Showing posts with label Library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Library. Show all posts

17 April, 2018

Dnipro WOA in April

on April, 16 – Like or dislike.
The young visitors once again excited the DOUNB library's silence. A regular training session for younger schoolchildren (“Grass-Hoppers” Club) took place at “Window on America” Center.
WOA’s volunteer Anna Motorina told members of Club about “The Positive and the Negative statements”.
Number of participants – 6 children.

On 17 April – “Activate English!” Group’s Graduation.
This afternoon the Activate English group had the final lesson. A pleasant surprise was the big number of students who have made it to the end of the course.
The group was introduced to the phrases and vocabulary for international travelers.
They practiced the topics “At the Airport” and “In the Airplane”. The phrases for customs and immigration formalities were very useful for the learners.
In the second part of the lecture the “Activate English” students faced a challenge – a visit of the US volunteer with fluent English. Our guest Ms. Tamara added information about border crossing peculiarities in the USA.
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”.
The most diligent participants of the Activate English group received WOA’s Certificates of Attendance.
Well done, guys! You are welcome at all WOA’s events!
Number of participants – 40 persons.

18 April – «Wednesday Movie Club» / «Кіноклуб по середах» – The Object of My Affection.
On April, 18 – «Wednesday Movie Club» in DniproWOA offered the big screening of the film “The Object of My Affection”. The film is directed by Nicholas Hytner, and the screenplay was written by Wendy Wasserstein.
The Object of My Affection is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Stephen McCauley, and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. The story concerns a pregnant New York social worker who develops romantic feelings for her gay best friend and decides to raise her child with him, and the complications that ensue.
The film was filmed in 1997 in various locations around New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The warm discussion followed the film watching and touched the different aspects of the film: the actors’ playing, the director’s work, the soundtracks and the lifestyles of the fiction heroes. 
Number of participants – 9.

on April, 19 – We love different books.
The young visitors once again excited the DOUNB library's silence. A regular training session for younger schoolchildren (“Grasshoppers” Club) took place at “Window on America” Center with WOA’s volunteer Anna Motorina.
Children enjoyed reading, translating, dancing and joined in singing songs.
Number of participants – 7 children.

on April, 19 – English for beginners.
A new mini project has been launched in Window on America center in Dnipro. Volunteer Anna Motorina generously shared her knowledge with the club members attended the club today. She taught them to read complex English sounds as diphthongs and triphthongs and gave recommendations on using interesting online-resources for practicing pronunciation.
So we focused on reading rules for the vowels and consonants. The group was excited and inspired to continue to work on pronunciation of English sounds and improving English in general.
Number of participants – 5 persons.

on April, 21 – Earth Day 2018 – End Plastic Pollution.
This afternoon the Gabfest Club session (Window on America center, Dnipro, Ukraine) was dedicated to the global ecology issues. Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.
We started with the introductions of   environmental vocabulary and discussion of recycling posters.
The second step was to review the solutions for plastic pollution – limitation of unnecessary packaging, plastic usage in road building and bricks manufacture, avoiding disposable cutlery and containers, etc. The group was impressed with the news about the discovery of an enzyme that degrades plastic and may help to solve the problem. The topic was illustrated with the You Tube videos.
The session’s highlight was the presence of our US volunteer Mrs. Tamara. She made lots of insider’s comments about recycling practices in the USA.
Participants number – 28 persons.

on April, 21 – Everyday life in the USA: Round-table communication at WOA Dnipro.

This afternoon the Gabfest Club members (Window on America center, Dnipro, Ukraine) had a round-table communication with WOA’s volunteer Ms. Tamara. She is always open to communication with the Ukrainian learners of English. She tells them a lot of interesting things about life in the USA.
Participants number – 13 persons.

