UNTERM (United Nations Terminology Database)

The UNTERM (United Nations Terminology Database) is the official multilingual terminology database of the United Nations. It provides access to thousands of terms, expressions, acronyms, and official vocabulary used in United Nations documents and communications. The database covers the six official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) and includes terminology related to a wide range of fields such as human rights, sustainable development, international law, climate change, diplomacy, education, health, and peacekeeping.

The main purpose of UNTERM is to ensure consistency and accuracy in translation and communication across different languages. Users can search for specific terms and find their equivalents in multiple languages, along with definitions, usage notes, and contextual information. As a result, it is an invaluable tool for translators, interpreters, researchers, and anyone working in multilingual environments.

From an educational perspective, UNTERM offers many opportunities for English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching and for language learning in general. Because it contains authentic and specialised vocabulary used in international organisations, it allows students to explore real-world language rather than simplified textbook examples. Teachers can use the database to introduce topics such as global citizenship, human rights, environmental sustainability, or international cooperation while simultaneously developing students’ vocabulary skills.

In the ESL classroom, students can search for key terms related to a topic being studied and compare how these concepts are expressed in English and in their own language. This helps learners become more aware of linguistic nuances and translation challenges. The database is also useful for developing academic vocabulary, improving reading comprehension, and understanding the precise meaning of specialised terminology.

For language classes more broadly, UNTERM can support multilingual projects in which students investigate how international concepts are represented across different languages and cultures. Activities might include creating bilingual glossaries, analysing international documents, comparing terminology across languages, or exploring how certain concepts—such as equality, democracy, migration, or sustainability—are defined in global institutions.

The resource is particularly valuable for promoting intercultural awareness and language accuracy. By working with terminology used by the United Nations, students gain exposure not only to advanced vocabulary but also to the language of international cooperation and global challenges. This makes UNTERM an excellent tool for combining language learning with education for global citizenship, critical thinking, and intercultural communication.

https://unterm.un.org/unterm2/en/

Aliens: a negative example for learning

The website Aliens on the official White House website is a government information page that presents the current U.S. administration’s position on immigration and undocumented migrants. 

The site uses direct and highly persuasive language, combining statistics, policy statements, images, and political messages to support a particular viewpoint on border security and immigration enforcement. Because of its strong political framing, it offers an interesting opportunity for educational work in the ESL classroom, particularly when combined with human rights education and critical thinking.

From a language-learning perspective, the website provides authentic English material that students can analyse. Learners can identify persuasive vocabulary, emotional language, rhetorical strategies, and the way information is organised to influence readers. Activities might include examining headlines, identifying facts and opinions, or discussing the difference between informative and persuasive texts.

The resource is also valuable for developing media literacy and critical thinking skills. Students can explore questions such as: Who is the intended audience?, What message is the website trying to communicate?, What information is included and what information might be missing?, and How do images and language influence the reader’s perception of migrants? These discussions help learners understand that even official sources can present information from a particular perspective.

From a human rights perspective, the website can be used as a negative example to introduce debates about migration, asylum, discrimination, and the rights of refugees and migrants. Students can compare the language used on the website with principles found in documents such as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and discuss how different societies balance security concerns with the protection of human dignity and fundamental rights.

Possible ESL classroom activities include analysing key vocabulary related to migration, comparing the website with reports from international organisations, writing alternative headlines from different perspectives, holding debates on migration policies, or evaluating the reliability and purpose of different sources. In this way, students not only improve their English language skills but also learn to read critically, recognise bias, and reflect on complex social issues from an informed and respectful perspective.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/aliens/

Atlas of Global Development 2026

The World Bank Data360 Atlas is an interactive online platform that allows users to explore and compare global development data through maps, charts, and visual tools. The website brings together information from many international databases to help people better understand social, economic, environmental, and technological trends around the world.

