Inside Out - The Art of Communication

eLessons Archive

eLessons Archive
Welcome to the Inside Out warehouse. The latest free English worksheets, teacher's notes and glossaries are available to download.

9th February - Snow

This week’s lesson is on the wintry subject of snow.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (43K)
DOC (71K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (23K)
DOC (46K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (112K)

Related Websites
Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4280000/newsid_4287700/4287711.stm
A BBC Newsround forum (2005) with ‘snow stories’ submitted by children and younger teenagers. Accessible to intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4110000/newsid_4117600/4117679.stm
Again from BBC Newsround, an article (2004) explaining what officially constitutes a ‘white Christmas’ in Britain. Accessible to intermediate level.

http://www.snowcastle.net/en/
Official website of the impressive Kemi SnowCastle in Finland. Intermediate level and above.

26th January - January blues?

This week’s lesson focuses on some possible explanations for the ‘winter blues’, which seem to be especially common in the month of January.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (43K)
DOC (71K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (23K)
DOC (46K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (112K)

Related Websites
Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.snowcastle.net/en/
Official website of the impressive Kemi SnowCastle in Finland. Intermediate level and above.

15th December - A Christmas truce

This week’s lesson focuses on the moving story of the ‘Christmas truce’ between British and German soldiers during the First World War.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (42K)
DOC (72K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (21K)
DOC (40K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (112K)

Related Websites
Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World_War
The First World War entry in Simple English Wikipedia. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://www.christmastruce.co.uk/index.html
A website about the 1914 Christmas truce, including letters written by British soldiers who participated in it. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.fylde.demon.co.uk/xmas.htm
A site containing recollections of the truce from soldiers on both sides. Intermediate level and above.

8th December - Idioms challenge 3!

This week’s lesson introduces a further selection of popular idiomatic expressions.

Level
Upper intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (29K)
DOC (49K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (37K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (21K)
DOC (94K)

Related Websites
Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
A large collection of idioms listed alphabetically, with brief definitions.

http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html
A selection of ‘self-study idiom quizzes’ with answers.

http://www.idiomsite.com/
A website explaining the origins of dozens of popular idioms.

1st December - Diego Maradona

The subject of this week’s lesson is the Argentinian widely agreed to be one of the best footballers of all time: Diego Maradona.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (32K)
DOC (57K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (26K)
DOC (45K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (112K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7730000/newsid_7735600/7735609.stm
A recent article from BBC Newsround (November 2008) on Maradona’s arrival in Glasgow as manager of the Argentina national team before their friendly game against Scotland. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/11/18/celtic-ballboy-s-special-moment-with-argentina-legend-diego-maradona-86908-20904076/
Another recent piece, from the Scottish newspaper the Daily Record, about Maradona’s grateful reaction when a 13-year-old ball boy found a medallion he had lost during a training session Glasgow. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maradona
The Wikipedia entry on Maradona. Intermediate level and above..

24th November - British and American English 2

This week’s lesson looks at some more differences between British and American English.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (36K)
DOC (50K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (24K)
DOC (45K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (113K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself. http://eleaston.com/brit-eng.html#diff
The ‘Great Britain’ section of the E. L. Easton EFL website, which contains links to numerous sites on the subject of the differences between American and British English. http://www.effingpot.com/index.shtml
Describing itself as ‘The American’s Guide to Speaking British’, this website provides explanations of numerous British words and expressions with which Americans might be unfamiliar. Note that the vocabulary lists include some swearwords.

http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blbritam.htm
From About.com, a tool for converting American English words into their British English equivalents, and vice versa.

17th November - Britain and knife crime

This week’s lesson focuses on the subject of knife crime involving young people in Britain, which has recently been receiving a lot of media attention.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (32K)
DOC (58K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (112K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_3980000/newsid_3985900/3985989.stm
A BBC Newsround lesson plan on the subject of knife crime, aimed at teachers in British schools, with links on the right-hand side of the page to various knife crime-related items. Accessible to intermediate level students.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7421534.stm
A BBC News article (2008) asking ‘Is knife crime as common as we think?’ Challenging for intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7508418.stm
A BBC News article (2008) on knife crime in various other parts of the world. Challenging for intermediate level.

