The Cosby Show

Do you know/remember the Cosby Show? I have been working on some some study guides for the first season of the show. Hope that you enjoy watching the show in your classes...
Check out some scenes from the show on Youtube...

Season 2 (click here)

The Most Interesting Job competition

Hello everyone... My IBU students have just completed a project that was inspired by Chuck Sandy... The Most Interesting Job competition...It was a competition with a box set of Indiana Jones movies as the prize for the winner... We would appreciate those of you that can take the time to visit, and review entries from the following website and vote for the best entry under each category...

http://themostinterestingjobgallery.blogspot.com/

Q.1 Which Poster is the best for language proficiency?
Q. 2 Which "Poster" do you think has the most interesting and creative design?
Q.3 Awareness of Audience Needs????
then click submit....

I would like to thank you all in advance....
ciao
Steven Mondy

GC2 Podcast Listening 2011 (click here)

Visit this site for a link to VOA (Voice of America) and lessons that accompany the videos.
The first unit: The Royal Wedding

Writing Class A 2011 (Click Here)

http://writingaclass2011.blogspot.com/

English in the Media 2011/12 (click here)

This website presents a series of Webquests for students to complete.
The lessons are linked to zunal.com where many other Webquests can be found.

Zunal home (click here)
http://zunal.com/index.php

Mondos ESL/EFL Website Survey

Please visit the following website and complete the survey (click here).
Your answers will help me to improve my website and to understand who is coming to visit the site.

Click here to check out the results to the survey.

How to live longer

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39puksTfUaM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Steven Mondy

Do you know "Zumba"?

Remember to take care of your 'mind, body and soul'. Check out your local gym for a Zumba class... You can get back on the road to a healthier lifestyle and maybe you can reduce a bit of stress...

Watch the following video from the Today show to find out what people have been crazy about since 2007.

Writing Class C (Semester 1, 2011)

This is a blog for the Writing Class C students. Students will review material each week and write an online response to it. Responses will include paraphrasing of the material, and a reaction in the form of an educated opinion.

Students will need to take care that their responses are thoughtful and are logically worded.

Mondos link to TED

This site is devoted to providing links to TED online and providing support material for TED lectures.

image taken from TED homepage

"TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.

http://www.ted.com/pages/5"

WebQuest

Do you know what a WebQuest is? (click here)
According to web sources, a WebQuest is "an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by students is online. By providing links necessary to complete the quest, the student is able to focus on the material rather than spend time looking for it."
I have chosen to look at a number of WebQuests for the purpose of extending my teaching base into the area of Problem Based Instruction (PBL), thus providing realistic and authentic learning activities for students.
Please check out some of the WebQuests from Zunal.com and let me know what you think. I have just listed a number of lessons that might be useful, however, I am looking into developing lessons based around the WebQuest idea for ESL/EFL. If you can help me by giving ideas, I would be very grateful...
You can leave a comment below or e-mail me at the address in my profile.
Thanks a lot in advance, everyone.

zunal.com (2001-2010). The easiest way to create a WebQuest with more than 89.3 thousand users, Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://zunal.com/index.php

Kolb's Learning Style Inventory

Survey (click here)

Try to take the above quick survey based on Kolb's learning style inventory.
It is designed to measure your strengths and weaknesses as a learner.

Experiential learning is conceived as a four stage cycle:

(1) immediate concrete experience is the basis for

(2) observation and reflection;

(3) these observations are assimilated into a "theory" from which new implications for action can be deduced

(4) these implications or hypotheses then serve as guides in acting to create new experiences.

The effective learner relies on four different learning modes: Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), Abstract Conceptualization (AC), and Active Experimentation (AE).

(click here) See the accumulative results of this survey

According to Kolb’s model, ‘Divergers’ tend to favor concrete experiences and reflective observation. They are imaginative and emotional people who like to take part in activities that require idea generation. They like to take on learning experiences that allow them to take a single experience and move toward multiple possibilities. Thus, for the Diverger, activities such as brainstorming can encourage greater engagement and deeper learning.