The platform is designed to make complex statistics easier to understand. Users can select different indicators—such as education levels, internet access, poverty, gender equality, climate data, or health information—and view them visually on a world map. This makes it possible to compare countries and regions quickly and clearly.

One of the main strengths of the Data360 Atlas is its educational value. Teachers and students can use it to work with real international data, develop data literacy skills, and analyse global challenges from a critical perspective. Because the information is presented visually and interactively, it is especially useful for classroom discussions, research projects, and activities related to geography, economics, citizenship, sustainability, or global development.

https://data360.worldbank.org/en/atlas/

Entrepreneurship education at school in Europe

Entrepreneurship is considered one of the eight key competences for lifelong learning in Europe. It helps young people develop creativity, initiative, problem-solving skills, and the confidence needed to face today’s economic, social, and environmental challenges. Encouraging entrepreneurship in education also supports innovation and prepares students for a constantly changing world.

This report examines how entrepreneurship education is included in different education systems. It looks at areas such as educational policies, how entrepreneurship is integrated into the curriculum, teacher training, and the practical activities students can take part in to develop entrepreneurial skills.

The publication also includes additional tables and information about how entrepreneurship education appears in school curricula and teacher competence frameworks in different countries.

The report covers the education systems of the countries participating in the Eurydice Network, including all European Union Member States as well as several other European countries such as Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Türkiye.

https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/25bc9072-afc8-11f0-b37f-01aa75ed71a1/language-en

Globe of History

The Globe of History is an innovative 3D interactive mapping tool designed to transform how students and educators engage with the vast timeline of human civilization. Spanning over 6,000 years of global history, the platform functions as a "digital time machine" that allows users to navigate the world through a temporal slider, revealing how civilizations, conflicts, and cultures have shifted across the planet. Unlike static maps, this resource uses a custom AI-driven "data factory" to synthesize information from various historical databases, presenting it as structured, readable narratives pinned to specific geographic coordinates. For educators, the benefits of the Globe of History are particularly significant in fostering spatial and temporal literacy. By visually anchoring historical events to their actual locations, it helps students overcome the common struggle of disconnecting "when" something happened from "where" it occurred. 

The tool provides several key pedagogical advantages: 

- Contextualization and comparison: Teachers can use the filtering system to isolate specific themes—such as battles, inventions, or the roles of famous women—allowing classes to analyze patterns and correlations across different eras and continents simultaneously. 

- Active inquiry: The platform serves as a powerful "questioning medium." Educators can prompt students to investigate why certain regions become hotspots for innovation or conflict during specific decades, encouraging them to think like historians by exploring the "why" behind the data points. 

- High student engagement: The immersive 3D interface and the inclusion of multimedia links (such as Wikipedia and YouTube) for each entry provide a "trigger" for deeper research. It is an ideal resource for the beginning of a lesson to hook students' interest or for mini-survey activities where small groups verify and expand upon a specific event found on the globe. 

- Critical thinking: By showing the interconnectedness of global cultures, the tool challenges the Eurocentric or isolated views often found in traditional textbooks, helping students develop a more holistic and global understanding of history.

https://www.globeofhistory.com/

What are the likely impacts of rising temperatures on students and how are countries adapting?

This OECD policy brief examines the growing challenges that rising global temperatures pose to education systems, spcifically focusing on how extreme heat affects students' health, cognitive performance, and overall learning outcomes. 

The report highlights that by 2050, a significantly higher number of students in OECD countries will be exposed to extreme heat during school days, which directly undermines academic achievement and well-being. To mitigate these risks, the document outlines various adaptation strategies currently being implemented or considered by different nations, such as modifying school calendars and timetables, investing in sustainable cooling infrastructure, and redesigning outdoor school environments. 

