kiwicarioca

Hi everyone,

I've been pretty busy lately. I attended a 'social networking conference' this past week, interviewed a singer songwriter, and was preparing classes for new online students. So, I didn't have any time to get a podcast out.

But, I think I'm back on track. This is a short podcast about some of the tools I use to network with students and teachers, and of course friends.  For those who are new to 'networking tools' it will be of interest. Certainly, if you have any questions about any of these tools let me know. I'd be more than pleased to answer your questions.

At the end of the podcast I mention a 'voicethread' I've started. I'm giving away 10 free online lessons every month for the 'best home made recipes'. As a chef, and English teacher I'd like to write an English course based on student's recipes. I'd include a recipe(or three) from each country, a short history of the recipe, etymology, and of course some English grammar, pronunciation, reading, writing and listening. So, that's the plan and I'd love your support. So, visit my voicethread at: http://voicethread.com/share/726596/ and leave a family recipe please.

One last thing. I forgot to mention another little tool I love called Penzu. It's simply the best writing, journal tool that I've found on the web. Great for students, teachers, writers, everyone and anyone. Why? Well, it's very easy to use,  private (though you can share it with anyone), and it's free. Check it out at https://penzu.com.

All the best.

I was watching tv the other night, and David Letterman's show came on. He was interviewing the ever provocative Madonna, and started asking her what she liked on her 'pie'. Cheese?...No, it's bad for you...Olives?...No, I don't like them....Salami?.... No, it's full of fat....Anchovies?... No, they're too salty.....(no wonder Guy Ritchie gave up)..anyway,I was thinking 'what's he talking about, it sounds like he's describing a pizza too me'. So it turned out he was describing a pizza which, you guessed it, is also called a 'pie' in American speak. Well, a pie from New Zealand, Australia, and I think England too (they invented the pork pie) is not a Pizza. It's a hand held morsel, eaten on the run, chomped down in the thousands every single day of the year. Indeed everyone is a pie connoisseur. There are chicken pies, beef pies, seafood pies, venison pies, vegetarian pies...all with different condiments and toppings.I once had a pie for xmas dinner. Yes, I did....not by choice. I was living away from home and forlornly meandered down to the local service station to buy a pie for Xmas lunch. I think I may have bought two. Probably, the best 'pie cart' I've ever been to is a famous little caravan, parked outside a flash hotel on Sydney's waterfront, where you can have mashed potatoes and beetroot smothered on top. Mmmmmm now ya talkin. So, this episode is a wee look at the 'pie', including some cultural definitions, a recipe, and 20 or so idioms derived from the humble pie. The idioms by the way are more commonly used in British rather than American English, although they may be universal, I couldn't be sure.

I like it when people respond to my emails. If I sent an email specifically addressed to you, would you respond? Or would it depend on who I was, and what I did? When would you respond? Immediately, within a week, or never? Well, you might get away with it some of the time, but not all of the time. In other words you might be running the gauntlet. If you think your 'email culture' is similar to the English speaking email culture then I can tell you you're mistaken. It isn't. The culture of writing emails differs from country to country, and certainly where I live the email etiquette is completely different to my own. Well, it worries me. I'm concerned that ESL students are damaging their reputations. So, I've written some quick tips for ESL students who deal with English speaking countries. Be assured that email writing is a very important form of communication and it's equally important students are aware of what kind of message they're sending to the recipient. Is it polite? Is it professional? Is it courteous? Pretty important questions, don't you agree?

This struck me as pertinent to the current economic, and global climate, and so I was moved to make a video about the subject. The story of The Blind Men and the Elephant is also strongly related to my views on education and Personalized Online Learning and Teaching. Certainly the movement towards online learning is gaining momentum. In my opinion we will see big shifts in learning and teaching in the coming years as online learning, mobile learning and web 2.0 technologies gain popularity. Let's face it teenagers today twitter daily, sms by the second, and are in constant contact with friends and family through mobile telephony devices. It appears inevitable then that web 2.0 learning will eventually be the learning method of choice. Online learning is 'green' and eco-friendly and that's what the new generation understand. At least I hope they do. Travelling to and from a learning establishment costs money and burns energy, doesn't it? Am I wrong? So, why then jump in the car and go to university, or your local language school? Learn online and save the planet, right? Sure, you need face to face contact, but that can be with peers, colleagues,and online teachers, can't it? I'm not suggesting I have all the answers, but as far as Personalized Online Learning is concerned I believe its a valid alternative. Certainly for informal learning, such as learning to speak English. Perhaps, ESL teacher's can take the lead then and inspire other institutions to follow? What do you think? Part of the goal of online learning should be peer collaboration and involvement. Why? Well, in the spirit of The Blind Men and the Elephant it provides the opportunity for students around the globe to get together and have a chat. Share stories, and gain a better understanding of each other. In my opinion that's the big advantage of online learning. Certainly I've noticed people from Iran, Tunisia, Croatia, Spain, Germany, The United States, Uzbekistan, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Slovakia, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela....and many more countries visiting my posts. So, it's my dream to have these students learning together from each other, with the support of qualified online instructors. In a world of global conflict and constant misunderstanding, I think online learning provides the platform to breach the divide, and provide a better world for future generations. So, as teachers don't we have a responsibilty to each other and future generations to instigate the change. Unfortunately the older generation make the decisions that bind us. Am I right? But the older generation were educated 30 years ago, so really they're not 'with it' are they? That's why the students need to start designing the curriculums. If we involve students in the decision making process won't they be more motivated to learn? By creating environments that applaud creativity aren't we change leaders rather than change procrastinators? Imagine students from Iran, Russia, USA, and China conversing on a daily basis, sharing ideas and opinions? How would they shape the future? It would be looking pretty good, wouldn't it? If we delay the move to online learning we are only delaying the inevitable. I think educators should take it upon themselves to move students online now. I'm trying to do my part. It's difficult, but I think it's the right way forward. What about you, what do you think? Who are The Blind Men? I invite your opinions. Thanks for listening, I hope your enjoy the video. Oh, by the way...this video is available to student subscribers at www.kiwicarioca-esl.com in mp3 format, with study notes. Best, Robert

