Plastic in the ocean: What can we do?

Plastic in the ocean: What can we do? is a lesson plan from the British Council’s TeachingEnglish platform, designed for learners aged 9–12 with an approximate B1 level of English. The lesson takes around 120 minutes and can be delivered in two 60-minute sessions. Its main objective is to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans while developing students’ language and communication skills.

The lesson begins with a story about the journey of a plastic bag, showing how everyday rubbish can travel from a street or park into rivers and eventually reach the ocean, where it can harm marine life. Through reading activities, vocabulary work and discussion, students explore the causes and consequences of plastic pollution. They then work collaboratively to create awareness-raising posters containing slogans, explanations, images and suggestions for action.

The resource combines reading, speaking, vocabulary development, creativity and teamwork. It also encourages students to reflect on their own feelings and behaviour, helping them identify practical actions such as reducing single-use plastics, using reusable alternatives and sharing information with others. A gallery walk allows students to view their classmates’ posters and provide positive feedback, adding a peer-learning dimension to the activity.

From an educational perspective, this proposal provides a meaningful context for learning English while addressing an important environmental issue connected to Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. It can be adapted to different classroom contexts and extended through research, presentations, videos or school awareness campaigns.

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-resources/teaching-primary/lesson-plans/level-2/plastic-ocean-what-can-we-do

ESL Worksheets and Lesson Plans for English Teachers

Linguahouse is an online platform offering a large collection of teaching materials for teachers of English as a foreign or second language. Its ESL Lesson Plans section brings together lesson plans and worksheets that can be searched and filtered according to different criteria, making it easier for teachers to find activities suited to their students and teaching context. The platform includes resources for general English, English for teenagers and other more specific areas, as well as materials based on different types of language and media.

One of its main advantages is its practical approach. Instead of simply providing isolated exercises, the platform offers materials that can be incorporated into complete lessons, with topics and activities designed to encourage students to use English in meaningful contexts. Some resources also include audio or video, which can help teachers develop listening skills and introduce more varied and engaging classroom activities.

For secondary-school English teachers, Linguahouse can therefore be a useful source of inspiration when planning lessons, looking for activities on particular topics or adding variety to the textbook. Materials can be adapted to different levels and classroom situations and can provide opportunities to practise vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening and speaking while discussing contemporary and engaging topics.

The website also distinguishes between free and subscription-based materials, so teachers can explore the available resources and choose those that best fit their needs. Its subscription plans provide broader access to the platform's EFL/ESL resources and include lesson and course plans, among other materials.

https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans

Teachers' and school heads' salaries and allowances in Europe

This interactive tool makes it easy to explore and compare teachers' and school heads' statutory salaries across Europe through clear and engaging data visualisations. It provides up-to-date information on the annual gross salaries of full-time, fully qualified staff working in public schools, as well as the additional allowances they may receive.

The resource includes data from 39 education systems in 37 European countries that are part of the Eurydice network. In some countries, it also covers government-dependent private schools, where these make up a significant part of the education system. The information is organised according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), covering pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education. It is a useful resource for anyone interested in understanding and comparing teachers' working conditions across Europe.

https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/data-and-visuals/teachers-heads-salaries

Help Teaching

HelpTeaching is a free online collection of English Language Arts worksheets designed for teachers, students, and parents.

In simple terms, it is a website where you can find ready-to-use materials to teach and practise English skills. These worksheets cover areas such as reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension, and they are organised by grade level, from early education to high school.

The main purpose of this resource is to make teaching easier. Teachers can download or print worksheets to use in class, assign them as homework, or use them for quick assessments. Many of the materials are designed to reinforce what students learn in lessons, helping them practise skills step by step.

The content is very varied. For example, you can find:

• Reading passages with questions
• Grammar and spelling exercises
• Writing prompts and activities
• Worksheets focused on specific skills like prefixes, punctuation, or text analysis

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

Teaching relationship skills #OECD

The publication “Teaching relationship skills: Evidence from classrooms to inform policy” by the OECD is a short policy brief that explains why relationship skills are essential in education and how teachers actually use them in the classroom.

In simple terms, the report focuses on skills such as communication, empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution, which are considered fundamental for creating a positive learning environment. These abilities help students engage more in learning, improve relationships between classmates, and allow teachers to spend more time teaching instead of managing behaviour.

The study is based on data from Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024, one of the largest international surveys of teachers. It uses real-life classroom scenarios to analyse how teachers respond to situations involving student relationships—for example, conflicts or positive interactions—and what strategies they say they would use.

