Within “Window on America” framework, Oleksandra Myrgorordska and and Galina Pidvysotska continue project Young speakers’ club – The Anglo-Grasshoppers. We hope that kids will visit our club, communicate with each other, and gain new knowledge.
We started with rainbow game. Stand Up English helped us to review colors and questions about them. Then, we compared the vision of the rainbow scheme between Ukrainian and English languages. American Rainbow songs helped us a lot. Just imagine! English-speaking people name the same colors in several different ways!
Today, we had the first try to discuss the issues in Speed English format. As we are young club members, the discussion topic was also easy. This try was successful!
During speaking we focused on a very important issue – the differences in opinions. Using the materials of song “What do you like?” and by playing four-phrase dialogues with each other, we learnt how to hear other person’s opinion and that phrase “I am of a different opinion” makes a contrasting view softer.
At the end, we had fun with games! Both the kids and adults used easy English. The kids prompt the adults interesting facts while the adults prompted the kids how to say them in English.
Instructor: O. Myrgorordska and G. Pidvysotska
Number of participants – 4 persons.
July 2 –
THE DNIPRO DAY & US INDEPENDENCE DAYThis Saturday the Gabfest Club (Window on America center in Dnipro / Ukraine) members observed several important dates.
July, 2 is a Dnipro River Day. As we all live on the banks of this great Ukrainian river we discussed the satellite images of Dnipro, introduced a lot of river terms (delta, tributary, banks, firth, to flow into, etc). We compared the Dnipro to the Mississippi in the USA and explained their importance to the economy of the respective country. We discussed the river bridges in the capital city and in Dnipro city and shared several fun facts about them. The highlight of the discussion was a slide show of paintings in which Dnipro river was present.
The second part of the session was focused on the US Independence Day. We watched a slide show with images of Americans celebrating the Fourth of July. We translated the explanations and discussed the images. The group was reminded to send “Happy Independence Day” greetings to all friends and family in the USA.After the session the Gabfest activists had an Independence Day Tea and composed their greeting to the American people.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 35 persons.
#americanspaces #DniproWOA #Dnipropetrovsk #library #DOUNB #ДОУНБ #Ukraine #EducationalActivities #LearnEnglish #УкраїнаSpeaking #Gabfest
July 5 –
On July, 5 – Activate English Group 2.8. – “My favourite book is…”.
The year 2016 in Ukraine is the year of the English Language.
The Activate English Group at DOUNB library is an integral part of the EXPRESS-ENGLISH course offered to the Window on America Dnipropetrovsk readers in year 2016.
The Activate English Group 2.8. had a session today.
All the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 17 persons.
#DOUNB #ДОУНБ #DniproWOA #ActivateEnglish
6 July – «Wednesday Movie Club» / «Кіноклуб по середах» – Robot & Frank
On July, 6 “Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.
Robot & Frank is a 2012 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Jake Schreier and written by Christopher Ford. Set in the near future, it focuses on Frank Weld, an aging jewel thief played by Frank Langella, whose son buys him a domestic robot. Resistant at first, Frank warms up to the robot when he realizes he can use it to restart his career as a cat burglar. It was the first feature film for both Ford and Schreier and received critical acclaim for its writing, production, and acting. It won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, tying with the Kashmiri film Valley of Saints. The robot was created by Tony Gardner (designer)'s special effects company Alterian, Inc.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.
Number of participants – 12.
#RobotAndFrank #WednesdayMovieClub #DniproWOA
July 7 –
BASIC ENGLISH at Window on America Dnipro / American Corner Dnipropetrovsk.
This afternoon the Basic English group 2.8. has practiced reading the vowels and combinations of consonants. They are now able to talk about “My Day” and “My breakfast” in English.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 17 persons.
July 7 – INTERNATIONAL JOKE DAY
This Saturday the Gabfest Club members (at Window on America Dnipro / American Corner Dnipropetrovsk) explored the difficulties of understanding foreign humor.
To start the ball rolling the group was introduced to the phenomenon of a catbird and the idiom “a catbird seat”. Several unrelated groups of songbirds are called catbirds because of their wailing calls, which resemble a cat's meowing.
"The catbird seat" is an American English idiomatic phrase used to describe an enviable position, often in terms of having the upper hand or greater advantage in all types of dealings among parties.
The first recorded usage of this idiom occurred in a 1942 humorous short story by James Thurber.
A brief introduction of J. Thurber and his book was made.
The group was offered several presumably hilarious American jokes for comprehension. It turned out a hard task to understand and appreciate even the basic jokes.
