Teenager Rallies Youth to Protect the Planet

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by Cameron Ready, Huffington Post  April 22, 2015  

Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez is only 14 years old, but he's committed to changing the world.

The Colorado teen is the youth director of Earth Guardians, a nonprofit that encourages young people to connect and become involved in environmental activism.

Through a variety of demonstrations and projects -- including an eco hip-hop duo that he created with his younger brother -- Xiuhtezcatl works to engage other youth leaders and share important environmental issues. The brothers have produced songs like “What the Frack?” and “Speak for the Trees” to deliver these messages in a way that is fun and accessible for other young adults.

There are Earth Guardian teams in 25 different countries around the world, each working on projects specific to their own region but focused on the planet as a whole. On Sunday, the Earth Guardians crew in Togo, West Africa, organized a tree planting and community celebration in anticipation of Earth Day. Last summer, the Australian group held a Youth Environmental Awareness Day. The New York crew holds a weekly youth open mic night at a farmer’s market. All of these projects seek to join young people together to make the Earth sustainable.

“As young people we have the advantage that the world will listen to us more so than adults,”
Xiuhtezcatl says. “Because we’re vulnerable and we’re innocent.”

His work has led him to speak in front of world leaders at United Nations forums, and earned him the 2013 “Youth Change Maker of the Year” award from President Obama. This summer he'll travel National Geographic on an Arctic expedition to study glacial recession.

“The biggest challenge we face is shifting human consciousness, not saving the planet,” Roske-Martinez says. “Because the planet doesn't need saving; we do.”

Chris Hadfield: Space Superstar

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has made space "cool" again. For the past five months Hadfield, the Canadian commander of the International Space Station, has tweeted, snapped stunning photos and regularly contacted folks back home.

On Sunday, hours before his planned return to earth, he left orbit in style tweeting a video of himself as Major Tom in a remake of David Bowie's  classic hit , " Space Oddity." 

The video, shows Hadfield singing a "revised" version of Bowie's song aboard the International Space Station while floating in space, looking out the window at the earth,

The first music video ever shot in space was sent to earth via twitter and quickly went viral.
Since it first appeared on You Tube on Sunday, it has been viewed more 6.9 million times.

David Bowie, who released the original song  in 1969 when astronaut Neil Armstrong’s first walked on the moon, was among thousands to tweet it. 

“Hallo Spaceboy,” he wrote, recalling a song from his album, Outside.

The video and the reaction  has gained around the world has been a musical climax to  mission in which Commander Hadfield has attracted a global audience with updates from 240 miles up.


Hadfield, who is already a Twitter sensation with more than 800,000 followers, has posted incredible pictures of the world from space, including of Africa and war-torn Syria.He has also  posted dozens of videos demonstrating everything from how to  brush your teeth, and wring out a cloth  in weightless space to what happens to tears. 

His poetic tweets, photos and videos have changed the way many think about space, 44 years after he was inspired to go there as a nine-year-old watching the Moon landings at his parents’ Ontario farm.





To learn more about Chris Hadfield and why he is so popular click on any of the following links. 

• Chris Hadfield Safely Returns to Earth
• Seven Lessons Chris Hadfield  Taught Us From Outer Space 
• How Chris Hadfield Turned Earthlings onto Space \
• Hadfield's Next Mission: Intensive Rehab  
• Chris Hadfield Space Oddity is a Hit: What's Next for Space Superstar
• Chris Hadfield, Astronaut, "Troubadour, Tweeter and a True Space Oddity. 
• Chris Hadfield Space in Pictures
• The Nature of Things: The Man Who Tweeted Earth

ESL Mother's Day Songs and Activities

Happy Mother's Day!  

I am both a mother and a daughter, so I thought I would put together a few songs that convey how different people feel about their mothers. I hope that one or more mean something to you. 

1.  The Mom Song:   

Several years ago, Anita Renfroe, a suburban mother from Atlanta Georgia wrote down all the things she catches herself saying to her children every day. 