Assimilators on the other hand have the most cognitive approach, liking to watch, think and act. They favor a more logical and concise learning approach. They tend to focus on ideas and abstract concepts and are attracted to logically sounding theories. They like organized and structured understanding. They prefer learning experiences that include lectures (with demonstrations), readings, and having time to think logically. They will also learn in discussions that are logical and thoughtful.

Converger’s tend to be solitary, preferring to take on problems with a practical application. They seem to like situations with a single correct answer, and tend to focus on specific problems or situations (Danish & Awan 2009). According to Chapman (2003-2010) they are more attracted to technical tasks and problems. They like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and work with practical situations.

Accomodator’s are completely opposite to Assimilators. These kinds of learners prefer hands-on experiences, and according to Chapman (2003-2010) they prefer intuition, rather than logic. They tend to take creative risks, and be quite flexible with change. They have a strong preference for doing, rather than thinking. They tend not to like routine, and rely heavily on others for information and analysis.

Broken Links

Sorry everyone, if the links are broken on this site. I recently had a very unfortunate accident where my data was wiped out on my server. I am in the process of trying to restore all the links, if possible.

Repair made so far:
I have repaired many of the links...
Graded Readers (Most if not all have been repaired)
Current Topics (All links repaired)
Communication Arts (most of the video links have been repaired)

Pls let me know if there are any other pages or links to be repaired.
Leave a comment in the comment box...
Thank you for your patience. Ciao Steven Mondy from Mondosworld.

What is Problem Based Learning (PBL)?

What is PBL?
1. (click here) for a quick Wikipedia definition
2. (click here) for a more detailed understanding (.pdf file format)
3. Watch the video for a clear explanation of how to implement PBL in the classroom.

What is PBL? from Metafoor Media on Vimeo.

Writing Class C (Semester 2, 2010)

This is a blog for the Writing Class C students. Students will review material each week and write an online response to it. Responses will include paraphrasing of the material, and a reaction in the form of an educated opinion.

Students will need to take care that their responses are thoughtful and are logically worded.

E3 English in the Media 2010

A course designed to help students understand and use English in a variety of mediums; written, spoken, heard, and read. This course will promote learning through critical thinking about the content of the class.

Writing A Class

Welcome to Mondo's Writing A Class Blog for YMCA Students (Creative writing project focused on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves). Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area. What to do? Each week you must write a 50 word blog entry on a topic. It can be on any subject, but should be done by Friday each week.Choose topics to write about, get it checked by someone, and then publish it on the blog - it's that easy!
Visit the Website at: (click here)

Podcast Listening

A course designed to increase listening input. Students will have the opportunity of listening to a variety of sources of English in a variety of contexts. Through Podcasts, students will access listening material that both uses English, and talks about how English is learned. Students will be required to access the Internet to download programs to listen to on their ipods.

English through Sitcoms (click here)

Dramas and sitcoms (situation comedy) are particularly useful for learning new vocabulary and idioms. The situations create an intriguing and relaxing learning environment in which the students learn not just English words but also culture, humor and body language. Through the dialogs within the episodes, this particular course focuses on familiarizing students with native English speaking sounds and patterns. Also, the natural repetition throughout the series will help students internalize the spoken words and the students connection to the characters will help promote predictions about language choice. The series will also help students get a better grasp of humor and be better able to understand sarcasm or jokes.

Reading Skills Supplementary (click here)

Visit this site to get supplementary videos to support your readings from Active: Skills for reading (book 1) second edition - Neil J. Anderson

E2 2009 Writing Blog

Welcome to the E2 blog. Mondo's E2 Writing Class Blog for YMCA Students (Creative writing project focused on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves). Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area. What to do? Each week you must write a 50 word blog entry on a topic. It can be on any subject, but should be done by Friday each week.Choose topics to write about, get it checked by someone, and then publish it on the blog - it's that easy!

