Students participation
Students participating in this project had to write at least 5 letters
to their key pals (one for each unit), 5 letters to the on-line instructor
(one for each unit) and send contributions to different web sites: Exchange,
David Sperling, ESL cafe, Write Now, etc (units 2 and 4). Furthermore they
had to complete other assignments using their word processor.
1. Email
exchange with other students: letters to the key pals
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Each student
participating in this project wrote the first letter introducing
themselves to their foreign partner "About
myself":
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Some examples
of letters 2 "My
country"
Letter 2
Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona)
From: NOEMI VAL RODRIGUEZ
To: CORNELIUS
Dear: CORNELIUS.
Hello, how are you? I’m fine. I hope you are well! I wait for your
answer. Today I will tell you about my country, what it is likeand what
we celebrate.
My country is Spain, is very big and beautiful. It is ruled by Jose Maria
Aznar, in Catalonia is Jordi Pujol. Do you know Catalonia?, I’m live in
the Mollet del Vallès, is a small city, but is very beautiful. Most
people are roman catholic.
Many tourists come to my country every year. The scenery is wonderful and
very beautiful . The weather is .warm . Tourists also enjoy our festivities,
specially the ones which are typical of our country.is sant jordi, one
man present the rose to the women .
Ok, let's finish now. I hope you like my country and you come to visit
it one day. Is it similar to your country? Do you also celebrate these
festivities?
All the best,
NOEMI VAL RODRIGUEZ.
(Mollet del Vallès)
letter 2
Tallin (estonia)
From: Ülle
Märtin
to: Marta Illa Alcalde
Dear friends
Hello, how are you
? I hope OK because many people here in Estonia are very ill. Last week
we had cold weather.
Today I will
tell you about my country, what it is like and what we celebrate.
I live in Estonia.
Estonia is often said to be a small country. I think it is true. The capital
of the Estonia is Tallinn. It lies on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland.
It was first mentioned as far back as 1154 ( by Arabian geographer Idrisi)
under the name of Koluvan. In 1219 the town was seized by the Danes. Since
that time the Estonians began to call the town Tallinn (the Danish fortress).
The Danes named it Reval after the surrounding land of Revala.For ever
seven hundred years the two names were used. Only at the beginning of the
20th century the name Tallinn began to be officially used. Old Tallinn
consisted of two parts – Toompea (Dome Hill) and “Down-town”. On the hill
there were the residence of the Order.”Down-town” belonged to the merchants.
After the Livonian War (the 16 th century) the town was seized by the Swedes.
In 1700 the great Northern War broke out. The whole territory of Estonia
was linked to Russia by Peter the first. In 1917 the working people of
Tallinn fought for Soviet power, but Soviets won in 1940. We may talk about
Estonia as a republic since 1990. Estonians respects history very much.
Estonia is
parliamentary republic, ruled by president Lennart Meri. He rules the government
with 15 ministers and every minister is the head of the ministry. We have
Parliament with 101 members. To Patliament belong many parties.
We can
feel democrasy, but not everywere. Estonia has big problems with unemployement
and young people, who had just graduated universities. It is big problem
to find a job. But we have all kind of freedoms: freedom of religion,
speech, politics. But most people do not use democratic rights. Most people
are Christians. I may say, that Christianity and religion are not very
popular in Estonia. Of course we have churches.and they are very beautiful.
My grandmother told me, that when she was young, she visited church every
Sunday morning. I think it is wounderful tradition, but I am afaraid it
is not continuing.
Many tourists
come to Tallinn every year. Old Tallinn is often called a town-museum.
Its narrow streets come to Town Hall Square, where the ancient Town Hall
stands. It is a very beautiful building surrounded with many old shops
and (dwelling) houses. On the hill of Toompea there is the castle stands
a very important historical monument, the Dome Chirch, which is the oldest
church in Tallinn. The tower Tall Herman has become a symbol of Tallinn
and it can be seen as a part of the Dome Fortress. It is about 50 metres
high. The ancient town wall with its towers is also of great historical
value. In down-town we know many interesting buildings: the tower Kiek
in de kök, the Brotherhood of the blackheads, Oleviste Church and
many others.
Tourists
also enjoy festivities, specially the ones which are typical for our country.
Every summer thousands
of us can take part of songfestivity. It lasts three days and Estonians
are wearing national-clothes. We sing together old songs and a week before
we celebrate dance-party. These are the most popular celebrations for Estonians.
Unfortunately
in Estonia it is not so usual to visit friends or relatives just for fun.
We have always some reason to visit someone. We celebrate birthdays and
weddings, of course Christmas and New Years`s Eve too. But halloween is
something unusual and exotic for us. This tradition exists for Estonians
only few years and we have to get used to it.
