Good day, 

after posting articles about films, Gravity won seven Academy Awards; we would also like to celebrate the Italian one, with The Great Beauty, by Film Director Paolo Sorrentino.  

We haven't watched it  yet, since we would like to do it the way Americans did, with English subtitles.  Below you have the link for the English trailer, on Youtube. It' important listening to the original audio of each film, and compare the two productions simultaneously, an ability you can develop thanks to just watching films and that can be of benefit in any other field.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJfvX6zPAuQ 

It would be so great of you writing your own comment about the film, there are so many different impressions!

Enjoy cinema, enjoy English, practice it as much as possible, go to the cinema as often as you can!

Karall: thank you for your articulated comment. We do agree the award has been also for Rome, that plays an extraordinary fascination on American people and whoever all over the world. If you were a student in class, there would be occasions for mastering grammar and sentence constraction. At this very stage, communication works and mistakes do not impoede comprehension.

Rimas: we do adore visual language too, and any others. Thank you for highlighting how important it is to perceive all possible languages a film works on. The more we become aware of our perceptions, the more we can appreciate art.

Eleonora: going to the cinema is fundamental, but in order to appreciate the quality of a film, I would say the inner disposition is important too. It's not the case of the great beauty, that's in Italian, but sometimes if you want to watch a film in its original language, you have to choose for a DVD or otherwise. 

Anna - Coordinator 

Good day, 

these are two different articles at a more advanced level, and if you do not read what the level is, we think it is worth trying them. You can help your comprehension with the notes at your disposal.  

Two different solitudes in two films, the immense space and the vaste sea.

Robert Redford, a "solo" interpretation in All is lost, needing a unique experience as an actor, and it can easily be said as a human being too.

Sandra Bullock acting as an astronaut in Lost in Space that reminds us of real unpredictable risks when outside into the space like the one recently ran by the Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano. In the interview by Radio Tre we mentioned elsewhere, he was also asked about this film, and for sure, professionals' perception is different from common film viewers' one.  

Actors have this possibility, to play roles as they were real life, to face other selves, and what about us?

What can we do if we need to be different from how we commonly are? Do you ever feel this need? 

Try to write as a comment if you agree with Redford and Bullock, and what you would have done in such situations, or what you did if you ever found yourself as a "solo going" and where you had to "go".

In case you have questions for the actors Redford and Bullock after reading the articles and watching the films, ask your questions here, we will do our best to have proper replies.  

See you in class,  

Anna - Coordinator

Source: Speak Up, February 2014

Eleonora: films and films! How nice speaking about them! I  have been on the set of a short film, but I would like to see how the whole set of a film works. How you go through scene by scene respecting the script to get the final result.  Being a film maker is a matter of having great professionality, sensitivity, intelligence, skills. Cinema can play an important role in claiming human rights.

Do not ever forget how meaningful is watching films also to acquire English. The context works with the plot, and images support delighting your interest.

Good day everybody, 

we tried to find an article at low-intermediate level, a few others are advanced level, they are for a next time. Trust yourselves, and very soon you all will be able to read them.

It's impressive how so many times human life depends on a dog's one. We found this article about guide dogs, "someone" we have to rely on when blind.

Never met people who can't see? Never realized how many times we use expressions like "See you" and how kindly they reply?

Never met people with guide dogs? Never spoken to them?

What a sensitivity and fantasy they have, being capable of living in the dark, continuously developing strategies to cope with the reality they can't see. 

If you have anecdotes or stories, please tell us, we would be so pleased to know them. 

It would also be great to read your stories about your dogs, if you have any. You know, sometimes we talk about animals just to learn how to speak about humans. 

To practice your low-intermediate English, you can reply to these questions related to the article:

1. What is "The Seeing Eye"?

2. When was it founded?

3. Who founded it?

4. What breed of dogs are trained at "The Seeing Eye"?  

5. How many puppies are raised each year?

6. What happens to an eight-week-old puppy?

7. What happens after that?

8. How long does the training last? 

Enjoy your English, very soon one more demanding text for everybody to read and practice on. See you in class.

Anna - Coordinator 

Source: Speak Up, February 2014 

 Good morning, 'afternoon, 'evening, 

search on the Internet and find information about Pierre Dulaine. Watch him dancing, with your families. Then watch the film and focus on his method of teaching, his style, his communication. His ballroom dancing is a vehicle to change the lives of not only the young people who participate in his programs and classes, but also the lives of the teachers and parents who want to support these young people. 

