E V O L V E S C H O O L: TeachingEnglish newsletter 11 November 2020

TeachingEnglish newsletter

11 November 2020

Welcome to the latest edition of the TeachingEnglish newsletter!

The British Council is committed to supporting teachers and teacher educators during the Covid-19 crisis.

First, we are pleased to announce our next webinars on CLIL, EMI and transition to university, taking place on Wednesday 11 November. And our blog topics are back – check out the themes for November and December!

For the classroom, we have two lesson plans – one for primary and one for secondary – plus a discussion activity for teens and adults.

We also have a new publication reporting on Teacher Activity Groups and we feature two video recordings from our Teachers' Day web conference.

And finally, if you missed last week's webinar on assessment, you can find a recording here.

We hope you find these resources useful.

The TeachingEnglish team

Upcoming webinars: CLIL and EMI – from schools to higher education

Join us on 11 November for three webinars looking at CLIL, English-medium instruction (EMI), and the transition from school to university for English language learners. This series of webinars looks at various aspects of CLIL and its application in secondary education, including how integrated learning happens in classrooms, and English-medium instruction in relation to students in their first year at university, as well as during the transition between pre-sessional course and their disciplinary studies.

Blog topics for November and December 2020

It's been a long time since we wrote with a new list of blog topics, but we're back, just before the end of what has so far been a very challenging year, with some new ideas for you to think about (and hopefully write about). As you might expect, our four topics for the final part of 2020 relate to teaching and development in difficult circumstances. See all four of the latest blog topics here. If you are not already a registered TeachingEnglish blogger, find out how you can register here.

Epilepsy awareness

This lesson plan for secondary students at CEFR B1 and above gives students the opportunity to learn about the brain and a brain disorder known as epilepsy. Students develop reading and speaking skills and watch a video to learn first aid. The lesson can be freestanding or used in conjunction with November’s annual Epilepsy Awareness Month.

Changing our teaching in challenging times

Watch a recording of this session from the IATEFL British Council World Teachers' Day web conference 2020 about adapting our teaching in challenging times. In this presentation, a panel of four educators from Africa and Europe discuss some of the ways in which they have managed to sustain teaching and learning while their schools have been closed. We show some short videos of teachers talking about their innovations and discuss some of the issues with technologies and resources that we have confronted and how teachers have overcome these.

Kindness calendar

This lesson for older primary learners looks at the theme of kindness and involves creating a 'kindness calendar'. The lesson starts with an age-appropriate activity to make sure learners understand the meanings of peace and war. Learners think about how they can live in peace and about the importance of kindness in our everyday lives. Then they are introduced to the idea of a kindness calendar, and they brainstorm ideas of acts of kindness that they could do at home, at school and in the community.

Which English? Whose English?

There’s considerable controversy in academic circles around which models and targets of English(es) are suitable for different learners and teachers worldwide. This webinar presents research which addresses these controversies and which sought the views of practitioners on present and future realities as they see them. Watch a recording of Tony Young's session about different Englishes at the IATEFL British Council World Teachers' Day web conference 2020.

Professional development through Teacher Activity Groups

This report examines use of a model of continuing professional development (CPD) called Teacher Activity Groups (TAGs). Drawing on evidence from six British Council projects in different countries, the analysis reviews the implementation of TAGs, their impact on teachers and students, and the challenges that TAGs may give rise to. Recommendations for setting up TAG projects are also provided. The report is free to download.

Noah's Ark in space

This is a small-group, free discussion activity aimed at adult or secondary students at pre-intermediate level and above. In this activity, students work in groups to decide which animals should be selected to go aboard a space-craft in order to safeguard their survival. Follow-up activities include a class discussion and/or a written assignment.