Gadgets

Write your opinion on any of the gadgets we use nowadays. You may use the following model:
P1: State the topic

P2: Advantages + examples

P3: Disadvantages + examples

P4: Summary (conclusion)

Up until now kids have had sports equipment, tape recorders and radios in their rooms, but these traditional items are gone and modern technology, like PCs, games consoles, phones and other things have come into their lives.

Computers have changed the lives for many teenagers and kids. They spend more time in their bedrooms, with the computer screen in front of their eyes rather than playing outside or hanging out with their friends.

The advantages of the computers are that they can help you with your homework. Computers can also be useful in different ways, like listening to music or video chatting. 

The disadvantages are that they can cause addiction of gaming and eye disorder. 

You have to be careful with computers and take care of your health.  

Marko Dejanović, VII4, 27 March 2015

Nowadays we cannot imagine living without a mobile phone and the internet.

The internet has both good and bad sides. What I like about the internet is that I can communicate with people whenever I want. Also, the internet allows people to play a lot of interesting games and to learn everything they want. 

However, the internet is not always so useful because not all information is accurate. We can surf the internet on our mobile phones and computers. 

Mobile phones are useful because we can use them to communicate with our friends whenever we want.

Modern technology has enabled today's society to stay up to date with the whole world and everything that happens almost anywhere on the planet. 

Emilija Mijandžić, VII4

Everybody loves spending time in front of their computer, but it is sometimes not good.
Spending a lot of time  in front of the computer screen can cause a lot of problems. Too much looking at the screen can harm your eyes and sitting in the wrong position can damage your spine.
The computer can also be good. We can send an email, listen to music and surf the internet. we can write a document, keep the pictures and much more.
The computer should be safely used in order to avoid problems.

Andrea Ružić, VII4

There are a lot of electrical items which make our life easier. One of them is a computer. 

Although computers are a very important part of our lives, there are some bad sides in using them. A lot of kids sit in front of them for many hours and that is bad for their eyes. Some of them get fatter and their health gets worse because they don't play outside, ride bikes and run. 

However, PCs have good sides too. We can watch films, listen to music, write, draw and other things. We can also keep a lot of information and pictures in a computer. We can find the news in the world thanks to the internet.

If we use PCs in a right way, we'll become smarter, but we shouldn't sit in front of them for so long, or we'll become heartless.

Bojana Groza, VII4

Of all the gadgets, I mostly use my PC. I got that computer for my birthday. It is not new but I am satisfied with it.

A PC is very useful. You can play games on it. I mostly play action games. 

Computers have another good function, the internet. If you need to present something, you can download files from the internet. On the internet we have social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Over them we can catch up with our friends.

On the other hand, PCs, especially the internet, have bad sides. Some data can be misused. In fact, some people misuse  them. We need to be more careful when we put the information on Facebook.

In my opinion, a computer is a good thing. we just need to use it carefully.

Jožef Horvat, VII5   

There are a lot of gadgets which can help us. I usually use a mobile phone, a digital camera and a laptop.

When I want to download music I just press the download button and I can play the music. By watching TV I can see the whole world, different countries and people. I can hear the latest news on television and we can study some interesting facts.

However, if teenagers play video games for too long, they can damage their health, sight or back. Teenagers can forget to do their homework or go out with their friends. Up-to-date gadgets can also cause more stress.   

Gadgets are great for staying in touch, but we must be smart when we use them.

Aleksa Francuski, VII1, 1 April 2015

There are too many kinds of gadgets. They can be good and bad for us.

My favourite gadget is a mobile phone. It is really useful, but can also be bad.

You can make phone calls with your friends and always stay in touch with them. Also, you can send text messages. One of my favourite things is that you can listen to music, all kinds of music. Those are some of the good things about mobile phones.

Unfortunately, mobile phones have bad sides, too. They are expensive to use, especially this new generation. It can be stressful because you don't know who will send you a message and if that message will be rude or something good. Mobile phones can also go wrong in no time. 

I really like my mobile phone, and it's really nice to have one, even if there are some bad sides!

Dušan Bačkuljin, VII1, 1 April 2015

Today, gadgets are the most important things in our lives.

Mobile phones, laptops, TVs, computers are useful gadgets, but they are not always good. 

Mobile phones with too many functions can be too much for teenagers and they are also expensive. The packs for unlimited network wherever you are don't exactly do that. They give you the Internet when you pay a bill at the end of the month. 

Laptops are dangerous for our intimate body parts when we hold them in our lap. 

Teens sit all day long in front of the computer, chatting on Facebook or playing video games. 

Gadgets are also very useful for communication with family and friends. You can take your mobile phone and laptop almost everywhere you go. 

I think that gadgets are really the most important things in our lives and that after a couple of years everybody will have a mobile phone. Today, almost everything is a flat-screen gadget. We have touch-screen mobile phones, plasma TVs and also touch-screen monitors.   

