TeachingEnglish newsletter 28 October 2015

TeachingEnglish - the global home for teachers 28 October 2015 Welcome to the latest newsletter from TeachingEnglish! This week we have news of the winners of the The Extensive Reading Foundation 2015 Language Learner Literature Award, and a livestream panel discussion on 'The Future of English Language Teaching'. Our featured professional development practice is 'Promoting 21st century skills', and discover more about our 'Learning Technologies for Business English Teachers' course. For the classroom we have activities on two celebrated UK festivals - Halloween and Bonfire Night, and for adults check out some inspiring tips and activities for using newspapers. And finally, it's not too late to take part in the validation of a new set of CEFR Illustrative Descriptors for mediation by completing an online questionnaire. Find out how to take part here We hope you find these resources useful. Deb TeachingEnglish team Teaching kids Halloween is coming! This lesson has some fun activities and language learning tasks based around the theme of Halloween. The activities include singing songs and making Halloween decorations. The activities are suitable for language assistants as well as for teachers. Go to the lesson plan Teaching teens  This lesson is aimed at lower level students with a variety of activities related to Bonfire night, celebrated in the UK on 05 November. Students will do a jigsaw reading, design a Bonfire night menu, thinking about the food they would like to eat whilst watching fireworks. They will learn a popular Bonfire night rhyme and produce a firework safety poster. Go to the lesson plan Teaching adults Newspapers are a useful tool in the ELT classroom for improving reading skills and enhancing students' knowledge of current affairs. If used in an inspiring way, newspapers can help students to develop not only reading skills but also writing, grammar, vocabulary and speaking skills. These activities and tips can help to make using newspapers in the classroom fun and motivating. Go to the activities Development This week we feature the professional practice from our new CPD framework 'Promoting 21st century skills'. Find resources to help you with this professional practice. Promoting 21st century skills And check out our 'Learning Technologies for Business English Teachers' course. This course has been designed to give both experienced and new business English teachers an introduction to the types of tools that can enhance their teaching and help them deliver engaging lessons with sound pedagogical outcomes. Find out more Events The future of English language teaching is a panel discussion to be held on 29 October at 6pm UK time. Join the livestream debate on the challenges facing English language teachers and trainers internationally with some highly experienced international academics. Find out more Magazine The Extensive Reading Foundation (ERF) has announced the winners of the 2015 Language Learner Literature Award. ERF is an unaffiliated, not-for profit organisation that supports and promotes extensive reading in language education. An international jury chose the winning book in six categories, taking into account internet votes and comments of students and teachers around the world. See the list of winners You have received this newsletter because you registered on our website or previously showed interest in British Council news. If you wish to opt out of future newsletters please unsubscribe here.

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TeachingEnglish newsletter 21 October 2015

