The Bardwell Road Centre Podcast Geoff Taylor

Topic: Personal Introductions

In this show, adult students in an English for Everyday Use language course at pre-intermediate level (G03) introduce themselves.

We hear interviews with:

Ahmed (U.A.E.)
Mengyao (Sunny) (China)
Jabir (Qatar)
Rashid (Qatar)
Roman (Ukraine)
Cristian (Argentina)
Miho (Japan)
Guillermo (Argentina)

Please listen to our interviews and add your comments on our blog page at bardwellroad.podomatic.com.

Preparation for this introductory show: Geoff (the group's second teacher), gave each student a copy of a template script for the start and end of the show (the "intro" and "outro"), and a list of personal topics. The students took turns interviewing each other, responding without a script, i.e. spontaneously.

This show was recorded in class, on the teacher's Apple MacBook Pro computer with Apple's Garageband application and a Samson Meteor Mic. The Garageband jingle used is Vino. After editing in Garageband and Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence), the audio volume was levelled using the program Levelator (www.gigavox.com/levelator), and the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.

Presenters: Elizaveta and Isabela
Topic: Makeup

In this show, adult English language students in GO1 class talk about makeup. Elizaveta, from Russia, and Isabela, from Brazil, host the show. They chose the topic, prepared the questions, introduce the show and interview their classmates.

We hear interviews with:

Macarena (Argentina)
Isidora (Chile)
Pauline (Belgium)
Dimitri (Belgium)
Gabriela (Venezuela/Spain)
Alessandro (Italy)
Quinten (Holland)
Stijn (Holland)

Interview questions
(If you are listening in class, you could ask a partner the interview questions, then choose one or more of the speakers and note their answers.)
Girls
1. Do you use make-up? If yes, how often? How much time do you spend on it?
2. Who taught you to use make-up?
3. Do you think make-up is good or bad for your skin? Why? Why not?
4. Do you prefer basic make-up or strong?
5. How do you think make-up could be considered as fake beauty? Why? Why not?
6. Could you completely change your appearance with make-up?
7. Could you date a boy who uses make-up?
Boys
1. What do you think about girls who use make-up? Do you prefer girls with make-up or without?
2. Can you tell when the girl is using make-up or not?
3. Have you ever used make-up?
4. Do you know that every man eats 3 kilos or more of make-up during his life only by kissing? Do you like it?
5. If the girl with whom you fell in love is ugly without make-up, what would you do?
6. Do you think is it acceptable for men to use make-up? Why? Why not? What about famous actors and pop stars?

This show was recorded in class, on group teacher, Geoff's, Apple MacBook Pro computer with the GarageBand app and a Samson Meteor Mic microphone. The GarageBand jingle used is Greasy Wheels. After editing in GarageBand and Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence), the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.

Presenters: Macarena and Stijn
Topic: Alcohol

In this show, adult English language students in GO1 class talk about alcohol. Macarena, from Argentina, and Stijn, from the Netherlands, host the show. They chose the topic, prepared the questions, introduce the show and interview their classmates.

As a class, we had watched a BBC Horizon Science documentary "Is Ecstasy worse than Alcohol?", with expert testimony from scientists charged by the UK government to evaluate the relative harmfulness of the most commonly used drugs in the UK. This podcast is an extension of the discussion following that. Before listening to the interviews, please note that some of what you will hear is clearly intended to be "tongue-in-cheek" (ironic).

We hear interviews with:

Isabela (Brazil)
Yana (Russia)
Isidora (Chile)
Dimitri (Belgium)
Quinten (the Netherlands)
Elizaveta (Russia)
Gabriela (Venezuela/Spain)

Interview questions
(If you are listening in class, you could ask a partner the interview questions, then choose one or more of the speakers and note their answers.)

1. Do you like alcohol?
2. When did you start drinking?
3. How often do you drink?
4. Which is your favourite drink?
5. How many drinks does it take to get you drunk?
6. Have you ever vomited from alcohol? Why?
7. From what age is it legal in your country to drink?
8. Do your parents drink?
9. Do they allow you to drink?
10. Do you have bad hangovers?
11. How often do you go to the club?
12. What do you think about clubbing in oxford?
13. What do you think about binge drinking?
14. Do you know that alcohol is worse then marihuana for you? What do you think about that?
15. Alcohol causes serious brain and liver damage, what do you think about that?
16. Can you have a good night clubbing without alcohol?
17. Have you ever had bad experiences with alcohol?

This show was recorded in class, on group teacher, Geoff's, Apple MacBook Pro computer with the GarageBand app and a Samson Meteor Mic microphone. The GarageBand jingle used is Electric Rodeo. After editing in GarageBand and Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence), the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.

Presenters: Carolina and Dimitri
Topic: Sport

In this show, adult English language students in GO1 class talk about sport. Carolina, from Brazil, and Dimitri, from Belgium, host the show. They chose the topic prepared the questions (with the teacher's help), introduce the show and interview their classmates.