10th November - The U.S. presidential election

This week’s lesson is about the U.S. presidential election on 4th November, which was won by Barack Obama.

Level
Upper intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (51K)
DOC (83K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (39K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (113K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/americas/2008/vote_usa_2008/default.stm
Comprehensive coverage of the election on the BBC News website. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/uselections2008
The election as reported by the Guardian newspaper in Britain. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/
An American perspective from CNN. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

3rd November - November events

This week’s lesson focuses on events in history that took place in the month of November.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (37K)
DOC (52K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (24K)
DOC (44K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (109K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.history.com/tdih.do
The History Channel website, containing short texts on featured events and also some video material. Some of the information could be used with pre-intermediate level.

http://wikipedia.org/
Just type in a date (without a year) to get a list of events, births and deaths. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/default.stm
News articles from the BBC website. Lots of information about the featured events, often with additional audio or video material. Intermediate level and above.

27th October - Birds

The subject of this week’s lesson is birds, of which there around 10,000 different species.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (28K)
DOC (51K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (43K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (109K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6478911.stm
A BBC article on the UK’s burgeoning parakeet population, with a link to photos of the birds in incongruous suburban settings. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/
The website of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1794&aid=179
A list of ‘Interesting Bird Facts’ on the Pet Education website, with links to a number of articles about birds. Intermediate level and above.

20th October - Vegetarianism

This week’s lesson looks at three differing views on vegetarianism.

Level
Upper-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (26K)
DOC (45K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (23K)
DOC (41K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (110K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.vegsoc.org/
Official website of the Vegetarian Society, which is dedicated to ‘promoting the health, environmental and animal-welfare benefits of a vegetarian diet’. Accessible to upper intermediate level.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink
A recent article (September 2008) in the British newspaper The Observer on the declaration by Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that one of the best ways to tackle global warming would be for people to eat less meat. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/09/09/do0901.xml
A hostile response to Dr Pachauri’s arguments from the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, published in the Daily Telegraph. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

13th October - Autumn

With leaves falling and the days getting shorter across the northern hemisphere, the theme of this week’s lesson is autumn.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (43K)
DOC (74K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (39K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (22K)
DOC (91K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492277/Forget-New-England-Old-England-produces-spectacular-autumn-colours.html
An article from the British newspaper The Daily Mail from November 2007, celebrating the especially pretty autumn colours in England brought about by favourable weather conditions. Includes photographs. Challenging for intermediate level.

http://www.livinglifefully.com/fall.html
A collection of excerpts from poems and other texts written in praise of autumn. Challenging for intermediate level.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A18107129
The entry on harvest festivals on the BBC’s h2g2 website. Challenging for intermediate level.

6th October - WALL-E

This week’s lesson is about WALL-E, the latest in a string of successful animation films (also including Toy Story and Finding Nemo) from the American studio Pixar.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (46K)
DOC (80K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (23K)
DOC (40K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (109K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7500000/newsid_7504500/7504559.stm
A brief review of WALL-E from BBC Newsround, followed by lots of short comments from British children and young teenagers. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/wall-e/
The official website of the film. Colourful, with lots of different sections. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970/
The WALL-E entry in the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Intermediate level and above.

29th September - Food Challenge 2

This week’s lesson offers another selection of exercises on the subject of food. (It could be used alongside the first ‘Food challenge’ lesson, dated 11th February 2008.).

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (34K)
DOC (62K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (44K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (107K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-themes-food.htm
The food section of the British Council’s LearnEnglish website, containing links to a wide variety of food-related activities. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/food.html
The section on British food of the Woodlands Junior School website. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_dish
The Wikipedia entry for ‘national dishes’, containing links to detailed descriptions of a large number of them. Intermediate level and above.

22nd September - Apologies

This week’s lesson focuses on the subject of apologies, and in particular a recent survey that suggests the word ‘sorry’ is being overused in Britain.

Level
Upper-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (44K)
DOC (74K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (23K)
DOC (40K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (109K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6241411.stm
A BBC article (2007) on the survey featured in the lesson, which concluded that the average British person will say sorry 1.9 million times in his or her lifetime. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-big-question-are-apologies-for-historical-events-worthwhile-or-just-empty-gestures-426138.html
An article from the British newspaper The Independent (2006) looking at examples of politicians’ apologies for historical events, and asking whether they are worthwhile. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6492291.stm
A BBC article (2007) on the Archbishop of York’s call for Britain to apologise to African countries for its role in the slave trade. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

15th September - Mamma Mia!

