think is the strangest? 
2. Which do you think is the funniest? 
3. Which would you like to have? Why?

1s.9 Christmas dinner around the world

What does the world eat on Christmas Eve? Visit this website and find out! Complete the worksheet.

If you need to look up a word in a dictionary you can use www.wordreference.com!

Enjoy your meal!