J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter

Slide show

Speaking Club in the center of Window on America in Dnipropetrovsk dedicated to the birthday of a world-known English writer J.K. Rowling (born on the 31st of July 1965), an author of novels of Harry Potter.

The members of the club were offered to watch an informational slide-show. It got acquainted them with a charming woman J.K. Rowling and the heroes of her novels - Harry, Ron, Hermione, ghosts, wizards, magical plants etc. The questions allowed to find out:

- that the literature for children is interesting for adults?

- what symbols were used in the novels?

- why the book became so popular?

- that it's better to read the books than to watch the movies?

- what a morality the books have?

- if the eighth book is written?

- if Joanne Rowling was the best novelist?

The discussion touched the question of great commercial success of the books. The books lied on the table (the gift of the friend of the center American Linda Gray) got interested someone to read them. Our guest from California Joseph Battilega took part in discussion, because he had read 5 books of the Harry Potter series . He noticed that these books are very popular in the USA. And there is a very interesting fact that although quite a lot of Americans don't like to read Joanne Rowling made them to take a book and to read the novels. Besides Josef agreed that the books of Harry Potter could be interesting for the readers of any age because they could find something useful for them in her novels.

 

English Speaking club

English Speaking club. The topics like religion, architecture and culture, economics, politology.

In the end of the meeting we had a short conversation with Youngtae Shin via Skype. We congratulated her as it was her birthday.

Savescul Vadym:

The more I come to the Speaking club the more I admire how fast not just the solidarity and self organization of its members are growing as well as their fluently in English and confidence. Even when we don’t have a native speaker around. It never discourages us and as today for instance we have no problem to find an interesting subject or rather set of subjects to talk about.

 

American violinist of Ukrainian origin Isaac Stern

English Speaking club dedicated to the birthday of American violinist of Ukrainian origin Isaac Stern. The meeting was prepared by Svitlana Kolesnikova. 

A new guest from the USA, California visited our Center. It was Josef Battilega who told about his liking for music, literature, theaters. Josef Battilega donated some books of his own to our Center and the members of the WOA have an opportunity to read them.

Mirgorodckya Sasha:

Meeting a new native speaker and investigate his idea of the things you already know is always interesting. It is the best way to learn English and to learn the USA versatility.

Savescul Vadym:

The topics of our conversations with Joseph were very diverse because our today’s guest happened to have very interesting and versatile personality. So they varied from music and literature to differences between American and Ukrainian tax legislations, real-estate prices in the U.S., Ukraine, and EU and even, current healthcare reform initiated by Barack Obama. Since Joseph’s scope of interests was very broad virtually everybody had something to talk about with him, including Greek tragedy and Sumerian mythology.

Look more pictures here 

English Speaking club

Our quests

English Speaking club. It was held by Svitlana Kolesnikova. The center was visited by 5 guests from Spain, India and Russia - Jorge Coronilla, Isaac Lahsen, Pankenh Jhamar Jhawar, Anya and Max Pautov. The topics for discussion were India – the country of contrasts, Ukraine for foreigners, the differences between cultures of Spain, India and Ukraine. The members of discussion club told about their native city to foreigners who were quite interested in those facts.

 

Vasiliy Tofel:

The meeting was extremely interesting because there were foreigners, rather intelligent people.

Yuri Barov is very active always

English Speaking club dedicated to the Independence Day

English Speaking club dedicated to the Independence Day. It was prepared by Svitlana Usenko and held by Yana Litvinova. The members of the Discussion Club answered the questions about this holiday and demonstrated their knowledge of American history.

Svitlana Usenko presented book display «American celebrate Independence Day».

(Klebanow, Barbara.  American Holidays / Barbara Klebanow. - Brattleboro, Vermont : Prolingua Associates, 2005. - 174 p. + CD.)

 

What images spring to mind when you hear the country USA?

Does your country have good relations with the USA?

What do you think about American people?

What are the good things and bad things about the USA?

What has the USA given to the world?

What do you know about American culture?

Who are the most famous American people you know?

What things about the USA do you think Americans are proud of?

What would you like to ask an American about the USA?

Who knows about the Independence Day in U.S.?