This week’s lesson focuses on the smash-hit musical and film Mamma Mia!, which includes many hits by the Swedish pop group Abba.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (62K)
DOC (117K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (43K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (111K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.mamma-mia.com/
The official Mamma Mia! website. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7483788.stm
A recent BBC article (July 2008) on the successful transition of Mamma Mia! from stage to screen. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85611/mamma-mia.html
A review of the Mamma Mia! film from Time Out magazine. Intermediate level and above.

8th September - Barack Obama

The subject of this week’s lesson is the man who has appeared on the front of hundreds of newspapers and magazines in recent months, and who will be representing the Democratic Party in the US presidential election: Barack Obama.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (29K)
DOC (56K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (43K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (110K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7430000/newsid_7435600/7435687.stm
A BBC Newsround article from June 2008, asking ‘What’s the big deal about Obama?’ Appropriate for intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7580000/newsid_7581700/7581724.stm
A recent Newsround article on the role of Obama and his family in the Democratic Party’s recent national convention. Appropriate for intermediate level.

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
The official website of Obama’s presidential election campaign. Intermediate level and above.

1st September - New York

The subject of this week’s lesson is the city that ‘never sleeps’, and which has probably provided the backdrop to more well-known films and TV programmes than anywhere else in the world: New York.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (31K)
DOC (127K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (28K)
DOC (82K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (98K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
The New York City entry in Simple English Wikipedia. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://nycvisit.com/
The official New York City tourism website. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A199389
The New York City entry in h2g2, an online encyclopedia linked to the BBC. Intermediate level and above.

25th August - Chocolate

This week’s lesson focuses on chocolate, which might not be the world’s healthiest food but is certainly one of the most popular.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (57K)
DOC (106K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (26K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (48K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6991289.stm
A BBC article (2007) investigating the roots of chocolate cravings. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7087899.stm
A BBC article (2007) on the evidence that chocolate was part of the diet of the ancient civilisations of Central America. Upper intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/chat/your_comments/newsid_2514000/2514843.stm
A BBC Newsround forum (2002), aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers, asking ‘Would you pay more for fair trade chocolate?’ Appropriate for intermediate level.

18th August - Idioms

This week’s lesson introduces a further selection of popular idiomatic expressions.

Level
Upper-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (42K)
DOC (73K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (39K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (45K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
A large collection of idioms listed alphabetically, with brief definitions.

http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html
A selection of ‘self-study idiom quizzes’ with answers.

http://www.idiomsite.com/
A website explaining the origins of dozens of popular idioms.

11th August - Dogs

This week’s lesson is about the world’s most popular pet, the dog.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (42K)
DOC (73K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (39K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (45K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/wild/pets/dog.shtml
A section of the CBBC (Children’s BBC) site on dogs as pets, including a link to an ‘A-Z’ of different breeds. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/
The website of The Kennel Club, whose objective is to offer dog owners an ‘unparalleled source of information, experience and advice’. Intermediate level
and above.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topics/dogs
A page on the BBC website with links to numerous dog-related news stories.
Intermediate level and above.

4th August - Beijing Olympics

This week’s lesson focuses on the huge international sports event beginning in China on 8th August: the Olympic Games.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (40K)
DOC (66K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (32K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (28K)
DOC (43K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7490000/newsid_7498600/7498632.stm
From BBC Newsround, an article looking at some of the athletes who have been tipped to win gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. Appropriate for intermediate level.

http://en.beijing2008.cn/
The official website of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/default.stm
The section of the BBC Sport website dedicated to the 2008 Olympic Games. Intermediate level and above.

29th July - Education issues

This week’s lesson touches on a few of the issues commonly discussed with regard to the education systems of many countries.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (40K)
DOC (66K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (32K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (28K)
DOC (43K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7370000/newsid_7378300/7378312.stm
From BBC Newsround, an article about young people who feel under pressure to do well academically at school. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6430000/newsid_6437300/6437387.stm
A Newsround forum, aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers, asking ‘What new lessons would you like?’ at school. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/default.stm
The section of the BBC News website covering education-related issues, with a particular focus on Britain. Intermediate level and above.