She arranged them into a long list, made them vaguely scan and rhyme, and set them to the music of Rossini's William Tell Overture. Finally, she performed the song at her church on Mother's Day

TASK:

Before you listen: 

• Make a list of all the things your mother told you to do and not to do when you were a child.  For example:" " Don't eat with your mouth full." 

•  If you are also a mother, make a list of all the things you have told your children to do and not to do. 
  

 While and After You Listen: 

•  Listen to the song and read the lyrics several times.
• As  you listen, think about which of these expressions or words sound familiar. Which ones match the ones on your list.
• Write down the specific words or expressions your own mother said to you 

Do you think mothers from different cultures are the same or different?  Why? Discuss what they have in common and what might be different.

I have used this version, sung by Patty Harshley instead of Anita Renfroe's original version because the words are clearer when she sings it. Here is the original link for Anita Renfroe's version. .

All of the next songs include gap fill and other activities. 

Scroll down the right hand side. 

#2 : Mama by B.J. Thomas 

When I was growing up, this song by Bl,J. Thomas was very popular, particularly around Mother's Day.   The slide show on the video represent what the 1950s and 1960s  looked like in North America so well that they could be about my own childhood. 

I have included several activities for this song: a listening gap fill, a vocabulary exercise, a grammar activity and discussion questions.  Enjoy.   





#3:  The Best Day by Taylor Swift 

Taylor Swift is a famous country singer who became a major success at the age of 15. At the age of 16, she wrote this song as a love letter to her mother, Andrea Swift, who usually traveled with her while she was on tour. 

Swift  told CMT Radio that wrote the song while she was traveling on the road and that she kept it as a secret from her mother until Christmas. 

As Swift explains: " In the first verse, I was talking about being 5 years old, so as a writer it was really fun to go back to that place of the way I used to talk when I was 5."

Taylor said that when she played the song for her mother on Christmas  Day, " my mother had no idea it was me singing for the first half of the song. But, she just broke down crying when she realized I had done the whole thing to surprise her. It was a really cool moment." 

Taylor can no longer play this song when is on tour because her mother always breaks down in tears backstage every time she plays it. 

#4:   A Song for Mama by Boyz to Men 

This is a very sentimental song about the importance of mothers.  Do any of you feel this way? 
 

  # 



5: Good Mother by Jan Arden 
 
The video from this song is different than the others. Listen and watch. Then answer the following questions with a friend, member of your own family or a group. 

1. How does this video along with the song make you feel? Why?
2. Why do you think Jan Arden chose to use this particular video to illustrate this song?
3. What message is she trying to communicate?
4. Does it work? Explain.
5. What message is Arden communicating in her song?  

A Few Thinking or Discussion Questions: 

1.  What do each of the songs have in common?  Give examples.
2.  What are some of the differences between the songs? Give examples?
3.  Which of the songs best represents what a mother is for you? Explain.
4. .Which of the songs did you like best? Why? 
5.  Which of the songs did you like least?  Why? 
6.   If you could write a song for or about your mother what would it say? 

World AIDS Day 2012:Getting to Zero

Tomorrow on World Aids Day, it is important to realize that despite achievements in both education and treatment, the world is still suffering from a global AIDS epidemic  

Yes, the number of HIV/AIDS cases around the world has finally stabilized. 

But, more than a million people a year are still getting the disease.

And, nine million victims of AIDS still don't have access to life-saving medication that would prevent them from dying. 

Also, let's not forget  that scientists still haven't found a cure for AIDS. 

So, we can't afford to sit around feeling complacent. Not only do we need to keep informing ourselves, we need to spread that information to the millions who are still unaware of some of the basic facts about AIDS. It is also time for us to DO something - whether it be learning  the facts, or by  getting more involved. in the AIDS movement. 

"Oh, we won't get AIDS "

As I was sitting in my Vancouver kitchen listening to the radio today, I heard  something that truly shocked me.  An interviewer was talking to a group of young people about AIDS and how they felt about it. 