April 22 –  International students at WOA Dnipro.
This afternoon the WOA Dnipro facilitated the event of its long-time partner – the international student organization AISEC.
The AISEC meeting was dedicated to the volunteering opportunities abroad for AISEC members. A Medical Academy international student from Egypt made a presentation about the projects available in Europe and the opportunities to practice different skills.
Another AISEC member presented the opportunity to host an incoming foreign volunteer in Ukraine and to benefit from intensive cross-cultural communication.
Approaching summer holidays are a wonderful opportunity for international experience for all learners of English.
Participants number – 8 persons.

on April, 23 – Meet the Robinsons.
The young visitors once again excited the DOUNB library's silence. A regular training session for younger schoolchildren (“Grasshoppers” Club) took place at “Window on America” Center with WOA’s volunteer Anna Motorina.
Children enjoyed watching American computer-animated science fiction comedy film Meet the Robinsons (2007).
Number of participants – 7 children.

on April, 24 – Natale-di-Roma.
Number of participants – 12 persons.

on April, 25-  «Homeland in Exile».
The "Window on America" center presents to the patrons a poster-display «Homeland in Exile».
Number of viewers – 45.

25 April – «Wednesday Movie Club» / «Кіноклуб по середах» – The Truman Show.
Wednesday Movie Club” at Window on America center Dnipro (Ukraine) the film The Truman Show was presented to all who wish to improve their language skills.
The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical science fiction film directed by Peter Weir.
The warm discussion followed the film watching and touched the different aspects of the film: the actors’ playing, the director’s work, the soundtracks and the lifestyles of the fiction heroes.  

Marina, moderator: It was an honor and pleasure to moderate discussion of the movie this time. I had a pleasure to discuss it with the members, who have different levels of English. I tried to activate them - I asked them questions, tried to motivate them to share their opinion with everyone, shared my opinion with them. I can sincerely say that everyone loved it – I can hardly say what club members like most – watch the movie or discuss it. Anyway we did both and enjoyed it. We remembered many moments in the Truman show, and we identified the main idea of this movie – continue to do what you do, don’t stop; don’t give up, no matter what. Especially wonderful thought was that actually the main character was led by his love to go to the real world. By moderating I wanted to make them think English, and see what it’s like to be fluent in English. I wanted to inspire them to keep coming to the club to improve public speaking skills, as this was my first time moderating, I hope I succeeded in it in a way, and I’m feeling happy that Truman Show helped me in it.  
Number of participants – 17.

on April, 26 – Volunteering Thursday.
Young and adult DOUNB library patrons can  learn  some  English  with  the volunteer Anna Motorina.
 IT specialist Oleksiy Izmalkov practiced conversational English with the junior students who are members of the WOA’s “Grasshoppers” Club. He told them about the benefits and dangers of computer games that are loved by many kids.
With “Window to America” Center’s adult patrons Anna drilled some phonetics and started to introduce the basics of English grammar. The adult learners found a minute to play a popular board game with words - "Scrabble". It is very popular in English-speaking countries.
Number of participants – 10.
 
on April, 28 – Intellectual Property Day at WOA Dnipro.
This afternoon the Gabfest Club members (Window on America center, Dnipro, Ukraine)  got together to discuss the basics of the intellectual property.
This year our World Intellectual Property Day theme is “Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity.” The group started with a conversation about talented women creators who come from Dnipro region. Among the globally known accomplishments were the theosophy theory by Olena Blavatsky and decorative painting by Petrykivka village women.
The group was familiarized with the terms “trademark”, “patent” and “copyright”. The difference between these notions was explained and illustrated with relevant YouTube videos. The misleading term “copywriting” was also introduced and explained.
Participants number – 25 persons.

on April, 28 – Speed English: Intellectual property.