21st July - Cricket

The subject of this week’s lesson is cricket, a traditional sport that is loved by millions of people, but which is also baffling to many others.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (29K)
DOC (47K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (43K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (48K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/default.stm
The cricket section of the BBC Sports website. Includes a section on laws and equipment. Intermediate level and above.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket
The entry for cricket in Wikipedia. Lots of information. Intermediate level and above.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Do-the-English-Love-Cricket?&id=669823
A text (approximately 300 words) addressing the question ‘Why do the English love cricket?’ Intermediate level and above.

17th July - Holiday choices

This week’s lesson is on the theme of tourism, and takes a look at a few of the options people have when choosing a holiday.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (32K)
DOC (51K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/chat/your_comments/newsid_2131000/2131394.stm
A BBC Newsround forum (2002) in which young people describe their ‘holiday nightmares’. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7437030.stm
A short BBC article about the London Eye, which has become one of the British capital’s biggest tourist attractions. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.holiday-choices.com
A website designed by travel professionals offering unbiased holiday reviews on locations around the world. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

10th July - Brad Pitt

This week’s lesson is about the American actor and regular candidate for the title of ‘the world’s most handsome man’, Brad Pitt.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (32K)
DOC (51K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (24K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5020000/newsid_5029400/5029400.stm
A BBC Newsround piece (2006) on the financial donation Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made to hospitals in Namibia, the African country where their child was born. Appropriate for intermediate level.

http://www.people.com/people/brad_pitt
Some of the latest news articles on Brad Pitt, from the website of the US celebrity magazine People. Intermediate level and above.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_pitt
The entry on Brad Pitt in Wikipedia. Intermediate level and above.

3rd July - British and American English

This week’s lesson looks at some of the differences between British and American English.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (36K)
DOC (50K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (25K)
DOC (45K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (22K)
DOC (46K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://eleaston.com/brit-eng.html#diff
The ‘Great Britain’ section of the E. L. Easton EFL website, which contains links to numerous sites on the subject of the differences between American and British English.

http://www.effingpot.com/index.shtml
Describing itself as ‘The American’s Guide to Speaking British’, this website provides explanations of numerous British words and expressions with which Americans might be unfamiliar. Note that the vocabulary lists include some swearwords.

http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blbritam.htm
From About.com, a tool for converting American English words into their British English equivalents, and vice versa.

23rd June - Canada

The subject of this week’s lesson is the country of Canada, which celebrates its national day on 1st July.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (37K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada
Canada entry from Simple English Wikipedia. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://www.explore.canada.travel/ctc/ke/homepage.jsp?localeId=13
Official website of the Canadian national tourist organisation. Intermediate level and above.

http://canada.gc.ca/acanada/ViewCategory.htm?lang=eng
A Canadian government website with links to a large number of other Canada-related sites, covering a variety of topics. Intermediate level and above.

16th June - Teenage Issues

This week’s lesson takes a look at a few of the common issues facing teenagers.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (37K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/chat/your_comments/newsid_3736000/3736062.stm
A BBC Newsround forum (2006) on media attitudes to teenagers, following numerous negative reports in the British media about teenage gangs. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/category/teens/
From the BBC website, a very large collection of short videos made about various teenagers’ lives, mostly made by teenagers themselves. Includes colloquialisms and regional accents. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.teenissues.co.uk/
A British website that discusses various matters that form part of the lives of many teenagers. Intermediate level and above.

9th June - Idioms

This week’s lesson introduces some popular idiomatic expressions.

Level
Upper intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (20K)
DOC (37K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (22K)
DOC (45K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
A large collection of idioms listed alphabetically, with brief definitions.

http://a4esl.org/q/h/idioms.html
A selection of ‘self-study idiom quizzes’ with answers.

http://www.idiomsite.com/
A website explaining the origins of dozens of popular idioms.

2nd June - Russia

This week’s lesson is about Russia, the world’s largest country.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (56K)
DOC (83K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (21K)
DOC (39K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia
A short, simple text on Russia from Simple English Wikipedia, with links to similar texts on Moscow, St Petersburg, the Soviet Union, etc. Accessible to intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1102275.stm
Russia’s ‘country profile’ from the BBC website. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/russia/
An introduction to Russia from the Lonely Planet travel guide. Intermediate level and above.