GC1 2009 Writing Blog

Mondo's GC1 Writing Class Blog for YMCA English Course Students (Creative writing project focused on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves).Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area.
What to do? Each week you must write a 50~100 words directly to the blog. It can be on any subject, but should be e-mailed to your teacher by Friday each week.
Topic
Choose a topic to write about, get it checked by someone, and then get it published.

3. Graded Readers (click here) for Teachers and Students

This area is devoted to providing materials for teaching and learning using graded readers. There are various levels spread across a number of different publishers. All graded readers are easily available from bookstores carrying English language materials, or directly from the publishers themselves.




Lessons Using Graded Readers
1. The Prince and the Pauper (Penguin Level 2)
2. The Man in the Iron Mask (Macmillan Level 2)
3. The Canterville Ghost and other stories (Macmillan Level 3)
4. The Phantom of the Opera (Macmillan Level 2)
5. The Black Cat (Macmillan Level 3)
6. Drive into Danger (Oxford Starter)
7. The Long Tunnel (Macmillan level 2)
8. Mine Boy (Macmillan level 6)

6. Voice of America (VOA) ~ Special English lessons (click here)

Visit the pages on this site for interesting and informative stories created in special English for ESL students.

Lesson
1. Have a headache, you're not alone
2. American Orchestra performs in North Korea
3. WHO Sees Tobacco Risk to a Billion Lives This Century
4. How to Do It: Making Paper by Hand
5. Music Would Not be the Same Without the Guitar

1. Mondos link to ELLLO Listening Activities (click here)

Visit the pages on this site for interesting and informative stories in natural English. There are many kinds of listening activities, worksheets, slide shows and explanations of specific aspects about the language used.

Special thanks to Simon for making me aware of this site, and the host of ELLLO for creating a valuable resource that everyone can benefit from.

Theme 1: Places where we live
Theme 2: Jobs and Career
Theme 3: Family
Theme 4: Pets
Theme 5: Three Meals a day
Theme 6: Daily Routines
Theme 7: T.V.
Theme 8: Learning Languages
Theme 9: Are you a shy person?
Theme 10: Favorite things

14. High Level Current Topics (click here)

Enter this site if you want to get some extra-reading practice on current topics in various newspapers.
Articles are roughly 300~500 words long.
There are also lessons with each reading.


Recommended Level of difficulty
- Students should have effective, but not perfect, use of English.

Student's ability: You can talk almost fluently and almost completely accurately. Everyday situations in an English-language environment do not worry you. You can take part in extended conversations or discussions and your vocabulary covers almost every circumstance. If you do not know a word you can almost always find a way of describing it. You have a knowledge of some idiomatic English, phrasal verbs, and colloquial expressions. You have studied all main areas of English grammar.

Equivalent to:

* IELTS score 5.5 - 6.5
* TOEFL iBT score 80
* TOEIC score 650 - 800

GC1 2008 Writing Blog

Mondo's GC1 Writing Class Blog for YMCA English Course Students (Creative writing project focussed on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves) Welcome to the GC1 Writing Class Blog. Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area.
What to do? Each week you must write a 50~100 words directly to the blog. It can be on any subject, but should be e-mailed to your teacher by Friday each week.
Topic
Choose topics to write about, get it checked, and send it to your teacher to get them published.

Top of the Pops (support)

Background information and support material for Top of the Pops Listening, by Nobuhiro Kumai and Stephen Timson.
http://mondostoppops.blogspot.com/

E1 Writing Blog 2008/9 Semester 2

Mondo's E1 Writing Class Blog for YMCA English Course Students
(Creative writing project focussed on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves) Welcome to the E1 Writing Class Blog. Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area.
What to do? Each week you must write a 50 word e-mail to your teacher. It can be on any subject, but should be e-mailed to your teacher by Friday each week.
Topic
Choose topics to write about, get it checked, and send it to your teacher to get them published.