One of the key ideas is that teaching these relationship skills is not always easy. Many teachers feel less confident supporting students’ social and emotional development compared to teaching academic content, which suggests that more training and support are needed in this area.

The report also shows that teachers’ approaches can vary depending on factors such as their experience, training, or even gender. For instance, some teachers are more likely to use comprehensive strategies that include listening to students, working with colleagues, and directly addressing problems, while others may rely on simpler or more limited approaches.

https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/teaching-relationship-skills_d882368e-en.html

Questioning for Teaching and Learning Webinar hosted by Kate Jones

In this inspiring webinar, educator Kate Jones explores how powerful questioning can transform teaching and learning. The video shows that asking the right questions is not just about checking what students know, but about helping them think more deeply, reflect on their learning and stay engaged in lessons.

Kate Jones shares practical strategies that teachers can use to design better questions and to use them more effectively in class. She explains how well-planned questioning can support understanding, encourage discussion and provide valuable feedback about what students are really learning. The session is useful for teachers at all levels, from early years to secondary and further education.

Results from TALIS 2024. The State of Teaching

The OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the largest global study that listens directly to teachers and school leaders. In 2024, more than 280,000 educators from 55 education systems opened a window into their daily reality: how they teach, how they learn, and what today’s classrooms truly look like.

This new edition, TALIS 2024 Results, offers insights that matter deeply to teachers. It explores how educators are beginning to use artificial intelligence in their practice, what motivates them to choose teaching in the first place, and whether they see themselves continuing in the profession.

For policymakers, TALIS provides evidence to shape decisions. But for teachers, it provides something just as important: a clearer understanding of the profession they share with colleagues around the world—its challenges, its evolution, and its future.

https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/results-from-talis-2024_90df6235-en.html

NotebookLM, a versatile assistant for ESL teachers

NotebookLM offers English-language teachers a powerful and flexible tool for supporting students who are learning English as a foreign language. 

By allowing teachers to upload texts, articles, worksheets, or classroom materials, the platform automatically generates explanations, summaries, vocabulary lists, and comprehension questions tailored to the learners’ level. This helps teachers create personalised resources quickly and adapt authentic materials for different groups. NotebookLM also enables students to explore the content interactively, asking questions in real time and receiving clear, contextualised answers that reinforce understanding. 

For teachers, it becomes an efficient assistant for preparing lessons, designing activities, and differentiating instruction, while for learners it creates a more engaging environment where they can practise reading, listening, and speaking skills with guidance. In essence, NotebookLM enhances both teaching and learning by making high-quality language support accessible, dynamic, and easy to integrate into everyday classroom practice.

Getting started with NotebookLM is simple. After accessing the platform with a Google account, teachers can create a new “notebook” and upload the materials they want to work with—PDFs, Google Docs, web pages, or text files. Once the sources are added, NotebookLM automatically analyses them and becomes ready to answer questions or generate teaching resources based on the content. Teachers can then ask the tool to produce vocabulary exercises, reading-comprehension tasks, grammar explanations, or simplified versions of difficult texts. They can also share notebooks with students or colleagues, making it easy to organise collaborative learning. With just a few minutes of setup, English teachers gain a versatile assistant that supports lesson planning, scaffolding, and student autonomy.

https://notebooklm.google.com/

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

Cartoon Movement

Cartoon Movement is a global online platform dedicated to editorial cartoons and comics journalism. Founded in 2010, it's based in the Netherlands and was created by Thomas Loudon and Arend Jan van den Beld, supported initially by cartoonist Tjeerd Royaards. It hosts a diverse community: over 500 freelancers from more than 80 countries contribute regularly. Carton Movement promotes editorial cartooning as a form of journalism and defends freedom of expression.

Cartoon Movement is a powerful resource for teaching English because it combines visual storytelling, current events, and critical thinking, all of which are excellent tools for language learning.

You can use editorial cartoons to introduce or reinforce vocabulary related to politics, social issues, culture, or international affairs, use cartoons as prompts for debate, discussion, or opinion writing, ask students to describe the cartoon in detail, interpret the symbolism, or explain the message in English, teach idioms and figurative language, and encourage creative production.

Find Cartoon Movement on:

https://www.cartoonmovement.com/

La enseñanza del inglés en el siglo XXI: Una mirada integradora y multimodal

Libro en abierto de Antonio Jesús Tinedo Rodríguez. En él se presenta una perspectiva actual e inclusiva sobre la enseñanza del inglés en el contexto del siglo XXI. Mediante un enfoque multimodal, se analizan metodologías activas, herramientas digitales y estrategias didácticas diseñadas para responder a los retos educativos contemporáneos. 

