Politics is a popular topic of conversation everywhere at the moment, after the re-election of Donald Trump in the US. The current discussion has given us the perfect reason to slip some political vocabulary into our EFL lessons. There is currently much discussion about political issues arising from the Ukraine situation, so read on for some vocabulary ideas to add to your next politics EFL lesson. (more…)
The King’s Birthday Parade: Exploring Royal Vocabulary
Patriotic households everywhere will be flying the flag this weekend for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, also known as the King’s Birthday Parade! This ceremony on 14th June 2025 marks the King’s official birthday and celebrates His Majesty’s service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. (more…)
It’s the Grand National – And They’re Off!
Update: Congratulations to Nick Rockett and jockey Patrick Mullins, who won the National in 2025!
The Grand National Festival opens on Thursday 3rd April 2025 in the build up to the most famous event in the horse racing calendar! Sponsored by Randox, the Grand National steeplechase takes place at Aintree in Liverpool on Saturday 5th 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)! (more…)
Easter Vocabulary: From Bunnies to Hot Cross Buns
Easter is a special time across the world where people commemorate the crucifixion and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. This spring time festival has many traditions associated with it in the UK, from the sharing of chocolate Easter Eggs to attending church services, taking part in street parades and eating hot cross buns. Find out more about the Easter holiday and explore some of our Easter vocabulary with a gap fill in our Easter EFL lesson idea for beginners. (more…)
April Fools’ Day Famous Hoaxes
April Fools’ Day falls on 1st April every year. This is the day that we traditionally play practical jokes and harmless pranks on each other, while the media report hoax stories in an attempt to fool the nation.
This day has been a celebration of pranks since the Roman times with jokes today ranging from simple schemes such as switching the salt with the sugar in the cupboard to elaborate national hoaxes involving major news organisations.
For EFL classes, this can be a great time to discuss April Fools’ Day famous hoaxes and jokes and turn them into a humorous lesson. (more…)
The Lunar Eclipse and EFL Space Vocabulary
Astronomers are excited about the supermoon set to light up the skies this week. This event will also be classed as a harvest moon, due to the time of year. The full moon nearest the autumn equinox, which this year falls on September 22nd, is known as a harvest moon. Stargazers in the UK should be able to see the supermoon from around 7pm on Tuesday 17th 2024 and this should also coincide with a partial eclipse, which will be visible later during the night. These exciting celestial events make this the perfect time to explore some EFL space vocabulary!
‘Nobody in the World Speaks French’ says Tory Politician
A Conservative politician has declared that “nobody in the world speaks French”. Member of Scottish Parliament Murdo Fraser insisted that it is waste of time teaching children French in primary schools because no one speaks the language “apart from the French obviously” and that Spanish should instead be the focus of language lessons. (more…)
The English are Dirty and Drink Too Much, Says Spanish Book
According to a new book published in Spain, Sons and Daughters of Great Britain, English people are sexually unadventurous, borderline alcoholics who are in desperate need of a bath. Author Alberto Letona’s examination of British culture has stirred up some disgruntlement across the UK with some critics calling his book a collection of stereotypes; others are highly amused by his findings. We take a tongue-in-cheek look through Letona’s witty cultural assessment of Great Britain. (more…)
Happy Chinese New Year of the Sheep
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.
Harry Potter and The Beatles Inspire English Language Learners
The Beatles and Harry Potter have been voted the most popular sources of culture for non-native speakers learning the English language. The study by global learning company Pearson found that more and more learners are turning to popular culture and away from traditional textbooks as their favourite way to learn English, with many schools using interactive resources to inspire EFL students.