Welcome to our second class!

Can you guess what this picture is? Write your answer in comments.
Hello everyone. Last week was our first class in the computer room, but because the following day was such an important one for the history of Australia, we didn't do the activities we usually carry out on the first computer class. Let's do them now!

This is a blog. Can you search the net for a definition of blog? Write it down in your notebook. You can publish it on your blog later.

Through the class blog and your blog activities you are going to practise your English skills. Some times we will discuss topics on our forum, other times you will practise grammar online in our Time4English subscription, and you will be reading and writing in English all the time. Not only that, you will be practising your listening through our podcast blog, Sydney's People Podcast, and you will be publishing your own radio programmes in our podomatic blog, Let's Talk!

You will need the following:

• Buy a pair of headphones with microphone (you don't have to spend more than $11.00-$12.00). You will find them in P.O shops , big supermarkets and computer shops.
  
• It's a good idea to bring a floppy disk or a memory stick to class, in order to save some of your work and to bring photos from home (you can also email the photos to yourself). Don't worry if it all sounds too much. We'll learn things step by step.

The very first thing to think about is your posture when working on the computer. It's very important to sit properly and at a good distance from the computer. So let's start work:

• Read this information about Computer Health. Click on all the links (Stretches, Postures, Consequences)


• Do the Quiz. When you finish answering the quiz, print it and keep it in your folder in the blog section.Remember to get a ring folder to be well organised with your class notes. Andrew and I will be asking you to look at things done in previous lessons, so if you keep them in order, it'll be easy to find them quickly.
  


• Last Thursday was St Valentine's Day. We were talking about the origins of this celebration in class, but had different versions. If you want to know more about it, visit this post I wrote for previous students, St Valentine's Day.


• Go to the forum and answer today's topic. It is related to Valentine's celebrations. You will need a username and password. Ask me for it.


• Now let's get going and create your own blogs. You will need an email address. If you don't have one, let me know and I'll help you get one.


• Listen to the podcast on Patricia, one of our librarians. Do the library exercises. I have printed the questions for you. You can hand the answers to me or you can write the answers in your blog. There are spare headphones in the filing cabinet top drawer. Remember to buy your own and to bring them to class on Tuesdays.
  


• Finally, look at Time4English and go to the grammar book. Do the exercises on going to & will. Ask me for the user name and password.