17. Role Plays for the Classroom

This is a page devoted to collecting role-plays for the use in ESL/EFL classrooms.

1. Taxi Ride
2. Introductions
3. Appointments and arrangements

16. Mondos Study English with Cartoons

Do you enjoy watching cartoons? Do you want to get more listening practice? Well why not combine your love of cartoons and your desire to learn English by watching some very famous, classic cartoons.
Recommended for higher levels (roughly intermediate), but anyone can enjoy watching them...I will be publishing lessons to go along with these cartoons in the coming weeks. Please enjoy.

Lessons in English Grammar (click here)

A page devoted to learning how to use various aspects of English grammar.

15. E2 Writing Class Blog 2008 Sem 1 (Click Here)

Mondo's E2 Writing Class Blog for YMCA English Course Students
(Creative writing project focussed on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves)
Welcome to the E2 Writing Class Blog. Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area.
What to do? Each week you must write a 50 word e-mail to your teacher. It can be on any subject, but should be e-mailed to your teacher by Friday each week.
Choose topics to write about, get it checked, and send it to your teacher to get them published.

8. Presentation & Public Speaking (click here)

Would you like to know more about how to make an effective presentation. Well, enter this site by clicking on the title above and learn more about how to make your presentations stand out.

5. High Level Discussion, Debate and Issues - Video (click here)

This page is devoted to high level discussion topics and issues. The material will be presented in a number of different formats on specific themes. The themes that are generated are specifically chosen for their capability of stimulating conversation and in depth discussion. Please note that the content may be controversial and does not necessarily reflect the beliefs of Mondosworld. Warning: some content may offend some people.

Theme 1: Class Divide
Theme 2: Smoking and Cigarette companies
Theme 3: Fast Food
Theme 4: Michael J. Fox and Parkinson's Disease
Theme 5: Climate Change
Theme 6: McCartney Divorce
Theme 7: Google's New Office
Theme 8: Future Japan
Theme 9: A Funny look at mobile phones


Recommended Level: You can describe yourself as the following ~
- You have an effective, but not perfect, use of English.
Your ability: You can talk almost fluently and almost completely accurately. Everyday situations in an English-language environment do not worry you. You can take part in extended conversations or discussions and your vocabulary covers almost every circumstance. If you do not know a word you can almost always find a way of describing it. You have a knowledge of some idiomatic English, phrasal verbs, and colloquial expressions. You have studied all main areas of English grammar.

Equivalent to:

* IELTS score 5.5 - 6.5
* TOEFL iBT score 80
* TOEIC score 650 - 800

Current Topics - Readings & Activities (Click Here)

Enter this site if you want to get some extra-reading practice on current topics in the newspaper.
Articles are roughly 200 words long.
There are also lessons with each reading.

Course Description:
This class is designed to:
- promote awareness, appreciation and enjoyment of different media and develop good study habits
- expose students to multiple perspectives.
- help students develop knowledge, skills, and analytical abilities.

In dealing directly with primary sources, students will engage in asking questions, thinking critically, making intelligent inferences, and developing reasoned explanations and interpretations of events and issues that are in today’s current environment.

4. ESL/EFL Ideas and Issues (for teachers)

This blog is a running commentary on the issues that present themselves to me as I work my way through my Masters of Education program, at USQ, Australia. It is a work in progress, and the ideas contained with the blog entries are my way of trying to come to terms with being a professional teacher and a lifelong student. The issues involve teaching and learning, both from an educators standpoint and the perspective of a student, trying to learn a second language. Steven Mondy

12. Gallery (click here)

This page is a gallery of artwork created by my students. I Hope that you enjoy.

11. Writing Class

This blog is devoted to all writing class activities. There are blogs that are for students to express their ideas, in creative and structured writing tasks. Some things are only edited by students, and other pieces of writing that are edited by the classroom teacher. Please enjoy.

