Huyen - Not being in a good mood and when the class gets boring.

Not being in a good mood, and when the class gets boring makes you stop learning English because you aren't interested in it.

I don't know what your opinion is about that, but for me when I have a bad mood, I'm often angry easily, and I don't want to study at all, for I just want to forget anything in my mind.

The boring class means there is nothing interesting in class or the teaching process isn't vivid.

For example:Teachers always give you a stupid topic, and you fell uncomfortable with your classmate. When teachers give you a topic to discuss with your classmates about culture between your country and their countries, but when you start discussing they only talk to their friends who they like while you're sitting there in the same table, yet they pretend you're transparent. It makes you feel embarrassing, and you don't enjoy the class any more.

The best way you can be in class is you should tell teachers your idea what you like learning about, or you can change to another class. It will be better.

Roberto - Continuously learning

I think that the main problem with English learning is forget it,  things that you've been learning, as any kind of knowledge, we need to continuously learn it, In my opinion, if you stop to learn your brain will forget most things. To keep your  English in your mind, you have got to watch good films, in my case, when I watch   series that instead of using lots of slang, use clear and simple language like Friends, 24hr, Lost, all of this using english subtitles     is the best way to improve the reading and listening. Another good way that I'm pretty sure that improve mainly the speaking and the accent, is listening good English music, I could learn lots of words with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and other bands. Try it, it could be very usefull my friends!

Gabriel - Watching Movies helps you learn English

Watching movies or television programs is a good way to improve your English. If you spend your time at home, you should try watching movies or TV programs, and they have to be in English. If you think that it's difficult to understand, you can put subtitles and try to compare them or just move on. Also, try to get the main words in the sentence and realise the meaning. Don't stop to watch it, yet you don't understand anything. I'll write about some techniques that you can use. First of all, you have to like it. It doesn't work if you try to watch boring things or things that you don't like. Try to watch movies or TV programs with easier speaking or formal speaking, so you'll understand more. At the beginning, try to watch news, documentaries and others. When you start to watch movies and you don't understand, come back and listen one more time, but don't do that often. Watching movies is definitely one of the best ways to improve or still practice your English, because you can train your listening, vocabulary, accent, speaking and also have some fun!

Claire - Letter from Osama to Prince William

Hi Prince William, i'm Osama.Do you know who am i? It doesn't matter if you don't know me but i know you very well. You will know me if you keep reading this letter. I am the terrorist who had bombed some building in United Stated  at 11st of september,unfortunately i forgot the year because i had bombed many countries. Now what i want is to make a deal with you. I know you very rich.You have lots of nice car,you have big villa and you are handsome.You had just got married last month. I'm very jealous that you have a beautiful and sexy wife. You guys are so famous  but no people like me! I have no friend at all! I am so sad,lonely and disappointed because no one wants to come to my birthday.

Listen, i am having my 80th birthday next week so i want you and your wife to come to my birthday and tell everyone you are my best friend. I want others jealous about me,i want to be famous as you. But you must keep this as secret. If you fail to do this, your country will fall into ruin and i will take your place. You will lose your country, your money, your beautiful and hot wife and everything.So you better think properly. That's all from me.

Remember who i am,if you still don't know,just go around and ask someone or search in google. I'm waiting for your reply.

Osama.

Mai - what you feel afraid of making mistakes

What you feel afraid of making mistakes stops you learning.

You don't want to make mistakes, for you think you have to speak English fluently and perfectly.

And what's such idea doesn't give you any confidence.

In my case, it often used to happen. Whenever I was afraid of making mistakes, my voice got smaller. Even if my English was correct, nobody couldn't understand what I said because of my small voice.

Moreover I cared about English grammar and that construction when I talked in English. Once I though about that, I stopped talking and started thinking about that. It stopped us communicating and made us uncomfortable.

It's a good to make mistakes, because native speaker might correct your mistakes. Once you know the mistake, you couldn't make the mistake any more. Making mistakes help you so much.

Just have a little confidence and be strong! No one care about your mistakes.

Carlos Nascimento(Brazil) - What stops you Learning

When i'm worried about something

One of the most important requirements to properly learn English is to be free of external problems and worries.

When you decide to learn English you have to be willing to use your brain only for learning English purpose.

Learning English needs focus on it, so if you're having problems and worries about anything else you won't probably be able to properly learn English.

