Independent Learning.

1.Date: 8 Apr 14

2.Work done and resources used: Elllo 

http://www.elllo.org/video/1101/V1127-Generous.htm 

3.Activity type:Listening   

4.Location and Partner(s): Home,no partners  

5 .Time spent from -to:  9.00 p.m-11.00 p.m.

6.Evaluation: Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:From my point of view, it is very interesting.The speakers are representatives of different countries and nationalities.They have there own accent and also people speak about interesting topics and they share their own experience.It will be usefull when we go abroad.After listening you have test quiz,you answer the questions about the auditioned material.The number of questions depends on how long the recording continues. Usually it is 3 or 4 guestions with the variety od answers. It helps you improve your listening skills and memorise main points.

Disadvantages: Most of the speakers are students.And sometimes they talk about useless things.Also the quality of some video recordings are low and you are not able to hear what exactly speaker says.

1.Date:9 Apr 14

2.Work done and resources used: English central

 http://www.englishcentral.com/video/21709/how-to-greet-someone

3.Activity type: Listening,Vocabulary,Speaking   

4.Location and Partner(s):Home,no partners    

5 .Time spent from -to:  7.00 p.m.-8.15p.m.

6.Evaluation: Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages: I really enjoy this site.Firstly, I watched video ,then I had to type the missing words.It sharpens hearing and attention.During the speech of people you can click the words you do not know.After listening and typing missing words you are able to speak to microphone about the topic.And I think after hearing correct spelling you try to speak correctly and repeat after the speakers.That is very effective, beacause after this the contingency that you would speak incorrectly is very low.After speaking you have quiz vocabulary.It is my favourite part.Due to this quiz I have learnt many words and it was very easy.You can click at any word you do not know and the meaning of the word and example with using this word appear.

Disadvantages: To my mind the number of the words in quiz is not enough.It should be much more.Because it was to esy to me to learn only 4 or 5 words after each conversations..Also the choice of levels are insufficient,I think after the level "Intermediate" they should create the level "Upper-intermediate".Many people knows english better than level  "Intermediate" but worse than level "Advanced".

1.Date: 7 Apr 14

2.Work done and resources used: Papper rater 

http://paperrater.com/ticket/6e7c43391bcf3f3-774495

3.Activity type: Writing   

4.Location and Partner(s): Home,no partners 

5 .Time spent from -to:3.00 p.m.-4.00 p.m. 

6.Evaluation: Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages: It is a big discovery for me.I need this type of site for months.Fistly I wrote an essay and then I pasted it in this site.They checked my spelling:the words that were written incorrectly were underlined in red.And you have a choice to ignor replace or to choose the suggested changes.After this you analyze and realize you mistakes.Then the checked my grammar and there were many grammar suggestions about commas.The best thing I liked about this site is that they check you word choice!It is really useful for me.Due to this my vocabulary will increase.There were also information about style and evaluation of my vocabulary words,which is important too.After all this I had my grade.I am content with this evaluation.

Disadvantages:There is one big disadvantage:it is just computer and sometimes it does not understand what you mean.

1.Date:11 Apr 14

2.Work done and resources used: Lyrics training

http://lyricstraining.com/play/john_lennon/stand_by_me/HzhbW8nmYz

3.Activity type: Listening. 

4.Location and Partner(s): Home,no partners 

5 .Time spent from -to:9.00 p.m.-11.00 p.m.

6.Evaluation: Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages: This site is not only for improving your listening skills ,to my mind , it is also for soul and mood.I am sure that I will use this site very often. Firstly,I chose my favourite song and them I chose my level.I listened to the song and if there were missing words I tried type them quickly if I did not catch the song stops  and I had some attempts to type another words.If I do not guess I am able to listen again.Due to this experience I have learnt by heart my favourite songs and I knew the spelling and pronunciation of many new words.As for me the best thing of this site is that after guessing all words I can sing karaoke and enjoy the video.I am very excited.

Disadvantages:Sometimes the song is to quick and you do not catch.You start to panic.

                                                                Independent learning log

Date: 11.04.2014
Work done and recources used: English Center http://www.englishcentral.com/myenglish
Location and partners: Home, no partners
Time spent from-to: 22:00 - 22:30
Process of learning:  I really liked it. I learnt some interesting information.

There were a great number of video shoots. I chose one of them and passed 4 steps there.

