CONFERENCES, TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Sevilla 2001

The annual TESOL convention took place just before Easter in the wonderful surroundings of the University, the former royal tobacco factory.

     Friday kicked off with Penny Ur's plenary on what it means to be a professional English teacher. Despite worries about the talk being oversubscribed, due to a good number of people not arriving at the convention until the following morning, there was room for everyone.

     After some timetable reorganisation, Saturday got off to a good start, and one felt somewhat spoilt for choice at the goodies on offer. The presentations were generally worth attending, the more practical workshops proving very popular. Nina Lauder's talk on reward and discipline techniques in primary was full well before the start.
     
     Among my own favourites were Mark Hancock's "What to look for in a song" and Roisin O'Farrell's "Making games go further" The more prominent speakers included Adrian Underhill, Scott Thornbury, and Herbert Puchta, who by the way, is coming to Tenerife very soon- see below.

     The Saturday evening dinner was well attended and was a good opportunity to talk to those who for once were not in a hurry.

     The closing plenary was by Adrian Underhill. He talked about systems thinking and the importance of relationships between objects rather than the objects themselves, which I'm sure left people with plenty to think about.


Herbert Puchta 

Will be giving two presentations on Monday, May 7th, in Santa Cruz. To book a place phone 902 210 356 or fax 913 60 45 70

From 10.00-12.00
Escuela Oficial de Idiomas, c/Enrique Wolfson, 16 
Multiple Intelligences 
    which looks at the cognitive skills essential for learning a foreign language.

From 18.00-20.00
Centro de Profesores de Santa Cruz, Colegio Hermano Pedro, c/Gara y Jonay, 1 
Teaching Children vs. Teaching Adolescents
     which explores the main differences between them, what challenges are presented and how these challenges can be best met.

French Jornada, April 2001
   
     If you attended the recent French 'Jornada', and would like to write a report about it, please let us know. Also if you know about any others pending, please tell us, as it's sometimes difficult to get information.

Si asististe a la Jornada francesa a finales de abril, y te gustaría escribir un reportaje sobre ella, envíanoslo a noticias@atlanticls.com . Además, agradeceríamos información acerca de otras jornadas y charlas, ya que no es siempre muy fácil conseguir los datos a tiempo.

Atlantic Forum 
 
Our own workshop is expected to take place in late May- watch this space. If anyone can assist in finding a venue, please let us know, noticias@atlanticls.com as we would like to try to hold one in the north and another in the south of Tenerife.

Aquí en Atlantic Forum, tenemos previsto hacer un taller/charla a finales de mayo - os avisaremos en esta sección. Si alguien conoce algún local donde dar la charla, la dirección también es noticias@atlanticls.com . Lo ideal sería encontrar algún sitio en el norte y otro en el sur Tenerife.

We would also like to know how much interest there might be if we were to organise a 'drinks, tapas and chat' session somewhere on the island (apologies to those on La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma) every three weeks or so. We could set a theme for discussion - which we could stick to or not, according to the mood - and just get to know each other.

Además, quisiéramos saber si hay interés para hacer unas 'soireés' - tomar una copa, un poco de tapeo y charlar sobre un tema en concreto o sencillamente para conocernos - cada tres semanas, aproximadamente, de momento en Tenerife (pedimos disculpas a los de La Palma, El Hierro y La Gomera).

Courses 

There are many courses on offer, so each edition we will provide you with regularly up-dated information on just a few.

The CELTA
(Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults)

The CELTA can be taken in many centres world-wide either part time or full time, including over 100 centres in the U.K. and 7 in Spain. 
The centres in Spain are in Madrid (two centres), Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela, Valencia, Seville, and Palma de Mallorca.
Full time courses take about four weeks, and part time between four months and a year.
Individual centres will give you details of starting dates.

LOCAL

English Library

Taoro Park, Puerto de la Cruz (open Mon 1500-1730, Wed 1000-1200, Fri 1600-1800,Sat 1100-1300)


Web bars in Santa Cruz

Ciber Scout, (Centro Castillo) c/Castillo 400ptas per hour (helpful staff) (open 1000-2200 Mon-Sat) tel. 922 53 33 90

Mirror Telecom c/ Valentin Sanz (between Angel Guimerá and the bridge) 400 ptas per hour (open 1000-2300 7 days) tel 922 27 39 19

Cyber Dream c/ Iriate 16 near Plaza Militar 400 ptas per hour, 600 ptas for two hours) tel 922 28 90 22 (open 1000-1400 and 1700- 2200 Mon-Sat)

Flights to U.K.

Lynnair tel. 79 58 58 For May & June one ways are about 15,000 -20,000 ptas. to the U.K. They recommend buying the return half once you're there, as at the moment return fares are quite expensive.

Original Version Cinema

Filmoteca (Caja Canarias) in Plaza del Patriotismo Santa Cruz, 
regularly shows films in their original version with subtitles in Spanish. They're shown on Mondays at 8.30.

Cine Aguere. La Laguna

O.V. films are shown regularly. Details are published in the daily newspapers.

Casa Cultura, Parque La Granja, Santa Cruz

O.V. films shown regularly. For April and May there's an Israeli season.

Video Clubs

Scorpio c/Alvarez de Lugo (corner of 18 Julio)(o.v films for rent-400 ptas).

Blockbuster Ángel Guimerá, - surprisingly poor selection for an American chain. Also in La Laguna. (and the south?).

Places of Worship

These tend to be in Puerto de la Cruz. There is an International Christian Centre, an All Saints Anglican Church and a Christian Fellowship.

Our favourite 'Tascas', Restaurants, and Bars
Nuestras recomendaciones para tapeo, papeo y copas.

