Handy links

Although too much of a good thing can be overwhelming, a long list of good web links can be very handy. The British Council Hong Kong's 'links for language teaching and learning' database has it all! Keep checking this page and save precious preparation time!

Do you blog?

Weblogs, or just blogs, were initially just online journals where people spoke their minds freely. Easy to set up and with lots of storage capacity all for free, blogs have branched out. They are now used professionally, as electronic CVs, and academically, as virtual learning environments. Check BLOG-EFL and let’s blog!

If students seem short of words

Try simple, bright, widely-available toys such as Talking Dice and Lego for ideas to get them talking. Simple, because they are no more than themed sets of dice and colourful play sets and figures, respectively. Bright, because the amount of creative speaking activities generated is just amazing! Check their websites for free step-by-step activities.

All things to all

CBeebies is the BBC website for the little ones... and grown-ups. The kids can enjoy the coolest games and sing-alongs, and send cute e-cards to friends and their pictures to "Your Gallery", while we teachers can use the stories and materials in the "Story Circle" to jazz up our reading classes.

In the mood for business

If Business English (BE) teaching is your thing, then IATEFL is your place to join BESIG. You will find there a growing global community of BE practitioners who share best BE practice through online interaction, newsletters and conferences. Check the last "Vienna 2004 presentations" for some rich food for thought and "Current topics" from Biz/ed for resources.

Love is in the air...

Will you be my Valentine? If this over-complex world has robbed you of time to celebrate a little love among your students, don't miss next Valentine's Day! Official date is 14 February and cute cards, flowers, chocolates and poems are traditional. Cool ideas and links for your Val class on British Council Language Assistant.