Journal Pronunciation... This is a GOOD IDEA!

Hello, guys!!!

Let me tell you about something that really is necessary for us as ESL Teachers... Pronunciation! Not only pronunciation but also the listening are skills that I, Fran, need to improve more. And Aaron proposed  us a JOURNAL PRONUNCIATION. What is it? Some words you speak wrongly; you write down, listen, speak and of course this way you correct them. But sometimes it is so difficult because there are some sounds that are of the language. It is very different when you learned that word or group of words all your life long.Until now. It is different to learn with a FOREIGN SPEAKER and a NATIVE one. Too different!!! And it is important to be aware. I have to do something and this activity will help me with my pronunciation. You and Google are important to change this.
Let's talk!!!

Knowing a Super Star!

Hello everyone! I have to tell you about my first experience with a super star here in New York. At the end of my first week, my friend Emílio called me to see a mini-show in J&R store of a singer called Dawn Richards. I confess, I've never heard about her until that moment and I went to see her. So, we went to the store and I started to see her show and many fans were singing with her. I loved her style and her songs! So, I bought her cd and after her show I waited to talk to her. I was so happy because it would be the first time with a super star here in New York! I waited and after some minutes I was in front of her, saying my name, saying that I was from Brazil and she loved when I said to her that I was from Brazil. She was so nice and I loved to talk with her. She autographed my cd and I took some pictures with her. It was a great night that day and now, I'm a fan of her music! Thanks New York for this opportunity!

My last weekend was wonderful. I took a boat on Hudson river, until the Brooklyn Bridge. There were many beautiful view. I could see New Jersey City on the left side and New York on the right side. The most special moment, it was The Statue of Liberty, because it is an important symbol of freedom to american people. They received from France as a present. The history is real in my life now. I can feel and I can be part of it too. We are much more together!!!!

Antonia Iris

AN AMAZING SUNDAY

Despite the sadness because the death of hundred Brazilian brothers by a fire at a nightclub in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, our Sunday, January 28, was amazing! We went to the Madison Square Garden to watch a basketball game between St. John and Seton Hall. St. John won the game for two sets to zero. St. John 71 and Seton Hal 67.

A basketball game in the United States is something indescribable; It`s simply fascinating! All of us Brazilian teachers who went to watch the game enjoyed a lot. By the way, New York is a fascinating place, better say, a lovely place with a lovely people! We are enjoying so muccu.

In the afternoon we went to the mass in the chapel on campus. We prayed for our Brazilian brothers who died in the fire at the nightclub in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. We also prayed for our families, friends, for our professors and for our stay in New York. After mass a dinner was offered and it was tasty. Later a free ice-cream for all. Our Sunday, January 27, was really AN AMAZING SUNDAY.

Hello,

I’d like to speak a little bit about our workshops. The speakers have showed us other ways to use technology to improve our classes and make them more interactive maybe we can’t use all things we have learned because we know how public schools works in Brazil however most of them I believe it is possible to apply. We’ll probably have to fit them. So I’d like to say I have really liked the workshops so much, specially the Yvonne Pratt-Johnson’s lecture.  It was easy to understand every single word she said and she asked for our comments about what she was talking all the time, I really loved it. I thank you all professors, teachers and speakers for sharing their knowledge with us. Thank you so much.

Hi, everybody!!

This week went very fast for me, maybe because so many good things happened. Today I'd like to share with you my feelings about our last workshop on Friday afternoon, as everybody knows we were supposed to go the 9/11 Memorial, but the weather was too cold, so the plans were changed and we had a workshop on "small talk", at first I didn't like the idea but then when Aaron and Sue ( lovelly people) begun to work with us I really enjoyed it. It will be very useful for us here, because all the time we are facing this kind of situations at the university, at the subways and so on...

This week I liked to see snow. But, I love sports, so I felt happy when I watch personally a game of basketball. It is fantastic to see a basketball game in USA, because it is a true party. It was a fun afternoon and the game was exciting with each point disputed still the last seconds.

Jose Rosamilton de Lima.

Hello, everybody!

                           I'm having good times here in New York City!People here are very interesting...when we were in the subway some guys entered and started singing, it was very funny!We also can see at Times Square some people dressed as cartoons characters  like Mario, Elmo and so on. We've taken a lot of pictures there.

