The English Page

Number 25 The British Council Russia Dear Teachers

This month`s English Page is all about competitions. First of all there is the result of the Jazz Chant competition which we held in English Page Number 22. The rest of the Page is about our big competition – the first prize is a trip to Britain to attend a British Council Summer School. Even if you do not enter the competition you may like to use the material in class. See if you can think of a creative way to exploit the text – and remember to try and relate the information and activities to the lives of your students.

If you have any ideas to share with us do please write to me, Margaret Hay-Campbell, The British Council, VBGIL, Ul.Nikoloyamskaya 1, MOSCOW 109189. We really enjoy getting your letters.

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Jazz Chant competition

Thank you very much for sending your Jazz Chants to the English Page. I really enjoyed reading them and and the judges felt that you showed a lot of imagination and talent. Congratulations go to Tatyana Kuznetsova of Khimki who wins the prize and to Inna Shalpo of St. Petersburg and “Your Imaginative Reader” from Sosnovy Bor who were runners-up.

Here is the winning chant:

Language Points: – use of 3rd person singular

– expressing obligation – “to have to” and must

– to practise making questions

(stressed syllables are in bold).

Get up, it`s time to go to school.

I don`t want to go to school.

You have to go to school.

But I don`t want to go to school.

Bert always hurts me.

What does he do?

Bert always hurts me.

It`s terrible, it`s awful, it`s shocking

I don`t want to go to school.

You have to go to school.

But I don`t want to go to school.

Tim always puts pins on my chair.

What does he do?

Tim always puts pins on my chair.

It`s terrible, it`s awful, it`s shocking

You have to go to school.

But I don`t want to go to school.

Paul always throws snowballs at me.

It`s terrible, it`s awful, it`s shocking

But you have to go to school.

You must be reliable and responsible.

You are ……the principal of the school!

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Runner-up – Inna Sholpo

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Language points – using simple present and present progressive

– everyday actions

What are you doing?

I`m brushing my teeth.

I brush them every day.

What are you doing?

I`m washing my face.

I do it once a week!

What are you doing?

I`m combing my hair.

I comb it from time to time!

What are you doing?

I`m standing on my head.

I do it most of the time!

I see!

Inna also writes:

I fell in love with Carolyn Graham`s “Jazz Chants for Children” and “Small Talk” in 1991, when it was impossible to buy the cassettes or the texts. I was teaching very young learners (from 5 to 8) at the co-operative school and managed to get a worn copy of “Jazz Chants for Children” and “Small Talk” from one of the parents. Certainly I coudn`t get the books. So I had to write down the words as I could understand them from listening to the tape and type them for my pupils. The whole period of my teacher`s life was marked by these wonderful chants. And I still don`t know anything better. Now I teach future primary school teachers in the Russian State Pedagogical University, and stronly recommend them to use jazz chants in their practice. And, of course, I was not able to resist the temptation and tried to write my own chants. You will find one of them here.

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ENGLISH PAGE COMPETITION

*** FIRST PRIZE: a trip to England to attend a three

week British Council Summer School (in July or August)

You will meet teachers from all over the world, share

teaching experiences and learn about new develpments in

English Language Teaching.

*** WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

* Look at the special competition materials published

in this addition of the English Page (Number 27).

* Design an activity to use with the materials.

* Write a brief (2 sides of A4) lesson plan showing how you would use the activity in class. You MUST say what the objective of the lesson is (what you hope the students will be able to DO at the end of the lesson).

* Send the lesson plan and the materials you would use in class (worksheet/cue-cards/game) to me:

Margaret Hay-Campbell

The British Council

VBGIL

Ul. Nikoloyamskaya 1

MOSCOW 109189

PLEASE WRITE A LETTER WITH YOUR COMPETITION ENTRY GIVING BRIEF DETAILS ABOUT YOURSELF – YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR TEACHING EXPERIENCE, WHAT TRAINING COURSES YOU HAVE ATTENDED, HOW GOING TO A SUMMER COURSE IN BRITAIN COULD HELP YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.

MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE YOUR HOME ADDRESS, YOUR SCHOOL ADDRESS AND YOUR HOME AND SCHOOL TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

CLOSING DATE: 31 March 1996

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COMPETITION MATERIAL:

Here are two articles about people in Britain.

Design an activity to use with the articles. You can use ONE or BOTH articles but make sure you say which article you are using.

Think about how you can relate the articles to YOUR students` experiences. Why don`t you look back at other English Pages to get some ideas of things you could do with the articles – or think of something completely new!