ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) Report 2024

The latest edition of the ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) report has just been released and is ready for you to access.

This report is a vital tool, as it offers the most recent data (from 2024) on alcohol and other drug use, and risk behaviors among our adolescents.

Why is this report so significant?

A broad European view. The study collected responses from over 113,000 students aged 15 to 16 across 37 European countries (including 25 EU Member States). This gives you an incredibly broad perspective on what’s happening across the continent.

30 years of history. This study is a benchmark. With this eighth data-collection wave, ESPAD celebrates 30 years of collaboration that has compiled the voices of over 800,000 students since 1995. This makes it the most extensive and harmonized research project on adolescent substance use worldwide.

A planning tool. For you, as an educator, the detailed ESPAD data is crucial. It helps you understand current trends, identify areas of greatest risk, and design or adjust your prevention and education programs more effectively.

https://www.espad.org/espad-report-2024

Pumpkin contest 2025 #IESAzorín

For another year, our high school's English Department has organized and hosted its traditional Halloween pumpkin contest. 

The competition saw great participation, as is customary, especially from the younger grades. The awards ceremony for the most terrifying, most creative, and most amusing pumpkin took place on Friday, October 31st, during the first break. 

Our congratulations to all the participants and winners!

English4Today

English4Today is an online English learning platform designed to help users improve their English skills for study, work, and everyday communication.

It provides a range of English language learning resources, including grammar lessons, writing guides, vocabulary builders, and pronunciation support. It is aimed at both learners of English as a second language (ESL/EFL) and teachers seeking supplementary materials.

This valuable online resource offers:

• Grammar and usage guides. Detailed explanations of English grammar points, punctuation, and common mistakes.
• Writing and vocabulary tools. Resources to expand vocabulary and improve formal or academic writing.
• Online courses and eBooks. Structured learning materials for students at different levels.
• Teacher resources. Materials and tools for classroom use or online instruction.

Some content and courses are free, while others require membership or payment.

Find it on:

https://english4today.com/?v=12470fe406d4

Academic Writing Handbook for Learners

To fulfil the requirements of a course or programme, it is often necessary to produce written work for assessment. This type of writing is referred to as academic writing when it is completed for assessment or certification purposes.

The aim of academic writing is to communicate researched, analysed, and discussed information clearly and effectively. Such writing should be clear, concise, objective, and informative, and all sources of information or research must be properly acknowledged. Developing proficiency in academic writing generally requires guidance, practice, and feedback.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance on academic writing for learners undertaking programmes equivalent to levels 5 and 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The resource may also be useful for learners at other levels and for educators supporting the development of writing skills.

Downloads:

https://www.fess.ie/images/stories/ResourcesForTutors/AcademicWritingHandbookForLearnersInTheFETSector.pdf

What Works Best?

"What Works Best" is a suite of resources developed by the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) for the NSW Department of Education in Australia that outlines the most effective, evidence-based practices for improving student learning and wellbeing.

The resources succinctly describe 8 core themes that research consistently shows make a difference to student outcomes:

High expectations

Explicit teaching

Effective feedback

Using data to inform practice

Assessment

Classroom management

Wellbeing

Collaboration

"What Works Best" translates the latest research into practical guides and illustrations to support teachers and school leaders as they reflect on and improve their instructional practice.

Visit:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/what-works-best

Resources:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/what-works-best/all-what-works-best-resources

Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction

Barak Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction are a set of $\mathbf{10}$ research-based guidelines for effective teaching, derived from cognitive science, observations of "master teachers," and research on cognitive supports. They provide a framework for structuring lessons to help students efficiently acquire, practice, and connect new knowledge, primarily by managing their cognitive load and ensuring long-term retention.

The principles are supported by evidence from three key areas:

Cognitive Science: this research highlights the limitations of working memory (the mental space for processing information) and the importance of automaticity (fluent recall) in freeing up mental capacity for higher-level thinking.

Master Teachers:the principles summarize the instructional methods and classroom routines consistently used by teachers whose students showed the largest academic gains.

Cognitive Supports: these are scaffolding techniques, like models and prompts, that help students successfully navigate difficult material.

Download this guide:

https://beehiiv-publication-files.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/downloadables/747480c6-e377-4d48-b0a8-52b5a256f1e1/044f419a-31a0-4c23-b235-d5d34d6e6454/Download%20the%20Guide.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAQCMHTQSE2JGAGXHJ%2F20251017%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20251017T054512Z&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=191d7e3f436b5076848199d1b0a5967a41b520d69e700830af4bbdf7c8bc0c54

Brilliant Maps

Brilliant Maps is a website that helps people “make sense of the world, one map at a time.”  It publishes interesting, quirky, and often surprising maps on topics ranging from geography and history to social phenomena. 

On the site you’ll find maps like “All the Countries That Have Militarily Defeated the United States,” “European Countries With No Mountains,” or visualisations of how many hours young people spend doing unpaid domestic work. 

Each map usually comes with explanation or commentary about what it reveals, including sources, caveats, and sometimes comparisons or additional data. 

Find it on:

https://brilliantmaps.com/

Keep It Real Online. Helping Young People Stay Safe in a Digital World

In today’s hyperconnected world, young people spend a large part of their lives online — learning, socialising, playing, and exploring. The internet offers endless opportunities, but it also comes with risks that can affect their wellbeing. From online grooming and cyberbullying to exposure to pornography or unwanted messages, the digital space can be both empowering and challenging. That’s where Keep It Real Online, an initiative by the New Zealand Government, comes in.

Keep It Real Online provides practical advice, real stories, and step-by-step guidance to help children, teenagers, parents, and educators navigate the online world safely. Rather than simply warning about dangers, the campaign focuses on honest conversations, education, and early prevention — recognising that the key to digital safety lies in open communication and trust.

Visit:

https://www.keepitrealonline.govt.nz/

Free English Language Arts Worksheets

Free English Language Arts Worksheets on HelpTeaching provides a collection of downloadable worksheets for various English language skills. These cover topics like grammar, reading comprehension, writing, vocabulary, punctuation, and more. 

Teachers can use them to reinforce lessons, assign practice work, or support students who need extra help.

https://www.helpteaching.com/free-english-language-arts-worksheets.htm

Heart Words in Spanish

The page “Heart Words in Spanish” on ReallyGreatReading introduces a resource of videos that review high-frequency English words, explained in Spanish. 

The idea is to help students with words that are hard to read or irregular: by showing how they are spelled, highlighting the tricky parts, and then providing follow-up practice activities. Teachers can use these videos before doing the exercises.

The site is part of Really Great Reading, which offers tools and methods for helping with reading instruction, especially for students who struggle with decoding.

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/heart-words-spanish