Musicmap vía @NaoCasanova

Musicmap is an interactive online encyclopedia designed to explore the history and evolution of popular music genres. Developed by Kwinten Crauwels, it visually organizes over 200 music genres from 1870 to the present, offering a detailed genealogy of how these styles emerged and influenced one another.

The platform features an interactive map that allows users to click on genres, view their origins, and discover related styles. Each genre includes embedded playlists to sample iconic tracks, making it an engaging educational tool for music enthusiasts and learners. Musicmap provides a glossary, a theoretical framework, and thorough explanations to enrich users' understanding of music history.

Visit:

https://musicmap.info/

Interuniversity Style Guide for Writing Institutional Texts in English

The Interuniversity Style Manual for Writing Institutional Texts in English seeks to address the challenge of ensuring clear, precise, and coherent communication in English within academic and institutional contexts. 

It is designed for faculty, researchers, administrative staff, and language professionals responsible for drafting institutional documents in English.

https://openaccess.uoc.edu/bitstream/10609/73907/1/Interuniversity%20Style%20Guide.pdf

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is a special holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada to give thanks for the blessings of the past year. It’s a time for families and friends to come together, enjoy a big meal, and share what they are grateful for.

Key things about Thanksgiving:

History:

In the United States, Thanksgiving started hundreds of years ago, in 1621, when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They came together to celebrate the harvest and the help the Native Americans gave to the Pilgrims during their first difficult year in the New World.

When It Happens:

In the U.S., Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, it’s celebrated earlier, on the second Monday of October.

Traditions:

Food: Thanksgiving meals often include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

Giving Thanks: Families share what they’re thankful for, such as good health, loved ones, or fun memories.

Parades and Sports: There are big parades, like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and football games that people watch on TV or in person.

Helping Others: Many people volunteer or donate food to those in need. 

Thanksgiving is about kindness, gratitude, and spending time with loved ones. It’s a moment to pause and appreciate the good things in life.

AI activities and resources for English language teachers

AI Activities and resources for English language teachers by Nik Peachey and Ross Crichton, available on the British Council's TeachingEnglish platform, is a practical guide designed to help teachers integrate AI technologies into their classrooms effectively. It offers activities and resources tailored for English language teaching, with a focus on enhancing learning outcomes and engagement through the use of generative AI.

Key features of the guide include: practical applications of AI, supporting teachers, developing critical skills, and addressing challenges (discussions on ethical considerations, such as academic honesty and plagiarism and tips for incorporating AI in a way that complements traditional teaching methods without overshadowing fundamental skills like writing and critical analysis).

For more detailed insights and to access the document, visit:

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/2024-11/Peachey_2024_%20AI_activities_resources_English_language_teachers.pdf

School calendars in Europe #Eurydice

This resource offers a comprehensive look at key aspects of the school year across European countries. It highlights the start dates, duration, and scheduling of school holidays, as well as detailing who is responsible for making these decisions.

The tool serves two primary purposes:

To enhance understanding of the structure and timing of students' school schedules across Europe.

To assist in planning transnational activities and school-level exchanges within the region.

The information spans 37 European countries that are part of the Eurydice network and focuses on primary and general secondary education, following the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011).

Details are accessible through two main sections:

Calendar View: A visual representation of school schedules.

Comparative Data: An analysis of differences and similarities across countries

Find it on:

https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/data-and-visuals/european-school-calendars

25N: interactive activities

In this quizz you will find 3 different interactive activities in relation to the 25th November commemoration.

https://view.genially.com/63749ca398541400179c90ad/interactive-content-25n-interactive-activities-ccm

Codexterous. Thoughts about teaching, literature, and teaching literature

Codexterous is a blog dedicated to providing teaching resources primarily for English Literature and Language at GCSE and A-Level levels. It offers a variety of booklets and educational tools aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning experience in literature.

This blog is particularly useful for educators seeking adaptable, student-friendly materials that can be modified according to classroom needs. It emphasizes practical teaching methodologies and aims to make literature more accessible and engaging for students.

To explore Codexterous and its resources, visit:

https://codexterous.home.blog/resources/

Learn English with #Kahoot

Diverse resources for English class created by Inma and Pedro Civera on Kahoot.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12oogNr2IUEcj3IfTaZ__kaN51gtt9hH-/view?usp=sharing

Green and Blue Projects

The Green and Blue Projects initiative, hosted by the Scientix platform, promotes sustainability and environmental education across schools in Europe. 

It encourages collaboration on projects focused on "green" (environmental) and "blue" (marine) sustainability topics, aiming to integrate these themes into STEM education. Through activities, resources, and support, the project assists educators in developing awareness and skills for sustainable development among students.

For detailed information, visit:

https://www.scientix.eu/projects/green-blue-projects

Proyecto EDIA. REA «School reforms»

School reforms is an open educational resource that is part of a project comprising a set of six learning scenarios called Teens Crafting Communities, designed for 10th-grade (4th ESO) students. 

This project follows the service-learning methodology with the goal of fostering social commitment and active participation to develop a shared project. 

This resource can be used independently or as part of the full set, thereby covering the entire English curriculum for 10th grade (4th ESO). The primary purpose of this learning scenario is for students to identify their school's needs for change by conducting a survey and subsequently submitting a request to the administration. 

To achieve this, students will undertake three missions culminating in a final challenge: drafting a formal proposal for change addressed to the school administration, based on the survey results they will organize. Through these challenges, students will not only learn how to create a survey but will also develop a sense of purpose and social responsibility, focusing on diverse aspects such as SDG 4 on quality education. 

https://cedec.intef.es/proyecto-edia-rea-school-reforms-para-ingles-de-4o-eso/

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!

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/

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

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/

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/