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Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Friday, July 5, 2019
How to write the overview in Paragraph 1, Task 1
https://www.ieltstutors.org/ieltstutors-tips-blog/what-is-an-overview-and-how-do-i-write-one
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| Our candidates’ lucky pencil with a star attached to it, to be used only on the day of the official exams. |
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
A wide range of useful writing samples
IELTS Writing Task One (Academic) (link to a list of topics and answers)
IELTS Writing Task Two (Academic) (link to a list of topics and answers)
________
IELTS Writing Task Two (Academic) - 2
IELTS Writing Task Two (Academic) (link to a list of topics and answers)
________
IELTS Writing Task Two (Academic) - 2
(PDF Document - 43KB)
IELTS Writing Task Two (Academic) - 1
(PDF Document - 39KB)
IELTS Writing Task One (Academic) - 1
(PDF Document - 48KB)
Reading and writing on climate change
⭐️First, read this article:
Scientists shocked by Arctic permafrost thawing 70 years sooner than predicted https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/18/arctic-permafrost-canada-science-climate-crisis
⭐️Watch this video which illustrates vocabulary related to the environment: https://youtu.be/keGgDTJI02g
⭐️Now write this essay: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/global-warming-essay.html
Scientists shocked by Arctic permafrost thawing 70 years sooner than predicted https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/18/arctic-permafrost-canada-science-climate-crisis
⭐️Watch this video which illustrates vocabulary related to the environment: https://youtu.be/keGgDTJI02g
⭐️Now write this essay: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/global-warming-essay.html
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Useful British Council links for the Writing paper
1) Describing a graph of trends over time:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/describing-graph-trends-over-time
2) Describing a bar chart:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/describing-bar-charts-about-reading-habits
3) Describing a pie chart:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/writing-about-pie-chart
4) An opinion essay about fast food:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/opinion-essay-about-fast-food
5) An essay about academic pressure:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/essay-about-leisure-time-academic-pressure
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/describing-graph-trends-over-time
2) Describing a bar chart:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/describing-bar-charts-about-reading-habits
3) Describing a pie chart:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-b1-writing/writing-about-pie-chart
4) An opinion essay about fast food:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/opinion-essay-about-fast-food
5) An essay about academic pressure:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1-writing/essay-about-leisure-time-academic-pressure
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Technology in Education: Food for thought
Material provided by the Hellenic American Union for their 2014-15 essay contest:
http://www.hau.gr/?i=examinations.en.info-for-the-new-contest
Videos and Articles: The History of Technology in Education
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwWWsz_X9s
8 Ways Technology is Improving Education
http://mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/
Computers can’t Replace real Teachers
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/08/opinion/kopp-kids-real-teachers/
What will the School of the Future Look Like
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6HWl9UqOEo
About flipped classrooms mentioned in the video:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipped_classroom
Flipped classroom or flip teaching is a form of blended learning in which students teach and switch roles with teachers. They also learn content online by watching video lectures, usually at home, and what used to be homework (assigned problems) is now done in class with teachers and students discussing and solving questions more personalized guidance and interaction with students, instead of lecturing. This is also known as backwards classroom, inverted classroom, reverse teaching, and the Thayer Method.
http://www.hau.gr/?i=examinations.en.info-for-the-new-contest
Videos and Articles: The History of Technology in Education
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwWWsz_X9s
8 Ways Technology is Improving Education
http://mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/
Computers can’t Replace real Teachers
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/08/opinion/kopp-kids-real-teachers/
What will the School of the Future Look Like
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6HWl9UqOEo
About flipped classrooms mentioned in the video:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipped_classroom
Flipped classroom or flip teaching is a form of blended learning in which students teach and switch roles with teachers. They also learn content online by watching video lectures, usually at home, and what used to be homework (assigned problems) is now done in class with teachers and students discussing and solving questions more personalized guidance and interaction with students, instead of lecturing. This is also known as backwards classroom, inverted classroom, reverse teaching, and the Thayer Method.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Reading strategies as described in our classes
Basic reading strategies
1. Skimming – quickly read the text to get the main ideas (the gist)- how?- look at the introduction, the title, the topic sentence of each paragraph (first sentence)
2. Scanning – quickly read to find a detail- how?- search for key words/phrases
What to do with unknown words 1. Read the sentences before and after. 2. Think of words in the same family. 3. Figure out what part of speech it is, based on its suffix or place in the sentence. 4. Guess its meaning according to what the sentence is intended to say. 5. Worst-case scenario: ignore it, guess what information may fill this gap and move on. Advanced exams reading tasks and how to deal with them (You need to have skimmed the text before you do any of the following activities.)
1) Multiple-choice questions a. Skim the text. b. Underline keywords in the question (at first, read the questions only, not the answers). c. Spot the key words (or their synonyms) in the text – this is where the answer is. d. Choose the correct answer that is true based on the text and not your general knowledge.
2) Missing Sentences Skim the text. Scan the given sentences and underline key words in them. Look at the text and find the sentences before and after the gap. Do they match the pronouns and nouns of the sentences the activity gives you? After you finish, quickly re-read all the text. Does it flow? Do the sentences you added tie in with those before and after them?
3) If you are asked "Which paragraph contains this information?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.20) Skim the text Find key words in the given sentences Locate the key words (or their synonyms) in a specific paragraph in the text Quickly check your answers after you finish the activity
4) If you are asked to "match events with nationalities/ dates/ etc." (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.20) Spot the key words of the given sentence in the text. Find the nationality/ date/ etc in the text Choose the correct answer
5) If you are asked to "label a diagram" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.21) Spot the paragraph(s) in the text that contain the information needed (the title of the diagram can help you decide on its main idea) Find the word(s) missing in every gap- make sure they are important words that explain the diagram simply and fully.