Ok, let`s finish
now. I hope you like my country and you come to visit it one day.
All the best,
Ülle Märtin.
(Estonia)
Letter 2
Caldes de Montbui, Spain
From: Arnau Olivera
To: Anna Kuleshova
Dear Anna,
Hello, how are you? I’m
sorry for don’t send my letter at the same day like the other people, but
the letter is vanish in the computer. Today I will tell you about my country,
what it is like and what we celebrate.
My country is a very nice
and beautiful. It is ruled by the Right politicians; I don’t like because
they only want the private factories, companies and schools. I prefer the
Left politicians. We’ve got a Parliamentary Monarchy with a King and a
Queen, and a parliament boss. Most people are Roman Catholic but I aren’t
religious.
Many tourists come to my
country every year. The scenery is wonderful and the people are very nice
and beauty. The food is the best like “paella”. The weather is marvellous,
it is sunny and calm in Spring and Summer. In Catalonia, in Winter, the
weather is it calm in the coast but in the centre is cold and warn.
Tourists also enjoy our festivals
and traditions, especially the ones which are typical of our country. The
typical celebrations of Catalonia are “St. Jordi” and “St. Antoni”.
In “St. Jordi”(the same day of the Book Day), the boys give a rose to the
girls and the girls give a book to the boys. In “St. Antoni” the farmers
make a celebration around the town with theirs carts and tractors.
Ok, let's finish now. I hope
you like my country and will come to visit it one day. It is different
to your country.
All the best,
Arnau
(Caldes de Montbui) |
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Some examples of letter 3
"My free time"
Letter 3
Hannover, June 5th, 98
From: Maren Liedtke
Dear Maria,
Sorry that I haven’t
written back for such a long time, but I have been to France for
ten days in May. So I have missed this lesson two times. And then we had
holiday.
Your letter was very interesting,
and I like to get information about other countries.
Your country is different
to mine, because we have a strong winter and in the summer it is not so
hot as in your country. I have been to Spain in 1985 at the age of 3. But
I remember the nice beach at the Costa Brava. In the summer I like to cycle.
I often go with my friends to a little lake next to Hannover. It is called
“Altwarmbüchener See” and it is really nice there,
with a small beach. The surrounding of Hannover is full of industrial
buildings but the inhabitants know nice and quiet places. Here are many
different lakes, where you can play badminton or volleyball. I dislike
playing volleyball but I enjoy sailing. In the evenings we often go bowling
in a bowling centre. But my favourite sport is table-tennis. I play it
for 4 years.
I like reading, and I only
just watch a little bit TV. Every evening I am watching the news with my
parents. And if there is an interesting film I’ll watch it.
My favourite music group
is a German one. But I also enjoy listening to other
kinds of music, like rap,
rock music.
Have you heard about
the big train crash in Germany? The crash happened next
to Hannover. There are 93
dead people and over 50 bad injured persons. Also there are many people
with broken arms and legs. The train crashed into a bridge and derailed.The
bridge had broken and felt onto the train. First the train was 410 metres
long, after the crash only 50 metres. Germany was shocked because this
train was one of the famoust in Hannover and nobody knew how many people
were sitting in it. In the TV they showed many terrible pictures. They
are searching dead and alive people for 30 hours now.
Well the lesson is over.
Hope you are well
Maren
(Germany)
21 - 5 - 98
from: Christian
to: Anna
Hi Anna,
Hello, how are you? . Today
I will tell you about my personal likes and interests, what I prefer doing
in my free time and during the weekends. I like play basketball with my
friend everyday and when we ca go to BCN to play with our black friends.
I think that basket is better than football but in my country football
is the best. I would like Spain will win the France 98, because we have
a good players how Raúl, Alfonso, Kiko and company. I'm a
Real Madrid supporter, and yesterday the Real Madrid won the CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE versus the Juventus, "ALA MADRID"
I like to practise
American Football and Baseball, and I watch on T.V these sports. The F-1
I like too, and my best player is Michael Schumacher. In the evening I
always go to Jamboree a Hip Hop disco, with my posse. The last Saturday
I had a fight because of a girl (she was beautiful) in Jamboree. When we
don't go to Jamboree, we go to another city and we paint the clean walls;
I like this experience.
My best international singer
is a Cypress Hill and my best national singers of Spain are "El Club
de los Poetas Violentos"
In my city there are a lot
of Skins Heads, Punks, Rappers and Heavies; I hate the Skins Heads. The
Skins go to the Hardcore discos, Chasis, Scorpia, Orbital, ? I don't like
this music and the disco
My best film is House Party
by Kid & Play, and my best actors are Will Smith and ICE Cube (a rap
singer).
This is the end. Have you
got similar interests? Which ones?
your friend.