Hi, guys!

This week was really very fun. I was able to contact many experiences with the American lifestyle. I will cite here only one of them. Me and some friends went to a nightclub. This club was not very nice, so we went to one in which there was a huge queue to get in, we had to wait some people out, so that would not be so crowded. But it was a great experience, the songs are great for dancing. We had so much fun, and the best, we feel that we are really immersed in American culture.

Thank God

Marta Joelma

Hello,

It was a very funny week, many experiences. It was so nice took pictures at snow. We went to Madame Tussauds museum. We have a lot of fun. The boys have more fun than us, because they took many pictures with the famous beautiful actress, Emilio, Rosamildo and Gildo took many good poses. At the classroom we are doing advances, the teachers are so patient and we are doing groups´ presentation, so we having opportunities to know our colleagues a llittle bit. 

Rose.  

I`ve discovered new things

I think everything is been new for me. No only the city of New York but I've learned many things about the language that has fascinated me , the contact with native people has influenced a lot in my perception of speaking english.I thought I knew a little bit about english but now I see I have to learn more and more everyday. We are learning so many things with our teacher Aaron. He's a great professor. This program should continue for more five months.

I think this week went faster. Maybe I ‘m getting used to living here. I wanna talk about yesterday afternoon. We went to the doctor‘s office to get MMR shot. Lambert a guy who is a student worker took us there. When we got at the doctor’s office we noticed that one of the girls were missing. She got lost herself while we were walking to the office. She had called me but I didn’t heard  my cell phone only in the doctor’s office I noticed her 5 calls. So I called her back and find out where she was and Maxivel and Gildo went back and met her. When we were coming back to St. John’s, it was almost six o’ clock, it was snowing and everybody was so excited because we were waiting for this since we have gotten here. Guess what ? Two girls got lost themselves while they were taking pictures. It was very cold and Lambert walked fast when we got in the subway station we had to wait some minutes because Lambert went back to met them. Furthermore the train seemed to be late and we waited for about twenty minutes so we did a lot of noisy in the subway station singing and dancing Samba. I’m so sorry for Lambert. He had a lot of work with us.

Bye,

Maria Valdeci.

Overcoming ......>>>

Hello, class and teacher Aaron!

This is the 2nd week of the course and I have too much to say. First, I need to talk about the teacher Aarons’ discipline and motivation, he is excellent. After, the organization and choice of the workshops that are offered, they are of great value. All professionals and the materials that are given to us, certainly, they will help to improve the teaching of the English language in Brazil. About my particular problem: to be afraid when someone asks me something in English, I'm overcoming. I think I improve a bit the first week for this. Don’t you think Aaron? But I still have to improve much more. In my life I could never be weak, won’t be now. I will improve this listening! Absolutely!

Thank you all, for everything! Betusa, Saint John's University (You are incredible), Fulbright and the Brazilian government and my friends.

Joseana Souza

Hello. I'd like to tell you something about the day that  snowed. It was so important to be outside at the moment it started snowing that  I coudn't believe. I and Claudiane took a lot o pictures (altouhg it was snowing just a little) and she made a vídeo  to show her students. At this moment we were at Chinatown because some of my partner needed a shot. Everybody got very surprised  because we were waiting for this moment since we arrived here and it's not possible to say in some words our feelings for being in NYC and in a snowy moment. Everybody took a lot of pictures and as it was very cold our guide lead us to the subway. During the way a friend of mine  Glacilda, asked me to take more pictures and as a result we got lost from the group ( because they were not walking, but running). It was funny because after some frozen minutes they found us half a block from the subway. To see and feel the snow was enchanting and I learned two very important things: do not stop to take pictures when the group is in a hurry and walk very carefully because you can slip and fall down. It's so difficult to walk an the snow but I really enjoyed that moment, didn't you?

An amazing professional!

Today, I'd like to write about the lecture that I watched this afternoon. I knew an incredible professor that teach us how to motivate our students in our classes. Her sympathy is brilliant. Her way to tell her stories and experiences motivated us to be better teachers. Her name is Yvonne Pratt- Johnson, a great professional that showed methodologies to create good classes for our students! I loved to know this professional and it's good to know that we have this opportunity in our BETUSA program! Thank you!

AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!