Depending on the speed of your computer and Internet connection, these pages may take several minutes to download. Please be patient

26th May - Charles Dickens

This week’s lesson is about the nineteenth-century novelist Charles Dickens, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the history of English literature.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (30K)
DOC (59K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bleakhouse/animation.shtml
An amusing narrated animation about the life of Charles Dickens from the BBC website. There is also a link to a short biographical text. Challenging for intermediate level.

http://charlesdickenspage.com/
An interesting website on the life and work of Dickens, including a map of Dickensian London and a glossary of the nineteenth-century words and expressions that appear in his works. Challenging for intermediate level.

http://www.filmeducation.org/olivertwist/index.html
A website especially for teachers on the theme of Oliver Twist. Includes a feature on ‘Oliver’s London’ and profiles of the major characters in the story. Challenging for intermediate level.

19th May - Globalisation

This week’s lesson looks at the often contentious issue of globalisation.

Level
Upper intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (30K)
DOC (59K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2007/globalisation/default.stm
A section of the BBC News website devoted to globalisation. Accessible to upper intermediate level.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/globalisation/
Analysis from the BBC World Service of globalisation-related topics including ‘the world’s most powerful companies’ and ‘the revolutionary power of fast food’. Accessible to upper intermediate level.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/globalisation
A collection of articles on globalisation from the British newspaper The Guardian, with useful links on the left-hand side of the page. Challenging for upper intermediate level.

12th May - Africa

This week’s lesson focuses on Africa, which contains 53 different countries and is the world’s second most populous continent.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (30K)
DOC (59K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (22K)
DOC (42K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (23K)
DOC (47K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4120000/newsid_4124300/4124358.stm
A guide to Africa from BBC Newsround (2005). Simple texts, aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers. Pre-intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4070000/newsid_4077100/4077104.stm
Also from BBC Newsround, a feature asking ‘Why is Africa poor?’ (2005). Rather negative, as the title suggests, but a fairly objective overview of some of Africa’s problems. Pre-intermediate level and above.

http://www.africaguide.com/
The Africa Guide, which contains a huge amount of information, including facts about all the African countries. Intermediate level and above.

5th May - Endangered Species

This week’s lesson focuses on endangered species, which include the tiger and the rhinoceros.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4010000/newsid_4019800/4019805.stm
A short piece from BBC Newsround on endangered species, with links on the right-hand side of the page to other articles on the subject. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6710051.stm
A BBC article (2007) on the increase in blue whale numbers. Intermediate level and above.

http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/index.asp
Website of the World Wildlife Fund (United Kingdom), with information on various endangered species. Intermediate level and above.

28th April - London

The subject of this week’s lesson is the capital of England, one of the biggest cities in Europe, and arguably the most cosmopolitan place in the world: London. Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above) Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K) Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/londonguide/
A comprehensive tourist guide to London on the website of the BBC World Service. Intermediate level and above.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6750000/newsid_6751600/6751627.stm
A BBC Newsround article (2007) on the controversial logo for the London 2012 Olympics. One of the links on the right-hand side of the page is to a forum containing the opinions of numerous young people on the decision to award the games to London. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://www.visitlondon.com/
The Visit London website. Some parts are accessible to pre-intermediate level, but mostly intermediate and above.

21st April - David Beckham

This week’s lesson focuses on one of the world’s most famous footballers, David Beckham. He was born on 2nd May 1975. Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above) Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K) Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K) Related Websites Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6900000/newsid_6902500/6902531.stm
A BBC Newsround forum (2007) asking ‘What do you think about Beckham’s move to America?’. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4280000/newsid_4281400/4281403.stm
Also from Newsround, a piece from 2005 on the birth of the Beckhams’ third child, plus links on the right-hand side of the page to other Beckham-related stories. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://www.davidbeckham.com/
The official David Beckham website. Intermediate level and above.

14th April - Dancing

This week’s lesson focuses on the subject of dancing, and features the experiences and opinions of three different people.