The Rincón Gomero is just off the main road between La Laguna (Padre Anchieta) and La Esperanza, which is also one of the roads to the Teide and Las Cañadas National Park. The turning is immediately opposite the Mobil petrol station, and the restaurant is a pink house on the right, behind the Messn La Trilladora. Food is plentiful, home-made and rather more imaginative than most tascas. Typical Canary dishes such as 'escaldsn', 'ropa vieja' and 'gofio en salsa' share the menu with more traditional Spanish fare - papas bravas (those wonderful, fiery potatoes), calamares a la andaluza and pulpo a la gallega (octopus with paprika and olive oil). Or you might like to try the steak in strawberry sauce (there's a foot 'n' mouth-free guarantee printed in the menu) or the dwarf marrows stuffed with seafood. Veggies won't be stuck for choice either, and - most importantly - the desserts are wonderful and all home-made; the cinnamon ice-cream is to die for!

Subiendo la carretera desde La Laguna (Padre Anchieta) dirección La Esperanza, se encuentra el Rincón Gomero. Se sale de la carretera hacia la derecha, delante de la gasolinera Mobil, y el restaurante es una casa de color rosa también a mano derecha, detrás del Mesón La Trilladora. Hay un aparcamiento para la clientela al otro lado del camino.

Las raciones son muy generosas, y la comida es casera. Platos típicamente canarios como escaldón, ropa vieja y gofio en salsa, comparten la carta con platos 'españoles' como las papas bravas, calamares a la andaluza y pulpo a la gallega. O podrías probar el solomillo en salsa de fresas (hay una garantía de origen de los productos cárnicos impresa en la carta), o los bubangos rellenos de marisco. Los vegetarianos tampoco tendrán que pasar hambre, y - dato muy importante - los postres son deliciosos y caseros; ¡el helado de canela es para morirse!
Open: Tuesday- Saturday 1p.m.-4.30p.m. & 8p.m. - 11p.m. Sunday, lunchtime only.
Average cost: around 2000pts a head, including house plonk ( very drinkable) coffee and liqueur. Portions are very generous, so be careful not to over-order.
Horario: martes - sábado 13h-16.30h y 20h - 23h. Los domingos sólo para almorzar.
Precio: alrededor de 2000ptas por persona, con vino de la casa, café y chupito incluídos. Las raciones son bastante grandes; es fácil pedir demasiado.


Los Tres is a lively Italian bar/restaurant at the Cabezo side of El Médano in the South of the island. Very popular among windsurfers. Specialities include home-made Pasta - Ravioli, Lasagne, Canneloni, Tagliatelli, and their famous desserts, Panna Cotta, Tiramisu and 'Quesillo'.
Restaurante italiano como pocos, se encuentra en El Médano cerca de la playa Cabezo. Típico local de los del windsurf. Las especialidades incluyen la pasta casera - ravioles, lasaña, canelones, tallarines......- y los postres 'nata cocida', tiramisú (incomparable) y quesillo.
Open: Bar- 0800-1600 and 1900-0200 Kitchen- 1230-1530 and 1930-2230 
every day except Monday
Horario: Bar 0800-1600 y 1900 -0200 Cocina 1230-1530 y 1930 - 2230

Bar Atlantis, otherwise known as Wolfgang's Place, also in El Médano, on the boardwalk is a mecca for chess players from all corners of the globe. Open Wed- Sun 
From 10 am until everyone leaves.
También conocido como el Bar de Wolfgang, en El Médano, en el paseo de madera; centro del universo para jugadores de ajedrez. Abierto de miércoles - domingo, desde las 10.00 hasta marcharse el último cliente.


El Puntero c/San Clemente, Santa Cruz.
This is a great place for fish. Typically there's sama, chicharros, caballa (mackerel), pulpo(octopus),cherne (halibut), and choco to choose from. Papas arrugadas of course, washed down with an excellent Matanza. What the owner lacks in charm is made up for in food quality. Gets busy at peak time around 2pm so it's best to go a little before or after the rush.
Un buen local para pescado- sama, chicharros, caballa, pulpo, cherne, y choco - además de las papas arrugadas (¡faltaría más!), y un buen tinto de la Matanza. Lo que le falta al dueño en encanto se ve compensado por la calidad de la comida. Mejor ir antes de las 14h, ya que se llena, pero a tope.

Casa Vidal c/ Candillas, La Laguna (just behind La Concepcion)
Great bowl of Potage (chunky soup), although Vidal , the owner, gets upset if you don't put gofio in it.. Good Taganana wine and the place is full of old photos from that region.
Un potaje de maravilla, aunque Vidal, el dueño, se mosquea si no le echas gofio. Un buen vino de Taganana, y fotos antiguas de esa parte de la isla.
Closed Sundays and Tuesdays.
Cierren los domingos y los martes.

Tasca "La Regadera"
En el casco universitario de La Laguna, cerca de Magisterio, nos encontramos con la tasca "La Regadera".
Aquí podrás disfrutar de un ambiente agradable y de una amplia variedad de tapas, además de las especialidades de la cocinera (no dejes de probar el Revuelto Regadera o los exquisitos mejillones "Tigres"), así como, de la seleccionada carta de vinos embotellados del país.
This 'tasca' is to be found in the University district of La Laguna, near the teacher training college, opposite 'Azúcar'.
The atmosphere is relaxed, and there is a wide range of 'tapas' as well as the house specialities; we particularly recommend the 'revuelto Regadero' eggs and the 'Tigres' or stuffed mussels. The wine list has a good range of local wines on offer. This is another place where vegetarians won't go hungry. 
Abierto a partir de las 20:30 de la noche y al mediodía sólo para almuerzos.
Open from 8.30p.m. in the evening, and at midday for lunch only (around 1.30p.m.)