There are more bad than good things about our gadgets. They are not that great as most people describe them.   

Julijan Cimerman, VII4, 2 April 2015

Mobile phones are very useful. We use them every day. 

We can call someone or send text messages wherever we are. We can also listen to music or play games. Also, we can take pictures of beautiful places or our and our friends and us. 

However, they have bad things about them too. Mobile phones are expensive to use. They are bad for our health too. If we use mobile phones too much, we will forget to do our homework and study.

I don't use my mobile phone too much, because I know that it's bad for my hearing.

Teodora Volarov, VII1, 15 April 2015

Activity Share Competition

The Macmillan Team has chosen my favourite classroom activity as the winner of their Activity Share Competition. I'm sure my pupils will enjoy reading the books they've sent.

'The Fruit Party' is just perfect for the first day of school. At least I do this activity with my pupils then. First, I ask my pupils to write the numbers from 1 to 5, one below another, in their notebooks. Then, I ask them to think of a basket with all kinds of fruit and pick one. They should write the name of that fruit next to number 1. After that I ask them to think of their favourite childhood toy. They should write its colour next to number 2. Shortly, I ask them to guess how many pencils they've got in their pencil cases and write their answer next to number 3. Later, I ask them to write where something they're wearing was made next to number 4. Then, I ask them to think of a letter and write the job starting with that letter next to number 5. Finally, I reveal my pupils what each number stands for (1 = their name, 2 = their surname, 3 = the number of pets they've got, 4 = the country they come from, 5 = their job) and ask them to pretend that they're at the party and meet the others. The activity includes all four skills, plus a lot of fun and mingling.

HIPPO 2015 Results

Here are the results of the 3rd HIPPO International Competition in English Language that took place on 14 March:

Kosana Jakonić VII4 (Reading: 40 + Listening: 18 = 67/70 points),
Petar Tesla VII3 (Reading: 40 + Listening: 18 = 67/70 points),
Lazar Turudija VII1 (Reading: 38 + Listening: 19 = 66.50/70 points).

By the way, the writing test questions were marked only for those who scored 100%.

All of my pupils competed in the HIPPO 3 (CEF A2) category this school year.

HIPPO International English Language Competition is organised by Global Input and Global Hippo Associations. The main sponsors are EDI Pearson and Swan Institute.

Easter 2015

A few days before Easter my younger students learned the Hot Cross Buns songs, with movements, of course.

III4

III1

III3

They also enjoyed singing the old song about Humpty Dumpty.

III4

Festivals

My older pupils, mostly girls, have taken part in the international OUP Project Contest on the topic of Festivals. As you can see, one group's designed a new festival, while another's created a poster on our local festival:

Tijana and Sanja, VII4

Bojana, Branislava and Miroslava, VII4

I'm proud to say that the group with the Owl poster reached top 20 of more than 1,000 entrants. Both groups got their certificates for taking part in this interesting contest.

Family members

Think of your favourite family member. Describe him/her in 5 paragraphs:

P1: Introduction

P2: Physical appearance

P3: Personality + examples

P4: Behaviour, habits, (dis)likes

P5: Conclusion

My favourite person is my mum. Her name is Dana.

She is in her mid forties. She is short and well-built. Her face is round and her skin is pale. She has got short, straight, brown hair and small brown eyes. She has got a small nose and thin lips.

My mum is clever and always helps me with my homework when I do not know how to do it. She is also courageous because she is not scared of anything. She is a very friendly person too.

My mum loves cooking and makes great cakes. She also loves watching movies and listening to music. She is good to me and to others, and she helps everyone in trouble.

For me, my mum is the best and I love her most.

Andrea Ružić, VII4, March 2015

My favourite person is my father. His name is Jovan and he is a funny, kind-hearted person.

My dad is  tall. He has light brown eyes and dark brown hair. 

My father is very funny. He likes to tell jokes. He is very kind but can also be very stubborn at times. When my dad is angry, he will usually stay quiet. 

He works as a doctor, so he meets a lot of people. Everyone who has ever met him says that he is a very good, outgoing person. 

My dad is my favourite person in the world and I am very lucky to have him in my life.

Kosana Jakonić, VII4, 11 March 2015

The person I love most is my mum. She is my most favourite person in the world and I want to describe her now.

My mum is 43 years old. She is very pretty and usually wears elegant clothes. She has brown eyes and her hair is curly and brown, with blonde highlights. She has the most beautiful smile in the world. Also, my mum is about 165 cm tall and slim.

She is the kindest person I know. She rarely gets angry. My mum is always smiley and cheerful.

She is a teacher and her students love her. She teaches Art and Religion.

I think we all love her, because she is very creative and always calm and patient. My mum is the most caring person I know.

Emilija Mijandžić, VII4, March 2015

My favourite person is Dana. She is my mum. I've chosen her because she is amazing.