El autor plantea un modelo pedagógico que integra teoría y práctica, con una marcada orientación hacia la inclusión, la digitalización y la comunicación efectiva.

Tinedo Rodríguez, A. J. (2022). La enseñanza del inglés en el siglo XXI: Una mirada integradora y multimodal. Sindéresis.

https://helvia.uco.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10396/33145/la-ensenanza-del-ingles-en-el-siglo-xxi-gaqeut%20%281%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

AI resources for English teachers

This webpage from teachingenglish.org.uk provides a pathway of resources for teachers to integrate AI into their language teaching. The resources, which include webinars, articles, podcasts, and lesson plans, are designed to help teachers understand AI applications for lesson planning, assessment, and supporting learners, as well as to consider ethical issues like bias and privacy.

You can find it on the following website:

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/professional-development-pathways/pathways-ai-language-teaching

80 Sponge Activities by whatihavelearnedteaching.com

Coined by Madeline Hunter, sponge activities are short, low-preparation exercises used to turn downtime into productive learning moments. These activities reinforce vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, etc., in small bursts, keep learners mentally active and focused even during unexpected pauses, and provide variety and fun, increasing motivation and classroom energy.

Short
Practice existing material
On‑their‑own or with peers
No new content introduced
Groups engaged
Elicit immediate responses

This resource is a collection of 80 short, ready-to-go classroom activities designed to fill those spare minutes—at the beginning, end, or during transitions—with meaningful practice. These “sponge” tasks include:

- Quick challenges like vocabulary scrambles, mini-dictations, word formation, or listing words by category.

- Games such as 20 Questions, flashcard races, or storytelling starters.

- Collaborative prompts—group questions, drawing tasks from oral descriptions, or quick debates—easy to launch and wrap up in a few minutes.

Find them on:

https://whatihavelearnedteaching.com/80-sponge-activities/

Cube for Teachers

Cube for Teachers is a free, global educational sharing network designed to unite educators worldwide to share, support, and inspire. Educators can search, share, and save an ever-growing collection of teacher-recommended resources, fostering equity to improve student outcomes and well-being. ​

Created by practicing teachers, Cube for Teachers addresses the challenge of accessing valuable educational resources scattered across various platforms. By providing a centralized hub, it enhances efficiency and collaboration among educators. ​

Educators can create free accounts, personalize their profiles, explore and share resources, and connect with fellow educators globally. The platform also offers a Chrome extension for quick saving and organizing of resources found on the web. ​

To date, educators have shared over 170,000 resources, benefiting teaching communities across more than 147 countries.

Find it on:

https://cubeforteachers.com/login

Making Groups Work via @NikPeachey

Making Groups Work is an excellent resource for teachers aiming to boost collaboration and engagement among students. 

The book is based on 24 case studies from teachers who work with adult learners. It shares their experiences and solutions to common classroom challenges. The book includes practical tips, techniques, and activities that can be easily applied in any classroom to enhance cooperation and teamwork.

Find this publication on:

https://payhip.com/b/vcwaA

TeachingEnglish: Inclusive classrooms

Make your classes inclusive learning spaces by identifying barriers that can affect learning and practical strategies to overcome them. Access this free course now. The free online modules are available for self-study now. 

Enrolment closes on 21 September and the course closes on 28 September

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/training/teachingenglish-inclusive-classrooms

#Shakespeare Teaching Resources

If you're searching for resources for ShakespeareWeek, you can find a variety of helpful materials on the BBC Teach website.

They offer engaging resources, such as important scenes from Shakespearean plays like Julius Caesar and Macbeth.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/shakespeare-week-teaching-resources/zrx7382 

Teaching Matters #podcast

The Teaching Matters podcast is an audio series that explores various topics related to education, teaching methodologies, and the needs of students. It is provided by WOUB Public Media, a non-profit, public broadcasting organization based in Athens, Ohio, United States. 

WOUB offers educational, informational, and cultural programming through diverse media outlets such as television, radio, and online platforms. Affiliated with Ohio University, it serves as a crucial community resource, delivering news, entertainment, and educational content to its audience.

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/514312608/teaching-matters 

Cooperative Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals #SDGs

Cooperative Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals is a helpful book made just for English teachers. It has lesson plans, tips, and teaching ideas to help teachers use cooperative learning in their classrooms and teach students about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Free download on:

https://payhip.com/b/obOwr