Financial issues is an example of worry that can make you lose your focus on English learning.

Another example of worry than might stop you to learn English is family issue. This kind of issue definitely might change your mind's focus, because your family is the most important basis of life, so if you're having problems with it, you won't be able to use your brain for anything else.

If you really want to increase your successful chances to properly learn English you'll have to be willing to keep your head clear of external problems and worries.

By Carlos

Zeng Zheng (Leo)

Although some of the words in English songs people could not completely understand, learners may be confused with those phrases in them. However, listening to English songs absolutely is a way to improve the level of a person who wants to study English.Learners will learn a lot of words and phrases in English songs they have never seen before, also they could know the pronunciation of those words and phrases. It is useful to get learners to be in a higher level than before.For example, firstly, a song from Carpenters  named “Yesterday Once More”, this is a very popular English song. The singer's voice is fantastic and her pronunciation also as good as her voice. People want to know what the meaning of “once more” in this song is. They will check the dictionary and find what is the real meaning of this phrase, next then, knowing how to spell and speak this phrase, also using this phrase in a sentence. Secondly, “21 Guns”. This is from an American band named “Green Day”. Learners perhaps are confused with the name of this song. What is “21 guns”? Is that twenty-one real guns or something else they have never heard before. Because of the curiosity, they may check the Internet or some books, even ask their friend who is from an English country. At last, they will find out what is the real meaning of the phrase, and realize the culture of America. From all these examples, listening  to more English songs,  and checking  the meaning of those words and phrases with a dictionary could be a terrific method to let a learner make some progress, listening to those graceful songs, learning and improving English, every want to do it.

Martin - What Stops You From Learning? - Feeling Tired

Feeling tired in class is the major problem for all students, whether they are international students or local students. Feeling tired during class time can be frustrating for both students and teachers. There are two main causes of students feeling tired in class, and the cause is either from the teachers or the students.For example, me as an overseas student, am always influenced by my friends to hang out in the middle of the night even though I know I have to wake up early in the morning.. (Yeah well maybe you should go to bed on time so you don't miss the first class MARTIN!!!!!!! From Josh)

Secondly, I will talk about causes from teachers, a good teacher or a bad teacher doesn't have any effect on students feeling tired in class. A boring teacher will always be the one that drags students into a boring mood. As most of people know, studying should be serious but that is only what a person that never attends school will say. In my opinion, either you're a school teacher or a college teacher, you should always make studying fun. Students that feel boring will never learn anything, because their mind will just think of going home and they will only pay attention to the time and not on the teacher.

Lastly, for ages, these problems are not solved because most of the students don't have any motivation to study.

Nora--Speaking environment can helps learn English

A good speaking environment is important to help you learning English. People around you are speaking different languages, but you only can use English to talk with them. When you talk with your friends or classmate by using English, you may make some mistakes but don't be afraid of that mistakes. Your friends can help you to fix your problem. Everyone are talking in English environment need to help each other. Sometimes you learn something in the class, but you still need to practice in a real environment. For example, you need to learn how to communicate with sales in order to get what you exactly want while you are shopping. If you just learn in the class but never practice it in a real environment, you would never succeed. At the end, a speaking environment gives you a lot of opportunity to talk with others who are not speaking the same first language as you. It is an important point to help you learn and use English.

Marcela - A bad teacher!

         Sometimes we have bad luck when who teach us isn't a good teacher. If the teacher can't teach us, this thing can't help us with the studies. A bad teacher can make the class time's boring and the students can feel demotivated with the school. The teacher sometimes has a good content, but it isn't enough if the teacher can't explain the ideas, or if the teacher doesn't have patience with the students, this isn't good for us, because we stay at the school for learn and it's surely we have some difficult, for example if the teacher just say: “Ohhhh...this is a level 01 lesson, how can you forget this!!!”. We know at school has some students who don't collaborate in class, but the teacher need to have a control and a ethic posture. In English class we have different cultures and the teachers need respect this and sometimes the teacher talks some things that make us uncomfortable in front of the class, we need respect, if the teacher doesn't like our culture, just keep going with the class and just remember this is a international school and this is their job.

