Through the
month November – EDUCATION in the USA display.
The Dnipro Window
on America center presented a book & brochure display for the
ambitious patrons who consider study abroad.
The recent
brochures sent by USA universities interested in Ukrainian students provide a
lot of useful information about the study in the USA.
The
Universities offer graduate and postgraduate courses. Their colorful brochures
give details of the courses as well as beautiful images of the campuses in
different states.
All WOA’s
patrons interested in studying in the USA receive advice about the procedures
and the “Education USA” center in Dnipro.
The display reviewed by all visitors of WOA center in November.
200 persons.
November, 16-30 – “Colors of
Tolerance” display.
To observe
the International Day for Tolerance the Dnipro Window on America center presented to
the patrons a book & brochure display “Colors of Tolerance”. The display
highlights the books on tolerance from the DOUNB Library collection. In a world
of diversity, tolerance is a prerequisite for peace. It is also a lever for
sustainable development, as it encourages the construction of more inclusive
and thus more resilient societies that are able to draw on the ideas, creative
energy and talents of each of their members (UNESCO).
The display reviewed by all visitors of WOA center in November.
On November, 3 –
This afternoon
“Gabfest” English-speaking Club (Window on America center in Dnipro, Ukraine)
devoted to the World Science Day. Celebrated every 10 November, World Science
Day for Peace and Development highlights the significant role of science in
society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging
scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science
in our daily lives.
Participant numbers – 35 persons.
on November, 6 – Activate English group 10.5. at Dnipro
Window on America center.
This afternoon the
English learners practiced dialogues about "Shopping" and discussed
the best buy from Ukraine and Dnipro city. The home task is to prepare the
topic "SPORTS".
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.
All
the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Number of participants – 26 persons.
November, 10 – UKRAINIAN PAPER CUT-OUT ART.
To close the “European
Cultural Heritage Year” WOA Dnipro hosted a presentation about Ukrainian ethnic
cut-outs art. The presenting artist was Ms. Olena Polovna – an enthusiast of
the “paper painting” and a talented person.
Ms. Olena is a
professor of art history at Oles Honchar Univeristy (Dnipro city). She teaches
design students to cut out in traditional style and promotes traditional
Ukrainian designs.
Olena Polovna achieved
great success incorporating traditional Ukrainian cut out art into modern
interior design. In Dnipro city one can order a window screen with ethnic
cut-out motifs by Olena Polovna.
The audience was
impressed with the samples of Olena Polovna’s cut-out masterpeices.
Participants number – 35 persons.
November, 10 – EUROPEAN HERITAGE YEAR at WOADnipro.
This afternoon the Gabfest Club
members summed up the results of the European Cultural Heritage Year. They have
rendered into English the information about Ukrainian ethnic paper cut-out art.
The modern European paper cut-out artist Henri Matisse was introduced and
discussed.
The basics of paper cut-out art was
illustrated with English YouTube videos.
Further discussions about cultural heritage led us to European gastronomy heritage. The group discussed the plans of Ukraine
to enter Ukrainian beetroot soup “borscht” into the European heritage list
following the example of other countries: France has entered champagne and
cognac, Italy has entered Naple’s pizza. The topic was illustrated with YouTube
videos .The Club members learned how to tell the borscht recipe in good
English.
Participants
number – 35 persons.
on November, 13 – Activate English group 10. at Dnipro Window
on America center.
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.
All
the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Number of participants – 31 persons.
November, 14 - MOVIE CLUB.
WOA Dnipro’s Movie Club big-screened a romantic
comedy “Dan in Real Life” “Dan in Real Life” is a 2007 American film. It was
directed by Peter Hedges, and stars Steve Carell, Alison Pill, Juliette Binoche
and others. Some critics described it as “a non-holiday holiday film” that is
derived from that genre and the rom-com genre in general. Its budget was $25
million and it grossed $68.4 million in four years after the release.
Participants number –
5.
on November 17 – US Veterans Day.
Today’s session of the
Gabfest Club in Dnipro Window on America center (Ukraine) had a topic “Veterans
Day in the USA”.
Veterans Day is an
official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11. It
honors military veterans - persons who served in the United States Armed
Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and
Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the
end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the
11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with
Germany went into effect. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day.
The topic was
illustrated with the History channel videos about Veterans Day celebration.
The highlight of the
session was the story prompted by our US volunteer Mr. Jason who is a veteran
and travels extensively around the world. The group was familiarized with the
WWII episode on Solomon Islands where the islanders saved JFK. The group was
told about the War memorial visited by Mr. Jason.