Take the Lead was released in 2006 and depicts Pierre Dulaine's efforts to utilize ballroom dancing to help NYC youth to regain a sense of self-respect, pride and elegance. 

What is the meaning of the gentle command "Take the Lead"? What does it mean according to you? 

"Don't be afraid of new things in life, you don't know when you turn round the corner what can happen, but if you take it in a positive way, you can make it positive.....You come to a place in your life where you want to give back to society. You come to a place where you need to do something. This has been the real, real journey of my life, the journey of giving". Pierre Dulaine 

See you in class and don't forget, be the entrepreneur of your life, take the lead!

Anna - Coordinator

Source: Italian "Take the Lead" DVD's cover 

Good morning, afternoon, evening,

we would like to thank Roberta Giaconi's mother  who came to class  with this article about Livorno priding itself on chickpea pie after mentioning the very well known typical food  the previous time in class, and Roberta for allowing such a useful use of her work, for our students.  

Read the article and the worksheet. Then reply to the questions.

We are organizing a tour as a Lesson in the Open Air, ending with chickpea pie, all in English. Proud of that? 

There's more news for you to know, since the journalist Roberta Giaconi is coming to Italy from Australia, where she lives, and will be staying in Italy for a month. 

She accepted the invitation to visit Italian Students at ITIS Galilei in Livorno who are going to interview her about her profession, Australia, her life, her writing, her new book, to be presented this month in Italy. 

Why don't you write here a few questions you would like to ask her? We will publish the answers. 

Enjoy your English and chickpea pie, See you in class, Anna - Coordinator   Source: as mentioned + the Internet   

Simona, Silvana and Fabio, Eleonora, thank you for coming to class offering mates your delicacies. The foto of Florence's Lily is the decoration on top of Eleonora's cake, the Schiacciata Fiorentina.

Enjoy Schiacciata Fiorentina and Chickpea Omelette too!

Good morning 'afternoon, 'evening everybody, 

just a few words to update this article today, 1st December 2016, almost two years after publishing it.

A film about Bob has recenbtly been  released, with Bob playing itself. Nice guy!

Write comments about both, the article and the film, we will reply. Anna Coordinator

This is the story of a cat in Great Britain. Whoever loves animal can read it, reply to and ask questions   to anyone else on the blog, through a comment. Have you read any other books about famous cats?

For example Dewey, or Cleo? Do you know any others? 

While you read this article at Pre-Intermediate level, can you search for the other cats'stories?

Are they similar to this one?

If so, what do they have in common?

Which one do you prefer to tell us about on the blog? 

So many times children are very fond of cats; one in a group writing poems on different subjects, wrote this little one for his she cat: 

My she cat with her white snout

purrs to me when I'm too out

and at night when I'm back home

she's so happy and I'm not alone 

Author Kevin

Anna - Coordinator

Source: Speak Up January 2014 and Pupils's records

Cristina: creative student, everyone can enjoy your story!

Good morning,'afternoon, ' evening, 

Do you like chocolate? How often do you eat it? 

Today we want to talk about chocolate from two completely different points of view.  The first one is seeing chocolate as an addiction. It is the angle of this text book we coped with in class.

Grammar practice  is about phrasal verbs. In these two paragraphs they are quite easy to learn and memorize. 

Do you know any other type of addiction? 

This page made us think about a reverse side of a habit we can develop without thinking of how cocoa is harvested to make chocolate.

Not that you have to be a chocoholic to know about that. It's just information, very important to acquire in order to start viewing chocolate also in a different way.  

If you like having  information about it do not hesitate to watch this documentary on Youtube,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vfbv6hNeng. 

We do think there's so much to know about other any reverse side of what we can easily perceive. We continue to ignore so many areas of the world and the peoples who live there. Maybe being informed makes the difference, and each one of us, in his square meter can behave differently. Check also how chocolate is produced from now on.

Thank you Silvia for coming to class with  one more side of it! Good news, fair trade!

We invite you to write your comment about any type of addiction you may know, and how we could get rid of the "addiction" of seeing people not equal. 

What is the role of chocolate in our life? How can we consider it? Food? Nourishment? Have you ever visited a Chocofestival?

Let us know and describe it. 

