31 May, 2017

Catch Me If You Can

On this day the members of “Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipro (Ukraine) had watched a film Catch Me If You Can.
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical crime film based on the life of Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor. His primary crime was check fraud; he became so experienced that the FBI eventually turned to him for help in catching other check forgers. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The film was a financial and critical success, and the real Abagnale reacted positively to it.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film and the discussion that followed.


 

30 May, 2017

Activate English 6.2.: My House

The DOUNB Library and the Window on America Dnipro center offer the library patrons an “Express English” activity that will help them to activate their passive knowledge of the foreign language and to overcome the fear of speaking in English.
 Ten two hour-lectures are offered for the participants to improve their conversational skills in pairs.
The professional EFL lecturer T. Gavryliuk combines the lexical exercises with important cross-cultural information that will help the English learners to understand their foreign counterparts better and to avoid awkward situations in communication.



 

International Day for Protection of Children

The "Window on America" Dnipro started educational and recreational activities for students at the school summer camps.
Children from the local school №28 listened to the slide show presentation "Dnipro City in Ukraine". The objective of the presentation was to teach the kids the basics of cross-cultural communication. They should be prepared to introduce their home country and home town to foreign guests.
We reminded the kids in English about the tourist attractions of Dnipro city and peculiarities of Ukrainian cuisine.
The WOA’s young visitors particularly enjoyed the English vocabulary game with a SMART-board recently installed at the DOUNB Library. Children took turns performing fun tasks. The most active students received souvenirs to remember the visit to WOA.
Participants number – 11 persons.
#DniproWOA #Dnipro #library #DOUNB #SummerWithWOA #SmartBoard

Have a look at more pictures, please

 

28 May, 2017

End of Academic Year at Kids’ Code Club

This afternoon the WOA Dnipro hosted the session of the Kids’ Code Club.
A surprise for the Club members – a visit of the WOA’s American volunteer Mr. Jason. The boys practiced their English skills with our American friend who was impressed with the IT activity for kids.
Bye-bye Scratch! We’ll see you again in September!

 

27 May, 2017

Speed English: marathon races

This afternoon the WOA’s Speed English session (Window on America center in Dnipro, Ukraine) was dedicated to marathon races, their strong and weak points, the motivation for people who  take part in this endurance  challenges, etc.
Participants number – 32 persons.

Have a look at more pictures, please

Cycling Day and Marathon in Dnipro

This afternoon the session of the Gabfest Club (Window on America center in Dnipro, Ukraine) was dedicated to the sports that are supported by the local authorities and  people – and running.
The group shared the information about the annual cycling day in Dnipro this Saturday. We have watched and discussed the videos about the bicycle evolution, the first US bicycle brand “Columbia” and recent innovations in   leisure bicycles.
The second part of the session was dedicated to the race known as marathon. We have made several comments about the forthcoming half marathon in Dnipro. The topic was illustrated with videos about the marathon history, the most popular marathons in the USA and the phenomenon of Kenyan marathon champions.
The topic allowed to introduce new vocabulary and activated the interest of the participants in the life of the home city.
Participants number – 37 persons.
Presenter: T. Gavryliyuk.
Pictures: S.Usenko.

Have a look at more pictures, please

 

25 May, 2017

Sustained interest in Basic English 6.0.

The DOUNB Library had a big influx of new-comers that got interested in the opportunity to study English in the new format.
The Window on America center offers the library patrons an “Express English” activity that will help adult students to learn the basics of the English language.
Ten two- hour lectures are offered for the patrons who studied other foreign languages, but now need to speak English.
The professional EFL lecturer T. Gavryliuk combines the phonetic, reading and lexical exercises with important cross-cultural information that will help the English learners to use the Basic English in communication with foreigners in Ukraine and abroad.
 

The promotion of the “Express English” at the DOUNB library was supported by local media: the websites of the city news and the Oblast State Administration, even the local radio station. It was a big challenge for the DOUNB library staff to process and accommodate the torrent of the new patrons.  But we did it and thank our new patrons for understanding.
The new patrons were informed about the DOUNB’s resources and modern services.
Come to get the basics of the English language at the DOUNB Library!
Participants number – 47 persons.
Presenter: T. Gavryliyuk.
Pictures: S.Usenko.
Have a look at more pictures, please

 

Нашого цвіту по всьому світу

Члени групи «Базова англійська» із задоволенням переглядали фільм з циклу "Відверто про Америку", який підготувала українська служба програми "Голос Америки з Вашингтону" та журналіст Зореслав Байдюк. Для багатьох відвідувачів дніпровського центру "Вікно в Америку"  це була хвилююча розповідь про життя українців в Вашингтоні, Чикаго, Клівленді, Нью-Йорку. Про людей, що зберігають українську спадщину далеко від України.