The kids answered, " Oh we don't really have to be careful.  It could never happen to us."

"Why is that?" asked the interviewer.

:" We're not gay. Only gay people get AIDS." 

I had to laugh. Had these kids never noticed what was happening in Africa, Asia, and other countries around the world?

Had they not read stories about women and children here in Canada and the U.S. who were suffering from AIDS?

Had they completely ignored their school counsellors, and the pamphlets and warnings which are regularly given to young people - especially young people in high school. . 

This year's poster by a Canadian AIDS organization truly does say it all. 26 % of Canadians who have HIV AIDS don't even know it.

If you take those statistics and apply them to every country in the world, imagine what those numbers would be.  

Getting to Zero

30 years ago, the world acted to fight against HIV/AIDS. Extraordinary action generated around the world has saved millions of lives and brought hope to millions more. But, there is still a lot to be done.
  The World Health Organization has determined that the theme for World Aids Day from 2011 to 2015 is "Getting to zero by 2015: Zero new HIV infections,  Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths".

The focus on  zero new HIV infections and zero discrimination means placing an even greater focus on education.  The  focus on "Zero AIDS related deaths"  means pushing for much more access to antiretroviral medication for AIDS victims in Africa, India and Asia and a call for governments to act now.

WHO Video: Helping to get 15 million people onto antiretroviral treatment by 2015

A newly released United Nations World Aids Day Day report by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)  shows that a renewed commitment to dealing with the worldwide AIDS epidemic  is producing results.

United Nations Aids Report Findings:  

Declining new HIV infections in children
The area where perhaps most progress is being made is in reducing new HIV infections in children. Half of the global reductions in new HIV infections in the last two years have been among newborn children.

Fewer AIDS-related deaths
The report shows that antiretroviral therapy has emerged as a powerful force for saving lives. In the last 24 months the number of people accessing treatment has increased by 63% globally.

More investments
The report shows that countries are increasing investments in the AIDS response despite a difficult economic climate. The global gap in resources needed annually by 2015 is now at 30%. In 2011, US$ 16.8 billion was available and the need for 2015 is between US$ 22-24 billion.

WHO Video: Helping to get 15 million people onto antiretroviral treatment by 2015 

 The 10 goals for 2015

• Sexual transmission of HIV reduced by half, including among young people, men who have sex with men and transmission in the context of sex work. 

• Vertical transmission of HIV eliminated and AIDS-related maternal deaths reduced by half;

•  All new HIV infections prevented among people who use drugs;

•  Universal access to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment;

•  TB deaths among people living with HIV reduced by half;

•  All people living with HIV and households affected by HIV are addressed in all national social protection strategies and have access to essential care and support;

• Countries with punitive laws and practices around HIV transmission, sex work, drug use or homosexuality that block effective responses reduced by half;

•  HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence eliminated in half of the countries that have such restrictions;

• HIV-specific needs of women and girls are addressed in at least half of all national HIV responses;

•  Zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

How much do YOU know about HIV/AIDS?
 
Go to the following websites to see if you can answer these questions. 

• HIV/AIDS Basics  
• Aids Basics: What is HIV Aids? 
• HIV 101 
• HIV 101 Protect Yourself 
• HIV What You Can Do 
• 30 years of Aids: A Look Back at the Problems, the Research and the Achievements)

Comprehension Questions

1.     What is HIV? What is AIDS? 
2.     What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?  
3.     How can a person get HIV or AIDS?
4.     Who can get HIV or AIDS?
5.    Where does HIV/AIDS come from?  What caused it?
6.    How can people avoid getting HIV or AIDS?
7,    Why do experts stay that a person can have HIV or AIDS and not know it?
8.    What are the symptoms of HIV or AIDS?
9.    What are the treatments for HIV/AIDS
10   What countries in the world have the highest incidence of HIV / AIDS? Why?
11.  What countries in the world have the highest death rates due to AIDS? Why? 


