sábado, 2 de noviembre de 2024

BBC Learning English Conversations

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio is a resource provided by BBC Learning English that focuses on helping English learners improve their conversational skills. Through structured dialogues, role plays, and situational conversations, learners can practice listening comprehension, pronunciation, and everyday English language use.

The program covers a wide range of topics, from common social interactions to professional communication, aimed at building confidence in spoken English. It's designed for learners at different proficiency levels, offering accessible and engaging content that often includes transcripts, exercises, and downloadable resources. It’s popular among English learners globally for its practical approach to language acquisition.

Find it on:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9zn/episodes/downloads

Halloween Pumpkin Contest

Once again, our school welcomes back a contest that’s becoming a true classic at IES Azorín! Organized by the English department, the competing pumpkins were displayed in the entrance hallway throughout last week. Congratulations to all participants for their terrifying creativity!

sábado, 26 de octubre de 2024

Informed Language Teacher

The Informed Language Teacher is a free educational resource aimed at helping language teachers, particularly trainees, gain deeper insights into the principles and research underpinning effective language teaching. Curated by Steve Smith, a former teacher and educator, the site is structured into several thematic sections, each featuring articles, videos, and podcasts on topics like motivation, cognitive science, input and output theories, communicative language teaching, and vocabulary development.

The site provides accessible links to high-quality research and pedagogical materials without promoting any specific teaching approach, making it a valuable tool for language teachers seeking evidence-based strategies to improve classroom practice. It covers both foundational concepts and new findings, appealing to educators wanting to stay informed and critically engaged with language acquisition research.

For more details, visit:

https://www.informedlanguageteacher.com/

The Presidential Ham by @bijijoo (Thanks to @NaoCasanova)

The Presidential Ham is a satirical website that humorously critiques American political figures and events. The site uses the concept of "The Presidential Ham" as a fictional, slightly absurd award to comment on U.S. politics with wit and humor. 

By embracing the quirky idea of a "presidential ham," the site playfully examines the actions, statements, and controversies of the presidents of the United States.

Given the current U.S. elections, this resource could be useful in English class to work on physical and character descriptions.

You can find it here:

https://presidentialham.com/

https://bijijoo.com/

sábado, 19 de octubre de 2024

The Georgian Theatre Royal Education Pack

This resource is an educational pack about Georgian theatre, provided by the University of York. It offers background on 18th-century theatre history, focusing on aspects like playhouses, actors, and the role of theatre in society. 

The pack includes practical activities, discussion questions, and resources aimed at students and teachers to enhance their understanding of Georgian theatre, its development, and its cultural significance.

https://www.york.ac.uk/media/english/images/thelifeoftheplayhouse/Georgian%20Theatre%20Education%20Pack.pdf

CommonLit library

The CommonLit library is a free online resource that provides a vast collection of high-quality reading materials for students and educators. It includes a diverse range of texts, such as short stories, poems, articles, and historical documents, designed to help students from grades 3 to 12 improve their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. The library offers texts that cover various genres, themes, and reading levels, making it adaptable for different educational needs.

Each text in the CommonLit library is accompanied by comprehension questions, discussion prompts, and sometimes paired texts to support literacy instruction. Teachers can create accounts to assign readings to their students and track progress. The platform is used widely in classrooms to support reading development and align with academic standards like Common Core.

You can explore the library here:

https://www.commonlit.org/en/library?initiatedFrom=library

sábado, 12 de octubre de 2024

Jane the Brain: A cerebral adventure for our little ones

The recent World Mental Health Day reminded us of the importance of taking care of our minds, especially from a young age. And for our little ones, learning about the brain in a fun and educational way is essential. That's where Video Series Jane the Brain comes in!

What is Jane the Brain?

Jane the Brain is an animated video series that takes kids on a fascinating journey through the human brain. Through colorful animations and endearing characters, Jane explains complex neuroscience concepts in a simple and entertaining way. From how we learn and remember to how we feel emotions, Jane makes it all understandable.

Why is it important for children's mental health?

Normalizing emotions: Jane the Brain helps children understand that their emotions are normal and that everyone experiences them.

Fostering curiosity: By presenting the brain as a fascinating organ, the series sparks children's curiosity to learn more about themselves.

Developing social skills: The videos promote empathy and understanding of others' perspectives.

Reducing stigma: By openly discussing the brain and mental health, it helps to reduce the stigma associated with these topics.