Level
Upper Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7254296.stm
A recent BBC article (February 2008) on ‘Baby Loves Disco’ parties, which are aimed at older clubbers who now have families. They take place in the afternoons, and welcome adults with young children. Accessible to upper intermediate level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dances
A long list of dances from Wikipedia, with links to further information on each one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3551063.stm
A BBC article (2004) on the psychological benefits of dance therapy for people suffering from mental illnesses. Accessible to upper intermediate level.

7th April - Television

This lesson focuses on television programmes, and includes conflicting views on the subject of reality shows like Big Brother.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2 - B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/presspack/gamesroom/newsreader.shtml
A fun activity from BBC Newsround in which students take of the role of TV newsreaders and have to keep pace with the autocue on the screen. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/chat/your_comments/
newsid_3020000/3020641.stm
Also from BBC Newsround, a forum (2003) asking ‘What makes good reality TV?’ Aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1294477.stm
Quite a long article from the BBC website (2001) about ‘TV Turn-Off Week’, part of a campaign to encourage people to watch less television. Intermediate level and above.

1st April - Laughter

This lesson takes an appropriately light-hearted look at the subject of laughter.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://laughlab.co.uk/
The website of the Richard Wiseman’s LaughLab experiment, containing some interesting analyses of jokes and the way they work. Challenging for intermediate level.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/03/3
An article (2002) on Wiseman’s project from the British newspaper The Guardian. Challenging for intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6274119.stm
A BBC article (2007) on the physical health benefits that apparently derive from laughter. Challenging for intermediate level.

24th March - Text and email language

This week’s lesson looks at the language of text messages and emails, in particular the popular abbreviations that constitute ‘text speak’.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.

http://www.sms-text-guide.com/text-speak-z.html
An online dictionary of text speak.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4440000/newsid_4445300/4445314.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4440000/newsid_4445600/4445620.stm
Two pages from the BBC Newsround website (2005) on the mobile phone service that offered to summarise famous pieces of literature in text language. The second page has examples of famous stories reduced to a couple of lines of text speak – be sure to point out that most of the language is not standard English! Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3125891.stm
An article from the BBC website about the rise of text and email language, and the way in which traditional greetings like ‘hello’ are apparently being replaced. Intermediate level and above.

17th March - Environmental crisis?

This week's lesson looks at f views on the global environmental situation.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.discoverireland.ie/
The website of the Irish national tourist office. Intermediate level and above.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/specials/climate_change/default.stm
A section of the BBC Newsround site devoted to climate change. Lots of material, accessible to intermediate level.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6940000/newsid_6945300/6945361.stm
A Newsround article (2007) on the environmental protests against the planned expansion of London Heathrow airport. Intermediate level and above.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7268960.stm
A recent BBC article (February 2008) on an environmental issue that has been receiving a lot of media coverage: the overuse of plastic bags. The article looks at how different countries around the world are tackling the issue, and on the right-hand side of the page there are links to other pieces on the same subject. Intermediate level and above

17th March - Environmental crisis?

This week’s lesson looks at differing views on the global environmental situation.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

10th March - Ireland

With St Patrick’s Day approaching on 17th March, this week’s lesson focuses on the country of Ireland.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.discoverireland.ie/
The website of the Irish national tourist office. Intermediate level and above.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1038581.stm
A country profile of Ireland from the BBC website. Intermediate level and above.
http://www.irishabroad.com/stpatrick/
A section of the IrishAbroad.com website devoted to Saint Patrick’s Day. Intermediate level and above.

3rd March - Weather challenge!

This week’s lesson consists of different exercises on the subject of weather.

Level
Upper Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/
The homepage of the weather section of the BBC website, with links to a variety of material on the subject of weather and climate.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/health_culture/behaviour.shtml
A BBC text on the way weather affects human behaviour. Accessible to upper-intermediate level.
http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/history/0,,1691974,00.html
A short Guardian review (2006) of a book on ‘the dysfunctional relationship between Britons and climate’. Accessible to upper-intermediate level.

25th February - The unexplained

This week’s lesson looks at unexplained phenomena such as ghosts, UFOs and psychic powers.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4710000/newsid_4718100/4718143.stm
A BBC Newsround forum with an invitation to ‘Tell us your spooky stories!’ Aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.
http://www.theunexplained.org/
A website entitled The Unexplained, including material on ghosts, UFOs (with video footage!), monsters, etc. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5017910.stm
A BBC article (2006) on a survey which suggests that more than half of Britons believe in psychic powers such as mind-reading and premonitions. Intermediate level and above.