Window on America Dnipro on Local TV

Window on America  Dnipro on Local TV.
A “Morning Cocktail” program invited the WOA Dnipro staff members for an interview . We urged the Dnipro city dwellers to visit the DOUNB Library and announced the beginning of the English Express Courses at WOA.

 

24 May, 2017

Out of Sight

This evening the Window on America Dnipro's Movie club has big-screened a film Out of Sight.
Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. The first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and actor George Clooney.
The film stars Clooney and Jennifer. The film received Academy Award nominations for Adapted Screenplay and Editing and won the Edgar Award for best screenplay and the National Society of Film Critics awards for best film, screenplay, and director.

 

Presenting your Home Country and Town

What would you tell Americans about Ukraine and your hometown? Window on America Dnipro (Ukraine) continues its partnership with the local secondary school № 22.
The 7th year students and their teachers attended the WOA’s presentation about cross-cultural communication: how to present our home country Ukraine and our home town Dnipro.
The bright and smart kids answered quiz-like questions, demonstrated creative thinking and local history knowledge. They were impressed by the new fun facts about Ukraine that were presented in a slide show. Active participants got souvenirs with Dnipro WOA logo.
The group was offered new vocabulary to describe Ukrainian traditions and Dnipro city’s tourist attractions. Now the students are ready to present Ukraine to the world community!
The second part of meeting was an exploration of SMART board. All students enjoyed lexical games.
Participants number – 31 persons.

Have a look at more pictures, please


DOUNB Library Tour for Guest Librarians

Dnipropetrovsk region has joined the all-Ukrainian action "Patriotic tours in Ukraine". This year Dnipro city hosted the meeting of historians, museum workers, guides, youth activists from around Ukraine. For 3 days the action participants will be discussing the concepts of tours in Ukraine and in Dnipro region. The action’s objective is to make Ukrainian history excursions popular among the tourists.
Among the participants of the Action were two librarians: Ms. Oksana from Kherson OUNB Library and Ms. Angela from Chernivtsi oblast library. This morning the ladies came over to visit colleagues at Dnipro OUNB Library.
We have offered the guests a tour of the DOUNB Library departments – the Foreign Languages, Window on America, the Art, the Local History. Interaction with colleagues from other regions was very enjoyable.

23 May, 2017

Activate English Group 6.0 started: Sustained interest in English study

This afternoon the Window on America center in Dnipro (DOUNB Library) had the first session of the Activate English Group 6.0.
This time the group has an optimal number of participants. We hope that comfortable conditions will facilitate good skills improvement for all the English learners.
The Window on America Dnipro center offers the library patrons an “Express English” activity that will help them to activate their passive knowledge of the foreign language and to overcome the fear of speaking in English. Ten two hour-lectures are offered for the participants to improve their conversational skills in pairs.
The professional EFL lecturer T. Gavryliuk combines the lexical exercises with important cross-cultural information that will help the English learners to understand their foreign counterparts better and to avoid awkward situations in communication.
The promotion of the “Express English” at the DOUNB library was supported by local media.
The new patrons were informed about the DOUNB’s resources and modern services.
All learners were invited to join other WOA’s activities – Wednesday Movie Club and the “Gabfest” Speaking Club on Saturdays.
Improve you English language skills at the DOUNB Library!
Participants number – 45 persons.




Voice of America, documentary

І знову відвідувачі дніпровського центру "Вікно в Америку" переглядали фільм з циклу "Відверто про Америку", який підготувала українська служба програми "Голос Америки з Вашингтону" та журналіст Зореслав Байдюк.
Це була хвилююча розповідь про життя українців в Вашингтоні, Чикаго, Клівленді, Нью-Йорку. Про людей, що зберігають українську спадщину далеко від України.


Excursion for librarians



22 May, 2017

Happy Birthday, our dear beloved Library!

Happy Birthday, our dear beloved Library! We are being congratulated on 183rd anniversary, we congratulate our readers too!


 

21 May, 2017

WOA Dnipro HELPS the ETHNIC SOCIETY

This afternoon WOA Dnipro helped to host a Polish ethnic event at DOUNB Library.
The Society of Polish Ukrainians in Dnipro runs a course of the Polish language.
This afternoon the students of these courses had the end of year test – a dictation in Polish.
WOA Dnipro supported the event with the multi-media equipment and provided the premises for the experts who were grading the test papers.
We are always glad to help in foreign languages study!
Participants number – 38 persons.

 

Mr. Oleksiy as a volunteer of CODE CLUB

KIDS' CODE CLUB at Window on America center in Dnipro

This morning the WOA's loyal patron Mr. Oleksiy as a volunteer moderated one more session of the Kids' Code Club. The children learned one more function of the Basic Scratch software.

