v k . c o m / e n g .

b u d d y

English Buddies
July 19 - 23
Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 (with Zhenya)
Wednesday 10:30 - 11:30 (with Ludmila)
Discuss the three different forms of education. Think of the following questions:

- When do people normally get each kind of education?

- How important is each type?
- Which one is the most effective?
4 min
Ways of learning
What idea about learning does

each photo show?

How effective is each way

of learning?

10 min
Making mistakes
Do you learn more by making mistakes or by doing everything perfectly?
How do you feel when you make a mistake?
- in life
- in education
- at work

5 min
Read the sentences which contain idioms. What might these idioms mean? With your
speaking partner, give an explanation to each one.
(Check your answers on slide 6)
1. The teacher gave the group A for effort. Honestly, the group’s work is just okay.
2. One school of thought suggests that we teach kids a second language at an early age. Another
school of thought says that we should teach kids a second language only after they have learned
their native language.
3. She learned from the school of hard knocks that failures are not the end but rather a part of her
journey to success
4. After a show of hands, the class voted to go on a field trip to Southeast Asia.
5. The study group has covered a lot of ground today.
6. I had to study English grammar rules by heart because I wanted to write essays. I had to learn the
spellings of English words by rote because I did not want any misspellings in my essay.

Which of the idioms could you use to talk about your learning or teaching
experience?
Idioms 7 min
a form of voting for something or someone by literally raising hands. It is usually
1. a show of hands done to know how people think and what they want.

2. a school of thought a particular way of thinking, living, or acting. It can refer to a set of beliefs or actions.

a way of learning valuable lessons in life through practical experience and not
3. a school of hard knocks through the books

4. learn by heart -to understand something so well that we need not exert too much effort when thinking about it
and learn by rote -to memorize something so well but without thinking too much about its true meaning

5. cover a lot of ground try to learn and discuss many topics

We give this to people who try to put in their best in a work, which may or may not
6. A for effort necessarily be great, acceptable or successful
 At college/university
freshman sophomore junior senior undergraduate graduate post-graduate
1. Was there any striking difference between your school and
college and university?
2. What issues caused you the most angst when you were a
freshman?
3. What resources did your college/university offer and which
would you wish you had access to?
4. Is there anything you wish you had known of or done
differently if you were a student again?
10 min
Which one do you like best? Why?
Thank You!