Oscars 2015

     Con la proximidad del final de curso una de las actividades bilingües más creativas tiene lugar, el certamen y festival de cortometrajes en inglés, los denominados Oscars Profesor Tomás Hormigo.

     Last Monday, our 4ESO students showed the results of their English projects, their short films. Ten English films (helped by English subtitles) were presented in a Hollywoodian ceremony conducted by their English teacher José Luis Caballos, and with the support of other teachers.

     The festival, which was loaded of cinematographic references, music, jokes, lots of laughs and surprises and, obviously, the pictures crafted by our pupils; ten mini-movies of different genres from horror to sports or comedy:

-Turn on the Lights (4ºAB)
-The Night of the Long Knives (4ºC)
-Road to Glory (4ºABbi)
-The Haunted Doll (4ºC)
-The Adventures of Dog, Cat and Smitti...(4ºAB)
-CPY News (4ºABbi)

     All the four finalists films got some award. The horror film Amy (4ºABbi) got the Best Editing Award. The great thriller Her Last Night was only awarded with the Best Actress Oscar, to Olivia Greenwood.  On the other hand, The Two Sides of Life (4ºABbi) won two prices, Best Screenplay Oscar for this story which criticizes problems like racism or school bullying; one of its protagonists, Pryunk Patel was awarded with the Best Actor Prize.

     But talking about bullying, we have to mention Judged (4ºC) which analyses this conflict from different points of view, through documentary-styled techniques, using off-voice and black and white.  These were some of  the reasons which made this film win the Best Film Oscar, prize given to the best project.

    The closing of the ceremony became a special moment since a video with lots of bloopers (click and watch it) taken from all the films was shown.

     Undoubtly, a great experience for all of us.

Good bye, friend!

     Este año gozamos de la ayuda de un auxiliar de conversación de Texas, Preston Grimes. Su aventura junto a nosotros terminó la semana pasada pero, conociéndolo, seguro que seguirá viviendo aventuras donde quiera que vaya.... ¡Buena suerte, amigo!


    Our friend Preston Grimes left last week after helping us with our English learning but also after learning a lot about us, Spain and Spanish language. There were lots of events to say to him goodbye: different groups, teachers... even he had the chance to visit Isla Mágica with all our students during his last working day here.

     One of the most moving moments was the last lesson with a group when he was asked about his experiences and he talked about moments among us and how much he had enjoyed this season. We will never forget the great moments with him, his Texan way and his sense of humour...

    So long, friend!!!

Coming Soon...

     
     Se aproxima la fecha de la próxima entrega de Oscars a los proyectos de cortometrajes en inglés de los alumnos de cuarto de año, once proyectos han sido entregados, ¿eres capaz de aguantar mucho más para verlos y conocer a los premiados?

     Eleven short-film projects have been carried out this school year. On Monday, June 15th, we will enjoy again the magic moments of the Oscars. We will have the premier of the best works made by our 4º students, then we will find out who will be awarded with the Oscars for best actress or actor, best film editing, best screenplay or best project.

    In the meantime you can peek the trailers of three of this year's projects: Amy, a horror story with ghosts, ouijas and lots of scary moments; The Two Sides of Life, a story which analyses some problems of schools nowadays and Her Last Night, a group of girls go through one friend's mysterious vanishing.


      I cannot wait, can you?

 

Nature Camp in Almería

      Nuestro programa bilingüe ofrece actividades a todos los niveles, ofertando a tercero la salida a un campamento de aventura en el medio natural utilizando el inglés como lengua vehicular. Durante los días del 12 al 15 de mayo nuestro alumnado visitó el Aula de Naturaleza Predes en la provincia de Almería.

     3ºAbi and 3ºBbi visited one of the worst-known areas in Andalucía, the rear part of Alpujarra, that area belonging to Almería, has become an excellent setting to learn and play in nature.  During these hot days of spring, they have really found out what the meaning of the word desert is by the trip to Tabernas Desert. They have also hiked by the wilderness of the hills, taken part in lessons to get different activities from creating a perfume out of plants to baking cakes, run through a gymkhana and visited the setting for actual western movies.

     And what can be better than having such an experience with teachers like Luis Hernández and Cristóbal Navarro?

Etwinning Training

      Nuestro profesorado bilingüe participó en una jornada de introducción al programa de intercambio virtual europeo eTwinning. Gracias a la desinteresada colaboración de nuestra ponente experta en la plataforma, Dº Josefina Martín, Coordinadora del Plan Bilingüe del I.E.S. Benalmádena, algunos docentes de nuestro centro tuvieron acceso de primerísima mano a una mejor información sobre el funcionamiento y las ventajas del posible uso de esta herramienta para futuros proyectos.

     ETwinning is an European resource which alllows both teachers and students from different countries to share information, work together and communicate easily.

     Ms Josefina Martín from IES Benalmádena is a teacher whose experience with this program makes her the best Andalusian ambassador to help any educational community interested in its use.  The information given have been considered really helpful and we are sure future projects will be brought out by using this new tool.

