Friday November 22nd 2019

Today, it's our last class.we still have some tasks to present. we were assigned to watch the play "Querencias" and we did as if we went to the theater and as it was tradition after a play , people used to stay at the foyer in order to socialize about the play or in order to meet new people. so we pretend we were the audience and once the play was finished we went to the foyer and talked about it. In my case, I was Maria Callas a famous opera singer. the teacher gave us cookies so that we can feel like we were for real in THE foyer. I loved this activity.

well, we are done! I'm so excited because the end of the semester is almost here. i'd really like the end of the semester but now it's different because this time I'm done with my major. I'm going to graduate next year!

thanks for reading my post every weeks. I hope you had enjoyed it as I did.

Tuesday, november 19th 2019

In this literature class, we learnt a lot about the theater in El Salvador. first of all, we discussed the play we when to see the previous week. In my case, i went to see "niños culpables, testimonios prohibidos" I really liked the play.After doing that, the teacher played some videos talking about the history of theater in our country showing the before and after of it. we discussed the lack of opportunities in here in order to succes in this field and also Art in general. we don't have a major in Music for example. Therefore, many people have to study abroad. because in here, society thinks the majors or activities related to art they are not more than  extra curricular activities which is so sad.

 I'm happy that the semester is about to end.

Friday November 15th 2019

Today, we didn't have classes due to the 2nd round of the admission exam. Therefore, the university stopped activities at 3 pm. In order to have enough time to arrange the classrooms. I used that time to write my report about the play that I saw at the theater some days ago.

Tuesday November 12th 2019

Today, we had the exam of the book named the elephant man. As the teacher told us, it was a piece of cake. I read it twice.Therefore, I'm waiting a good grade.
I really liked this book. I hope that the teacher will give us the grades soon. we are almost about to finish the semester.  Wujuuuuuuu!!

Friday November 8th 2019

we didn't have classes,in fact the teacher let us studied for another midterm and he gave us a piece of advice to take advantage of the time. so I read again the book "the elephant man" because next class. we will have the quiz. 

Tuesday November 5th 2019

We didn't have class just the ones who were behind in some tasks that the teacher had assigned previously. they must present it today since it was the last day for doing it.

so I stayed home and read again the book he told us to read "the elephant man" because the exam is coming soon.

Friday November 1st 2019

we didn't have classes today because the university was closed due to a compensation day!

so read us until next post and enjoy the long weekend!!!

Tuesday October 29th 2019

Today, the teacher explained us the evaluation system but he decided to make some changes and we agreed. so he added a visit to a theater. we had to go to theater , see the play and write a report about our experience.  For me , going to a theater is something i do very frequently since i sing in a choir, we present us there many times a year. nevertheless, I really liked this activity. then, he assigned us a proyect. we had to create a realistic situation in group and we had to perform in front of a camera and send it to him.

we spend the class talking about the evaluation that we are missing.

Friday October 25th 2019

Today's class, we reviewed about the topics we had studied in the previous class (fiction and non fiction).Also, the teacher explain us whar the different between them. In fiction , we tell anything that might or might not be true. here everything is possible since we are talking about fiction. Whereas, in non fiction we tell everything as it happens.just real situation or facts.

then, we had to write a non fiction story about our lives. In my case, I wrote about the most amazing musical experence I've ever had. I was so excited writing about my adventure that I finished just right on time.Writing about that make me feel like i was in France one more time... i got so good memories about that trip.

mes.

tuesday october 22nd 2019

 Today , I arrived late to class because I had some problem with the delivery with my glasses.

the teacher started the class with an interesting activity. He saked us to work in pairs so I worked with Vane. the activity consists writing a paragraph without using the letter "a" which is so difficult because almost every word has the vowel "a" when finishing the paragraph some volunteers read it outloud fo the whole class. after that, the tracher wrote some questions on the board and we took turns in order to answer. we discussed about our favorite singer or actor. Finally, the teacher explained to us the difference between non-fiction and realistic fiction.

non-fiction is when you narrate or tell the story as it happened. you can not add or delete anything. you tell it like the acction happens, contrary what realistic fiction is. this tells the truth but changing a couple of details and can omitt others. an example of non-fiction is the sink of titanic because it's something that happen for real but the titanic's movie is realistic fiction because it is based in reality nevetheless, they made up some details, they ommit others.

Friday October 18th 2019

Today, we had the exam about the book "A matter of chance". The exam has 20 very specific questions. it's was a piece of cake since I read it twice  because I really loved it. Moreover, the questions were taken from the questions the teacher brought us in the previous classes.

let's see how it goes I will let you know as soon as I get the grade.

Tuesday October 15th 2019

Today,we didn't have class due to the weather. It was raining cats and dogs.

Friday October 11th 2019

We didn't have class today because tomorrow will be the admision exam for new students

so the university stopped the activities for the afternoon. Nevertheless, the teacher uploaded a video in order to watch it and answer the following questions:

1. What's your favorite type of fiction? Why?
2. What kind of fiction do you think is the easiest to write?
3. If you had to classify the book A Matter of Chance into one of the types of fiction mentioned in the video, in which one would you do it?
4. Recommend us at least one fictional book to read (out of all the ones you've read) and tell us to what type of fiction it belongs.

