"What's in a rose...." Brand names

Brand names can be a company's most precious asset. Pick up a brand name and analyze it in terms of the following:
1. is there a link bewtween the product and the name?
2. if it is an international brand, was the name translated into Romanian? If not, does the name make any difference for the consumers?
3. What are the connotations (positive, negative) that the name reflects on the product?
4. Now think of a new product you would like to introduce on the market and find a suitable name for it. Explain why you think this is the best name.

ADVERTISING

This week's task is about ADVERTISING.
Pick up a commercial you've seen on TV, YouTube, etc. or an ad or poster you've encountered in a newspaper, journal or on the street hoardings and write about it considering the following:
1. What product is being advertised
2. Describe the images that you see. Is there a link between the images and the product?
3. What are the words that you hear/ the text that you can read?
4. What is the slogan/jingle?
5. What is the idea through which the product is presented/sold?
6. Motivate your choice: Why did you choose the ad? Do you think it is a successful one? Why?

Last piece of advice: try to focus on tricks advertisers use in order to convince us to buy the product, such as "the best" , "the new"... etc.

Advertising

This is an example of a Dvolver movie advertising ExtraStickyGlue created by Oana .


You can do your own ad for a product of your own choice. Go to http://www.dvolver.com, create an account and there you are.... direct a new ad.

In the end send me the movie by email and I will upload the link in our yahoogroup.

Speaking time!

It's time for you to record your voice! If you haven't done it on Vaestro, you will have the opportunity to do it on VoiceThread. This is a more attractive environment where you can comment using your voice and your webcam. You will find a set of questions on each slide. Choose only those questions you feel comfortable with and answer them. In the end (final slide) you can ask one of the participants a question and that participant will come to this blog post to give his/her answers.
I hope you will like this as it is a very attractive way of knowing one another and of using English, of course!
I am waiting for you on VoiceThread.
http://voicethread.com/share/740970/

JOIN THE YAHOOGROUP

I have created a yahoogroup for distance learning EnglishDL. In order to become members, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EnglishDL/join and click join.
In this way you will be able to receive my messages straight into your e-mail box. When you do not wish to be members anymore, i.e. at the end of the second year, you go to the same address, Click on Edit Membership and choose Leave group (at the bottom of the page.
After you have joined the group, for the beginning, you can add your photo.
Keep in touch!

A DIGITAL PRESENT FOR THE WRITING COMPETITION

This card is valid only for the first 50 viewers. I hope the winners will be among them.http://bbljoy.com/0hmvk

Week starting November 2nd - The Goldsmith's story

This week we will be talking about money issues. Your task is to go listen to the following story - don't worry if you don't understand all the words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HdmA3vPbSU Then answer the following questions: 1. Where does money come from? (Attention: money is in the singular, unlike in Romanian, we say money is, was, etc.) 2. What have you learnt from the Goldsmith's story? 3. How can you make money out of nothing?
Then go to the following site, listen to the vocabulary and do the test about banking: http://www.esl-lab.com/vocab/v-bank.htm#vocab Tell me about your score and if you found it easy or difficult.

BUSINESS VOCABULARY - Week starting October 19

This week we will learn some new business and banking vocabulary. You can listen to some of terms at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRxUWzgVrow&feature=player_embedded
Then do the bank terminology tests:
http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ii231/esl-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ii232/esl-test.php#two
You can check the right answers and explanations.
In the end watch the following funny video and sum it up in a few sentences:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD6LoWljeIU&feature=player_embedded

YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR MODERATOR APPROVAL TO POST COMMENTS

I have introduced the comment moderation feature which means that if your comment is rejected, you have to work more on it, corect the grammar or spelling mistakes. You can email me for details. When you have improved the version, republish the final version.

SOMETHING FUNNY HAPPENED - writing competition

This is a real image of a Romanian car on a Bulgarian trailer. Write a funny story of no more than 150 words linked with this image. We'll vote together for the best, funniest, no longer than 150 words story. Surprise prize for the winner!

SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR LEARNING ENGLISH EXPERIENCES

This is a speaking task you are going to fulfill using Vaestro. You will be able to use Vaestro in your professional life in order to communicate asynchronously with your co-workers. This experience will also help you become more computer literate.
In order to post on Vaestro you have to create your own account.
Opening an account
The steps are as follows: go to http://vaestro.com/ and Sign up. You have to register with your email. Then go to your email box and confirm your account opening. Click on the link provided in your email box.
At the registration information you have to creat e user ID (which should be your first name and something else, not your whole name!).
Let me know by email that you have a Vaestro Account at dimitriecantemir09@yahoo.com and I will send you an invitation.
Only after you have an account and I send you an invitation, can you post messages on the discussion channel.After you have been invited, you can sign in, go to your homepage and Browse for All channels (a button on the right upper part of the screen).
The channel you have to find is LEARNING ENGLISH EXPERIENCES. Add this channel to your subscribed channel list (this is a green cross) so that next time when you log in, it will be easier to find the channel.
Then you go for GENERAL DISCUSSION, and Topic 2205 by Anisoara.
Listen to the opinions and in the end, reply to post (by clicking an arrow on the right of the screen) Upload through microphone. Click on the microphone. Allow microphone and webcam. When you are satisfied with what you have recorded, save.
The topic about Learning English Experiences requires you to express your opinions as learners of English in school as well as in your private classes.

Talk about:

1. what you liked and what you disliked.
2. What was motivating and what was unattractive.
3. What helped you most to speak fluently and correctly.
4. What motivated you to write in English?
5. Give details about an experience you remember ( a lesson, task, homework, project) and explain what made that experience memorable.
Finally, try to be original not repeating what the others have said before. Try to be spontaneous, not reading your response. Be fair, don't make things up. This is of utmost importance for both of us.
Waiting for you on Vaestro.

KNOWING ONE ANOTHER

Although you've been travelling together for one year, there are many things, I am sure, you do not know about one another. Introduce yourself to your colleagues and future guests, your strong points and likes, why you are here studying economics and what your future plans are. Wishing you all a successful year and proper words for the first assignment this year!

INSTRUCTIONS - Welcome to the blogosphere

Welcome to our class blog!
Starting this year we will work together in a new digital medium. Tbis blog will be my link with you. Here you will find instructions about what you are supposed to do, links to exercises, assignments on which you are supposed to post comments, challenges, competitions, certificates for he best blog poster, etc.
In order to post comments you need to create your own Google account (if you don't have one already).
When you sign your comments it is recomended that you use only your first name and the initial of your last name (for safety reasons). In class we will discuss about your name id so that I could follow your comments.
If you have doubts about the correctness of your contributions, please email me (I can only speak English!!) or ask a friend/colleague to help. The comments should not be long, but try to be as original and creative, challenging and imaginative as possible when you respond to posts. Do not only respond to the teacher's post: read and comment on your colleagues' opinions as well. A blog is a conversation, so keep it going!
DON’T FORGET!
We will have guests from abroad, students from similar fields as yours.
Revisit certain tasks as you may have to answer certain questions that other visitors might have addressed you.
Everyone in the world can see what you have written, so keep an eye on correctness!

Everyone in the world can see what you have written, so keep an eye on correctness! Evaluation will be based on quality rather than quantity.
Wishing you a warm welcome to your first English class without walls!