     Thanks a lot, mate!!!

    

Mountains and Mines

     "La Sierra y la Mina" es una actividad que viene desarrollándose en nuestro centro durante cuatro años: organizada por el Departamento de Bilingüismo, nuestro alumnado bilingüe de 2ºESO disfruta de las variopintas actividades programadas en las localidades de Río Tinto y Aracena.

      Our ESO2 visited Río Tinto and Aracena again: this year, our students travelled there with the teachers Mónica Villena and José León. This program "Mountains and Mines" offer totally different activities which make this trip and excellent adventure where you exercise, learn, have fun and live exciting moments with your friends.

     They have hiked along wandering paths surrounded by chestnut trees, discovered how copper mines worked a century ago, enjoyed breathtaking landscapes, played adventure games in the forest, travelled by a picturesque train by the red waters of Río Tinto...

      It has been the fourth time our school does this trip and it won't be the last.

World Book Day

 
    Esta semana en nuestro centro se volvió a conmemorar el Día del Libro. Entre otras actividades organizadas por el Departamento de Lengua y Literatura, como ponencias de escritores, lecturas e incluso concursos de escritura, volvimos a disfrutar en nuestro recreo del mercadillo de libros usados donde contamos con una presencia importante de textos tanto en castellano como en lengua inglesa.



     April 23rd is the date chosen by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading. During this week, our school, like most of them, develops many activities to celebrate this day.

     Lectures by writers and contests have been programmed by the Spanish Language and Literature Department as well as the traditional second-hand book market where everyone could get interesting books both in Spanish or English (or even French readers) just for one Euro, activity which is being a success as it is used to being year after year.

WE LOoooooooVE S P R I N G!!!

     Ya llegó la primavera y, con ella, las salidas de los grupos bilingües como viene haciéndose durante los últimos cuatro años. Las actividades programadas son la Sierra y la Mina en la provincia de Huelva y el Aula de la Naturaleza en la de Almería, ambas excursiones con el inglés como vehículo de comunicación y profundizando en diversos aspectos de nuestra comunidad
tanto sociales como ambientales.

     During spring time, as we have been doing for four years, we are visiting different regions of our community by the development of some activities which help us learn about diverse aspects of nature, society and economy.

     Through La Sierra y La Mina (Mountain and Mine) program, 2ESO visit Río Tinto: its copper mines, museum, British-origin neighborhood, nature paths and river; an amazing trip you should miss if you have not done yet (APRIL 12th and 13th, with their teachers José and Mónica).

     In Sierra de Almería (southern boundary of Alpujarra), our 3ESO are discovering a surprising landscape, where mountains and desert combine, by the adventurous activites involving this Aula de la Naturaleza; a great chance to practice sports and have lots of fun as they learn (APRIL 21st, 22nd and 23rd, with Luis and Cristóbal).

     We will tell you what they are doing and show some pictures once there.

Movie Time

     Una herramienta de vital importancia a la hora de aprender idiomas puede ser el cine. Hoy en día gracias a la tecnología es facilísimo usar las distintas opciones (idiomas, subtítulos, modos de reproducción....) para conocer distintos aspectos de otras culturas junto a, cómo no, otras lenguas.

     Este momento del curso, entre dos evaluaciones, es un punto ideal para poner en práctica esta actividad. Nuestro alumnado de 4º curso pondrá en práctica la habilidad lingüística del listening viendo fragmentos de películas en lengua original con la ayuda de subtítulos en inglés.  Los films cuyos extractos serán visionados son los mostrados a continuación.

     The week before the Semana Santa break, just after our exams and evaluation sessions, is an appropriate moment to take a relaxing activity. Therefore our students of Year 4 can enjoy scenes taken out from different films in original version. This entertaining activity reinforces their listening skills as they also check that we can find exciting tools to improve a foreign language, activity which can be developed in autonomous ways.

     The scenes from three films will be seen by the three different groups: they have been chosen not only for their vocabulary and structures but also for their plots and topics, which are considered appealing for our students... We will see exciting moments and funny situations which will make them want to watch the whole story. If you have not seen them, maybe you can enjoy them on holidays too.

The Princess Bride

The Goonies

Groundhog Day

At the airport

    Nuestro 3ESO bilingüe disfrutó de una más que interesante visita al Aeropuerto de Malaga, donde mediante una ruta guiada en lengua inglesa aprendieron del correcto uso, funcionamiento y curiosidades sobre este elemento clave para el desarrollo del turismo en nuestra comunidad.   


      Just after our Semana Blanca break, on Monday 2nd March, some of our pupils of year 3 (Bilingual group), who had just unpacked their luggage the day before, visited Malaga's Airport.

     Throughout their English-spoken visit they learnt how to use this such an important element for Andalisian tourism as well as they found out the lots of different tasks developed there.

     Let's read some compositions about the trip our students have written.

         "Last Monday, 2^nd March, the students from 3^rd grade bilingual visited Malaga Airport with our English teachers Mónica and Inmaculada.

In the airport, a friendly worker explained to us how to board our plane and what we must do when we arrive in our destination.