TeachingEnglish - the global home for teachers 21 October 2015 Welcome to the latest newsletter from TeachingEnglish! This week we announce the winner of our featured blog of the month - 'A few tips for mature entrants to the ELT profession' by Helen Dennis-Smith. For the classroom, we have a lesson plan for primary learners - 'Objects around the classroom', brand new Classroom rules posters for teens, and a discussion activity on the theme of other cultures for your adult learners. The featured professional practice from our new CPD framework this week is 'Using multilingual approaches'. We also have news of the 2015 IATEFL Web Conference: Making connections across borders in ELT, and this year's free online webinar schedule from Oxford University Press. And finally, we invite you to participate in the validation of a new set of CEFR Illustrative Descriptors for mediation by completing an online questionnaire. Find out how to take part here. We hope you find these resources useful. Deb TeachingEnglish team Teaching kids Objects around the classroom - this lesson for primary-aged students focuses on language to describe classroom objects. They will also review prepositions of place to describe where things are in the classroom. There is a fun song to practise the language, as well as several ideas for follow up or homework activities. Go to the lesson plan Teaching teens Check out our classroom rules for teens - our new range of classroom rules posters and badge builders are a great addition to your secondary classroom. Choose from funky pink, smart white, vibrant blue or dark purple. Go to Teaching tools for teens Teaching adults One of the good things about migration is the opportunities it brings for learning about other cultures. In this speaking and discussion activity students will be able to share their views and knowledge of other cultures.  Go to the activity Development This week we feature the professional practice from our new CPD framework 'Using multilingual approaches'. Find resources to help you with this professional practice. Using multilingual approaches And don't miss the Oxford Professional Development webinars. Oxford University Press have published details of this year's free online webinar schedule and there is something for everyone from 21st century skills to project work, and CLIL to name but a few of the themes. Find out more Events Don't miss the IATEFL Web Conference: Making connections across borders in ELT. After a very successful first Web Conference held in October 2014, IATEFL have decided to hold a second Web Conference on 23rd and 24th October 2015. Find out more Magazine Our latest blog of the month award goes to Helen Dennis-Smith and her post A few tips for mature entrants to the ELT profession. In this post, Helen offers some great tips for anyone who is thinking of becoming an English language teacher, particularly those who want to take the CELTA when they're older.  Read more You have received this newsletter because you registered on our website or previously showed interest in British Council news. If you wish to opt out of future newsletters please unsubscribe here.

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TeachingEnglish newsletter 14 October 2015

TeachingEnglish - the global home for teachers 14 October 2015 Welcome to the latest newsletter from TeachingEnglish! This week we announce a new free online course developed by the University of Southampton and the British Council, 'Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching'. We also have an interesting blog by Larissa Albano in which she describes practical activities and tools for you to use with or without technology. For the classroom, we have a useful article about assessing young learners, a simple yet challenging activity 'One word story' to use with teens or adults, and an interesting article on the implications of global English for the teaching of pronunciation. The featured professional practice from our new CPD framework this week is 'Integrating ICT', and if you are looking to up your skills in this area, check out our 'Learning Technologies for the Classroom' course. And finally, at TeachingEnglish we are always looking for ways to improve our newsletter so you get the information and resources you need. To this end we are considering replacing the current general newsletter with three different newsletters aimed at teachers of primary, secondary or adult students. As a result so you would only receive information that is relevant to your teaching. What do you think? Is this a good idea? Let us know by completing the short survey here We hope you find these resources useful. Deb TeachingEnglish team Teaching kids Find out more about assessing younger learners by reading this informative article 'Ongoing assessment - fun not fear!' Jenny Bedwell gives some examples of practical assessment activities which she has used with 8-9 year- olds.  Read the article Teaching teens 'One word story' is a simple, creative activity where each student adds a word to create a group story. Despite the simplicity it can be really challenging and is appropriate for use with higher level learners.  Go to the activity Teaching adults The emergence of so many different kinds (or 'varieties') of international English has caused a number of linguists to question the use of native speaker pronunciation models in the teaching of English. This article presents Jennifer Jenkins' research into the pronunciation of global English and gives some teaching implications. Read the article Development This week we feature the professional practice from our new CPD framework 'Integrating ICT'. Find resources to help you with this professional practice. Integrating ICT And check out our 'Learning Technologies for the Classroom' course if you are relatively inexperienced in using technologies in the language classroom, but want to get ahead. Find out more   Events What is language? How do we learn meaning in a new language? What is easy and hard about learning another language? And what is the best way to teach other languages? This free online course 'Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching' developed by the University of Southampton and the British Council, and starting 19 October suggests some answers to these questions. Find out more Magazine In many developing countries schools are not equipped with new technologies and resources are limited. But is it the case that teaching performance would improve in a digital classroom? Our success in the classroom depends on our abilities to adapt the resources available in the most beneficial way. Read Larissa Albano's blog 'With or without technology' to discover activities you can do and tools you can use with or without technology. Read Larissa's blog You have received this newsletter because you registered on our website or previously showed interest in British Council news. If you wish to opt out of future newsletters please unsubscribe here.

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