Tuesday October 8th 2019

We started the class with the last questions about the book "A matter of chance" I remember a couple of them. for example "When Paul and Sandra escaped from the farmhouse, did they take their passports?" and "what happened to Andrea at the end of the story?

since last class, we just wrote abou the first 8 chapters , today we wrote the last 8 chapters which means from 9 to 17. we did the same as the previous class. we wrote the summary, places, characters and the new words.

I think that now we are ready for the coming exam.

wish me luck!!

Friday October 4th 2019

Today we started the class with some questions about the book "A matter of chance", such as : 

1 Can Sandra speak French?

2  Was Jacky buried in Como?

3 Why Andrea was able to find Paul and Sandra in the little hotel

After that we worked in group and the teacher asked us to write a summary of the first 8 chapters.

he gave us the template in which we had to fill it up with some specific information

we had first of all write the summary. Then, we had to write the places in which the chapter was developped. Next, we had to write the characters from that chapter and mention if was main character or was just mentioned. finally we had to write the new vocabulary along with either the definition or the phonetics transcription 

I really like doing that because in that way we reinforce our knowledge about the book , which was great because the exam was coming soon.

Tuesday October 1st 2019

 We were assigned to read a book named "a matter of chance". When the teacher arrived to the classroom he told us to put together in the groups we are going to do the role-play at the end of the semester. we discussed some aspects about how much are we going to spend on it? when and where are we going to rehearse? After that, Mr. Gómez gave us some question about the book we are currently reading in order to answer them. He is going to give us some questions each class until the day we have the exam about the book (a matter of chance). I really liked the book that I finished reading it the next day he assigned it. it caught my attention that i couldn't stop reading it because I wanted to know what would happen next and next. Then, we read about the elements of fiction such as 

• Plot 
• Setting (physical and chronological)
• Conflict(Internal and External)
• Symbol
• Point of view

Finally, we discussed about what we have just read.

Friday Septemeber 27th 2019

Today we didn't have class.

 so see you next week!!!

Tuesday September 24th 2019

Today we continued with the second part of the notes from underground. As I mentioned in the previous entry the author talked those topics that not every one is confortable talking about.

for example I remembered that in one of his chapters he was saying that he can not be in the same dream no longer that 7 hours. and he said that he can just be happy in his dreams. But why is that? what I understood is that he is angry because in real life he can not be sociable no matter how hard he wishes. This is something that many people deal with every day .Thefore, I think this book helps me realize some situations that we actually think they're not a problem but in fact they're and we don't do anything in order to change them.

Friday September 20th 2019

Today we didn't have class but the teacher sent us some videos we have to watch and answer some questions:

• What do you think about the existentialist novel Notes from Underground and its main character the Underground Man?

• Why do you think Fyodor Dostoevsky named his book "Notes from Underground"?

Tuesday September 17th 2019

This class was kind of different because the teacher assigned us to read one chapter especifically. We worked in pairs. so he gave us time to read and interpreted the chapter. Then, in the order of the book 's chapters we start telling to the rest of the class what was the topic about and asking a question about it. in my case the chapter nine was assigned. that chapter talked about The Underground Man suddenly implies that everything he has said in the last few chapters has all been a bitter joke. Nonetheless, he continues to wonder if it is in man’s best interest to act for his own profit. He admits that man feels a compulsion to create, but that he feels an equally strong urge to destroy.  that why he says humans like to create things and enjoy the journey but at the same time they're afraid to the end because they don't know what happen next. He  also states that suffering is the cause of consciousness. the more we suffer the more conscious we get. therefore, my classmate and I asked the following question : just because we consider that we are in the correct path, does it mean that the rest is in the wrong path?

by the end of the class, we just covered the first 11 chapters which means the first part of the book. this coming tuesday my classmates are going to follow with the presentation of each chapter of the second part of the book. if i'm being honest with you at the very beginning i didn't want to read this book i thought it might be boring but now that I've read some chapter I realize how interesting and real is this we just follow rules because society says so. let's check this out and see how this ends.

Friday September 13th 2019

Today we started the class discussion some questions for example if I would like to write my memoirs or what do I do in order to be happy. Or if what makes me happy is a taboo in today's society should I stop doing? I really like discussing this kind of questions because we can express what we think, share ideas or opinions about topic that are not so easy to talk to sometimes. After that we read some pages of the book we are going to read this semester. (notes from the undeground by Fyodor Dostoevsky )This book talks about how we follow the rules just because society  says so. we can not act the way we want if it is not appropiate. he is the first who has the guts to refuse that and said it out loud. but you need to pay carefully attention at the time you're reading it because if you get distracted for a second you will get totally lost. Believe me  I'm saying it because it was what really happened to me when i first read it.but now I'm so interested in reading it and discussing with my classmmates in the following classes. 

Tuesday September 10th 2019

Today we had a great time telling our stories each group presented their storytelling using different equipments such us background music, corporal sounds and voice modulation.

Every group adapted their story in a interesting way in order to caught our attention.

