Compiled by Michaela Mozolova

Another week goes by but not without more great ready-to-use activities for your classes and some thought-provoking articles for teaching enthusiasts…

Teacher Development Opportunites

Check our previous post for still current events in Bratislava and Presov.

• A business English teacher’s guide to soft skills training: a BEsig workshop with Ed Pegg. Sunday, 3rd March 2013, 16.00- 17.00 (CET).  Click the link to register free.

• Professional Development for Now and the Future: A Guide to 2013: recorded webinar with Vicky Loras on on how to use social networds to grow as English teachers and educators. The link is in Vicky’s blog post. Free.
• Getting students to answer questions in full sentences: live OUP webinar with Ritsuko Nakata. Saturday, 23rd February 2013, 9-10am (CET). Click to register free.
• And just a few months down the road: eltforum.sk Teachers Development Conference!

Activities and Lesson Plans

• A lot of good resources and lesson plans available here: fre.
• A new lesson plan focused on encouraging learners to talk about a city/town they currently live in.
• Katie Sule on the vocabulary of love…in case you didn’t get enough over Valentine’s Day week.
• Poetry doesn’t have to be dry andor boring. Jo Budden gives some good pointers for where to find suitable poems and how they can be used to teach and improve our students’ English.
• Very helpful activities on writing CVs – and very practical.
  1) Podcast: Writing a CV – http://bit.ly/UnLdx0
  2) Reading: CV or Application form – http://bit.ly/WrQilt
  3) Writing: Filling in forms – http://bit.ly/12kQeLL
  4) Writing your CV Part 1 – http://bit.ly/12kQlqT
  5) Writing your CV Part 2 – http://bit.ly/11ILwbo
• Not really ‘love lessons‘ – suitable for any day.
  Age: teens and adults
  Level: B2 and up
  Note: wine not required
• Every holiday you know of – and those we’ve sure you’ve never heard of – as the topic of readings, vocab exercises, grammar stuff…wonderful stuff!
• With the influence of British English on American and visa versa, this looks like a good resource.

Videos for class

• Yes, you should use TED. This quick video shows you how the TED website can be a great resource for STUDENTS and TEACHERS.
• A new lesson plan from Kieran Donaghy at Film English designed around a beautiful short story and short film adaptation.
  Language level: B2-C1
  Learner age: Teens and adults
  Time: two 90-minute classes

Business English

• Looking for an interesting business English lesson? Gabrielle Jones has an idea… using pictures only. Read about her 30-day challenge.
• Although business English teacher Gabrielle Jones put this game together for the New Year, it’s good all year round. How to play.
• Tons of materials on business: readings, fill-in-the-gap, vocab, role-play…
  Not laid out by level but by company (Apple, Amazon, etc.).
  Level B1-C1
  Target learner: teenager and adult

Blogs for further reading

• You know those phrases we always use in class? You know, like ““So, in your own words – can you tell me what we just did?” We should be careful not to use them in real life, particularly in romantic situation. Sue fills us in on what to avoid.
• Do you also get to hear all the time that you work too hard or that you should definitely take a break? But what if you love it? Find out what the research says about workaholics like you here.
• Great teachers make difference: US studies show the teacher is one of the most crucial factors in your child’s school success. What makes a great teacher? Watch, listen and find out.