VIDEO LISTENING PRACTICE: 

Watch the following video and answer the questions below. 

Questions: 

1.   What was responsible for saving man's and his wife's life? 
2.   Why the man mean when  he says "I did more than just survive?" 
3.   Why was the young girl born HIV free? 
4.   How did people discriminate against the man and his family? 
5.   Why do millions of people have a better chance of surviving today? 
6.  What is preventing people in the
7.  Lists all the benefits of AIDS treatments  the man spoke about.   


Listen, do the exercise and and sing along  

525,600 Minutes with Lyrics

Three Reasons to Watch News Podcasts

Are you looking for a new and easier way to  find out what is going on around the world?

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, is now broadcasting a 10 minute TV news podcast called The National on Demand.

Only available as a podcast on the Internet from Monday to Friday, the 10 minute newscast features the most important national and international stories of the day. 

Why Watch the National on Demand?    

It Can Help Improve your Ability to Make "Small Talk" 

Watching these short newscasts gives you with the opportunity to keep up with current events " in English. Many of you, especially immigrants who actually want to try,  have problems making small talk with people at work or in other situations. Often this is because you don't know what to talk about. If you live in an English speaking country, it is always an advantage to be able to talk about what is going on. 

Watching short newscasts and being aware of events happening around the world gives you an automatic opening, or even long lasting topic to speak about when you are trying to make small talk. 

It Can Improve your Understanding of "Fast English"

Regular listening and watching can also help you to understand "fast English" One of the most common complaints I hear from students is " that they can't understand the real news because the announcer speaks too fast. 

I believe it.  But, this will continue to be true forever unless you do something to help yourself understand " fast" English. Listening to or watching programs such The National on Demand, or Six Minute News on  BBC is an excellent way to train your ear to become familiar with "fast English,", particularly fast English news. The more you listen to fast English, the more your gets used to the stress, rhythm and intonation of  the way English speakers speak. Keep in mind, this may be fast English, but is correctly spoken  English.  

One of the terrific features of the News on Demand is that it has a library of hundreds of previous newscasts. This means you can listen to a variety of different newscasts over and over again as often as you want. 

It Can Help Improve Your Topic Based Vocabulary  
 

Finally, regularly listening to and watching a program such as News on Demand  can help you to increase your topic based vocabulary.  News programs usually use the same vocabulary for topics such as the environment, economic issues, international conflicts, labour issues, crime etc. So, the more you hear and pay attention to specific words, the easier it will be to remember them.

 

Remember, one of the most important aspects about learning and remembering vocabulary is familiarity. If you keep hearing a word or an expression like " the government has banned banned smoking, drinking, eating,( prohibited, will not allow, not permit),  or  contract talks have fallen through, or broken down ( they have failed) 10 times or more, you are much more likely to remember what they mean than if you have only heard it once. The word banned means prohibited, or not allowed. 

To watch the 10 minute podcast go to The National on Demand .   You can also subscribe to the newscast and receive it every day as an  itunes podcast   or through an RSS subscription feed.

For information on how to get the most out of watching an English news program, read my 
next post: Tips for on How to Watch or Listen to the News. 

Two Helpful ESL Sites

Five years ago, ESL/EFL learners only had a few websites specifically aimed at helping them to improve their listening and speaking. Today, there are an increasing number of sites they can click on to practice listening and speaking, and pronunciation.  This is all due to the increasing amount of technology that is now available, as well as to the good will and dedication of many ESL teachers all over the world who are designing free practice activities for learners.  

In the post I will discuss two specific sites that are helpful, but before I do, readers should seriously think about expressing their thanks to those hard working instructors out there who truly want them to have the opportunity to practice out of class.  

