Holidays food for thought :)

Hi guys,

I hopw you're having a good time, you're relaxing and having fun with friends and family!
If you're up to studying a bit during the holidays, here's a useful link with First Certificate tasks.

See you soon, until then Happy New Year! :)
Bye
Silvia

Lesson 22°

Hi guys,

For next time work on ex. 7, 8 p. 43 from you books and from your Workbook do ex. 2 and 4 from Unit 6 p. 14-15.
For Elena, you can find the last two exercises here below, as I know you still don't have the Workbook.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Lesson 21°

Hello everyone,

For next time work on exercises 4, 5 and 6 p. 42-43 and read the grammar explanations from p. 168-169 about "unless" and conditionals. Next time we'll do some more exercises to consolidate it.

I remind you the school will be closed from December 23 (included) to January 8.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Lesson 20°

Hi guys,

For next time work on Exam practice p. 38-39 from your book and the Reading p. 13 from your workbook.
Hav a look at the following errors I collected today in class and correct them:

1. If I will became famous, I would have a lot of money.
2. There are people who folows you...
3. You will have lots of money...
4. There are many advantages, but in the same moment there are many drawbacks.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Lesson 19°

Hello my lovely students,

For next time here's the video and tasks related to a Murder Mystery - you can do the tasks online or on the sheets of paper given in class, or both: first online and then on paper, to consolidare even better.

The online collocation dictionary I told you about today is: http://www.freecollocation.com! Use it frequently and learn about 2 collocations every week.

Remember to right the story about the pics from p. 37 using a range of past tenses and ex. 2, 3 from p. 12 Workbook.

Have some great 4 days off!
Silvia

lesson 18°

Hi guys,

Good job with the mock test, we need to continue working hard and you'll see the results will start coming!

For next time have a look at this link with tips for the speaking part and read this text about Harry Potter and take out 2 collocations, 2 phrasal verbs and two verbs+prepositions. Search for how you use them in context and make one sentence with each.

That's all for now,

Silvia

First certificate pre-testing

Hi guys,

This is to inform you that the pre-testing session will take place on December 16 in the afternoon from 15.30, but you should be here at 15.15, so that we can organise eveything without rushing. It will be computer based.

Everything will take about 2 hours 45 minutes: the Reading test is 45 minutes, Use of English Test 40 minutes, the Writing test 40 minutes and the Listening approximately 40 minutes.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Lesson 17° and Parents meeting reminder

Hi guys,

We're almost done with the Mock Test, good job so far!
On Thursday we'll get to check the answers and discuss the results and on Saturday I'll have a chance to talk to your parents about your results. Check the meeting reminder lower in the post.

Til Thursday here's a nice pronunciation guide to London! :) Really cool! Enjoy!

Bye for now,
Silvia

Cari genitori,

Vogliamo invitarvi alla prima serie di riunioni individuali fra voi e l’insegnante dei vs figli che si terrà il giorno sabato 3 dicembre 2016 fra le ore 9.30 e le 13.00 qui presso la ns scuola. 

Vi preghiamo di chiamarci per prenotare il vs incontro con l’insegnate dei vs figli al numero 095 715 2243.  Ogni incontro durerà circa 10 min durante i quali avrete la possibilità di discutere l’andamento dei vs figli. L’ora del vs incontro dipenderà di quanto presto prenotate quindi prima chiamate più facile sarà prenotare l’orario desiderato.

Quest’anno gli incontri si terranno di sabato per due motivi principali.  Il primo, perché preferiamo non interrompere le lezioni come fatto negli anni precedenti e il secondo perché i ns insegnanti sono già molto impegnati durante la settimana e quindi ci è quasi impossibile coprire le lezioni mentre loro tengono gli incontri.

Grazie e rimaniamo in attesa di un vs riscontro.

Ps. Tea&biscuits inclusi!