18th February - National flags

This week’s lesson focuses on national flags, and introduces some little-known facts about the subject.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallery_of_sovereign-state_flags
A gallery of national flags from Wikipedia.
http://fotw.net/flags/index.html
‘Flags of the World’, which describes itself as ‘the Internet’s largest site devoted to vexillology (the study of flags)’. Contains some interesting facts, as well as a huge gallery of national and other flags.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5140912.stm
A BBC article (2006) suggesting ‘10 uses for an unwanted England flag’ after the elimination of the national football team from the World Cup.

11th February - Food challenge!

This week’s lesson consists of different exercises on the subject of food.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4610000/newsid_4612800/4612833.stm
A BBC Newsround article (2005) on British children’s unhealthy food preferences, plus links on the right-hand side to numerous other articles on food-related issues. Most of the texts are aimed primarily at children and younger teenagers. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/japan-trenduk-eatingdrinking.htm
The 'Eating and Drinking in the UK' section of the British Council's Trend UK study. Intermediate level and above
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_dish
The Wikipedia entry for ‘national dishes’, containing links to detailed descriptions of a large number of them. Intermediate level and above.

4th February - The Cinema

This week’s lesson introduces different types of film, and includes opinions on the experience of going to the cinema in comparison with watching films at home.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.imdb.com/chart/top
The ‘Top 250 Movies’, as voted by the users of the Internet Movie Database. Click on the film titles for plot outlines, reviews, etc. Intermediate level and above.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment
/film/article2953767.ece
‘The 100 best films of 2007’, as chosen by the British newspaper The Times. Intermediate level and above.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7040000/newsid_7048600/7048657.stm
From BBC Newsround, a review of the recent animation Ratatouille. Appropriate for intermediate level.

28th January - New Zealand

The subject of this week’s lesson is the country of New Zealand, which celebrates its national day (Waitangi Day) on 6th February.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.boloji.com/travels/030.htm
New Zealand facts and trivia. Pre-intermediate level and above.
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand
New Zealand entry from Simple English Wikipedia. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.
http://www.newzealand.com/UK-Ireland/
The website of the New Zealand national tourist office, which includes attractive photographs. The text is challenging, but some excerpts could be used with pre-intermediate level. .

21st January - The English Language

The subject of this lesson is the English language. It has been estimated that around 750 million people around the world speak English as a foreign language. Level
Upper Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B2 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/home.htm
The website of the new Macmillan English Dictionaries. Features include interactive activities and games, e-lessons and useful glossaries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7149519.stm
BBC article (December 2007) on the challenges of learning a foreign language. The piece refers to the recently-appointed Italian coach of the English national football team, Fabio Capello.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_vocabulary#English_as_a_global_language
‘English Language’entry from Wikipedia.

14th January - Australia

This week’s lesson focuses on the country of Australia, which celebrates its national day on 26th January.

Level
Pre-intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level A2-B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
‘Australia’ entry in the Simple English Wikipedia. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.
http://www.australianfauna.com/
Information on Australian animals, illustrated with photographs. Accessible to pre-intermediate level.
http://www.goway.com/downunder/australia/index.html
Website of a travel agency specialising in Australia. Challenging for pre-intermediate level.

7th January - The UK Parliament

The subject of this week’s lesson is the UK Parliament. The first meeting of what is widely regarded as the first English Parliament took place on the site of the current Houses of Parliament in London on 20th January 1265.

Level
Intermediate and above (equivalent to CEF level B1 and above)

Student's Worksheet
PDF (76K)
DOC (135K)

Teacher's Notes
PDF (76K)
DOC (18K)

Glossary based on the Macmillan English Dictionary and the Macmillan Essential Dictionary
PDF (77K)
DOC (28K)

Related Websites

Send your students to these websites, or just take a look yourself.
http://www.parliament.uk/
Official website of the UK Parliament.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/a-z_of_parliament/
From the BBC website, an ‘A-Z’ guide to the workings of the UK Parliament.
http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page1.asp
Official website of the office of the UK Prime Minister.