The first step was just to watch this video. There were subtitles and while I was watching the video, I could stop it and click the word that I didn't know. And when I clicked it, there were all information about this word ( transcription, meaning, example, pronunciation). 

After watching, the next step was to learn the words. So this video played again, in that time the places of words were missed, that I saw on the first step. I typed these words and started to remember them. 

The third step was to speak the video. Using microfon, I pronounced every word that I learnt in the previous step.
And in the end, I passed small quiz vocabulary, where I could check how many words I remembered.
Cons: One can say when I passed  the second and third steps, it was a bit difficult to remember words at once. It seems to me that if I didn't write words correctly, it would be better to repeat these words for the second round or more. And so I could remember them quickly. But it depends on person.
Pros: To my mind, generally it helps you to improve your speaking(spelling), listening skills and it enables you to expand your vocabulary. Also you can compare your speech with the speech of native speaker and correct your pronunciation if it is necessary.
Accordingly, I recommend you this recource and  if you use this site permanently, you definitly improve and  practise your English. It is better and more interesting than to learn words from the dictionary and without practising to forget them sooner.

Talanted ZAZ

Hello, my friends!!! Today I would like to tell about French singer Zaz. Her songs are really famous and they are listened around the world. Zaz - it is her nickname and real name is Isabelle Geffroy . And I read one article about her in the magazine, but I can't remember in which,she says about her nickname : "there are the first letter and the last letter of alphabet, it means that everything starts and someday it's over. Don't need to cling to something , and continue your life."

Before choosing this style of music she used a lot of other styles like blues, jazz and hard rock. And she have been singing with different groups before she became so popular. Also a lot of her songs are written by her and they are really meaningful.

This is  one of her songs.You can listen and watch it. This song is called " Along  the road". The video is really unusual and interesting and the meaning of this song makes you think about life, destiny, your behavior.

 In my mind her songs have something old-fashioned and they express  a lot of things that everyone should know and realize, the style is similar to Édith Piaf. And Zaz is really talanted person, her voice is pleasant and extraordinary. So I  think that many people know her like a good performer and I hope that she will continue her art and share it, that all her creations will be listened in the future and she will be able to reach everyone's soul as well as she does it now.

It is her official website. If you want to read more information about her and listen to her music and watch the videos you can click the link below:

http://www.zazofficial.com/en

The legend of french music-Joe Dassin.

I want to write about Joe Dassin,my favourite singer. I think that everybody knows him,even if you do not know him,you listened to his songs.Joe Dassin`s most famous song "Et si tu n`existais pas" was translated into many languages.It is because of the significant words and wonderful music. The voice of this singer is adorable and pleasant. I do not even know such amazing singer as he was.Joe Dassin sang songs with soul.From my point of view he is a proud of France.As all french men Joe Dassin was graceful.Also he was a real gentleman..You should listen to his songs and watch his clips.I am sure you will enjoy it. It is his song "Et si tu n`existais pas" with words  below:

The festival of lemons and orchids

Menton - the western resort of Cote d'Azur. Menton is an unusual, quiet, ordinary, picturesque seaside town.This town is popular for its lemon trees which bloom and give the fruit the whole year.The most important crop is in march and april. Thereby they celebrate Fete du citron (The lemon festival) from 15 february to 4 march. It is like preparation for the crop.
It is really memorable and colorful holiday. It seems all people are content for subsequent crop.

 For this holiday they choose only good citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit).And Menton are decorated with various figures like, castles,characters from fairytales,animals, sightseeings of France and a lot  of another things.

For information about this festival  to click these links.It is Fete du citron official website 

http://www.fete-du-citron.com/-Lemon-Festival-s-program-.html

  It is the fragment of this fabulous holiday, you can watch it and as if you will get into a fairytale

Lemon festival 2013: 80 day around the world

This month not only lemons keep up,also thousands types and hybrids of  orchids blossom. At this time french people celebrate Festival arts d'orchideé (Orchids Festival ). Orchids Festival is very gorgeous and amasing holiday and also it is really useful, because you can learn more about orchids and their hybrids.

You can watch this video. It is the slideshow of orchids which were presented in the festival in 2013. 