This afternoon the Gabfest Club members (Window on America center, Dnipro, Ukraine) had a Speed English session devoted to the World Intellectual Property Day.
The topic for the speaking activity was quite complicated – “Intellectual property”. The groups had to discuss the topic of intellectual piracy, its spread in the world, its consequences for the property owners.
Participants number – 25 persons.

on April, 28 – La bellissima città di Roma
 

14 March, 2018

A unique surprise gift for Dnipro WOA

"Window on America" Center Dnipro received a unique surprise gift. Last year we sent some small size souvenirs to be taken to the International Space Station by Colonel Breznik. Among those souvenirs was a 2017 calendar with the WOA Dnipro’s logo.
The Calendar visited the International Space Station and returned back to WOA Dnipro. Colonel R. Breznik issued us a unique “Certificate of authenticity” for the “space travelling” calendar. We were amazed.
Event participants number – 400 people.

Have a look at more pictures, please



07 February, 2018

Meeting with foreign students



Partnership goes on! Meeting with foreign students.

For several year WOA Dnipro cooperates with the local office of the international students’ organization AIESEC. Today members of "You Need Ukraine" NGO and foreign AIESEC guests students from Turkey and Cyprus attended the session to the WOA’s English speaking film club. Together with the regular movie club members they watched and discussed documentaries on environmental topics.
It was interesting to learn about solar energy production, garbage collection in Switzerland, waste recycling at large companies in the UK, plastic recycling in Turkey. Young Ukrainians shared their experience in garbage separation and collecting waste paper.
 
The WOA’s partnership with AIESEC continues. The WOA Dnipro center patrons   were familiarized with the complex environmental problems. Besides, they were able to demonstrate their good English they had active conversations with the foreign   guests about situation in their respective countries.
Participants number – 25 persons.


 

Discussion on ecology

Meeting with foreign students at WOA Dnipro.
This afternoon the Wednesday Movie Club (Window on America center in Dnipro, Ukraine) was visited by a big group of the foreign students. That’s why we started with the introductions of the guests.
The session was educational for all generations of Wednesday Movie Club members.
Participants number – 25 persons.
Have a look at more pictures, please


 

30 October, 2017

Music that builds bridges between cultures.

Patrons of the DOUNB Library and the "Window to America" Center are accustomed to various events that allow them to meet English-speaking guests of the city.
 But the meeting on October 30 was special - the US Embassy's diplomat Sean O'Hara visited us with an informal visit. Mr. O’Hara is a diplomat and cultural affairs attaché with the US Embassy in Ukraine, but he is also an amateur jazz musician. All afternoon Mr. O'Hara used the jazz language of his alto-saxophone, he learned to play it in school years. Besides he plays Hawaiian guitar and can perform a popular Ukrainian folk song "You tricked me!".
 Mr. Sean demonstrated a slide presentation which introduced the audience to jazz and its founding fathers – Ben Goodwin and Louis Armstrong; He performed selected musical fragments in which basic jazz elements (swing, syncopation and others) were demonstrated to the audience.
The real fun was an attempt to create a human jazz band (imitating the sounds of musical instruments). All the band members enjoyed the process, clapped their hands and smiled.

At the end of the session Mr. Sean answered the questions, told about himself, his life-long friendship with music and his diplomatic mission in Ukraine. He urged the group to monitor the ads and attend the show of the Broadway dance team that will visit Ukraine soon! Professional dancers can attend the casting and receive a chance to join the Broadway team.
The DOUNB Library director, Ms. Nadiya Titova city, gifted library memento’s to Mr. Sean to commemorate his visit to Dnipro city. A DOUNB Librarian Ms. Alexandra   performed for him a violin number – a popular rock composition.
The meeting with the American diplomat was arranged in partnership with the Dnipro Academy of Music at the American Art Residence of DOUNB Library. It was a pity that only few students could make it to the session. Student Katerina Dyomina sang a popular jazz piece.
The JAZZ event participant experienced no language barriers.

Mr. Sean talked to all the participants who came over to communicate with him. Several persons were complimented for their   good command of English. Knowledge of English these days is essential, especially now when Ukraine’s economic and social reforms are supported by the European Union, the USA, Canada, Australia .
Photo by Svitlana Usenko and Galyna Shevtsova.
Participants number – 63 persons.