Pete Sharma Associates

This is a subject that has bubbled away almost since the Web was born. This piece by Raphael Behr in today’s Observer newspaper called {{link http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1567143,00.html?gusrc=rss Access Denied}} gives a good summary of the issues although, in light of current discussions in government circles around the world about monitoring Internet use for all of us whether we are good or bad, he is ultimately pessimistic.

Issue 3 / 2005 of BESIG Issues has just been published. The CD-ROM / Internet page looks at Macmillan’s English Campus and a range of new CD-ROMs for business English.

Congratulations to Oleg Tarnopolsky on another great “issue” (pun intended).

Don’t forget to check out the {{link http://www.besig.org BESIG website}} for more on the forthcoming BESIG conference in Monaco! Barney and I both hope to see you there!

The timetable for the conference in Torun has been posted on the IATEFL Poland web-site – and it looks like it will be an exciting event! I am very much looking forward to my second trip to Poland this year – and renewing old acquaintances. Perhaps I’ll see you there?

Chapter seven of Evan Frendo’s new book “How to Teach Business English” (Longman) looks at distance learning. It includes a focus on E-learning and the Internet.

Congratulations to Evan on the book, and many thanks for his reference in the chapter notes to “The Internet and Business English” (Summertown).

My enthusiasm for podcasts continues. However, it is apparently possible for podcasts to infect your computer with viruses. I think the usual advice prevails about only downloading from reliable sources and keeping firewalls and anti-virus software on your computer operating and up-to-date.

However, whether or not you have experienced a problem I suggest looking at a two part article on the subject by computer security guru Brian Livingston of {{link http://windowssecrets.com/ Windows Secrets}}.

Part one: {{link http://windowssecrets.com/comp/050728/ Podcasts can infect your PC}}
Part two: {{link http://windowssecrets.com/comp/050811/?PHPSESSID=4230bdd49077fc053a896abd9f2fff8c#story1 Protect your media player from podcasts}}

I am very pleased to be presenting at the forthcoming conference in Torun, Poland, this September.

This autumn sees both myself and Barney involved in extensive travelling to various venues throughout Europe – please see the Events section on this site to track us down!

Full details of Barney’s session on the Internet and business English & Pete’s session on the English Campus at the BESIG Conference in Monaco this November are now available on the {{link http://www.besig.org BESIG web-site}}.

“Virtually impossible?” is the title of Pete’s latest article on Blended Learning, appearing in the new edition of the EL Gazette. It outlines four scenarios involving the integration of IT with face-to-face teaching. See: EL Gazette August 2005, p. 21. Enjoy!

Here’s a website called {{link http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/ Breaking News English}} that Pete drew my attention to. The author, Sean Banville, has set himself the heroic task of providing a daily lesson based on a news story.
He describes it thus: Ready-to-use EFL / ESL lesson plans based on current affairs. Graded news articles, listenings and communicative activities uploaded daily.
His website has an archive going back to November last year and since April this year he provides an easier and harder version of lesson including the downloadable listening task at two different speeds.

{{link http://www.onestopenglish.com/business_esp/esp_banking.htm The Audit Career Game}} is my latest contribution to the Business and ESP materials section. It’s intended to lighten up some of those potentially uninspiring vocabulary lessons.
As always, am grateful for any feedback.