New section: BOOK OF THE WEEK



Hi, English learners :-) You know that books are the perfect source of fun and knowledge, so from now on, we are going to introduce a different story every week. I'm prone to fiction, particularly YA fiction, so you will see a lot of that here ;-)

At the academy, you will se a NOTICE with a title, the author and a few key words to help you identify what kind of story you will be facing, such as genre or important elements of the plot.


TITLE
AUTHOR
Key Word
Key Word
Key Word


We would love if you participated, too, with your own recommendations. It doesn't have to be a book in English, though that would be a plus. Any book is welcome. Children's books, comics, Young adult fiction, science-fiction, romance, thrillers...

There's a chance to recommend
a favourite book every week!

For that purpose, we have facilitated a stack of cards where you can write down the title of your choice and put it inside an envelope.  It can be anonymous if you like.

card -> pen -> write a title and an author ->
-> put card inside the envelope

Come by Belinda's desk and you'll see her first recommendation! It's a recent YA science-fiction release that is bound to leave a mark on you...


So many books are released every month! Would you like a special post to tell you about these new books coming out ? Right now, I can't stem my enthusiasm so here are some links to websites where you can oggle at those beautiful covers of upcoming books.


it's a comprehensive compilation of books useful both for readers and librarians

  • Avid readers will find TEENREADS is a wonderful source of news



If you feel curious about any of these upcoming books and decide to pick one up, let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

Read you soon.


Be open. Be free.

Tips and News: Ways for Busy People to Learn Languages



We’re back with more tips to improve your level of English and discover those quirky webpages around the world wide web.
Have you ever wondered if you could do more with your time? Be more effective? Maybe make time work for you instead of against you.

FLUENTU - This website provides 8 tips for super busy people to squeeze English learning into your schedule. Read the introduction as well as the list as it will open up your mind to the whole idea.
One of these tips mentions the Pomodoro Technique that deals with time management. If you are like me, a hectic busy bee, why don't you take a peek at this enlightening technique?

Nowadays, tecnology helps us with learning such as with the use of apps. Here is a list of apps that can be both fun and useful:
- Learn  SAT vocabulary with this app for iPhones
- Play a game of espionoage with Memrise
- For those not so into fiction, BBC NEWS
- TUNEIN gives you access to live-streaming radio stations from around the world
- and YOUTUBE can also be a treasure trove of info on the topic you love: books, news, films, gaming, art, knitting...

Let's be honest, here. Sometimes we don't want to watch or read anything that is even remotely educational or for learning purposes. That can have the detrimental consequence of us stepping away from the very thing we need to become proficient at. Why not just change our mindset? Forget about watching a video that is catered for English learners. Switch your gears to watching something for fun instead.
Not only will your listening skills bloom, but you’ll improve your vocabulary, gain cultural insights and, if you choose wisely, even learn about something else that interests you. PODCASTS are perfect for this. You can always type your preference on a google search, such as books podcasts or sports podcasts. In the meantime, here is a list of sites for you to peruse:
BBC Podcasts

There's also a treasure trove of quirky videos on YouTube that will feel like all fun and no fuss. Let's focus on accents! How many can you spot?

- A woman with 21 accents

- A man with 67 voices that will you make LOL

- A movie accent expert breaks down 32 acotors' accents

- What about a funny video on weird things about the British?



We'll come back with more awesome findings!
Until then...
Be creative. Be yourself.