How to use Jane the Brain at home or in the classroom?

Viewing sessions: Dedicate some time each week to watch Jane the Brain episodes with your family or in the classroom.

Complementary activities: Create fun and educational activities based on the video topics, such as drawings, role-playing, or simple experiments.

Open dialogue: Use the videos as a starting point for conversations about emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Find this amazing resource on:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/get-involved/science-education/video-series-jane-the-brain

SoBrief: #ArtificialIntelligence to generate book summaries

SoBrief is an innovative AI-powered tool that provides concise and accurate summaries of a wide variety of books. Language teachers can leverage this platform to:

  • Expand their reading horizons: Discover new works and literary genres quickly and easily.
  • Enrich their classes: Use the summaries as a starting point for class discussions, literary analysis, or as a supplement to your teaching materials.
  • Encourage reading among their students: Recommend books to students based on their interests and language proficiency levels.
  • Save time: Avoid the tedious task of summarizing books yourself and devote more time to preparing more creative activities.

With SoBrief, teachers have access to summaries in multiple languages, which facilitates the integration of literature from different cultures into their classes and promotes the learning of foreign languages in a more engaging and meaningful way.

Find it on:

https://sobrief.com/

sábado, 5 de octubre de 2024

TalkEnglish.com

TalkEnglish.com is a free online platform designed to help users improve their English speaking, listening, and comprehension skills. It offers a wide range of resources, including:

Speaking lessons: focused on improving conversational skills for various contexts such as business, travel, and daily life.

Listening lessons: helps users improve their listening comprehension by providing audio conversations with transcripts.

Grammar lessons: covers essential English grammar rules and structures.

Vocabulary resources: provides lists of commonly used English words and phrases.

Interactive exercises: offers quizzes and practice exercises to reinforce learning.

The website is aimed at both beginners and advanced learners looking to enhance their English fluency, with structured lessons and practical tools.

https://www.talkenglish.com/

A Way with Words. Radio show and podcast

A Way with Words is a radio show and podcast that focuses on language, linguistics, and communication. Hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, the program explores a wide range of topics related to words, grammar, slang, idioms, and the origins of phrases. It features listener questions about language usage, as well as discussions on how language evolves, its quirks, and its role in culture.

Listeners can call in or write with questions, making the show interactive and engaging for language enthusiasts. The podcast appeals to anyone curious about the intricacies of words and language in everyday life.

You can find the show on popular podcast platforms like: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts...

Some episodes are available on their YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@waywordradio

Episodes are available for streaming or download at:

https://waywordradio.org/

sábado, 28 de septiembre de 2024

ValentinaESL.com by @ValentinaESL

ValentinaESL.com is an online resource platform designed for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. It offers a wide variety of materials and tools to enhance ESL teaching, including lesson plans, activities, worksheets, and ideas for classroom engagement. 

The site is aimed at helping teachers create dynamic and interactive lessons for learners of all ages and proficiency levels.

Valentina Gonzalez, the creator of the site, shares resources focused on making language learning enjoyable and accessible. The content is typically available for free or through paid membership options, providing a flexible way for educators to access and integrate the materials into their teaching practices.

Visit this amazing collection of resources on:

https://www.valentinaesl.com/

EnglishCentral.com

EnglishCentral.com is an online language learning platform designed to help users improve their English skills through video-based lessons. The platform offers a vast library of videos covering various topics, ranging from everyday conversations to more specialized content like business English. Users can practice listening, speaking, vocabulary, and pronunciation by watching the videos and engaging with interactive exercises.

EnglishCentral employs a unique "watch, learn, speak" methodology that integrates speech recognition technology to provide instant feedback on users' pronunciation. It caters to learners of all levels, offering courses, tracking progress, and allowing users to work at their own pace. Additionally, it provides tools for teachers to create custom lessons and monitor their students' progress.

Visit:

https://www.englishcentral.com/browse/videos

sábado, 21 de septiembre de 2024

2024 European Day of Languages: Europeans and their languages

The European Day of Languages is an opportunity to promote language learning and linguistic diversity. This year, the European Commission is hosting an event to discuss the 2024 Eurobarometer results on Europeans and their languages, comparing them with the 2012 results. Countries with positive outcomes, such as Finland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, will be featured.