2. Mondo's Communication Arts (Watch the Videos) (Click Here)

Communication Arts is a two Semester course offered to first year English course students. The objective of the course is to enable students to work collaboratively on a project in English. Students have the opportunity to learn and use English throughout the whole process. Planning, problem solving and evaluation are key aspects of the course.

Movies just added ~ Tuesday August 28, 2007

9. GC2 IR - Impromptu Reading

Welcome to the GC2 Impromptu Reading class Blog site. This class is a course in reading skills and critical thinking. The content covered is focused on motivating students to become active readers, and critical thinkers.Students read, synthesize and offer responses to issues contained within readings.

C14 Speaking Class

This site will have reactions written by C14 students to a painting within their textbook. It will also be the site for other C14 speaking activities in 2007..

C1 Reading Activities

Coming soon: Reading activities for beginners in English, with MP3 download of the reading for listening practice...
Hopefully will be running (November 2007) :-)

7. English in the Media: Dawson's Creek Discussion (Click Here)

Welcome to the English in the media Blog site. This course is designed to give students exposure to English in a variety of different ways. This semester E3/4 students will be watching the television drama, 'Dawson's Creek' (Season 1), and discussing the ideas within it, in class and on this blog site.
Steven Mondy




Photo Copyright© 2007 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements:
e-mail access

GC English in the Media 2007 (Click Here)

Welcome to the English in the media Blog site. This course is designed to give students exposure to English in a variety of different ways. Students will not only listen, watch, or read, but discuss, analyse and respond to the material in a variety of ways.
Steven Mondy

Requirements:
Access to a computer with MP3 capability
Quicktime player (available free through apple at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mac.html)

The New YMCA Graduate Discussion Board (Click Here)

Are you a YMCA International College Graduate? Do you want to keep up your English? Then why not join the new YMCA discussion room, and join in on the conversation. This is a place for YMCA alumni to get online and use English. Feel free to create a topic, or even respond to others writing. I encourage you to think about things, and strive to explore all topics. Come and join us.

If you have any questions, then just send me an e-mail: mondymca@gmail.com

E2 Blog 2006/7 - Semester 2

Mondo's E2 Writing Class Blog for YMCA English Course Students
(Creative writing project focussed on making students write regularly - Work is edited by students themselves)
Welcome to the E2 Writing Class Blog. Each week, students will be contributing some work to this area.
What to do? Each week you must write a 50 word e-mail to your teacher. It can be on any subject, but should be e-mailed to your teacher by Friday each week.
Topic
Choose topics to write about, get it checked, and send it to your teacher to get them published.

Poetry in Motion (Watch the Video)

A Seminar in Creative Writing.
Focus: Writing a variety of poems in different styles.
Time: September

Mondo's Stories from Writing Class

E2 Writing Assignment: Write an imaginative story

Students at the YMCA International College are required to write an imaginative story, paying close attention to the various aspects of story writing. The assignments are required to have the following aspects; background, tension building, climax, and resolution. Also the students should think about character, time, setting, situation and challenges. The following stories are examples of student work for the second semester (2005-2006), Steven Mondy.

Osaka The City

Click on the above title and download a game that teaches you about Osaka city.

C14 Listening Class

This is a blog devoted to presenting material that will assist in understanding
the C14 Listening class lectures.

JABBERWOCKY Style Poems by GC2 at the Osaka YMCA

Please visit this site for an interesting look into the world of English. Students in my GC2 PR class studied the poem 'JABBERWOCKY' by Lewis Carroll. Upon understanding the poem they were given the task of creating their own poem in the style of JABBERWOCKY. Please enjoy these wonderful poems.

Interesting Personal Experiences in Japan

A running journal of personal experiences in Japan that are either unusual or different to the ones that I am used to.

Osaka City

Hello,
Here is an ongoing portrait of Osaka City.
Check out the photos and play the Jeopardy style game to test your knowledge about the city.
Have fun everyone...