She also showed us the installations and some places, details and facts that I wouldn´t have known if I hadn´t gone there.

In my opinion, it has been a great trip because I have learnt new interesting things and I had a great time with my friends and teachers- in the previous lessons and during the trip".

Maribel Amorós

          "This visit was really good, now when we have to go somewhere by plane we already know the steps to follow before and after getting on and off the plane.

The visit was guided by a bilingual guide. We understood her English very well and she explained stuff to capture the attention of the whole group.

I recommend this experience for other age groups so that they learn more about this place and the steps you have to do on an aerial trip".

José Luis Sampalo

          "In my opinion, the trip to the airport was pretty good. Maybe, they should have shown us more places, for example we could have walked into a plane, got into it, ……or they could have explained more signs….

In spite of this, I don´t have anything to complain about and I recommend doing it in the next few years".

Ana Díaz

Give Peace a Chance

      Como cada 30 de Enero el centro conmemoró el Día de la Paz con distintas actividades.                           

     

    Today, January 30th, it is the School Day of Non-violence and Peace: our school has been decorated with peace artworks and pacifist mottos which can be found everywhere and we have also read poems and played excelent covers of Michael Jackson's Heal the World or The Beatles' Let it Be and All You Need Is Love to celebrate this day, so...                                                        

  ♪ ♪♪ let's give peace a chance!!! ♪ ♪ ♪ 

7th Career Orientation Conferences

      Perteneciente a las VII Jornadas de Orientación de nuestro centro, el pasado martes 27 de enero presenciamos una actividad que viene desarrollándose con mucho éxito durante los últimos cursos: la charla sobre orientación laboral de la mano del, ya nuestro, psicólogo Jorge Bejarano, asesor financiero, coach y psicólogo experto en marketing y recursos humanos.

     Our students of Year 4 are about to face a prime crossroad for their future, they should begin choosing the right options in their careers in order to have the chance to get a job they like in the future. Therefore our school counselor board is developing the 7th Career Orientation Conferences: teachers, lawyers, doctor or journalists will be giving conferences so that we will understand different aspects of each job (the description of the different university programs, what you have to do once you get that job, diverse posibilities for each career...)

     One of the main activities during these conferences is the orientation counselling by our favourite psychologist Jorge Bejarano, throughout his forty-five minute speech we get lots of advice about CV's, what we should look for in a job or what is the way we should behave during a job interview. The most illustrative way to show this last point is by means of an interview drill and what is best about it is that it is in English, an activity which is not very usual in ordinary secondary schools.

Bilingual School Blogs in Málaga

    Tommy está de enhorabuena: nuestro blog ha sido incluido en la web de la Red de Centros Plurilingües de la Delegación de Educación de la Provincia de Málaga, página donde encontramos muchos de los principales blogs educativos bilingües de centros de primaria y secundaria de la provincia.




       Our blog has been included in the list of the provincial plurilingual school network (Red de Centros Plurilingües de la Delegación de Educación de la Provincia de Málaga).

     There, our school has the chance to share with internet readers everywhere what we do and how we work in IES Profesor Tomás Hormigo, and we can do it there together with some of the main bilingual schools' blogs in Málaga. At the same time we can learn a lot by watching what other bilingual students do.

What's the Media

     El pasado día 13 de enero tuvo lugar la visita por parte de los grupos de 3º y 4º bilingües a las sedes malagueñas de dos de los medios de comunicación andaluces de mayor importancia: el periódico Diario Sur y la Radio Televisión andaluza, Canal Sur RTVA. 


 
     According to the communicative competence goals described by the Spanish Language and Literature teaching program and as part of the study of the media, our school visited a journal and a radio/TV broadcaster.

     The children were really excited about knowing how an actual newspaper like Diario Sur works. A special moment during this visit was when we were shown the section in English of the journal.

     Then we had a great time at the Andalusian television home, Canal Sur,  where we attended a live show and even we had lots of laughs when some of our students dared to imitate the frustrating New Year's broadcast (if you don't know what I am talking about, use twitter, this topic has been #TT for several days in Spain).

Bilingual Doors

 
     Como previamente se aprobó con motivo de la efeméride del Día de las Lenguas Europeas, se colocó la cartelería en lengua inglesa en las principales dependencias y aulas del centro, enfatizando nuestro carácter bilingüe así como ayudando a mejorar la información sobre la organización del centro y facilitando el aprendizaje de nuevo vocabulario relativo para nuestro alumnado.

    A veces detalles insignificantes pueden suponer una mejora sustancial.


     Using the Day of the European Languages as a set-off, the Bilingualism Program Department and the head of studies board approved a project to add English placards to Spanish door signs of many classrooms and offices in our school, so from now on our room signs will also be bilingual, including offices like the headteacher's, secretary's or counselor's as well as common classrooms like the laboratory or the workshops and the different subjects' departments.


     This fact can help foreign users of our school as it can also help us learn new vocabulary about education (for example, it is interesting discover terms such as the dreadful "Peer Mediation Classroom" XDDD).