HELLO!!! MY NAME IS ANNA PATRICA, I`M BRAZILIAN AND I LIVE IN TERESINA, STATE OF PIAUI. THE EXPERIENCE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK, HAS BEEN AMAZING AND VERY INTERESTING. AS A TEACHER AND IN A PERSONAL WAY, IT`S A CHANCE TO IMPROVE MY ENGLISH PROFICIENCY. AND NOTHING BETTER THAN ST. JOHN`S UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK.
I AM VERY HAPPY AND THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

A good experience!

So here I am to write about an incredible experience that happened last week. On Friday, all my Brazilian colleagues were waiting our teacher Aaron to go to the New York Library at the atrium of St. John's University. But when everybody went out to take a subway, I forgot my hat at the atrium and when I came back to join to the group, they disappeared. Then, I looked around, looking for the group,but I didn't find anyone.I thought to myself and decided to go on. First, I took a wrong subway and I went to the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial kkkkkk. It was good because I took many pictures. After this, I took another subway uptown and I arrived to Times Square again. I walked around the streets and took many pictures in places like Empire State Building, Madison square park, famous buildings, etc. I walked by myself but it was a great experience for me. I don't like to be alone, but in this case, it was nice because I have chance to explore the places where I was. So, It was fantastic for me. And at the end of the day I came back to the University and my classmates asked me: " Where were you?" and I said: " Walking alone in New York City".

Living in New York!

Hello everybody! My name is Gildo Veloso. I'm from Teresina, Piauí. It's a State in the northeast of Brazil. I am in New York. It's a great pleasure to be here for the first time in the United States living this great experience! First, I'd like to write about my impressions about this big New York City! Ow it's a huge place every part of this city reminds me a location in a movie or series! The first place that I visited was Times Square. When I arrived there, I looked around and asked to myself: "Am I really here?". After this, I went to many other places like Central Park, Brooklin Bridge, Madison Square Garden, High Line, Madison Square Park,Washington Square Park, Rockfeller Center, Bryant Park, East Harlem, Parks in the other side of Brooklin Bridge, Grand Central Terminal, many stores, etc. Here, I have the opportunity to be in contact with the native american people! It's the possibility to practice my English with americans, my teachers and my colleagues from Brazil, too! Thanks to all members of St. John's University to receive us in New York!

OUR FIRST DAY IN THE UNITED STATES

HI, everyone.
I`m Antonio Gallas Pimentel an English teacher in the city of Parnaiba, located on the sea coast of the state of Piaui in the Northeast of Brazil. It`s my first time in the United States. I am enjoying a lot this new experience of improvement of Englhis vocabulary, pronunciation, readning, listening and of course, learning newu techinics of teaching in order to apply in my classroom in Brazil.
We are a group of twenty four english teachers from Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe and Parana .All of us are enjoyng a lot.
Our first day in New York was  Sunday, January, 13. As we  didn`t have classes we decided to go for a tour in Manhatan and Brooklyn`. We visited The Financial Center of  New York,  The Saint Chapel then we went to the sixth avenue in Brooklyn where the wemen enjoyed a lot  spanding money at Macy`s and  Forever twenty one.
On our back to saint John`s University, we got lost for a moment on the subway, but we found solidary people ho helped us to find our way back to St. John`s University.  It was an amazing experience.

It's a pleasure to be in a public library in New York City, USA. First of all it is to be part the real story of my life. In addition to this I could feel that this place is the heart of all American, because their lives are in it. Then, nobody dies, however their lives are written in the books. If we want to know someone or some important facts we can open the book and read them. The most important is that anybody can go there. Not only students, but each citizen that wants open their mind for the new, for the dicovery and for their life. We are much more together.   ANTONIA IRIS

From Teresina-Piauí-Brazil to New York-NY -The USA… I am really here!!!

Hi, everybody!!!! My name is Francineide Maria da Silva but everybody calls me Fran. Let me tell me more about me. I am from Teresina the capital of Piauí which is located in the northeast of Brazil.  This is my first trip and it is an important opportunity to improve my knowledge about the English language. I am so happy… seems like a dream! A wonderful dream in which everything that I had learned and read in books, magazines or saw in TV is now real!!!! Of course this course will help me with new methodologies. I am really here!!! It is amazing! I am enjoying every moment…