My mum has short, straight, reddish-brown hair, brown eyes and freckles on her face. She likes to wear jeans and sweaters. She is of normal height and weight.

Mum is friendly and communicative. She loves to laugh and joke. She is also kind to me and my brother, especially when we are ill. However, she can be very easily annoyed.

I am surprised at how much work and patience is needed to take care of the family. I admire her day in, day out.

Tijana Mesaroš, VII4, March 2015

My favourite person is my dad, Arpad.

He's 46 years old. He's 1,80 m tall, has a round face and visible cheek bones. He also has short hair and an unusual beard.

My dad is funny, smart and sometimes just plain silly. However, he likes working more than wasting time on the things that are not important. He learns fast and has several jobs, so he's our family's breadwinner.

My dad's cautious and somewhat pessimistic, and always thinks twice before doing something. He likes to be alone when he is angry or not in a good mood.

He is a great man, and when I grow up I want to be just like him.

Kristian Balaž, VII2, 6 March 2015

My favourite person is my mother. 

She is forty years old. She's got long, black hair, a round face, dark eyes and small lips. She isn't tall, but she is pretty. A lot of people think that she is younger because she looks like it.

Everybody likes her because she is friendly, smart and pleasant. My mother always supports me. 

Every day she goes to work at the shop and in her spare time she enjoys watching films. Sometimes she is unhappy because she is tired.

I love my mother and I am happiest when I am with her.

Jovana Kljajić, VII2, March 2015

My sister is the person I like best. Her name is Minja and she is 12 years old. I have chosen to describe her because she is very caring about me. My sister is in Class 5.

Minja is very tall and thin. She has got long brown hair and brown eyes. She has got a pointed nose. Her lips are thin and red. My sister has got a pale skin.

She is very clever and friendly. My sister is very caring and when I am ill she always makes a cup of tea for me. 

She plays the piano and loves reading books. My sister has dance classes at the weekend and she likes studying.

I love my sister and I like all of her features.

Milan Jakšić, VII2, 18 March 2015

My favourite person is my sister. She's called Brana.
She's a teenager and she is 14 years old. She's got long, straight, brown hair. She's got a thin face, a snub nose and freckles. She's got a big smile and green eyes.
My sister is a very likeable and lovable person. I love it that she is frank with me. She is very crazy and not afraid of anything. We are very close.
She likes horses and rabbits a lot. In fact, she likes everything. Her hobby is drawing.
She is my sister and I love her, no matter what her flaws and virtues are. 

Ivana Varađanin, VII2, March 2015

I have got an older sister. Her name's Tamara and she is 21 years old. She is my idol because she is a good student.
She is of medium height and slim. Her hair is long and brown and her eyes are big and dark. She has got a long face and dark skin. Tamara has got a small nose, small ears and full lips. She looks charming with make-up, earrings, a necklace and bracelet. 
Tamara is very sociable and she likes hanging out with her friends. She is intelligent and talented/ Sometimes, she is nutty and funny.
She likes sleeping too much, but she isn't lazy. She likes travelling around the world. She often goes rollerblading or ice-skating. Her hobby is folklore.
Tamara is my favourite person because she always helps me and gives me advice.

Tijana Varađanin, VII2 

My favourite person is my mum. Her name is Ljiljana.

She is nice and polite. She always tries to surprise me with something. She is like my hero.

She has ginger, smooths, clean, short and wavy hair, dark brown eyes, small lips, bug but not too big nose and she is really tall. She is 39 years old. She was born on 9 July.

She is my mother and I love her, of course, but I know that there are some bad, really bad mums in the world and she is not like them.

My mum is a kindergarten teacher and she works in one. She loves working with kids. She likes helping me with school, homework and stuff like that. She loves flowers a lot and also make up and books. She loves reading so much. She can sometimes read really big books in a short time.

My mum is a person who loves me so much and I know that so well.

Ninoslava Marinkov, VII1, 18 March 2015

My favourite person is my mum. I have chosen her because I love her so much.

My mum is in her forties and of medium height. She has big, brown eyes and short, dark hair. Her nose is snub.

She is very clever. My mum always helps me with my homework. She is shy but always expresses her opinion. She is very good at cooking and her cake is the best.

My mum loves animals. Her favourite animal is a rabbit. Her hobby is shopping. She goes shopping every Saturday. She loves watching TV. Her favourite TV series is 'Life in Alaska'.

My mum is the best mum in the world. I love her so much.

Timea Kovač, VII5

HIPPO 2015

Three of my students in Class 7 took part in the 3rd English Language Competition on 14 March. The exam consisted of 3 parts: reading (40 multiple choice questions, 1 point each), listening (20 questions, 1.5 points each) and writing (20 questions, 10 of the same level as the test and 10 of a higher level, and the description of their future job). This time the reading test was not timed, which was a relief for everyone.

Our school hosted the preliminary round.