The group was challenged with a task of translating a Russian joke into English, the mission turned out to be impossible – the humor was lost in translation.
The club members left in hilarious spirits after this activity.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 34 persons.
July 9 – Speed English for our pleasure.
The unconventional framework is striding! Svetlana Usenko, WOA Head, and Oleksandra Myrgorodska, WOA volunteer, continue to play Speed English with our club members.
Today, Speed English touched the problem of houses and flats, neighborhood and modern facilities. Is lap top an appliance? Do I live in a one-room flat or in a studio-design flat? Is mortgage an evil or a good thing? A good chance to unload everything your soul has collected or to share some experience which the partner in conversation does not have.
Some of our club members ask for more time to be spent with Speed English. Ok, but will we have strength enough to organize more people for an extra event?
The club members left in hilarious spirits after this activity.
Instructor: O.Myrgorodskaya
Pictures technical support: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 26 persons.
July, 12 – ACTIVATE ENGLISH Group 2.9. at WOA Dnipro.
The year 2016 in Ukraine is the year of the English Language.
The Activate English Group at DOUNB library is an integral part of the EXPRESS-ENGLISH course offered to the Window on America Dnipropetrovsk readers in year 2016.
The Activate English Group 2.9. had a session today.
This afternoon the students practiced topic "MY WORK". The conversation in pairs proves to be an effective tool to improve the speaking skills.
All the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: T. Gavryliyuk
Number of participants – 17 persons.
The start of the Uni Enrolment campaign in Ukraine prompted the selection of the film about US college culture.
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) is a low-budget, fabulously successful comedy directed by John Landis. It earned a then-astounding 62 million dollars.
National Lampoon's Animal House is set in 1962 on the campus of Faber College in Faber, PA. The Delta fraternity of undergraduates is the one whose main goal is to disrupt the staid, peaceful, rigidly orthodox, and totally hypocritical social order of the school, as represented by the Omega fraternity and the college's dean, Vernon Wormer (John Vernon).
Eventually they are thrown out of school and, thus, are eligible for the draft. They decide to commit one last act of rebellion, making a shambles of the university's annual homecoming parade. In the process they get revenge on the dean, the Omegas, and everyone else who has ever gone against them.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.
Number of participants – 14.
JULY, 14 – BASIC ENGLISH Group at WOA Dnipro – "MY WONDERFUL HOLIDAY".
The members of the group are now able to describe "MY WONDERFUL HOLIDAY".
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: T. Gavryliyuk
Number of participants – 11 persons.
JULY, 16 – THE PEAK OF SUMMER at GABFEST Speaking Club.
The session was dedicated to the introduction of the US destination with endless summer – the State of Hawaii. The group was familiarized with the iconic Hawaiian singer IZ and enjoyed his performance of the song “Somewhere over the rainbow”. The Hawaiian guitar “ukulele” was introduced as well as the recognizable sound of the “steel drum” bands from the Caribbean – another popular among Americans destination with endless summer.
One more iconic American phenomenon was introduced to the group – the so-called “American band” – “The Beach Boys”. The group celebrated recently its 50th anniversary. The club members were offered to listen and translate the lyrics of summer-related songs – “Surfing USA”, “Kokomo” and other.
In the second part of the session the group was engaged in a conversation about popular summer destination in Ukraine and the world.
The session has enabled the group to describe their summer holidays with set phrases popular in American English.
The club members left in hilarious spirits after this activity.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: T. Gavryliyuk
Number of participants – 22 persons.
July 16 – SPEED ENGLISH is what we do!)))
The session of SPEED ENGLISH complements the speaking topic “SUMMER HOLIDAYS”.
Instructor: O.Myrgorodskaya
Pictures technical support: T. Gavryliyuk
Number of participants – 22 persons.
July 19 - Summer visitors at the DOUNB Library.
The library building situated at D.Yavornytsky Prospekt, 18, was visited by a group of children from the local kids leisure center "Wonders’ Shop ". At the information-resource center "Window on America" they were surprised with a fascinating pop-up book and a board game that helps to learn the spelling of the English words. The children watched entertaining cartoons about a library and learned how to behave in the library and to borrow books.
The group was offered to answer the quiz "Dnipro – the Space Capital of Ukraine". The kids learned a lot about the monuments and names of streets related to space and stars. They were taught to fill proud of the native city. At the foreign languages department the group viewed an exhibition of dolls dressed in ethnic costumes of foreign countries. There were many dolls in the display, but there is a bigger number of languages on the planet!
The Art department surprised the children with the display of miniature books. The librarians entertained the kids with piano playing and singing along.