Cordiali saluti,

Silvia

Programma scolastico Upper-intermediate

You can check it here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2qwySaTraF5V2JIOXNTY2t1VTg

Sondaggio di feedback

Cari studenti e genitori,


Vi invitiamo di compilare il sondaggio di feedback che trovate in questo link per aiutarci di migliorare i nostri servizi!
Giga Ih Catania Student Feedback Nov 2016 Survey

Grazie!
Giga IH

Lesson 13°

Hi guys,

For next time do the Reading Part 3, the worksheet with "as/like", describe the picture given in class and use strong adjectives (if possible even adverbs of degree) and work on ex. 1 Vocabulary from Workbook p. 12.

Please add a comment to this blog post and tell me what parts of the exam or grammar point you need more practice of, so that I can try to find material for next week, before the mock test in two weeks time.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Lesson 11°

Hi guys,

For next time please work on Reading p. 10 and Grammar p. 11 fom the Workbook and Vocabulary ex. 5-6 p. 31 from your books.

Do as much as you can and please don't miss next time... please! :)

Bye bye!
Silvia

Lesson 10°

Hi guys,

For next time work on Listening p. 11 from your Workbook and check this article about Animals in the City and the tasks below it.
Here's another article about zoos, as we have already talked about them today.

See you on Thursday!
Silvia

Lesson 9°

Hi guys,

For next time please work Vocabulary word formation ex. 6-8 p. 19 from your book and from the Workbook do the Grammar ex. 4-5 p. 7 and ex. 7 p. 7 and whichever exercise you have left from Unit 2 in order to finish this Unit.

That's all for now.
Silvia

Welcome back to GigaIH!

Hi Andrea and Alessia,

Welcome back and remember: work hard, have fun and keep it light!

For next time work on the 4 exercises given on the worksheet and check this video about Camden Fashion and new trends.

Bye for now!
S

Spread the word!

End of Year Party

Homework for June 9

Hi class,

For next time you need to work on revision of Units 9&10 p. 116-117.
The key to these exercises is over here:

The key to the exercises from WB Unit 10 are in the next 2 snapshots.

Good luck to the ones who are going to take the exam on Thursday and don't forget about the Party on Friday eve! 

Best

Silvia

Students Feedback Form May 2016

Cari genitori,

La vostra opinione è importante. Vi preghiamo di completare il questionario di sotto per poter migliorare la vostra esperienza con noi! Cliccate sull'immagine.

Grazie!

UPDATE: Parents Meeting on May 19

Cari Genitori,

Con la presente vi informiamo che le riunioni con i professori si terranno il giorno 19 Maggio alle ore sotto indicate:

Domenico: 15.30

Emanuele: 15.45

Alessia: 16.00

Irene: 16.30

Non è necessario confermare telefonicamente. Vi aspettiamo per informarvi del progresso dei vs figli e le ns raccomandazione per il prossimo anno scolastico.

A presto,

Silvia Ionita

Homework for May 5

Hi guys,

Let's try to finish the Mock this week, so that I can have the results for the Meeting with Parents next week.

I'm satisfied with your results at the moment, but I'm sure we can still improve some more before the next Mock end of May. Good stuff! :)

For next time, let's do some Listening practice here, as requested by you, and learn some new phrasal verbs!

Bye for now,
Silvia

Homework for April 28

Hi guys,

Great job to the ones that did the Mock test, I really appreciated the fact that you tried your best, hopefully you'll get some really good results! :)

As I told everyone today, Monday is a holiday, so we'll see each other next Thursday. The ones who missed the test will do it during lesson time in a different classroom. I'll do my best to organise the Speaking part with a different teacher.

As homework let's learn/revise some phrasal verbs here and improve your listening by learning about some boy bands here, then a reading related to the environment here :) Do the tasks related to the video/listening/text.

PS: We'll have a mother Mock in May, so don't take quick decisions about the exam, yet ;)

Have a nice long weekend!
Bye bye
<3

Homework for April 18 and Mock Tests

Hi guys,

Here are the examiner's comments on the video we watched today, Speaking Part 3.