Rachel - Reading Good Books & Newspaper

Reading good books and newspapers is really a successful way to help learn a language. During the process of learning, it is very important to practice - reading good books and newspapers is one of the best ways. Reading helps to know more new words and understand the concept of writing better. They usually won't have a lazy reason to stop reading a good book, for it usually is very interesting which makes readers keep on reading until the ending. In all newspapers, they usually use many difficult words, so we can know more about what is happening around the world while learning new words as well. Therefore, good books and newspapers are really a great helper during learning language.

Claire - Making local friends or talking to locals

Making local friends or talking to locals is an effective way helping you to learn and improve your English. Local friends or local people mean people who are born in Australia and stay in Australia. For example, you can try to make friends with someone who comes from Australia. You will get used to speaking English through communicating with the friend who speaks only English. A good friend will correct your mistake if you say something wrong. Another example is you can ask for directions from someone who looks like an Australian. From their speaking, you can try to understand them. Thus, trying to talk and speak English as much as you can with your Australian friends. It will help you to improve your English naturally.

Hank - letter from Lady Gaga to Brad Pitt

Hi Lady Gaga.

I'm Brat Pitt. How are you? I haven't seen you for a long time. I remembered that the last time I saw you was in your concert in NYC. I'm really looking forward to seeing you again. My daughter told me that she wanted to go to your concert. In fact,she likes you so much and bought all of your albums. We both are your big fans.I know that there is a concert in London next month, but I can't buy any tickets. Could you help me to get some VIP tickets for us? Please give me the answer as soon as possible. I will give you my new movie ticket which is going to be released in September if you try to give me your concert ticket in London.
My wife is glad to see you soon in London. We're planing to go to London for holidays. If you can't get the ticket,we still could have a dinner together. Maybe we can have a trip in  the    UK for few days. We can do some sightseeing and shopping.

Yours truly,

Lady Gaga

Rachel - letter from George Bush to Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs;

Here is George Bush. The pervious President of the United States.

 Apple Inc. has been well know all around the world. Many people get crazy with your Apple's product. It is the most success smart product that ever had. It really helps people to live more conevient  by teleology.

I wonder like to start a business with you about extend Apple Inc. Even though it is already very successful, and it can be better as I have a very good ideas to helps your Apple Kindom to be the best.


Your truly,
Steve Jobs

Martin - A Letter From Queen Elizabeth II to Michael Jackson

Hi Michael,

How are you? It's been a while since you have died. How's life up in heaven? Did you go to the moon and MoonWalk on it? I bet you did. I'm getting very old now. I might go to your "place" anytime from now and could you please do me a favor? I know you would because who am I? I'm the Queen of England, my friend. I just want you to build me a house that is 10 times bigger than the one I'm living right  now. Some of my friends said that the universe has unlimited size. Could you also hire a few hundred maids to serve me when I go there? I might need some bodyguards as well because I'm afraid that there could be riots when I go there like what is happening now in England. My country is ruined and looks like a tip now. Although, I can't make England a perfect paradise, butI think I could do it in heaven.


Michael, did you do plastic surgery and take medicine to make your skin white? You should've known that you  look worst than the zombies that I had in my backyard. Have you ever tried Plants vs Zombies in your reality? I bet you haven't! It is great fun! I bought guns that look like flowers and I  make my army to dress up like a zombie and I shoot the hell out of them. Sounds fun? You should try it out!


It's getting late now and I have to go to bed early.


Cheers!


Yours Sincerely,
Elizabeth

Marcela - Letter from Michael Jackson to George Bush

Hello George!  
How are you?

Have you seen my new DVD Show? It was amazing to make this DVD, I wasn't feeling good, but I did my best.

I know, you like my songs and dance like me. When you were a presidente you used to imitate me and probably you could win again, for you made a perfect imitation.

Now I'm dead, did you know about this?
I need a substitute for my throne and I was thinking you, because you have a good potential. You can dance, sing and wear clothes like me. 

I just have a advice for you, if you really would like to became famous you should try to dance better.

I really hope you answer me.

How about your family, how are they?

Best Regards!
M. Jackson

Gabriel - Letter from Britney to Lady Gaga

Hi love Lady Gaga,

Do you know me? Of course you know, I`m the most hot beautiful singer in the world. I`m Britney Spears!!!

So, I`m writing because I saw something on the news not good about you, so I`d like to give you some advice.
First of all, you know that I`m the best one, You will never be the same as me. Second, I`ve been having some problems with the cops, paparazzies and my family but I continue to be better than you.