Hi there, Well, my Brazilian students will be happy with me....because at long last I've produced a recording of some soccer vocabulary. If you are going to make 'small talk' why not make 'soccer talk' right? Small talk is the art of conversation about nothing, so I think 'soccer talk' might be better. Do you agree? Why? Well everyone loves soccer and has a favourite team so it's a brilliant way to start a conversation. Now, if you can carry that conversation forward with some knowledgeable vocabulary it's also a great way to form relationships. So, my advice is to listen to this recording a number of times, and really try and add some useful 'soccer talk' to your conversation skills. Enjoy, all the best.

This is a short introductory podcast to an extended subscriber version. This podcast was lots of fun to make. When I was in Southern Spain many years ago I remember eating a Paella by the sea, made by an old lady in a beach side restaurant. There was nothing special about the restaurant at all. The decor wasn't modern, or trendy, indeed it was a very old fashioned place. Almost forlorn looking. But what attracted me was the smell wafting out the doors. Oh, it was fantastic. I knew the seafood was fresh, because the fishing boats were sitting almost directly outside the restaurant and it occurred to me that the owners of the restaurant also owned the fishing boat. I don't speak Spanish but in Portuguese seafood translates as 'fruits of the sea'. A far more elegant description don't you agree? So, I sat down and had a wonderful few hours sitting by the sea eating Paella, served to me straight out of the pan. Oh, my goodness, what a wonderful experience. Well somehow it all flooded back to me when I was writing this lesson. So, I thought let's include Paella in the script. So, I did. The subscriber version is a study of the present perfect, vocabulary for the Paella, and the many verbs used in cooking a Paella from Spain. With lots of pictures of course. Oh my goodness!

A few weeks ago I produced a short video for phrasal verbs that are formed with the verb'get'. Well, as part of our online course I produced this short glossary. So, I thought I'd share it with you. The online course is available for $15.00, which includes a feedback/review class with a native english teacher.

Have you seen this question on your twitter account? What... you haven't got a twitter account? Well, this is a good example of present continuous tense, and it means.......? Yes, that's right, it means 'what are you doing, now'. You can also use tomorrow, as in, 'what are you doing tomorrow?' Or you can use other time expressions like 'later','this morning', 'tomorrow morning', 'tonight', 'later this week'. That's the present continuous. Use it on twitter, and practice saying what you're doing 'now', or what you're 'planning' to do, or for making 'arrangements'. Oh, by the way, join me on twitter while you're there at http://twitter.com/kiwicarioca. Enjoy the animation!

How often do you negotiate? Once a month, once a week, or perhaps everyday. How do you negotiate? What's the best way to negotiate? In this series we answer these questions and more. Listen to the first part of the first module of a 4 part online series which investigates the subject of Creative Negotiation. Topics Include Approaches to Negotiation - Advocate - Introduction to creative. - Ways to Generate Ideas - Other Styles Emotion in Negotiation. - positive and negative effect. - emotive effect - partners effect - negotiation studies. Impact of Culture on Negotiation - Language levels - Non-verbal - Cultural behaviour of 15 countries Managerial Values - Objectivity - Competitiveness and equality - Differences in thinking - Implications for managers Each module includes new vocabulary, reading, listening, negotiation study skills, and a review and feedback class for all subscribers. This is a the perfect short course for anyone who is involved in the negotiation process especially ESL students who are dealing with other cultures. Classes available online 24/7.

When you're reading in a second language you don't need to understand everything. Try to understand a little at a time. Eventually the words will show themselves again, in a different media and you'll think 'hey, there's that word again'. You don't need to seek them out in a dictionary. With time, the context will build in your mind, and you'll begin to understand the meaning at which time it'll enter your vocabulary. It takes time. Repeated attempts, with different contexts. A combination of visual, and auditory. It's also important to relax. Let the words come to you. They will,if you give them an opportunity. In this episode I've attempted to document this concept...what do you think?

Two students told me today that they didn't understand 'colloquial language' and had difficulty understanding native speakers. It's a common problem. But it doesn't need to be. Not if you have the recently released 'On the Go' English Language System 'Mate'. It travels with you, and makes learning a language easy and affordable. Have you got yours yet?

English classes are boring!! That's what our students told us. So what did we do? We involved the students in the creative process. Our students control next weeks lesson. They determine what they're learning and when. Yes, it means they have to collaborate but...wow, now the lessons are fun, interesting, varied and dynamic. Our students write the curriculum...how good is that? Is it the future..we don't think so, we think it's the now!

Rio de Janeiro won the Olympics today, so I thought I'd send a quick podcast of my thoughts. Abracao para todos os Brasilieros.