Speakers include Iliana Ivanova, EU Commissioner for Innovation, and various Directors General from the European Commission. The event will take place on 26 September from 12:00 to 13:00 CET and will be livestreamed with subtitles in all EU languages on this page:

https://education.ec.europa.eu/event/2024-european-day-of-languages-europeans-and-their-languages

We Teach MFL

We Teach MFL is a website offering a variety of resources aimed at supporting Modern Foreign Language (MFL) teachers. The platform provides lesson materials, worksheets, grammar guides, and exam-specific tools for Key Stage 3, GCSE, and A-Level curriculums.

These resources are designed by educators to help make teaching more engaging and efficient. Additionally, the site includes professional development (CPD) opportunities, such as webinars and blog posts, focused on enhancing teaching strategies.

Teachers can access these resources through a membership model, which offers materials for languages like Spanish and French.

Find it on:

https://www.weteachmfl.co.uk/

Free resources on:

https://www.weteachmfl.co.uk/free-resources

viernes, 13 de septiembre de 2024

Open Culture

Open Culture is an educational website that offers free access to a wide range of high-quality cultural and educational resources. Founded in 2006 by Dan Colman, it curates links to free online content, including:

Free online courses from prestigious universities 

Classic films, indie movies, and documentaries.

A large collection of free audiobooks, many of them literary classics.

Free resources to help users learn over 40 different languages.

Educational resources: lectures, podcasts, and other learning materials.

Find it on:

https://www.openculture.com/

Ecosocial Calendar School Year 2024/ 2025 by Teachers for Future Spain

The Ecosocial School Year Calendar 2024/2025 by Teachers for Future Spain is a resource designed to incorporate environmental and social sustainability themes into education. 

This calendar highlights important ecological and social dates, such as international days related to climate action, biodiversity, and human rights. It encourages educators to use these dates as opportunities to integrate discussions on climate change, sustainable practices, and social justice into their lessons.

One key feature of the calendar is its inclusion of QR codes, which link to educational resources, activities, and materials to help teachers engage students in topics related to the environment and sustainability. The calendar highlights the birthdays of notable environmental figures to inspire students and provide role models.

https://teachersforfuturespain.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Copia-de-Calendario-2425-para-ingles.pdf 

sábado, 7 de septiembre de 2024

How to spot and fight disinformation

How to Spot and Fight Disinformation is a guide aimed at helping citizens identify and combat the spread of false information, especially online. 

Developed by the European Union, it typically provides practical tips and strategies for recognizing disinformation, such as checking the credibility of sources, verifying facts, analyzing images and videos for manipulation, and understanding the motives behind the spread of misleading content.

The resource is part of the EU’s broader effort to promote media literacy, safeguard democracy, and prevent the harmful effects of disinformation, including political manipulation and social division. It often includes examples of common disinformation tactics and provides guidance on how to respond or report suspicious content on digital platforms.

Find it on:

https://learning-corner.learning.europa.eu/learning-materials/how-spot-and-fight-disinformation_en

Also available in Spanish:

https://spain.representation.ec.europa.eu/document/06d2547a-63e2-4b8b-9c08-620c5a6990d9_es

International Literacy Day #LiteracyDay

Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) has been celebrated every year on 8 September across the globe. It's a day to remind everyone—policy-makers, educators, and the public—of just how vital literacy is for building a more informed, fair, peaceful, and sustainable world. 

Discover this celebration and many literacy-related resources on UNESCO's webpage dedicated to this day. 

https://www.unesco.org/en/days/literacy

domingo, 1 de septiembre de 2024

USA Learns. Free English classes

USA Learns is a free online platform designed to help adults learn English and improve their English language skills. It offers a wide range of resources for learners at various levels, covering essential topics such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The platform is structured with interactive lessons that focus on real-life scenarios, such as work, school, and daily activities, making it practical for adult learners aiming to enhance their communication skills for daily use or career advancement.

In addition to English language instruction, USA Learns also provides a citizenship course to help learners prepare for the U.S. citizenship test, covering the civics and history topics needed to pass the exam.

Find it on:

https://www.usalearns.org/

Swear words and profanities from around the world

Swear words and profanities from around the world is a resource dedicated to collecting and explaining curse words, insults, and profanities from different languages and cultures.

It serves as a reference for linguists, travelers, or those simply curious about global slang, and it generally highlights the diverse ways people express strong emotions or frustration across languages and regions.

Find this multilingual resource on:

https://profanity.acatcalledfrank.com/

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