1. Exploiting infographics for language practice and critical thinking is the title of Nik Peachey’s next free webinar at 14:30 UK time on Saturday 23rd January. Link and more info here: https://gobrunch.com/events/land/174341/ No brunch, though – you have to bring your own.
2. ’Global outlook set to bleak’ was the title of a talk that Robin Bew from The Economist Intelligence Unit gave at a British Council conference yesterday. Here’s a good (but depressing) summary:
Yesterday at the British Council’s International Education Virtual Festival Robin Bew, managing director of the Economist Intelligence Unit, painted a bleak picture of the global economic outlook. Noting the variability in access to whole-population Covid-19 vaccination programmes with some poorer countries unlikely to have vaccinated the bulk of their population before 2024 he warned that even most wealthy G20 countries would not see economic activity at 2019 levels until 2022 or 2023, with the UK predicted to return to 2019 levels in the third quarter of 2023.
China has been the exception, being the only major economy to see growth in 2020. As such, the appetite of Chinese students for study abroad is likely to remain strong, though demand may be affected by the perceived quality of the diplomatic relationship between China and prospective study abroad destination countries.
Bew predicted that “austerity is done in Britain”, suggesting that tax increases would be a more likely measure to rebalance the government’s budget. He also said that Scottish independence is increasingly likely and warned that the Brexit settlement could see an increase in support for a united Ireland as well. On a global scale, he forecast an acceleration of geopolitical tensions, with military clashes between the US and China a clear risk.
Lots of ways of turning that into a good lesson, I reckon!
3. I’m not quite sure how long this Oxford English Dictionary ‘word of the day’ link lasts: https://oed.com/view/Entry/181988 It may turn into a pumpkin after midnight UK time …
You can sign up to get the daily word here: https://oed.com/ Bottom left-hand corner if you can’t see it for looking!
4. And, finally, here’s a role model for us all: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/20/amanda-gorman-poem-biden-inauguration-transcript
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