English Central: Learning English with Video  


 

EnglishCentral is a Japan-based company backed by Google Ventures which "aims to become the premier, web-based conversational English language learning destination for desktop and mobile users."  The site is designed to help  students  improve their spoken English by watching and listening to videos and then recording their own version of each phrase they hear. Currently there are 196 categories including daily life, social, health, education, environment etc. The site's speech recognition technology evaluates your performance and gives you a score.  Each video has three levels of difficulty: easy, medium and hard.  As things stand now, the site is free and lets hope it remains so. You do have to register, but this only takes a few minutes.

VERDICT:
 I haven't personally tried it out, but others who have tell me that although the system seems a little off at the beginning - probably because you are getting used to it - it seems to work well after several tries.


Here is another site you should take a look at   [via Larry Ferlazzo]

VOA News.com Learning English: The Classroom

Voice of America has had its excellent Special English section for a while now, offering accessible news stories for learners of English. They've now added a new feature: The Classroom.  Here you will find Articles and Activities at 3 different skill levels, as well as an Idiom Dictionary and a Wordbook.

VERDICT
A very attractive site, which makes good use of Flash animation and sound. The only problem I have is that all of the articles (including the Advanced level ones)  are read in
slow ESL speak. While this is helpful for lower level English learners, students at the advanced level need to  be listening to  material that has been recorded at native speaker speed..

Let me know what you think.

How to Improve Your Listening: Listen to Podcasts

Last week several of my students told me they really wanted to improve their listening, but  didn't have many opportunities to listen to English outside of class. They said they worked in a non-English environment, or worked completely alone. 

Listen to English Podcasts 

I told them  listening to English podcasts on an iPod, or mp3 player was probably the best way I knew they could improve their English listening skills very quickly.

What is a podcast?
A podcast is an audio file that you download from the Internet. After you download it, you can listen to it on your computer or on an MP3/portable music player (for example, an iPod or iRiver). You can subscribe to a podcast so that it is delivered to you automatically each day, just like a newspaper.

Create your own Playlists 

The wonderful thing about iPods is that you can create your own playlists. This means that you are not stuck listening to one specific program all day long. Depending on your mood, you can listen to a specific ESL podcast on how to list your abilities in a job interview, a 20 minute news show, 20 minutes of English songs, and finally a half hour radio show that you enjoy. Finally, you can even listen to a very funny show in which two guys talk about cars.  

Thousands of  choices

There are thousands of podcasts on the Internet, just waiting for you to listen to. Many of these include ESL podcasts designed and prepared by English teachers. Many others include normal programs that advanced students can probably enjoy. I have included some links to podcasts on the right hand side. Look for Podcasts. You can listen to an  endless variety of topics: sports, arts and crafts, business, finance, education, family, children politics, economics, books, just to name a few. All you have to do is become familiar with what is out there, download what you like and create your own playlist for your iPod.  You can play your podcasts when you are going for a walk, riding the bus, working in the backroom at work,cutting the grass, or simply sitting on a park bench.  

Instant Replay: You're In Control 

Unlike the old days when you had no control over what you were listening to, you are now in the driver's seat. If you don't completely understand something, you can play it again. If you only understand 35 per cent the first time, listen again and boost your comprehension to 50%, or 70%  The more you play, the more you will understand. You will gradually begin to understand that you do not need to know every word in order to get the point.

Improve your Vocabulary 

Of course, the more you listen to specific topics, particularly the news, the more your vocabulary will improve.  News vocabulary tends to fall into categories: environment, politics, crime, weather, disasters, the economy.  Reporters usually use the same words in  these stories. When you build news listening into your iPod listening playlist, you will hear the same vocabulary frequently repeated. You can't help but start to remember them. 

Get Comfortable with the Rythem and Sound of English 

Another wonderful benefit of listening to different podcasts, news and music on your iPod 

is that you will start feeling much more at ease with the sound and rhythm of English.  Some of the fast English you previously found difficult will seem clearer and easier to understand. If you are really motivated, singing along with the music will help both your vocabulary and your pronunciation. 

I hope I've sold you on the benefits of creating your own English podcast playlists. They definitely can help you.  