It also emphasizes the importance of balancing these interventions, noting that while infrastructure upgrades are effective but costly, administrative changes like adjusting schedules must be carefully managed to prevent a loss of total instruction time.

https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/03/what-are-the-likely-impacts-of-rising-temperatures-on-students-and-how-are-countries-adapting_c75d6817/960244d5-en.pdf

The Learning Corner. Learn about the European Union

The Learning Corner is an educational platform created by the European Commission to help children, teenagers, and teachers learn about the European Union in an interactive and engaging way. The website offers free educational materials in all 24 official EU languages, making it accessible to schools across Europe.

The platform is organised by age groups and topics, allowing users to explore subjects such as EU history, climate and environment, culture, European institutions, citizenship, and digital safety. It includes quizzes, games, competitions, videos, activity books, timelines, and teaching resources designed both for classroom use and independent learning at home.

One of its main goals is to make learning about the European Union more accessible and enjoyable. Instead of presenting information only through traditional texts, the site uses interactive activities and multimedia content to encourage participation and curiosity. Students can test their knowledge through games and quizzes, while teachers can access ready-to-use lesson materials and ideas for classroom activities.

The Learning Corner is also especially useful for teachers because it provides educational resources for different educational levels, from primary school to upper secondary education. In addition, it helps schools connect with other teachers and institutions across Europe, promoting collaboration and international projects.

https://learning-corner.learning.europa.eu/index_en

A brief history of melancholy

The TED-Ed lesson A brief history of melancholy, created by Courtney Stephens and directed by Sharon Colman Graham, explores how the idea of sadness and melancholy has changed throughout history. Through an animated and accessible format, the lesson explains that melancholy has been understood in many different ways over time: as a medical condition, a philosophical state, a creative force, or simply part of the human experience.

The resource examines historical beliefs such as the ancient theory of the “four humors,” where melancholy was linked to an excess of black bile, and later cultural ideas that connected sadness with wisdom, creativity, or artistic sensitivity. It also reflects on modern views of depression and emotional well-being, encouraging viewers to think critically about how societies interpret emotions.

One of the main strengths of this resource is that it combines history, psychology, philosophy, and culture in a short and engaging lesson. The TED-Ed format also includes discussion questions and additional materials, making it especially useful for educational contexts. Teachers can use it to promote conversations about emotions, mental health, and the historical evolution of ideas related to sadness and human behaviour.

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-brief-history-of-melancholy-courtney-stephens

OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026

The OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026, Exploring Effective Uses of Generative AI in Education," is a flagship report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.  

It serves as a comprehensive guide for policymakers and educators on how to integrate Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into education systems without compromising the quality of learning. Its central argument is that while AI can improve task performance (e.g., writing a better essay), it does not automatically lead to better learning. 

The OECD warns of "metacognitive laziness," where students offload cognitive tasks to AI. Studies cited in the report show that while students using AI produce higher-quality work, their performance often drops or reverses during exams when the AI is removed. 

A major focus is on ensuring that AI augments rather than replaces teachers. In 2024, approximately 37% of lower secondary teachers were already using AI, and the report emphasizes that involving teachers in the "co-design" of these tools is essential for success.  

Beyond the classroom, the 2026 Outlook explores how AI can streamline school administration, curriculum alignment, and educational research.  

This resource is significant because it is the first major OECD publication to provide a "state-of-the-art" overview of GenAI since the technology became widely accessible. It establishes design principles to ensure that digital transformation in schools supports human growth, critical thinking, and equity, rather than just technical efficiency.

https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/01/oecd-digital-education-outlook-2026_940e0dd8/062a7394-en.pdf

Why is grammar so confusing?

Grammar rules have sparked strong debates across different languages and cultures for centuries. While it is clear that people care deeply about using language “correctly,” it is not always obvious why these rules exist or where they come from. Many of them seem arbitrary, raising questions about whether they truly matter or are simply conventions that have developed over time.

In the video, Arika Okrent explores this issue by examining several well-known examples from English that have generated ongoing disagreement among speakers and writers. Through these cases, the video shows how grammar is not fixed, but shaped by history, usage, and changing attitudes, encouraging viewers to rethink what “correct” language really means.