Christmas Traditions in the UK

Перед Рождеством и Новым Годом у учителя иностранного языка всегда есть отличная возможность включить в уроки видео по страноведению. Так, предлагаю Вам просмотреть данное видео, рассказывающее о самых главных, в чем-то серьезных, а в чем-то смешных и нелепых традициях празднования Рождества в Великобритании. После просмотра можно прочитать текст, также рассказывающий об этих традициях и найти слова, которые Вы могли не расслышать или не понять.

If you know some other christmas traditions or you want to share your family traditions of christmas celebration, please, leave them in comments. 

Enjoy and have fun! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Many American Christmas traditions trace back to England, like the main staples of decorating your home, putting up a tree, exchanging presents and having a mid-day dinner. Why not British it up a bit more this year? 

1. LettersIt is very common for school age children to write letters to Santa Claus. But, the Brits take it a step further and burn the letters in the fireplace so the ashes fly up the chimney and Father Christmas can read the smoke. If, like many, you don’t have a fireplace/chimney … surely you can find alternative means. Just be safe!

2. StockingsRather than hanging stockings above the fireplace, British children hang them at the end of their bed hoping they will be filled by Christmas morning. That would be a nice surprise to wake up to. At the same time it might be difficult for “Santa” to fill without waking the wee ones.

3. Crackers
The cracker is a paper tube, covered in foil, twisted at both ends. It’s shaped like a large sweet with hidden treasures inside. Each person crosses their arms, using their right hand to hold their cracker, and pulling their neighbor’s cracker with their left. POP! The cracker will make a bit of a  bang with the contents spilling out which usually is a joke to be read at the dinner table, a small trinket and a paper crown.

4. CrownEveryone is a king on Christmas! The paper crowns are made of tissue paper and unfold into an actual crown. Adults and children alike don the crown making it a colorful sight. The paper hat was added to the crackers in the early 1900s and the tradition has carried on.
 
5. Mid-Day Dinner Christmas dinner is similar to that of the U.S. with a roast turkey, goose or chicken and trimmings. But, there are some specialty items that aren’t as common such as parsnipswhich are a root vegetable similar to a carrot. It’s a familiar taste but it’s fun to incorporate a new veggie to the table. Brits love their pudding but Yorkshire Pudding isn’t pudding-pudding like you would think. It’s more like a flakey, deflated biscuit with the center just waiting to hold your gravy. Does a trifle sound familiar? Oh boy, Rachel on Friends tried to make a traditional English trifle but the recipe pages stuck together and she mixed together a trifle with sheperd’s pie. It is indeed a layered cake but strictly no beef.

6. WassailWassa-what? Wassail literally means “good health” or to “be healthy” and in this case is a hot, mulled drink. There are different ways to serve it like a hot cider but it may also be made with a base of wine. It was originally topped with slices of toast as sops (piece of bread to soak up the liquid.) Mmm, wonder why wine drenched bread went out of style? Well, Brits may question Americans’ craving for eggnog over the holidays.

7. Royal Christmas MessageThe tradition of sending out a Christmas Message to the public began in 1932 with George V. Current day the Queen gives a speech on Christmas Day at 3pm in England. You can gather around the tele with your loved ones and watch it on BBC America … that’s about prime Christmas present opening time on this end with the time difference. BBCA will air it later in the day to allow family time. Check your listings for exact times as the day approaches.

8. TeaChristmas tea usually rolls around 6pm and it is round two of a sit down with family and treats. Pretty much, any proper English event involves tea. Mince pies or sausage rolls might accompany the tea party. Rather than breaking out the Lipton, which would be spat at by any visiting Brit, we suggest PG Tips that originated in the UK in the 1930s. If you can’t find them at a local shop you can do a quickie order fromAmazon.com.

9. Boxing DayBoxing Day follows Christmas day and is a nationally recognized holiday in the UK, also called a bank holiday. It was originally the day for servants and tradesman to receive presents from their employers but it’s now basically a big shopping day for Brits. It’s similar to Black Friday in the U.S. Your boss may wonder why you didn’t go into the office as it’s not an official holiday in the U.S. Maybe celebrate this one after work and get your shop on?

10. Next YearBrits say you need to take your tree and decorations down within 12 days of Christmas or you’ll have bad luck for the next year. Don’t be that house on the street with blinking lights that go on through Valentine’s Day! Get that stuff down and get on with the New Year!

