Improving your English every day?

[Ralf]

hi torsten,

sounds like you were having fun. it seems like a very good idea, too. i will probably start asking them to make a list of new vocab. then i will ask them to introduce themselves with regard to their position in centy, and i will try to create business situations.

enjoy your holiday,

ralf
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[Torsten]

Hi Ralf, thanks for your immediate response. I also thought we could start some projects with the L-group. For example, have them create a presentation on a company of their choice. This should be a real company and they can work in small teams finding background information on how the business started, who the founder(s) is/are, how they have managed to establish themselves, who their target markets are, how their strategy differs from others, how they define their corporate identity, etc.
Uta of course should use her own company - there are lots of issues she can think and talk about...
The idea is to steer the program into a certain direction: the more we think about how a company emerges and how it grows, the closer we get to achieving our goals as all of us want a stable income, financial security and personal growth...
By the way, we have to coordinate the work for the week you will be in Dublin.
Roberto, can you cover Ralf's hours from May 10 to May 15 (9 hours per day)?

Regards
Torsten
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[Roberto]

Hi, Ralf and Torsten,
O.K, I will take half your Wednesday D-class (12.30 - 15.45). As for the translation, I forgot to say it is from German into Spanish (a technical text, German terminology such as: Messschieber, Optokoppler, Lochmass, etc...). Anyway, Ralf, thanks for offering me your help!

Best regards,
Roberto
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[Conchita]

Hello Ralf and Roberto,

Following Torsten’s suggestion, I’d like to ask you about the translations you are working on and discuss the possibility of collaborating with you.

Waiting to hear from you about the details.

Kind regards,
Conchita

[Torsten]

Hi,

Today we talked about the structure and the elements of a CV/resume and how they differ from a German CV (Lebenslauf). Then we created a various job descriptions and appropriate adverts and prepared a job interview. Thomas was the job candidate and he prepared for this part together with Wieland. Christoph led the interview panel and wrote down questions the group suggested. The interview went down quite well, Thomas responded to all the questions and everyone agreed that he should get the job.
Please review all the vocabulary necessary to describe the launch of a retail chain store like 'Centy' and add some ideas to the CV topic. In addition, it would be good to review the tenses, the modal verbs and the comparative and superlative.

Also, you can ask the group to come up with proposals regarding their work placement as the deadline is approaching fast.

Regards
Torsten
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[Roberto]

Hi, Torsten, Ralf and Conchita,
thanks a lot for your willingness to help me.
Today's report of the D-group:
The afternoon I shared with the participants was exciting again, although they would have preferred to enjoy the sunny day outside the class-room. .
I tried to so my best to keep them in a good mod for learning...
I began the class with some exercises regarding computer vocabulary, e-mails, Internet and I connected them with some grammar: Simple past versus present perfect
Then I involved them in short conversations about different topics: appearance, description of people and things, professions, jobs etc...I introduced some important adjectives and their use and enhanced this subject with corresponding synonymous and antonymous expressions (I am planning some good exercises about choosing the right word). We also talked about their region.
We did not notice the class time was over and..
Tomorrow I will be back there, that's why I am going to bed now. I wish all of you a wonderful night!

Roberto
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[Roberto]

Hi, Torsten&Ralf,
sorry for my typing errors (I mean do and mood, not so and mod).
Today's class was really funny. We talked about a lot of useful adjectives describing people's personality, character and appearance. "Fine feathers make fine birds" was the starting point of an interesting discussion. Moreover, everyone was involved in a guessing game, where the one had to describe one person in or outside the class, and another one has to make guesses. In this way, we practiced many adjectives and vocabulary referring to clothes, accessories, etc...
We read a text about body language, gestures in communication and the meaning of proximity in different cultures worlwide. Everyone had the chance to exercice their pronuncation and other skills, such as spelling words, writing dictations, reading aloud, playing roles, translating sentences etc..
Tomorrow the D-group is planning a barbecue in the afternoon.
Best regards,
Roberto
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[Torsten]

Hi Roberto&Ralf and everyone else,

Thanks a lot for your update and your great work. As for the L-group yesterday, we also covered CV writing and talked about the different approaches in Germany and other countries. Thomas has a new work contract with a German construction firm commencing July 1. They'll do parts of a project in Moscow: a new district containing of 100 houses for Russian business people. His contract lasts for 6 month and after his job he returns to Odessa where he owns a flat. We had a lot of interesting discussions about the German labour market, about the question why people at a certain age can't find a job in Germany, about the advantages and disadvantages of being self-employed, etc.
Tomorrow we'll take a look at some r?sum? samples and talk about ways of finding a job.

Have a good Friday,
Torsten
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[Ralf]

good class, reviewed simple&continuous tenses, present perfect and the simple future tenses. involved the tenses in a quiz game and made people talk about their future activities, hopes and plans in contrast to their regular and momentary activities.
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[Torsten]

Today we reviewed the use of the tenses with examples and key words. Then we read analyzed some sample r?sum?s and talked about their advantages and disadvantages. We also discussed ways of finding sample CV's or r?sum?s from professionals with a specific background. In the afteroon we continued with TOEIC listening questions (we listened to the questions twice - the second time I stopped the CD after every single question and had the group repeat the question several times and write down some of the vocabulary). In addition, the group had to determine the tense of every single question.

In between we had several interesting conversations about the upcoming world soccer cup, the labor market, corporate policy, the 'age issue' and forms of employment.

Next week we should continue to work on our professional profiles and presentations.
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[Ralf]

brilliant class. collected vocab for describing outer appearance, clothes etc. then concentrated on character features. analyzed a job ad and explained vocab. wrote a fictitious CV of a person replying to this ad and analyzed a covering letter. on tuesday i'd like to continue writing a proper covering letter ref. job ad.
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[Torsten]

Hi Ralf,

Many thanks for your update, good to hear your group is making progress. Maybe you can collect some information regarding their work placements or jobs? What are they going to do when the English course is finished? You can also incorporate some of the ideas from our UK/Ireland project: Working in the UK and in Ireland.

Please let us also know when you return from Dublin and what day you can start work again.

Have a good week,
Torsten
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[Ralf]

hi torsten

i'll be back from dublin next monday, so i'd be happy to start teaching again on tuesday 16th. let me know if you want me to bring some leprechauns or other wee folks

have a good week

ralf
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[Torsten]

Yes Ralf, please do bring some leprechauns, a clurichaun and a couple of other faerie folks. We could have a cross cultural session in which you introduce the basics of the Irish language and Irish traditions.

Anyway, do you want to start on Tuesday with the L or D group? They will all be happy to work with you again and we'll coordinate things with Roberto.

Regards
Torsten
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[Ralf]

i don't mind really. how about me doing leipzig on tuesday and thursday and delitzsch on wednesday and friday? see you tomorrow on the forum!
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