In my case our group decided to use background sound according to what we were talking about for example in our story there were some dogs  barkings so we played an audio of barkings 

The one that caught my attention the most was the last group because it was a crazy story mixing all sort of characters like Heidi and pepito who lived in El Salvador and they did crazy things.

I really liked this activity because we can see how creative and imaginative we are ... we just need a little push and we can create amazing stories.

Friday Septermber 6th 2019

In today's class, we discussed what poetry is, we defined it as  a form of literature that uses qualities of language such as stylistics device to evoke the author's feeling, ideas and thoughts. Also, we were saying that poetry can be divided in 2:

• free style ( don't use stylistic devices)
• formal poetry (follow stylistic devices)

After that, the teacher showed us 3 song (California, River and A Chase of You by Joni Mitchell) in which we had to find what the author wanted to transmit  talking about feeelings and ideas. Moreover, we had to identify  which stylistic devides the singer had used.

Since our class was not complet the teacher changed the date for the storytelling so this coming tuesday we are going to present all of them. So wish me luck! 

Tuesday September 3rd 2019

In this class, the teacher explained the elements involved in a storytelling such as entonation and body gestures. After that, we discussed about Myths and legends here in our country. we mentioned "la carreta chillona", "el padre sin cabeza", "la siguanaba" , "el cadejo" and so many more. Next, he showed  us  the video of the ressurection Mary. That was an example of storytelling in which lots of people confirmed have seen this woman called Mary. At the end,he told us to create groups of 5 and he assigned us a short story . we had to read it and create the sounds effects for the next class. the book that was assigned to my group is "The city mouse and the country mouse". I'm so excited to present this storytelling.

Friday August 30th 2019

In this class, as soon as we arrived the teacher asked us to form the groups and  discussed which will be the play we will perfom at the end of the semester. In my team, two options were proposed "Canterville Ghost" and "Liselotte in May" personally  I liked both so whether we choose one or the other one  It'll be fine for me. However, we couldn't decide which one to play that is why the teacher allowed us to present our proposal next class. Later on, we studied some stylistic devices such as oxymoron,that  consists in putting  2 opposite terms in the same phrase in order to illustrate a rhetorical point or to reveal a paradox  for example "this is a terribly good movie" which means you really liked it. Another stylistic device that we studied was euphemism is a polite word or expression that is used to refer to things which people may find upsetting or embarrassing to talk about. for example my dog passed away last year  instead of saying my dog died last year. Finally, we worked in pair in some exercises he gave us to identify what was the stylistic device in each sentence.

Tuesday August 27th 2019

Today's class was so interesting, we started with two quotes about literature. Nevertheless, I prefer the one it said :"Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation as presents to posterity of those who are yet unborn" by Joseph Addison. I really liked this quoted because for me that is the best way to transmit literature.After that, we were discussing the handout's information in which we learnt that written literature gives great flexibility and offers freedom because when we read, we can imagine every detail that is mentioned in the the text that gives us the opportunity to let our reality for a while and just enjoy the reading. Additionally,  teaches us about the lives and concerns of preople at toher times and in other cultures. Then, we talked about the 4 genres in literature which are:

1. Narrative
2. Drama
3. Poetry
4. Nonfiction prose

Next, the teacher made us create the groups for the play we are going to present at the end of the semester. Finally, he showed us an exemple of how he wants we present the play.

Third class- Friday August 23rd 2019

Today , I received a message from the teacher saying we wouldn't have class because he had an emergency,a last minute situation. That's why he will assign us a task in order not to hold up in the curriculum

Tuesday August 20th 2019

Today as we waited for the teacher to arrive we were reading some information , he assigned us through our facebook group. It was about literature for example that term came from Latin and means "lettter" . Basically, literature deals with human's feelings and emotions but beautifully written.

As he arrived , he made us discuss in groups some questions such as "why study literature? or why is literature said to be the story of man?" then, we talked about how history and literature are so related but at the same time, different because both  have characters but just in history we can assure that's real information on the other hand, in literature we can use a little bit of our imagination and make up some details.

Needless to say, that is important; even if we do not share the same ideas or opinions we must respect other's opinions or belief. one example of this is the popol-vuh many people think this book as literature which means it can have some events that were made up just to catch the reader's attention but there are some others that might think of this book as historical events moreover, that this was true long ago. whether it's history or literature we should respect other's conception about this book.

My first class (Friday August 16th 2019)

Hi out there!

You know, today it was my first English Literature class after  a week we missed classes due to the lack of clasroom.  First of all, the teacher Orlando Gómez made us work in groups of six, we were discussing about what was our definition of literature, other ways to express litterature and books that have caught our attention in this last one  we had the actively participation of Lucy, one of our classmates. She was so excited telling us the books she has read. By the end of the class, the teacher presented us the syllabus, all the things we are going to do during the whole semester such as role plays,exams and readings.

Ps.Something the teacher said caught my attention because It's true. Every single time , when someone says "LITERATURE" we might think about endless novel and boring text but that's not all; we have a bunch of options in which we can have so much fun and It's also literature.

This was my group that day

He's our teacher