There are some information about Orchids Festival and photo gallery of orchids
http://www.provence-luberon-news.com/en/Provence-Luberon-News/Culture-and-Leisure/Festival/Orchids-Festival-of-Menton

Hello, my dear friends, who read our blog! We think, that it is not important, if you learn german or french .It is always interesting and cognitive to know many languages. So that, for all students,who want to be polyglot will be useful to know about community in Vk,which is called  "French language"(французский язык). In this community you can find and download audio-books,that will help you in learning French language,you can also find french songs,clips and news.This community renovates every day. They use illustrations with rules and new words."French language" community publishes proverbs and quotations of great people.It is easier to study French language with this community. 

If you are ineterested in this community,you should sign up in Vk.It is obligatorily.  

To go in click on the link below:
http://vk.com/fryaz

La danse - le mode de la vie

As we know,the culture of France develops very well. And there are a lot of types of art like cinematography, choregraphy and vocal ect.
But today we would like to talk about dancing, particularly about hip-hop dance. Hip-hop dance is more popular in such countries:Russia, Japan, USA, South Korea, China and certainly France. And these countries are usually leading in many international buttles and competitions.

So hip-hop came to France early.By the late - 70's New York's best crews were touring the country, soon after hip-hop radio stations began cropping up in Paris.
For more information click the link. It is about hip-hop in France and how it was developed.

http://frenchculture.org/visual-and-performing-arts/news/playlist-brief-overview-french-hip-hop

There are many styles of hip-hop dance (new style, La style, old school, r'n'b ect.)
New style hip-hop is an extraordinary and energetic style.And the movements of  new style are simple.But you should clearly do all the motions and accomplish them. Also every dancer adds his specific nature and motions always look different.
And one of the famous team who use new style is Les twins. It is two identical twin brothers Laurent and Larry Bourgeois.
Often referred to by their respective nicknames "Lil Beast" and "Ça Blaze".

Born and raised in Sarcelles, France, the self-taught dance duo became the darlings of the French audience in 2008 as finalists on the popular television show Incroyable Talent. They quickly rose to prominence in the United States after a video of their performance on the San Diego leg of the 2010 World of Dance tour went viral on YouTube, surpassing over 6 million views in less than a year. In 2011 they won the Hip-hop New Style division of the prestigious international street dance competition Juste Debout.

If you want to know more about Les Twins(their biography, personal lives, work, interests, tours and so on), you can click these links:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Twins

Tour de france. 

There are many events held in France.One of them is Tour de France.

The Tour de France is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France,while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1903 to increase paper sales for the magazine L `Auto, it is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation.Participation expanded from a primarily French field,as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year.Traditionally, the race is held primarily in the month of July. While the route changes each year,the format of the race stays the same with the appearance of at least two time trials, the passage through the mountain chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, and the finish on the Champs - Elysees in Paris. The number of teams usually vries between 20 and 22, with nine riders in each.

 For more information click on the link below: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France

Group "Kraftwerk" devoted a song to Tour de France.This song was first issued in June 1983, peaking at number 22 in the UK singles chart. It is notable for the use of sampled voices and mechanical sounds associated with cycling.

You can listen to this song,if you want:

You have an excellent opportunity to enjoy watching this prestigious race. Click on  the video below to watch:

 Litle Nicholas

We want to present you french film which is called "Little Nicholas"(Le petit Nicolas).This film is glorious,natural,full of the spirit of the childhood with its funny fears,fantasies and adventures.While watching this film you think over and over about that wonderful time which is called "childhood".You understand that child's desires and thoughts are sincere. And you conceive that adults' behavior appears newly when they are observed by ingenious child's eyes.Also you can realise that calmness,kindness and love are the most important for children.And of course you will enjoy this film because every episode of this film reminds you France,its people with their naturalness ,delicacy and a sense of humour.So we recommend everybody to watch this film if you want to plunge into the wonderful world of the childhood.We hope that you really enjoy it.

Unfortunately,there is not video in English,so you are able to watch it in Russian.I hope,that is okay.Before watching sign up in vk.Thank you for attention.
Here is a link to this film:

http://vk.com/video37194851_167408251?hd=2&t=11m10s

France is one of the most beautiful and romantic countries in the world, isn't it?
There are a lot of sightseeings, that we know Eiffel tower, The Louvre, Triumph arche, Notre dame de Paris and ect.
And their language are really gorgeous and it sounds like a gentle melody
Also their culture, mentality and the way of life are original and various. So we want to share a lot of exciting and useful things. For example: some facts and news about France,  french songs and films for people who learn and want to improve their knowledge of french and so on. And we hope it woudn't be tedious and useless for you.