Christian
(Mollet del Vallès)
From: Sara Nova
to: Ramon Torop
Hello, how are you? I’m fine and I hope you too. Today I will tell
you about my personal likes and interests, what I prefer doing in my free
time and during the weekends.
Well, I like a lot of sports, some of they are basketball, table tennis,
billiards, ...but I only play basketball because it’s my favourite sport,
and some weekends billiards, ...I also like to play chess, but I haven’t
anybody to play with him.
Football is so popular in Spain, I think it’s the most popular sport in
here, is the same in your country?
I like a lot going out in the evenings, especially in the weekend. I hate
going to discos, because the music is very dreadfull. When I go out
in the evenings, I prefer going with my friends for a walk, and I sometimes
go to the cinema but not often ‘cause now the Caldes cinema is closed and
I have to go out of here to see a film.
I love music, because with
it, when I’m not well, I listen to music and I forget all is around me,
I don’t remember my problems and as I like what I’m listening, I feel well.
Music is like I was in other world, cut off from everything. I like
all kind of music except some sorts of machine. I listen to some
groups and singers like Fugges, Maryah Carey, Shola Ama, Nirvana,
Red hot chili papers, 3T, Janet Jaskson, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, All
Saints, TLC, The Corrs, ...These are only some of groups and singers I
listen to, you see. I also like some Spanish singers/groups, like
Dover, Seguridad Social, Ella baila sola, Rosana, ...but I don’t show you
more Spanish singers/groups because I think you don’t know who are them.
Here in my institute, everyone is different and I can’t say you: “Most
of people like rap, or jazz, or blues, or...”. I can’t do it.
Nowadays the song I like the most, is “Under the bridge” by Red hot chili
papers and All saints.
I don’t play any instrument, and anybody in my family play any instrument
neither, but I would like to play the gitar or the saxophone.
Wich are your favourite
actresses? My favourite actors are Jared Leto, Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward
Furlong.
Well, this is a long
letter so here I stop.
This is the end. Have you got similar interests? Which ones?
Your friend, Sara.
(Caldes de Montbui) |
Kiuruvesi (Finland)
From:Ville Varkki
to: Mireia
Dear Mireia,
Hello, how are you? The
teacher asked us to write about "Discos and pubs should not be opened after
2 a.m. on Saturdays".
I agree with that statement.
First I think that it is a good time to close up cos old people go to bed
much earlier than youngsters who party all night long. It must be hard
to sleep with all that noise around.
On the other hand, I do not
agree with the sentence because I do not think that partying alla night
long is a risk for your health. 2. I cannot stand people who come to a
party area and start to fight. I mean it is ok with me if you have fun
when you are drunk as long as you can behave yourself but if you know that
you'll start to get grumsy and aggressive when you are drunk then why do
you have to drink so much? Perhaps they could make a compromise so everyone
could be happy. Afterall young people should have fun. I mean all the old
people have been young in some part of their lives.
I think you should have
fun now that we still have the chance for it.
Ok. I hope you like my arguments
and write an aswer to me. What time
do discos close in your
country?
All the best,
Ville Varkki
(Finland)
Tallinn
April 1998
letter 4
Do you prefer state universities
or private universities?
What about jobs?
Jobs related to travelling?
Dear Josef!
Here is Birgit Gremberg
from Estonia. How are you? In the introduction of this letter it was said
that I can choose my own topic to talk about. I hope you are going to like
it and of course add your own opinion about this theme. The educational
system in Estonia offers quite a lot possibilities to obtain higher education.
A student can get acquainted with several state universities and private
universities to pass his own judgement. The final decision can be fatal
in the future and that`s why a person has to calculate every opportunity
there is.
About general opinion.
First and foremost, if I study in a state university, I can do it free
of charge. And it seems that it is staunch to rely on the state. In addition
to this, the degree of a state school has probably got more prestige. Well,
I kind of agree, but as for me I prefer private universities and I call
it fair to have a job at the same time I study. My problem is acctually
very simple - in the capital of Estonia there aren`t any state schools
for studying the matter I want. And the only really safe solution is a
private institution of higher education. It costs a large sum of money.
And if you don`t have a rich uncle, husband or whatever, you have to have
a job. And that is exactly what I attend to do. It is hard. But in case
I want to become successful I have to take care of myself and to lead my
own independent life. It is a trial and only strong people survive, but
that`s the price I have to pay. And at the very moment I don`t complain.
Probably it is still too early. It would be also fun to get a job that
gives me opportunities to travel, to practise language and to make contacts.
What about you? And what kind of situation do you have in your country?
Best wishes,
Birgit Gremberg from Estonia |
2. Email
exchange with on-line instructor (some
examples)
back |