30 January, 2010

English speaking club


The topic of the meeting is “The USA and Ukraine are looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver 2010”.
People were informed that in Canadian city named Vancouver would start next winter Olympic Games. 5 000 athletes will compete for 17 days.
The members of discussion club recollecteded the history of Winter Olimpics and Winter sports, achievements of Ukrainian sportsmen (Oksana Baiyl, Volodymir Petrenko).

23 January, 2010

English speaking club

The members of discussion club listened to audio-record named “Martin Luter King Birthday”. They read, translated and discussed famous phrases by  prominent politic figure.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

On January 22, 2010 – a 135-anniversary from birth of David Wark Griffith, premier pioneering American film director, theoretic of film-making. Production of films started to be considered a special art  after his creative work.
The members of the club watched a small part of movie “The Birth of a Nation” and “Movie about movie”. Then everybody discussed  the subject of film, its artistic methods.

Vasil Tofel:
"The Birth of a Nation" is too long and a bit controversial (because it supports racist ideology). But at the same time this movie was extremely spectacular in 1915.

20 January, 2010

Americans visited WOA

Valentina Kovalenko, an active member of “Window on America” and the Historical Museum employee, invited 4 Americans to visit WOA. The guests inquired about the aim of creation, tasks of center, about its resources and members.

19 January, 2010

Advertising

The Head of center “Window on America” Svitlana Usenko took part in event named “Improvement of professional skill of workers of Dnipropetrovsk historical museum”.  Historian and  guides inquired about aim of creation Center at Dnipropetrovsk science region library. A teaching program was advertised – English language trainer Rosetta Stone. Advertisement materials were distributed – invitations to visit Center and become member of English Speaking Club.

16 January, 2010

English speaking club


The attention of the present was caught by the exhibit of dictionaries “The word of dictionary”, both traditional and digital, including Merriam-Webster ones. The members of the discussion club were given information about American lexicographer Noah Webster’s biography and accomplishments, the most important one: the creation of the first American dictionary.
The participants were given a dictionary-related assignment - to study and analyze the dictionary.
Yuri Barov on Webster’s New World College Dictionary: “I see a lot of information, convenient layout, easy search, original design of the pages”
Vasyl Tofel on Webster’s New World College Dictionary: “As for me, I found in biographical dictionary information even about Ukrainian hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky!”
Also the participants discussed:
- Importance of using dictionaries nowadays;
- Who uses them more frequently and what for;
- Difference between regular and digital dictionaries
The conclusion was: digital dictionaries are much easier and convenient to use.
It also occurred to the group that the World commemorated Beatles Day and some songs were sung.
To enlarge their vocabulary the participants played a game Word building. It’s a team game, not only vocabulary-expanding , but developing resourcefulness as well.

13 January, 2010

The presentation of the exhibition “The Word of Dictionary”


Nastya Lagno is a student

It was an exhibit of dictionaries both regular and digital. Merriam-Webster dictionaries took a special place on the book-rack.

Valery is a little member  
of English Speaking club

09 January, 2010

English speaking club dedicated to Elvis Presley’s birthday

English speaking club dedicated to Elvis Presley’s birthday.
The audience was enthusiastic about the suggestion to sing King of Rock and Roll’s hits. Some cool karaoke clips found on You Tube came in handy.

04 January, 2010

History of Center - 2004-2009

Professor Linda B.Gray
May 10th 2004 – Center «Window on America» in Dnipropetrovsk was opened. Presentation of Centre resources was introduced to students, teachers, and librarians.
June 3rd 2004 – Opening of the movie club. Presentation of DVD and VHS collection of Center «Window on America».
October 25th 2004 –The Ambassador of the USA John Gerbst visited the centre «Window on America» in Dnipropetrovsk. He opened the Center officially.
March 2005 - the Centre had a television space bridge with Ukrainian representatives of the limited contingent of UNO forces in Iraq.
March 13th 2006 The Photo exhibition called «Peace Corps of the USA and special children of Ukraine».
2007-2008 – Americans Linda B. Grey (a professor of history) and Youngtae Shin (a professor of politology) collaborated with the center. They held discussions in English Speaking Club.
September 28th 2007 – In Center «Window to America» the meeting of student youth and activists of English Speaking Club took a place with the attaché of US Embassy Leone Gendin, who was accredited as an observer on Parliamentary elections in Dnipropetrovsk.
October 25th 2007 – an American businessman David Gray and an artist - Yanos Enyedi visited the Center «Window to America» with multimedia presentation of the installations.
December 5th 2007 – The Center «Window to America» was visited by the representative of US embassy in Ukraine Ryan Co. There was held a meeting with the students of National Mining University and activists of English Speaking Club.
May 13th 2008 – the Center was visited by a family of Linda Grey (professor of American history).
2009 – English Speaking Club was regenerated thanks to the students Khristina Akopova, Ann Terletska, Svitlana Kolesnykova, Natalie Karmaz'.
June-October 2009 – new guests visited English Speaking Club: Maria Aruan, Lyudmila Terletska, Lyudmila Petrovska, Katerina Zhupanova, Maria Gnuskina, Fadi Alkayali.