Here are a few podcast lists to get you started. Don't forget. There are many more.  

Canada Podcasts-

CBC :Podcasting
Large List of ESL Podcasts

Rong Chang's Podcast List
VOA Special English :Podcasts



Please let me know if this is helpful. Your feedback is important to me.

7 Billion: Are You Typical? -- National Geographic Magazine

Here is National Geographic’s video featuring information on the world’s “most typical” person. There is a lot of food for thought here. I know the video is not that recent, and I recall watching it some time ago, but as the date for the world’s 7^th million birth approaches, I think it’s worth re-watching, don’t you? 

Send it to a friend, so that he or she can think about it too. Sometimes you need to watch something two or three times before the information truly sinks in. We’ve got it so in incredibly good here in Canada, that we have forgotten that more than half of the world doesn`t have  enough food to eat. Few of us want to think about the millions that will die on Thanksgiving Day next week as we eat our turkey and complain about the increasingly high cost of living. 

We should. Then we should make a phone call  to donate money to someone, anyone in need. We owe it ourselves if we want to keep our self-respect.   

Five Ways Audio Books Can Help You Improve Your English

English audio books are a great resource for ESL students. Now that your language and reading skills are improving, it's important to learn how to pronounce new words and to understand the way people actually speak the language. One of the best ways to do that is to use audio books. When you do this, you listen to a someone read the text while you follow along.
Many ESL learners still read English word by word. Unfortunately reading in this
way actually prevents you from understanding what you are reading because you are focusing on on individual words rather than whole ideas. A word by itself has no meaning, but when put into a phrase or a sentence, it communicates an idea.

When you listen to a book at the same time as you are reading it, you can hear an English speaker reading the whole sentence and paragraph. Your eye moves along the paragraph along with the speaker's words. This can help you to improve your understanding of what you are reading.

Audio books can also help you to understand the pronunciation of words you are unfamiliar with. When you listen to an audio book, you also learn new vocabulary in the way it is meant to be spoken, as well as how to use specific grammar skills when speaking, reading and writing.

You can also “shadow read” after the speaker on the recording Shadow reading involves repeating the sentence, or paragraph after the reader has finished.This way you can practice the new words as well as the natural English phrasing the reader will use.

Another benefit to English audio books is listening to the language spoken at different speeds. Since many people do not speak slowly with many pauses in between words you will need to increase the speed that you understand the English language.

The easiest way to do this is to find English audio books that offer one to three different speeds that you can listen to. As you gain confidence in your reading skills—you will be able to move up to a normal speed and still be able to understand the stories being read.

Finally, English audio books also provide an easy way for you to listen to a variety of action packed stories and then practice your reading comprehension skills. Once you have listened to the English audio book—you should be able to answer questions about the story that will reflect your understanding of the material. Once you are able to do this accurately—you should be able to move up to the next level.

Overall, an English audio book is an excellent method to help you improve your English. Not only can practice and improve your comprehension, but you can also learn how to correctly pronounce many everyday words, as well as how to hear the way English people naturally speak – in phrases.

Audio Books are easy to find. You can locate them online, or at your local public library.The important thing is to look for topics that personally interest you. This could be a non fiction book on how to build a boat, or about new computer. It could also be a romance, mystery or science fiction novel. Even children’s books can be entertaining. You would be surprised at the mumber of new words you can learn. The main point is to have an enjoyable experience.

Here is a list of websites that offer free English audio books .

The Librivox Free Audiobook Collection

Audio Books

Open Culture Free Audio Books

Lit to Go

Books Should Be Free

Ways to Listen

First, download the audio book. You can then, transfer the MP3 file to your IPod so that you can listen on the bus, during your break at work, or simply when you are out for a walk. Another way is to burn the file onto a CD that you can play in your car. Listening to an interesting story is a great way to use your time if you get stuck in traffic. You can also simply download the file onto your computer and follow the text as you listen.

To get a free copy of the text of the novel, go to Internet Open Library and search for the book you want.