2015 is the Chinese Year of the Sheep. This gentle, peaceful and loving creature will traditionally bring a steady academic progress and a solid understanding of new ideas, which is all good news for EFL students.

People born in the Chinese Year of the Sheep are naturally intelligent, imaginative, quiet and studious. Though gentle on the surface, Sheep people have a great inner resilience and determination to succeed.

The influence of the Sheep means that 2015 is set to be a year of steady and determined progress, creating a solid foundation for the future.

 
The Year of the Sheep is also often referred to as the Year of the Goat. In Chinese, the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term which can be used to refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram (公羊) or antelope ( 羚羊).

Because of this, there is a lack of clear distinction on the Sheep in Chinese history and therefore the Chinese zodiac signs Sheep and Goat tend to be used interchangeably.

 

What does the Year of the Sheep mean for EFL students?

For EFL students the Year of the Sheep could be a special year of progress.

The Sheep brings a determined and creative approach to study with the Sheep’s propensity to analyse information in close detail meaning this could be the year you finally grasp that elusive grammar point!

This EFL lesson plan for Chinese New Year contains a comprehension task which can be a useful exercise for teacher looking for lesson ideas and students looking to practise their vocabulary.

This is a great seasonal activity, letting students learn English related to a certain event, putting language into context while also including interesting information about Chinese culture and New Year traditions.

The Year of the Sheep means that 2015 should be a solid year of productivity for EFL students and teachers!