 

20 May, 2017

SPEED ENGLISH at WOA Dnipro

This afternoon during the Speed English activity the WOA Dnipro patrons discussed the museums of Dnipro city, their first visit to a museum, the good and bad things about the museums.
Participants number – 24 persons.
#DniproWOA #MuseumDay
Have a look at more pictures, please

 

International Museum Day

This afternoon the official topic of the Gabfest Club session in Dfnipro Window on America center was “International Museum Day”.
In 2017 this global event celebrated the theme: “Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums”.
History is a vital tool for defining a given people's identity, and each of us defines ourselves through important and fundamental historic events. Contested histories are unfortunately not isolated traumatic events. These histories, which are often little known or misunderstood, resonate universally, as they concern and affect us all.
Museum collections offer reflections of memories and representations of history. The International Museum Day provided an opportunity to show how museums display and depict traumatic memories to encourage visitors to think beyond their own individual experiences.
The group shared the stories about the visits to museums that were rather traumatic, gave the examples of things unspeakable in the Soviet time museums. The topic was illustrated with the video speech of a museum expert who explained why contested histories are important for the contemporary society.
The group red and translated the slide show about unusual museums in the USA – circus museum, funeral museum, spy museum, mustard museum, etc.
The topic was complicated, but educational.
Participants number – 24 persons.


 


18 May, 2017

DOUNB Library Tour for Foreign Students

This afternoon the WOA Dnipro was visited by a group of foreign students and their lecturers.
The students from Asian and African countries will study at the National Metallurgical Academy which is a long-time partner of the WOA Dnipro.
The students were informed about the free resources available at WOA Dnipro. The non-English speaking students were invited to enroll to the WOA’s Express-English Courses. The English-speaking students were invited to join the Gabfest Speaking Club and the Movie Club.
The visitors were very enthusiastic about improving their language skills at WOA. So we hope to welcome them again very soon!
Participants number – 11 (9 students, 2 lecturers).
#DniproWOA #MuseumDay

17 May, 2017

Down with Love

This evening the WOA Dnipro's Movie club has big-screened a film "Down with Love".
"Down with Love" is a 2003 romantic comedy film. Director – Peyton Reed. Starring: Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Sarah Paulson and David Hyde Pierce.
The film tells about a woman who advocates female independence in combat with the patriarchal, even male chauvinist society of the 1950s and early 1960s.

 

16 May, 2017

Реформам в Україні - бути!

Директор ДОУНБ Надія Тітова та координатор центру «Вікно в Америку» Світлана Усенко брали участь в всеукраїнському семінарі «Інформаційно-просвітницька діяльність у центрах "Вікно в Америку" в Україні» для директорів національних, обласних, вузівських бібліотек та для координаторів інформаційно-ресурсних центрів «Вікно в Америку», який підготували працівники Посольства США в Україні та гостинно зустрічала Полтавська обласна універсальна наукова бібліотека ім. І. П. Котляревського.

Під час панельної презентації «Центр "Вікно в Америку" очима директора бібліотеки» відбулося підписання Угоди  про взаєморозуміння між відділом преси, освіти та культури Посольства США та Дніпропетровською обласною універсальною науковою бібліотекою.
Представники ДОУНБ брали активну участь в обговоренні напрямів підтримки реформ в Україні, яку можуть надавати центри «Вікно в Америку», в розробці креативних програм на основі п’яти тематичних блоків (освіта в США, робота з випускниками програм обміну, вивчення англійської мови, культура в США, інформація про США). Окремі сесії були присвячені проекту сприяння академічної доброчесності та боротьбі з плагіатом; менеджменту грантів; курсу «Англійська мова на допомогу медіаграмотності» на інтернет-платформі courserа.org. Про втілення якого розповіла координатор центру під час сесії «Досвід фасилітації масового відкритого онлайнового курсу «Англійська мова для медіаграмотності»: виклики та результати».
Дискусії, обмін досвідом, сесія на тему «Центри «Вікно в Америку» і українські національна та обласна стратегії розвитку» окреслили подальшу діяльність над впровадженням інноваційних послуг для користувачів.


14 May, 2017

Kids’ CODE CLUB at DniproWOA

This rainy afternoon the WOA Center Dnipro hosted the 5-th session of the Kids' Code Club. The facilitator of the Club is our loyal patron Mr.Oleksiy who volunteered to teach basics of programming to kids of Dnipro city.
The kids familiarized themselves with the functions of the SCRATCH program. Scratch is a free visual programming language developed by the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Media Lab. Scratch is used by students, scholars, teachers, and parents to easily create animations, games, etc. It provides a stepping stone to the more advanced world of computer programming.
Moderator: Oleksiy Yefimenko

 

13 May, 2017

Mother’s Day Speed English



This Saturday the WOA Dnipro patrons had a session of the Speed English game. The topic for conversation was MOTHER’S Day –  a popular holiday in the USA and other countries.

Number of participants – 24 persons.