The Library Tour impressed the young fellows! They left in a good mood and promised to come again!
Number of participants – 8 persons.
July, 19 – Activate English Group 2.10. – The Second Graduation at WOA
The most diligent participants of "Activate English Group – 2" received their Certificates of Attendance.
Graduation of "Activate English" group took place today at the WOA Dnipropetrovsk. The group had a 20 hour language course within the framework of the project “Express-English at the DOUNB Library”. The instruction was provided by the library staff member Tamara Gavryliuk who has the University degree equivalent of the MA in ESL.
The course was based on the materials from the textbook published by McMillan Language House and focused on the conversational practice for intermediate and advanced level learners of English.
During 10 educational sessions the students practiced popular conversational topics, studied new vocabulary and grammatical structures, learned about the basic etiquette of the English-speaking countries, mastered the skills of “small talk”. At the final session the most diligent students received certificates of attendance.
Number of participants – 22 persons.
July, 20 – WEDNESDAY MOVIE CLUB at Dnipro Window on America center.
“A Man with One Red Shoe” (1985) was offered for big-screening at WOA’s Movie Club.The film is a spy thriller with the elements of comedy.
Violinist Richard Drew (Tom Hanks) is mistaken for a spy after wearing one red shoe and triggers a game of rivalry between two feuding CIA bosses . Though Richard is mugged, shot at and chased, he remains unaware that he is an object of suspicion and even falls in love with the female agent who's trailing him.
The film is a remake of a 1972 French film “Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire” starring Pierre Richard and Mireille Darc. The Movie Club members have seen the French film and had a chance to compare the acting of American and French movie stars. They also discussed the relocation of the situation onto the American ground and the phenomenon of remakes in modern film industry. The known plot allowed the viewers to concentrate on the comprehension of the English speech.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.
Number of participants – 13.
July 21 - Summer visitors at the DOUNB Library.
The Window on America center was visited by two groups of children from the local kids leisure center “Wonders’ Shop” and “Stork”. At the center they were surprised with a fascinating pop-up book and a board game that helps to learn the spelling of the English words. The children watched entertaining cartoons about a library and learned how to behave in the library and to borrow books.
The group was offered to watch presentation "Ira Aldridge – American friend of Kobzar". The kids learned a lot about the famous Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.
The Library meeting impressed the young fellows. They left in a good mood and promised to come again.
Number of participants – 15 persons.
July, 21 – Graduation Party of the Basic English group - 2 in Dnipro Window on America center.
Year of English events continue – participants are having fun!
The Basic English group - 2 of the Express-English course at DOUNB Library completed their curriculum.
The learners were offered several units of educational information: English alphabet and sounds pronunciation; reading rules and reading practices; basic vocabulary; basic speaking practices (greetings in English, introducing oneself, talking about one’s family).
Several times the group had a chance to communicate with WOA’s American volunteer Mr. Jason and demonstrate to him their newly acquired skills.
Particular attention was given to the phonetical differences in American English and British English.
At the final session the group was able to listen, read, comprehend rather big texts, and they could make speeches in English.
The course became a good impulse for the participants – they will continue to study English Grammar on-line and some of them will join higher level groups offered at DOUNB Library’s Express-English.
The Basic English group impessed the instructor Tamara Gavryliyuk with their enthusiasm. The students showed good progress.
The Graduation party was a lovely event with a table full of cookies and pastries to go with tea from the custom–made WOA’s mugs. The atmosphere at the party was very enjoyable: the participants shared their experiences of travelling to other countries.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk.
Pictures: S. Usenko.
Number of participants – 14 persons.
July, 23 – International Friendship Day at GABFEST Speaking Club.
The Gabfest Club members (in Dnipro Window on America center) were informed about the up-coming of the International Friendship Day (July, 30). At the session we have talked about the following aspects of friendship:
- Pen pals. The Art of Writing letters was mentioned and compared with the modern time when people mostly send e-mails or SMS. The group was informed about a pen-pal friendship request from Central Asia.
- A book and an animal as a companion. We discussed the new type of companions for adults - coloring books. They help to relieve stress, to kill time on long trips. Animals are wonderful companions. Some people chose unusual animals for companionship. We watched videos about tiger and rat pets. The club members who had pet rats explained why they do not mind these animals. The video about rats who help to find landmines in Africa impressed the group and changed their perception of rats.
We introduced new vocabulary and idiomatic phrases relevant to the introduced topic.
Instructor: T. Gavryliyuk
Pictures: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 31 persons.
July, 23 – Speed English in Dnipro Window on America center.