6) "Choose from a list of headings the appropriate heading for every paragraph of the text” (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.22) Skim the text. Get the main idea of every paragraph. Scan the list of headings to see which fits perfectly the MAIN idea of the paragraph you are reading.
7) "Is the sentence true/ false/ not given?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.25) Underline the key words of every sentence. Spot the key words in the text. If you choose 'true', make sure all the words contained in the given sentence are absolutely correct according to the text and not your general knowledge.
8) "Match the sentence halves so that they convey the same meaning as in the text." (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.28) Spot the first half of the question in the text. Understand the general meaning conveyed by this sentence in the text. Choose the second half so that meaning of the newly created sentence is the same as in the text.
9. "Complete the table" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.29) The tables are usually divided into main sections (e.g. Studies A and Studies B) and subsections (e.g. description, result, etc) Spot where each section is mentioned in the text. Then, locate the subsections. For example, if you find where Studies A are, you will also see a description of them, their results and so on. Find the missing words. The words should be important for the meaning of the sentence. Remember to use 3 words the most.
10) "Complete the summary using the list of words." (IELTS book 8, p. 48) Skim the summary to get its main idea. Also look carefully at the given words. Spot where the main idea of the summary is mentioned in the text. Spot where the given words are mentioned in the text and their context. Go back to the summary and fill in the gaps according to the information in this specific part of the text.
11) "Complete the sentences with no more than two words" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p. 67) Underline the key words in the given sentences. Spot them (or their synonyms) in the text. Find what information completes the sentence in the text. Use important and simple words to fill in the gaps. (Use two words the most.)
12) "Which 5 of these beliefs are reported by the writer of the text?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p. 72) Scan the given sentences and underline key words. Eliminate the ones you are sure not to be true after skimming the text. Spot the key words (or their synonyms) of the remaining sentences in the text. Make sure the sentences you choose to be true are 100% correct according to the information in the text. All words in a true sentence need to contain accurate information.
What to do with unknown words 1. Read the sentences before and after. 2. Think of words in the same family. 3. Figure out what part of speech it is, based on its suffix or place in the sentence. 4. Guess its meaning according to what the sentence is intended to say. 5. Worst-case scenario: ignore it, guess what information may fill this gap and move on. Advanced exams reading tasks and how to deal with them (You need to have skimmed the text before you do any of the following activities.)
1) Multiple-choice questions a. Skim the text. b. Underline keywords in the question (at first, read the questions only, not the answers). c. Spot the key words (or their synonyms) in the text – this is where the answer is. d. Choose the correct answer that is true based on the text and not your general knowledge.
2) Missing Sentences Skim the text. Scan the given sentences and underline key words in them. Look at the text and find the sentences before and after the gap. Do they match the pronouns and nouns of the sentences the activity gives you? After you finish, quickly re-read all the text. Does it flow? Do the sentences you added tie in with those before and after them?
3) If you are asked "Which paragraph contains this information?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.20) Skim the text Find key words in the given sentences Locate the key words (or their synonyms) in a specific paragraph in the text Quickly check your answers after you finish the activity
4) If you are asked to "match events with nationalities/ dates/ etc." (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.20) Spot the key words of the given sentence in the text. Find the nationality/ date/ etc in the text Choose the correct answer
5) If you are asked to "label a diagram" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.21) Spot the paragraph(s) in the text that contain the information needed (the title of the diagram can help you decide on its main idea) Find the word(s) missing in every gap- make sure they are important words that explain the diagram simply and fully.
6) "Choose from a list of headings the appropriate heading for every paragraph of the text” (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.22) Skim the text. Get the main idea of every paragraph. Scan the list of headings to see which fits perfectly the MAIN idea of the paragraph you are reading.
7) "Is the sentence true/ false/ not given?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.25) Underline the key words of every sentence. Spot the key words in the text. If you choose 'true', make sure all the words contained in the given sentence are absolutely correct according to the text and not your general knowledge.
8) "Match the sentence halves so that they convey the same meaning as in the text." (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.28) Spot the first half of the question in the text. Understand the general meaning conveyed by this sentence in the text. Choose the second half so that meaning of the newly created sentence is the same as in the text.
9. "Complete the table" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p.29) The tables are usually divided into main sections (e.g. Studies A and Studies B) and subsections (e.g. description, result, etc) Spot where each section is mentioned in the text. Then, locate the subsections. For example, if you find where Studies A are, you will also see a description of them, their results and so on. Find the missing words. The words should be important for the meaning of the sentence. Remember to use 3 words the most.
10) "Complete the summary using the list of words." (IELTS book 8, p. 48) Skim the summary to get its main idea. Also look carefully at the given words. Spot where the main idea of the summary is mentioned in the text. Spot where the given words are mentioned in the text and their context. Go back to the summary and fill in the gaps according to the information in this specific part of the text.
11) "Complete the sentences with no more than two words" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p. 67) Underline the key words in the given sentences. Spot them (or their synonyms) in the text. Find what information completes the sentence in the text. Use important and simple words to fill in the gaps. (Use two words the most.)
12) "Which 5 of these beliefs are reported by the writer of the text?" (e.g. IELTS book 8, p. 72) Scan the given sentences and underline key words. Eliminate the ones you are sure not to be true after skimming the text. Spot the key words (or their synonyms) of the remaining sentences in the text. Make sure the sentences you choose to be true are 100% correct according to the information in the text. All words in a true sentence need to contain accurate information.
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