Remember next week is the Mock Tests week (test di prova), both on Monday (Listening and Reading and Use of English) and on Thursday (Writing), so please don't miss any of the two lessons. If you'll miss, you'll do the part you missed in the next lesson, but in a different room.

Bye for now!
S

Homework for April 7

Hi guys,

For next time I'd like you to check some of Sean's "One Week Jobs" here, watch a few and report to class about one you liked most and why. (you can see more videos - most are called "One Week Job # number"- on the right hand-side on Vimeo).

Don't forget about the Yoga class in English on Wednesday! You're most welcome to come and bring a friend! 

Ommmmm... :)

Bye
Silvia

Yoga in English

Homework for March 17

Hi guys,

For next time please check this interesting text about FOMO - Are you suffering from FOMO? :)

Do the Preparation task and then the 3 tasks under the text.

See you on Thursday!
S

Homework for March 7

Hi everybody,

Here's the video I showed you today: What do you love? Please watch it again and do the tasks below it.
Have a nice weekend!
S

Homework for February 29

Hi guys,

Here's a nice listening which will help you learn another adjective: "mind-blowing" :)

Byeee!
S

Homework for February 25

Hi guys,

Here's a link where you can practice your writing skills, by looking and analysing a film review. Do the task below the

And in order to improve your listening, check this interesting radio interview about high-achieving teenagers and do the exercises related to it.

Have a great week!
Bye for now,
Silvia <3

Egg Challenge!

On MONDAY at 17.00 we are organising the Egg Challenge! 

Each team must wrap an egg and throw it from Giga IH terrace - the egg mustn't break! The team who manages not to break the egg will win! 

Join the competition - you'll have lots of fun! :)

Homework for Feb15

Hi guys,

You can find the TED Talk I told you about here. Listen to it using English/Italian subtitles or check the transcript. Do also micro-listening, by focusing on sentences and going back and forth and listening to it several times. We'll talk about it next time.
Enjoy it!
Bye!
S

Homework for February 8

Hi everybody,

For next time, which is after Sant'Agatha Festival, please write the informal letter about the festival and you can use these two web articles with useful language:

• The Festival of Sant'Agatha, the patron saint of Catania
• Festa di sant'Agata

I just can't get enough - this is for Andrea M. :D

Next time Nick, please do some research about some news related to Britain - take some notes about it at home and be ready to present it in class in 2-3 minutes.

Have a great time during Sant'Agatha festival! 

Bye!

Summer Camp in Oxford

Cari genitori,

Vorreste mandare i vostri figli ad Oxford per studiare l'inglese e divertirsi allo stesso tempo? 

Siamo felici di comunicarvi che in collaborazione con International House London/Oxford stiamo organizzando un altro campo estivo al St. Edwards College in Oxford. 
Vi invitiamo di incontrarci da Giga il 25 gennaio (lunedì) alle ore 19.00 per parlare di questa meravigliosa opportunità.

Grazie!

Homework for Jan 14

Hi everyone,

As usual you can find your homework on Classmaster.
The video I was talking about in class today can help you with disagreeing in a polite way - a useful strategy for Speaking part 3. Here it is! Watch the video and choose 4 expressions to use next time in class (on Thursday).


PS: Remember: the article needs to be re-submitted next Monday :) Here is a webpage with some tips for when writing an article.

Bye for now,
Silvia

Homework for Jan 11

Happy New year everybody!
I hope you spent your holidays in a relaxing and fun way!

Here's the link to the TED Talk I introduced you today - listen to it, using English or Italian subtitles or you can read the transcript.

New Year, new materials: I'm introducing you a Youtube channel which we are going to use quite often from now on - so that means a lot of listening and vocab practice! ;) BBC Learning English.

For Monday, please listen to this video below and make a sentence with each of the phrases discussed.

Bye for now,
S