Year of English events continue – participants are having fun!
Today, at Speed English Session we continued the topic of the Speaking Club – Friendship. We also touched the question of misunderstanding at translation. “Opposite sex” and “just sex” appeared to be are two different things, the same with “give” and “give up”, “has” and “has to be” – we laughed at our misunderstanding cases a lot.
The club members left in hilarious spirits after this activity.
Instructor: O. Myrgorodskaya.
Pictures: S. Usenko.
Number of participants – 23 persons.
On July, 26 – Activate English Group 3.0 started!
The Activate English Group at DOUNB library is an integral part of the EXPRESS-ENGLISH course offered to the Window on America Dnipropetrovsk readers in year 2016.
The year 2016 in Ukraine is the year of the English Language. The Activate English Group was created for people who have been studying English for several years, but are too shy to speak.
The objective of the course is to activate the passive knowledge and enable the students of English to express themselves in English no matter how small might be their vocabulary.
The participants of the group will be offered some revision activities to refresh their grammar skills. The vocabulary for the topics will be presented and illustrated with native-speaking videos to activate their comprehension skills.
The activation of the speaking skills will take place during the conversation pair practice.
The materials for the Activate English Group are compiled and presented by the qualified ESL teacher. They are based on original textbook by the reputable language house “Macmillan” and various free on-line resources for ESL study.
All the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Number of participants – 75 persons.
Have a look at more pictures, please
July, 27 – WEDNESDAY MOVIE CLUB at Dnipro Window on America center.
The documentary “Christopher Columbus: The discovery of the new world” was offered for big-screening at WOA’s Movie Club.
Sponsored by the INSTITUTE COOPERATION IBEROAMERICA & SPANISH NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE.
We travel with Columbus as his story unfolds. The actual cities and towns where he pursued the Catholic Sovereigns for assistance in his Grand Idea. Columbus traveled through Spain on roads built by ancient Roman. FERDINAND and ISABELLA were moving from city to city as they fought the Moorish Kings, Columbus had to follow along and patiently wait for his Audience. Meet the famous captains, the PINZON brothers. See the old port towns and river ports. Meet Padre Marchena. Meet PIZARRO and CORTEZ in their villages of the Extremadura. Enter the beautiful ALHAMBRA. Experience the Landfall. MEET THE DUKE OF VERAGUA, DESCENDANT OF COLUMBUS.
The most beautiful scenery and the most compelling story of discovery and adventure. No actors are used in this film production.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.
Number of participants – 10.
On July, 28 – Express-English Basic Group. Meeting 3.1.
This afternoon the first session of the “Basic English Group – 3” took place at the DOUNB Library in Window on America Dnipro (Ukraine).
The Group was founded as a training site for people who never studied English or for those who need to return to the basics of the language.
All the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Number of participants – 51 persons.
July, 30 – Within “Window on America” framework, Oleksandra Myrgorordska continues new project Young speakers’ club – “The Anglo-Grasshoppers”.
Today, our club for kids welcomed almost absolutely new group of visitors. We played mixed four corner game and watched some cartoons.
Our mums turned to be very active and the best speakers. Then, the kids followed their examples. The girls appeared to be active speakers in the corners while the boys – active singers and dances. But we all liked Shark Song and invented new relatives for a baby shark.
At the end of the meeting we gave the small handouts to the mums to learn some phrases with their kids.
Instructor: O. Myrgorordska
Pictures and technical suport: S.Usenko
Number of participants – 11 persons.
July, 30 – Games Day at GABFEST Speaking Club.
Year of English events continue – participants are having fun!
Today, the Gabfest Club members (in Dnipro Window on America center) had a gamification day. Our permanent moderator is on vacation now and we wrote some good wishes to her. “I wish you happy vacations and perfect weather!”, “… tasty cocktails and bright sun to you!”
We played Speed English. It was concentrated around “would rather” construction.
Then Four corner game, which made us think about life preferences and divided us into the teams. “I would rather like to be loved than rich or famous because the main sense of the life is happiness. It is impossible to be happy without love.” “If you are rich you can be loved, lucky and famous.” “Luck is the most important thing in the life.” Minds differ and it is ok.
In teams we played Hot Seats. It was easy with Petrykivka Painting picture and US dollar picture. But we almost failed with Mount Rushmore and California.
At the end we played “Apple to Apple” game, which involved even the visitors from the next door department. Our kind congratulations to Roman, the winner!
The club members left in hilarious spirits after these activities.
Instructor: O. Myrgorodska.
Pictures and technical support: S. Usenko.
Number of participants – 27 persons.
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