The topic was
complicated, but many club members enjoyed it.
Participants number – 31 persons.
on November, 20 – Express English Started: Activate English 10. at WOA Dnipro, Ukraine.
«Window on America» Center Dnipro invited civil
servants, police officers, students, specialists with higher education, high
school students to join a free mass open course «Activate English! 10.0.».
The objective of this library project is to help
English learners to discover more facts about the United States and to improve
English conversational skills at the DOUNB library under the guidance of
mentors who are fluent English speakers.
We welcomed all the new students and hope they will
have a great time!
Participants number – 25 persons.
On November, 21 – Thanksgiving at WOA Dnipro.
This morning a big group of
Ukrainian schoolchildren from Dnipro’s school No. 140 visited the “Window on
America» center. The WOA’s staff member T. Gavryliuk welcomed
the group and offered a presentation about the forthcoming US Thanksgiving day.
We started with the introduction of the new vocabulary for the 4th grade
students. They enjoyed the stories about pilgrims and the Indians who helped
them to survive. The Turkey Pardon ceremony at White House was also very new to
them. We have learned traditional dishes at a Thanksgiving feast.
The information was illustrated with funny YouTube
videos with cheerful season songs. Even the EFL teachers learned something new
from the WOA’s presentation.
Participant number – 31 (27 students
+ 4 teachers).
on November, 21 – «Wednesday Movie Club» / «Кіноклуб по середах» – American Graffiti.
American Graffiti is a 1973
American coming-of-age comedy film directed and co-written by George Lucas.
Set in Modesto, California, in
1962, the film is a study of the cruising and rock 'n' roll cultures popular
among the post–World War II baby boom generation.
The genesis of American
Graffiti was in Lucas' own teenage years in early 1960s Modesto. He was
unsuccessful in pitching the concept to financiers and distributors, but found
favor at Universal Pictures after United Artists, 20th Century Fox, Columbia
Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures turned him
down.
In 1995, the United States
Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the
National Film Registry. A sequel, More American Graffiti, was released in 1979.
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film, and the
discussion after watching the movie was moderated by Marina Repan – a WOA
volunteer, a long-time movie club member. Moderation was in form of questions
and answers. The club members were active during the discussion and they
expressed how they liked the movie and their opinions and conclusions they
made.
Number of participants – 5 persons.
on November, 24 – USA–Canada Cruise Presentation.
This
afternoon the Gabfest Club members had a pleasure to meet a guest from Canada.
Mr. Barry volunteered to make a presentation about a popular tourist attraction
– Great American Lakes Cruises.
Mr. Barry has a background in tourism industry;
he delivers lectures on US and Canadian tourist attractions and on history. The
group was familiarized with US and Canadian ports that are included into the
cruise itinerary. We were told about the popular spots in both countries and
the beauty of the Great Lakes district on the border between the USA and
Canada.
After the presentation, we had a Q&A
session with Mr. Barry. The group enjoyed his
understandable English and the insights into the Canadian way of life.
After the session the Club’s committee had an
“after-Thanksgiving” tea ceremony with the guest, many club members enjoyed it.
Participants number – 25 persons.
on November, 27 – Activate English group 10.8. at Dnipro
Window on America center: Home-work – TRANSPORT.
Students of the "Activate English!" express
course learned to market themselves while talking about their education and
occupation.
The course instructor, the DOUNB library staff
member Tamara Gavryliuk, uses the McMillan Language House textbook to teach
students new vocabulary for the topic "Transport".
Correct
grammar constructions, business etiquette and courtesy will help to make a good
impression about you in cross-cultural communication. The social conversation
skills are an important thing for Ukrainian students of English.
All
the participants found the session educational and helpful.
Number of participants – 25 persons.
on November, 28 – «Wednesday Movie Club» / «Кіноклуб по середах» –
One Fine Day is a 1996
American film directed by Michael Hoffman, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and
George Clooney as two single working parents. The title comes from the 1963 song "One Fine Day" by The
Chiffons.
The film was nominated
for an Academy Award for Best Original Song ("For the First Time").
WOA’s patrons enjoyed the film, and the
discussion after watching the movie was moderated by Marina Repan – a WOA
volunteer, a long-time movie club member. Moderation was in form of questions
and answers. The club members were active during the discussion and they
expressed how they liked the movie and their opinions and conclusions they
made.
Number of participants – 12 persons.