Here are my advices:


Put some clothes on you, please!!!! You are not beautiful at all. You are skinny, ugly and haven't got any special talent, so, be nice to yourself! Stop to wearing that parts of something that you're called fashionable clothes!


Start to sing some of my songs. I`ve got some really good songs. Try to sing them and your career will be fantastic.

Put some naked mans by side of you in your shows.....It`ll be nice!


Ok so, that is it !!! Have a nice day! :-) !!!

from: Britney Spears (the best one).

Carlos Nascimento(Brazil) - Letter from Luis Hamilton to Lady Gaga

Hello  Gaga,

What's up?

First of all I'd like to say congratulations for your last tour around Europe. It was awesome.
As you might know, unfortunalety I've been very busy and travelling around the world, so I just couldn't see your last show.

The purpose of this e-mail is to invite you to come and visit me next month. 
I'm having a big party to celebrate the awesome results I've had this year. If you don't mind I'd like you to sing at this party.

It will be a private party and only a few good friends are going to be invited.


Well, I'll be very happy if you just accept this invite. You don't need to sing if you don't want to. So I look forward  to your answer. 




Best Regards,

Luis Hamilton

Josh - Welcome to Level 5!

Thank you to all the students who contributed to this blog over the last eight weeks. I hope you learned a lot in class and enjoyed our blogging activities.

Welcome to the new Level 5 students! There will be a lot of hard work coming up over the next two months, so I hope you are ready.

Enjoy your blogging!

fatima- Happy Birthday to you Josh

I hope all your birthday dreams and wishes come true.

Lucy - Perth World Cup

Last Wednesday, coach Josh and a group of PICE's students played a soccer tournament against other English schools in Perth. After playing, running and suffering, they won! I wasn't there, but everybody told me that the game was really good. I'd have liked to go because it was a really good time to join and fun. Congratulations guys! If you keep playing like that, is going to be easy to win the next tournament again.

Anastasiya - for academic class

 

Is it too late for a new lingua franca?

English has become lingua franca or a universal language, and one of the main reasons that it is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Dominance of the language has been decided by the history of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Having a common language is useful in many aspects of our life. The situation of international relationships would be much worse if we did not have a global language to communicate. In this essay we will consider whether there is a possibility for a new lingua franca in the future, or whether the time for a new global language has passed.

First of all, before talking about that, I would like to introduce you to a lingua franca. The lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people who speak different languages. How it has happened by history, our lingua franca is English. For reasons that there is a big influence of Western culture, economics and politics, also there is the rise of the British Empire in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The original lingua franca was a version of Italian incorporating elements of French, Spanish, Provencal, Greek, Arabic and Turkish, widely was spoken in the Mediterranean region. There are a lot of examples of lingua franca, and it exists on every continent, but the most obvious example today is English. Moreover, French was the language of European diplomacy from the 17^th century until the middle of the 20^th century. Thereby, here a question appears what would be nowadays if our lingua franca was changing to another language?

Chinese people have a big influence to many countries in the world, and it makes us to think about possibility of changing our international language. The size of Russian’s territory also makes us thinking about it. Another example of possible new global language is Spanish, for it is one of the most spoken languages which is used in Mexico, South America and Spain. Those three languages we can consider as our lingua franca because there are some reasons for that. Firstly, China is becoming one of the influential partners because of growth of the economy. Secondly, Russians have the biggest part of territory which is really rich of many resources. Thirdly, Spanish takes the third place as one of the popular languages. But, in spite of this, we all know that the power of a language comes through economy situation, so even if it was possible about changing our lingua franca, the world would not ready for that because it is a really huge step in a life of society and it could negatively change the situation in our world.

To sum up, I suppose that English will not lose its power as the lingua franca for the next decades definitely because of social factor, it plays a large role in language dominance, and historical situation we have today.

Shoji, Aiko and Yuka- Japanese Music

 Japanese typical instruments are Taiko, which looks like a drum , Shamisen, which looks like a gutar with three-strings(below the picture) and Koto, which is about 180cm, made form wood, and has 13 strings.

 Ayumi Hamasaki , SMAP and Saburo Kitajima are famous singers in Japan. We have some style of music, such as J-POP, Rock, Enka, K-POP and more.

 J-POP was very famous about 10 years ago. But now it might be less famous than then. Recent singers can't stay famos for long. Instead, K-POP is getting famous in Japan. (J-POP is Japanese pop, K-POP is Korean pop)