English Conversation Class Can Art Change the World

English Conversation Class Can Art Change the World The topic for our first group English conversation class is, which will take place on Wednesday, March 16 at 9 PM GMT, is: Can Art Change the World?This topic was inspired by the 2011 TED Prize winner, semi-anonymous French street artist JR. JR started out as a on the streets of Paris, where he began photographing fellow graffiti artists, and posting the photos in public spaces as illegal street exhibitions.His projects became more and more ambitious over time. In 2006, he enlarged photos of thugs from the suburbs of France after large riots there, and posted them on walls in wealthy neighborhoods.A photo of JRs Face to Face project in the Middle East. © jr-art.netIn 2007, he created the largest illegal photo exhibition ever, entitled Face to Face. For this project, he photographed Israelis and Palestinians that worked in the same professions, then posted the portraits next to each other on either side of the wall that separates Israel and Palestine.Since then, JR has continued to c reate interesting and daring art projects around the world, often in places that are considered too dangerous to visit. After winning the TED Prize, the TED Foundation gave JR one wish, which it then uses its resources to help fulfill.JRs wish is to do a massive art project, in which people from all over the world can send him photos, that he will then have printed, and mail back for people to create their own JR-like street art exhibitions.Below you can watch a video in which JR himself explains his work and the project. Youll also find several links to additional reading about his work and the TED project. Click here to register for a group English conversation class about JRs work, and the question: Can Art Change the World?Read more about JRs work, and the TED Prize here.Click here to become part of his art project.

GCSE Spanish tips for the speaking exam

GCSE Spanish tips for the speaking exam GCSE Spanish tips for the speaking exam by Max W As the GCSE speaking exams are fast approaching, we have got one of our top Spanish tutors to offer his top tips for how to prepare for the dreaded Spanish oral test… Get comfortable with the language! The amount of people who have language degrees but can’t really speak the language is staggering. A great way to manage the language and learn to listen is to try to convert everything you do into Spanish. Start with the TV, switch it off and instead go online to this link.  Select the news show or any Spanish programme that sounds interesting to you and spend a few minutes each day listening in on the world and improving your Spanish at the same time! Get comfortable saying the words. Reading out loud is a great way to start recognizing the sounds and get your tongue used to pronouncing words that can be a real struggle. Also try talking to yourself in Spanish. This will help you use the language in a natural manner. Get comfortable expressing your thoughts. Here, you are trying to train your brain to pluck words from your memory with the same fluidity that you manage with English. In Spanish, there is not just one way to say something. The English language has one of the largest vocabularies in the world because we have single words that describe a single situation, feeling, sensation or thought. In Spanish things are more fluid, more relaxed and more emotive. Try not to confine yourself to learning Spanish in a scientific manner:   have fun, play around with the words and enjoy talking! Practice, Practice, Practice!  The more you practice speaking Spanish, the more natural it will come to you. Make sure you understand the format of your Spanish speaking exam and practice every element of it, whether that be a presentation, answers to questions on different conversational topics, role-plays, or anything else. Try and get someone to speak with rather than just speaking to yourself because this will allow you to really understand the language and develop a conversation, which is what you want to replicate in the exam. Finally, you must try to relax! The last few minutes before your oral exam can be almost painful. Keep calm and remember that all you are doing is going into a room and having a conversation with someone. Breathe deeply, drink some water and remember that the examiner is not trying to catch you out. He or she wants you to be comfortable enough to answer their questions in a natural manner. Good luck! Fancy booking a lesson with Max? Click here to see his profile page. Or you can search Tutorfair using your postcode to find fantastic Spanish tutors in your area. Illustration from  www.clickmediaagency.com   CC-by