Music is my Radar

Music means a lot to me. If it wasn't for music I wouldn't be here writing in English, I wouldn't be the person I am... Who knows where I would be if I hadn't discovered music!

When I first started listening to the music I like now I was 13 years old. Back then I discovered my first favourite band, and they are still one of my faves. I remember I used to listen to them every morning and, as we only had one radio at home, everyone was obliged to listen to them too. That's the reason why my parents and sisters at home know them so well and like them too, even when back then they used to complain because I would take over the radio and wouldn't let anyone else listen to other music at all. They hated me, but I didn't mind.

Anyway, I guess you voted 'music' because it means something to you too, so that's what this week's post is going to be about.

What you have to do is write about Music and how it affects your life. You could mention:

- What music means to you

- When you first started listening to the music you like

- Why you like it/What it makes you feel

- Your favourite band/musician/singer/album/genre

- Who first introduced you to your favourite band/singer

- etc...

In this post you MUST:

- Write 180-200 words.

- Include a photo or video of your favourite band/singer/musician.

- Comment on 2 of your classmates' posts.

Speak in Tongues

Hi all and welcome to another blogging session. We hope the computer 'gawds' are with us today ¬¬.

Today's topic is an interesting one, in a theoretical sense. Maybe for you it's boring, but we don't really care because this is university and here boring is good.

Now, for this topic we won't say much, we'll only give you the theme and you have to find out about it on the Internet to later write about it on your own blog, using your own words. You could, for example, include your personal opinion and experiences related to it, besides referring to what the topic is, of course.  So we could say this is more like a research type of task and what you write about the topic is up to you, just make sure it IS related to the topic, i.e., it's not nonsense or dada.

Well, this week you'll have to write about Bilingualism, something we have also dealt with previously (in last week's assignment, in case you wondered :P)

Please, do your research and write on! 

• Do so in about 150-200 words.
• Include a photo or video or anything visual (and legal) related to it, in order to make your post more eye-catching.
• Don't forget to leave comments on 2 of your classmates' entries.

Thank you and good luck!

Paperbag Writer

Hi all and welcome to this new term!

As you may already know, this term we will be using the lab to work on blogs. The idea is that you express yourselves and interact using them.

The blogs system is quite simple. Each week you will have a task which you will have to carry out. There will be a topic and a specific number of words that you will have to use to develop this topic. Additionally, you will have to post comments on your classmates' entries. This last part is also obligatory!

If you do the whole task during class you will get 2 points for the corresponding blog session. If you do it at home, you will get 1 point*. And if you never do it you'll get 0 points. These activities are part of the portfolio mark, so it is very important that you do them.

In order to start working with the blogs, you will have to create your own blog and customize it. 

To create your blog, go to www.blogger.com. Your blog has to be ENTIRELY in English, so make sure you select that language in the settings of your blog.

Once you have created your blog you can customize it, using your favourite pictures or photos on the background, special fonts, colours, etc.. If you don't know how to do this, explore! This is also a useful way of getting familiar with the blogger's language in English.

Is your blog ready? Send your blog's address to the course e-mail argumentative2012@gmail.com.

Now it's time to write this week's task.

Since this is the first week of the Argumentative Writing course, we want you to write about....

WRITING!! Yes, it took us ages to come up with this idea ;) No, but seriously, this is an excellent way of getting in the mood for what's coming this term.

You can cover these points as a way of helping you develop this topic:

- Do you like writing? Why?/Why not?

- How do you feel about writing in English? Is it easier/more difficult for you than writing in your mother tongue? Why?

- Have you ever had to write an essay or paper in your mother tongue? What about English? How did that go?/How do you think it would go (if you haven't already done it)?

- What do you expect to learn in this course? Do you think it will be useful knowledge? Why? What for?

- Etc.

• Your entry has to be written in 120-150 words. 
• Leave comments in 2 of your classmates' entries.