Thursday, December 13, 2007

RESULTS OF THE FEEDBACK

guys

i have read your comments. what about the following for term 2 ...

1. more exam stuff. I was thinking in January that for one month we could do nothing but exam work. one saturday do a reading paper, one saturday do a use of english etc. just for the month of january to show you the standard required and do some stuff on exam technique

2.more writing homework. no problem will set more homework. a lot of people also said that they didn't mind doing writing in class as they didn't have time at home. no problem. more writing in class it is.

3. more speaking activities. no problem. but you have to realise that i can not listen to everyone at the same time. just because i am not listening to your group should not be an excuse to slip back into portuguese... it is highly likely in the future that you will speak english to a non english speaker - e.g. an Italian - so you should always speak to each other in English

4. a film for the last 30 mins. instead of a stupid game, we could watch a film. i quite like this idea for two reasons. firstly i don't think anyone can concentrate for 3 hours. Secondly films have great language presented in a context to assist with meaning. what do you think ?

5. a weekly topic for the blog. fine. you guys can choose the topic.

6.marking. guys i don't know if i have made this clear or not, but when i mark your home work the stuff in green is good, and the stuff in pink or orange is bad...

comments please

Thursday, December 6, 2007

job satisfaction

guys - here is a list of things that affect job satisfaction. Put them into the order that is most important to you, and then try and work out your ideal job. In no particular order ...

challenge,meeting people, security,colleagues respect, working conditions, status in the organisation, learning new things, personal freedom, being part of a team, exercising power, helping people, being praised, social status, being promoted, making money

the worst job I have ever done

when i was 17 , i left school and joined a bank. i was sick of studying and doing exams, so i decided not to go to university. At the bank i was the most junior member of staff so i had to do all the crappy jobs. In scotland, as you know, we all probably drink too much, and a consequence of drinking too much is throwing up. People occasionally threw up over our cash machine - and i would have to go out and clean it ! This is probably the worst job i have had to do .... but i got my foot in the door, and then worked for 12 very interesting years for them in 4 different countries, so i can't complain.

xmas homework

You have been asked by the womens institute, a very powerful womens organisation in the UK, to write a report on the situation of women in the portuguese workforce. Write a report (300 - 350 words) highlighting good points and bad points.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Proposal

The city of Lisbon has, in the past, been a reference point in Europe due to the most important role it had during the discoveries period. Nowadays, Lisbon is also known for its modernity, excellent weather and friendly people.

In the last few years, the city has also proved its merit in the organization of major international events, such as Expo 98, 2004 European Football Championship and the presidency of the European Union.

During this period, a significant effort was made to modernize and create new infrastructures to guarantee a unique and flawless experience for our guests. We proudly recognize that this effort paid of and, without a shadow of a doubt, we are sure that, in the future, we will keep the exceptional standards we have set ourselves.

We are aware of the high importance and critical aspects of a conference such as yours. For this reason, we would like to stress that our experienced staff could be very useful with the logistical aspects of the organization and, with the dedication and hard work of all, your conference in Lisbon can be the best you have ever held.

One of the main issues is related to the conference location. In the attached documents you can find information about 5 possible exceptional locations. We, nevertheless, dare to suggest the “Pavilhão Atlântico” (Atlantic Pavilion) located in the Expo 98 Area. This multipurpose facility is located in one of the most beautiful areas of Lisbon, near the river and near to all the major transport infrastructures. This is just 2 minutes walk from the prize-winning Orient train station and 5 minutes (taxi, bus or car) from the International Airport of Lisbon. You can also use the subway to get to any other part of the city.

The Expo area also provides numerous hotel alternatives (all the main international hotel chains provide accommodation here) and several entertainment possibilities.

We must also mention that this solution, despite its fabulous quality, is very affordable for students that, in other conditions, wouldn’t be able to attend.

At last, and of major importance, we would like you to consider that Lisbon is a very safe city in Europe and, if needed, has a state-of-the-art health care system (with a modern hospital also located in the Expo area).

For these reasons, we consider that Lisbon can be a first class location for your conference and can help you to provide an exceptional event.