Fashion and Clothes

 

Очень часто учителя английского языка сталкиваются с тем, что учащийся просто не понимает, что можно ответить на тот или иной вопрос даже на родном языке, что уж тут говорить об иностранном. В таких случаях учитель дает ученику возможность воспользоваться информацией из учебника, интернета, справочников.

Одной из самых сложных тем для понимания, как ни странно, оказывается тема "Fashion", поскольку мужская часть учебной группы попросту не понимает, что можно рассказать на заданную тему.

Используя учебник для 9 класса школ и гимназий с углубленным изучением английского языка, можно составить несложную к пониманию, но, тем не менее, полную необходимой лексики устную тему.

В пунктах 1-6 учащемуся предлагается дополнить тему собственными правилами стиля, которые он может найти в учебнике или интернете.

 

Желаю удачи!

 

 

Fashion

    Most people believe that it's important to look nice. However, some people say that we place too much importance on appearance and fashion. One will hardly disagree that it is pleasant to look at a person who is neatly and beautifully dressed. A person usually chooses clothes, their style and material according to his or her age, social class, financial position and occupation. For example materials can vary from cotton and silk to leather and fur. People also choose clothes according to their preferences and character, because it is very hard to imagine an old man dressed in a polka-dotted coat with floral pattern hood and large decorative buttons and zips or a young girl in a baggy or loose blouse which looks very plain and unoriginal.

    To my mind, if a person wants to produce a good impression and to be successful, he or she must look nice. When people speak to you, they always pay attention to your appearance and your outfit. If you look sloppy and untidy, they will try to avoid you, and on the other hand if you have some original items in your look they will remember it like a sign of your personality. There is a saying that "good clothes open all doors" and I quite agree with it. But some people place too much importance on their appearance. They spend much money on expensive fur coats and sometimes they look ridiculous trying to be fashionable.           

    However, we know that people should follow few tips to dress fashionable, and here are they:

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In conclusion, I'd like to say that nowadays fashion becomes even more influential than it was in the past. It effects and moulds public taste. I believe that people should follow fashion and pay attention to their appearance, but it should never become a kind of obsession. 

A good example of an oral topic "Education and Study" for the 9th Form

Темы образование, моя школа, идеальная школа и т.д. очень часто превращаются в скучную констатацию факта. Так, например, ученики не стремятся углубить знания и просто рассказывают о том, сколько уроков у них в день, какие предметы они изучают и кто их любимый учитель. Это допустимо для учащихся 5-6 классов, но не для старшеклассников. Начиная с 8 класса тема Школа и Образование подается уже на более высоком уровне, нежели в младших классах. От ученика требую рассказать какие знания он получает в школе, что главное в его школьной жизни, ценен ли для него опыт, полученный в школе и т.д.
Предлагаю Вам обратить внимание на данную тему, так как она составлена с расчетом лексики 9-10 класса и поможет учащимся не только выучить устойчивые выражения и новый лексический материал, но и может дать им возможность высказаться в отношении своего представления идеальной школы, для чего, конечно же, им нужно будет кое-что подкорректировать.
Желаю удачи!

  Study

Mahatma Gandhi said – “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever”. We start learning something new from the moment we are born. Did you know that in the first 5 years of child`s life, they learn more facts than it takes to graduate from university? As children grow older and life`s pressures start to affect them, they begin to experience stress, a few cope but most get anxious, nervous and frustrated.
As education is the way people gain skills, I can say that this aim can be reached not only through school education, but also through personal experience. Ideal school should include both this aspects. As for me in ideal school pupils are in mixed-ability classes, so more skillful children can help their less able classmates. The number of pupils in the class is perhaps 15-17 students, because in this class it is easy to have open discussions, work in pairs and no one can hide in the crowd. Team work is also very important it helps us to improve our knowledge, get acquainted with thoughts of our classmates and generates activity of the creative side of our brains. Also during this type of study we realize that each person is very important for the group and that knowledge can facilitate our future life.
What for personal experience I would like to say, that in order to overcome all difficulties of a mature life, we should also combine school activities with travelling, reading, participating in advanced courses, which enable to develop our mental abilities through comprehension and challenge.
Ideal school should not just provide us with some academical knowledge, it should give us the feeling of self-awareness, it should show us many perspectives of broadening our horizons, being in tune with the world, it should make us to like the process of learning, because if you do not enjoy studying you will not enjoy anything.