B2 First Writing, Part 2 - ARTICLES

One of the core principles I bare in mind when I plan my lessons is the human element. Students come to our classrooms with a great wealth of life experiences they are eager to share. Sharing, bonding, caring and showing interest and respect have always proven to be the basis upon which learning can happen. However, on many occassions, it might happen that I am running against the clock to finish teaching a syllabus or to prepare students to successfully sit for an international exam. And those are the times when I usually forget about this core principle and focus - more than I would like to admit - on the formal aspects of the language.

I have often found myself in this situation when preparing students for the Cambridge exams, since it is very important to train learners in the formalities and structure. But, in the last couple of years, many of the presentations at the Cambridge Days held in my country or at the Cambridge Live Experience have inspired me to give, even exam preparation, a twist and plan more memorable or engaging activities on the basis of the material offered by Cambridge.

Some weeks ago I worked on such an activity with two young adults. The aim was to practise writing articles for Part 2 in the B2 Writing Section. I took the task from Unit 2 in the book Complete First, 2nd Edition, by Cambridge University Press. The unit is all about leisure activities and, as a 28-year-old myself, I believe my generation - the so-called Millennials or Generation Y - prioritize leisure time as a means of achieving personal well-being. In fact, we are many times labelled as lazy and spoilt for doing so! So I thought, I guess these two students might have a long list of leisure time activities or hobbies they would willingly tell me about... Let's put aside the typical 'leisure time activities' list of vocabulary that comes in books and let's make it about THEM.

Here's the exam task on page 26 in the book:

Then, comes a model article in which a student chose to write about cookery, and then some exercises focusing on organization - dividing the text into paragraphs and using linking expressions. Once we had completed these exercises, I asked students to look for pictures of them enjoying their favourite free-time activity and we held a discussion or brain-storming session. Now that I'm teaching online, I try to make the most of everything students have at home and on their computers...there's a whole world out there!!! And the best is: not much preparation is needed. I didn't need to tell the students to look for a nice photograph at home a week in advance. Plus, asking students to share their screens is a great way of providing them with a sense of meaningful participation and responsibility over the task.

Finally, students worked on their articles on a shared Google Drive file, so I could keep track of the writing process. These were the results. ENJOY 😊

By Irina Cavigliasso

Would you like to try this?

I remember one day when I was four. I was sitting on the sofa really bored and I told my mum because she always had a fun idea to do. She looked at me and she was simply like ‘tomorrow I will take you to an amazing place’. The next day, she drove me to a hockey field. That day, I knew what hockey was, and I have been practising it ever since.

When I went to school, I practised every day except Sundays. I always did my homework extremely fast because I wanted to be training. I had to travel to Cordoba three times a week, because I was part of a professional team. So I took all my books and, while my dad drove the car, I studied because the next day I had to hand in homework. Those were amazing and exhausting years!

Since those times, I have enjoyed doing sports more than anything. I like all of them and it was difficult for me to choose only one. For a couple of years, I practised hockey and swimming but, in the end, I decided to go for hockey so I could concentrate better and do my best. When I do sport, it makes me feel free and it's exciting.

I believe physical activity allows you to be healthier because you always want to be better, no matter what the sport is. To do that, you have to eat properly and sleep well, as well. Furthermore, a team sport gives you friends and values. If you are bored like me and you want to spend fun moments, I recommend trying hockey. You will not regret it, I promise! And let me tell you a secret: prepare your knees for a few falls!

By Raiquen Bornand

Thanks to my grandma

Tita, my grandmother, was the person who introduced me into the world of photography. When I was 6, I took my first picture. On the frame, there was my grandmother and a few trees in the background. Despite my young age, I was able to frame properly.

The time passed and I grew up watching my grandma taking pictures with her enormous camera. I was so fascinated about all the buttons and dials and I used to wonder why she took so long to take just a simple picture. For example, for every portrait, my grandma told me to stay still a little bit more.

Many years later, when I was 20, Tita and I started a photography course. That was my first course and, for my grandmother, it was the first time with a digital camera. Thereby, both of us were learning something.

I love taking pictures because when I'm doing it everything in my mind disappears. I get lost in the images, shadows and colors, and I also enjoy with greater intensity the place where I am. Furthermore, I believe I'm able to understand and feel the object of my picture, which might be an animal, a plant or a person.

I recommend photography as a leisure time activity because, in my opinion, it is a great way to chill out, connect with your present and your environment, and also with yourself.