We hear interviews with:

Stijn (Netherlands)
Isabela (Brazil)
Gabriela (Venezuela/Spain)
Alessandro (Italy/USA)

Interview questions
(If you are listening in class, you could ask a partner the interview questions, then choose one or more of the speakers and note their answers.)

WATCHING SPORT
How much time do you spend watching sports? (Which one(s)? Why?)
How often do you go to live sporting events?
Do you prefer team sports or individual sports? (Why? Can you give examples?)
What's the most exciting sport to watch, in your opinion? (Why?)

DOING SPORT
Do you do any sports yourself? (Which one(s)?)
How long have you been doing it(them)? (How good are you?)

MONEY AND SPORT
What do you think about people like David Beckham that earn so much money from sports?
Do you think that they deserve to earn this money? (Why (not)?)
Are sports superstars born or made?

DRUGS IN SPORT
Do you know anyone that uses steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs?
What do you think about the use of drugs in sports?
How much of a problem is it in the sports you enjoy?
If you were an athlete, would you use such drugs?
Why do some athletes risk their careers by taking drugs?
Do you think performance-enhancing drugs should be legalised?
If an athlete is caught using drugs in the Olympics, what should the punishment be?

This show was recorded in class, on group teacher, Geoff's, Apple MacBook Pro computer with the GarageBand app and a Samson Meteor Mic microphone. The GarageBand jingle used is Fireside. After editing in GarageBand and Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence), the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.

Presenters: Emiliano, Florencia, Javier
Topic: Friendship

In this show, adult English language students in GO2 class talk about friendship. Emiliano, Florencia and Javier, all from Argentina, volunteered to host the show. They chose the topic, prepared the questions (with the teacher's help), introduce the show and interview their classmates.

Emiliano, Florencia and Javier introduced an interesting change to the format of the show. They invited all the guests to sit with them around a table and got them all to respond to each question, before moving on to the next. This was a very successful strategy, and created a show of great cohesiveness. Respect!

The guests are:
Gisella (Argentina)
Dimitri (Belgium)
Alessandro (Italy/USA)
Sol (Argentina)
Gabriela (Venezuela/Spain)

Interview questions
(If you are listening in class, you could ask a partner the interview questions, then choose one or more of the speakers and note their answers.)

1) Some people say they have a close friend that they have always met on the Internet (e.g. Facebook), but never in person. Is this possible?
2) Do you think that you can have many real friends or just a few?
3) Some people say that their best friend is a pet, e.g. a dog or a cat. What would you say to somebody like this?
4) What do you usually do with your friends to have fun?
5) Could you be close friends with someone who had very different political or religious ideas from yours?
6) Can men and women ever truly be "just friends"?

This show was recorded in class, on group teacher, Geoff's, Apple MacBook Pro computer using the GarageBand application and a Samson Meteor Mic microphone. The GarageBand jingle used is Island. After editing in GarageBand, Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence) and Levelator (to equalise volumes between different speakers), the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.

Presenters: Gisella, Macarena and Victoria
Topic: Students' cultures

In this show, adult English language students in GO2 class talk about their cultures. Gisella, Macarena, Victoria, all from Argentina, very kindly volunteered to host the show. They chose the topic prepared the questions (with the teacher's help), introduced the show and interviewed their classmates.

We hear interviews with:

Arkadiy (Russia)
Javier (Argentina)
Alessandro (Italy/USA)
Maria (Russia)
Gabriela (Venezuela/Spain)
Dimitri (Belgium)

Interview questions
(If you are listening in class, you could ask a partner the interview questions, then choose one or more of the speakers and note their answers.)

1) How do you introduce yourself when you meet someone? (Do people usually shake hands when greeting? Do they kiss?)
3) How much body contact is socially acceptable? (When can people touch each other, if at all?)
4) Can you give any examples of special gestures used by people in your country?
5) What do (young) people in your country usually do for fun (entertainment)?
6) What traditional dishes do people eat in your country?
7) When you are in another country, do you try the local food?
8) Can you tell us about traditional music in your country?
10) Can you tell us about sports in your country? (What sports are popular? Can you describe any traditional sports?)
11) How do people in your country celebrate birthdays?
12) What do students in your country usually do after high school (secondary school)? Do they leave home or stay with their parents?
13) When you meet an important person, what do you do?

This show was recorded in class, on group teacher, Geoff's, Apple MacBook Pro computer with the GarageBand app and a Samson Meteor Mic microphone. The GarageBand jingle used is Fifth Avenue Stroll. After editing in GarageBand and Audacity (for noise removal and deletion of unnecessary silence), the file was converted to MP3 format. The photo was edited in Pixelmator.

This show was produced at the Bardwell Road Adult Centre, St Clare's, Oxford, UK.