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Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November!

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Remember, remember, the 5th of November! Bonfire Night is the time people in the UK light bonfires, eat toffee apples and set off fireworks, as we remember the night that Guy Fawkes nearly blew up the Houses of Parliament. Although the celebrations have been tempered in recent years due to the pandemic, we’ve still enjoyed the exciting atmosphere, food and stories of Bonfire Night. But in 2023, group celebrations are back!

This annual celebration is always an exciting time of year, giving students a great opportunity to learn some more vocabulary in another seasonal EFL class. Check out our Bonfire Night lesson plans for poems, pronunciation practice, discussions and gap fill exercises all about the Gun Powder Plot – a lesson plan to thrill Guy Fawkes fans! Continue reading →

Scientists Compete to Find the Best Method of Remembering

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Learning new vocabulary can be time consuming and tedious for even the most enthusiastic of language learners, so finding an effective way to memorise new words is a top priority for many students. But what is the best way to remember new words?

Is it flash cards, word families, spatial recognition, starting with the easy words, total immersion, visual images, cramming vocabulary lists until your brain begs for mercy? Well you can stop wondering. Memory scientists have launched a competition to find the best method of remembering – and you can volunteer to take part in the big memory experiment!
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Tough New English Language Test for International Students

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The government plans to cut the numbers of foreign students coming to British universities by 25,000 a year by introducing a tough new English language test. Some universities are running remedial classes for first year students and the home secretary has called for a crackdown on the number who cannot speak English properly. But is this decision fair on students coming to study science subjects or Mathematics, who often have weaker langauge skills and for whom English is not a main factor in their studies? Continue reading →

No Swearing with New Google Voice Typing Tool

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Google has launched a brand new ‘voice typing’ tool that allows you to write by talking into your microphone via the Google Chrome browser. This exciting new development is the latest addition to Google Docs, Google’s word processing app.

The Google voice typing tool is great news for mobile users and lazy typers, however, a few early problems have been detected regarding the way the app deals with strong accents, swear words and American/British English. Continue reading →

Is the Scottish Accent Dying Out?

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Linguistics experts at Glasgow University and Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University believe that a natural change is happening in the Scottish accent. It seems that the distinctive Scottish rolled ‘R’ is slowly disappearing as young people soften the letter so much that it has become almost inaudible. The rhotic or tremulant consonants have always been a distinctive part of the Scottish accent but are they going to vanish for good? Continue reading →

It’s a Scorcher! Hot Weather Vocabulary and Phrases

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Phew – a heatwave is currently blazing across the UK! We’re experiencing a sizzling week as the air pressure rises and hot air blasts over from the continent. There is a balmy Mediterranean vibe with temperatures soaring and the UK has now hit its highest ever temperature with 40.2C recorded at Heathrow in London this week. As the mercury tips the scale, join us for some language fun – we’re diving into a cool pool of hot weather vocabulary! Continue reading →

Italians Resist an English Language Invasion

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Italy flag - Italians Resist an English Language InvasionThe Times has reported that the English language is currently a worry to Italian linguists. It seems that the Italian language guardians at Accademia della Crusca are concerned that an influx of English words is corrupting the beauty of the Italian language.

The academy is looking for ways to put a stop to the Anglo-Saxon influence and will hold an emergency meeting about the matter today. We explore the recent news story and examine how the English language has influenced Italian – and in turn, how the Italian language has influenced English. Continue reading →

Voting Vocabulary for Political EFL Lessons

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Palace of Westminster - Parliament - Political EFL LessonsAs Boris Johnson is declared the new Prime Minister of the UK, politics is a popular topic of conversation everywhere. This controversial appointment has given us all the perfect excuse to slip some political vocabulary into our EFL lessons. There is currently much discussion about political issues affecting the UK, especially with Brexit on the horizon, so read on for some vocabulary ideas to add to your next politics EFL lesson. Continue reading →

Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee! Exploring Royal Vocabulary

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Patriotic households everywhere will be flying the flag this weekend for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee! This year marks Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. The celebrations will take place over a special bank holiday weekend from 2nd to 5th June.

The four days of celebration include the Trooping of the Colour (the Queen’s Birthday parade), the lighting of beacons across the UK, a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Derby at Epsom, a Platinum Party at the Palace, Big Jubilee Lunches and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. We are all raising a glass to the Queen on this special occasion, so come and join us for some royal vocabulary! Continue reading →

It’s the Grand National – And They’re Off!

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Congratulations to I Am Maximus and jockey Paul Townsend, winners of the 2024 Grand National!

The Grand National Festival opens on Thursday 11th April 2024 in the build up to the most famous event in the horse racing calendar! Sponsored by Randox, the Grand National 2023 steeplechase takes place at Aintree in Liverpool on Saturday 13th April at 4pm.

This is the UK’s most popular race meeting and people all over the world will be placing their bets on the big race, watching their favourite horses and jockeys take on The Chair and Becher’s Brook!

This famous sporting event has found its way into many EFL classrooms with horse racing themed lessons and vocabulary now the order of the week. Join us for a few horsey ideas that you can take into the winner’s enclosure (aka. the EFL classroom)! Continue reading →