See you soon in class,

Anna - Coordinator

Source: First Certificate Masterclass, Oxford University Press, 2008 and Youtube  

Thank you Cristina, Silvia, Marco and Sergio.

It seems chocolate is quite an interesting and delicious topic!

Any food when tracked back tells us so much about our history, civilization, and also unfortunately about people' exploitation. But definetely each one of us can make the difference choosing what's best each single time. 

No wine with chocolate? It might be Porto or Marsala you say, Sergio?

I do think we should organize a proper celebration to see how well they match.

Next time I'm coming to class with chocolate, let's see what happens then!

Paola: thank you for the speech you delivered in class, Paola. Communication was perfect. Just something to change, e.g. when I was seven, I used to go to...; hot chocolate was served to the children who...; after listening to....whoever would like to/likes/wants... 

I'm expecting some chocolate to be again in class then!

See you there, 

Anna

Good morning, afternoon, evening, 

first there's someone we would like to thank for participating in this blog, Samuele, who joined us with his comment about London Gliding. 

There is a very special reason why and we would like you to find it out; maybe interacting on the web you can do it. 

We are working hard these days, to develop projects and ideas. And you? Do you enjoy your English? 

We would like you to do that, also reading books. 

Here there is one among the vast variety we frequently propose our students to choose among. It is not a graded book, the type commonly students of English are invited to read, often as a part of their school program.  

If you can find the type of narration suitable to you, there are so many books of contemporary literature you can read; with the language level, also enjoyment can increase and reversely.  

Never stop reading and watching films. Be surrounded by English speaking and feel it as your second language, your second home. If you already speak other second languages - one could be Italian - then you are privileged, it is even easier. Let us know what you think of this book and others you are reading. 

Why did you like it? What is reading for you? And reading in English? 

Enjoy your English, 

Anna - Coordinator

Source https://www.google.it/search?q=kitchen+banana+yoshimoto&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=RkXNUtm8JoSdyQOS_oCgCA&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=604

'Morning, 'Afternoon, 'Evening, 

gliding could be a new experience to start a new year.  At least, just reading about it, related to London. 

Talking about this beautiful city, even more now with the Shard, have you watched any recent films with aerial shootings including this magnificent skyscraper that influences so much the whole panorama and the skyline?

If so, let us know. We watched Closed Circuit, and there it is; at the beginning and at the end of the film there is Renzo Piano's magnificent creation.   

Gliding we said. This is quite an easy article everybody also among the students who started from a very beginner level in October can attempt to read. 

You can reply to the questions as a comment, after creating an account. Class time is always the opportunity to continue practicing about selected subjects. 

Do you remember where else recently we wrote/spoke about a cockpit? 

How can a glider reach the height of 2,000 meters and start gliding? 

What do gliders need to fly? 

What happens when a glider reach a thermal?

What is a land out?

How can you explain the glider pilot's idea in the article of having a "privilege" ?

What is the London Gliding Club?  

Wouldn't it be exciting viewing London from a glider? 

Shall we do it on our next visit to London? 

Enjoy your English

Anna - Coordinator

Source: Speak Up September 2011 

Good morning, afternoon, evening,

watching films in class  is a great experience. 

We choose one as a "propeller" for ideas, evaluations.

Have you ever watched a film in its original language? Ever thought that just watching a film in English means acquiring the Language? 

Try to concentrate and enjoy it; follow the plot, let the film fascinate you, let the Language do its work: leaving signs, memories, in a meaningful context.  

Train yourselves to pay great attention to both, listening and written comprehension and try to line them up. Your mind will do that for you, due to its importance if you feel deeply motivated.  There are clever strategies inside ourselves,  and experiencing is the best way to find out what they are and what results they can get for us.

You have a worksheet here you can work on after watching the film.

Reply to the questions either here as a comment or as homework before coming back to class.

Enjoy your English, see you in class,

Anna - Coordinator

Source: Italian DVD cover  

Quite late reply I'm afraid, Velma.

It would be very stimulating for our pupils and students reading some more comments of yours and interacting, when in class, sending their own writings as a reply to yours.

Keep up, looking forward to reading you again!

Anna

Thank you Fabio, Homework Solution, Cristina and Giulio.

Watching films is such an enjoyable resource to acquire a Language, cinema offers this great opportunity, living for a while in a different world and being not the same anymore, but richer.