1. My colleague Colm Downes is leading on the British Council’s Language Teaching for the Planet programme in support of COP 26 later this year. I’ll forward a message from him and two surveys, one for teachers and one for institutions, with the dissemination of which he’d welcome your support, separately after this message. (I’ll also add them to the blog.)

2. A friend in Thailand sent me this BBC film of the Thai state visit to the UK in 1960. A good lesson in the hands of a skilled teacher and a fun watch, come what may. My, 1960 seems a long time ago, a different, more deferential world, I was thinking – and then realised that sixty years is a long time ago and it was a different, more deferential world! https://youtu.be/0Njzh0LeEc Look out for Major Jeffreys of the Grenadier Guards in his splendid bearskin welcoming King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit in Thai. Here’s a bit more material from The Royal Watcher blog (to which I have yet to subscribe) https://royalwatcherblog.com/2020/07/19/thai-state-visit-to-britain-1960/

3. It’s Safer Internet Day on 9^th February, and I thought you might like a little time to think through how and if you might use these materials from LearnEnglish Kids and LearnEnglish Teens: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/video-zone/get-involved-safer-internet-day https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-zone/did-you-ever-post-mean-comments-online

4. And, finally, The Selector: http://music.britishcouncil.org/selector-radio Don’t take offence where none is intended,  but this is possibly more for our children and students?