1. Literary Texts for Teenagers is the title of an Oxford University Press ELT Facebook Live event at 14:00 UK time on 28^th June https://www.facebook.com/47565718326/posts/10161044185623327/

I’ve attached a copy of the homework reading, Using Literary Texts in ELT, below, and if you register on the site (for free) you can also download several other interesting ‘focus papers’ from this page https://elt.oup.com/teachers/generalcontent/focus-papers/?utm_campaign=focus-paper&cc=us&selLanguage=en

2. Here’s the latest edition of the European Language Gazette https://www.ecml.at/News/Newsletter/Gazette56/tabid/4426/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

This time there’s a focus on the forthcoming European Day of Languages – many of those languages are also spoken outwith Europe, of course – and news of a new mobile phone app version of The Secret Agent’s Handbook of Language Challenges. Both handbook and app also adapt well for non-European languages: PDF of handbook below; info on the app here https://edl.ecml.at/Activities/Languagechallenge/tabid/3207/Default.aspx

3. The OECD has just published its annual report on development co-operation https://www.oecd.org/dac/development-cooperation-report/ complete with a short introductory video https://youtu.be/hpXy2Z2TBAI

The report profiles nearly 100 country and foundation donors, for example Sweden, Japan and Chile, plus the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation, the Lego Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. Not a quick read but worth exploring.

Here’s the OECD YouTube channel if you want to explore more https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBEa3qCF9FAEekWdwMy2guA

4. And, finally, here’s the award-winning poet and writer Kei Miller’s list of the UK’s 10 best emerging writers, described as “an unapologetically, triumphantly diverse list of talents at the start of promising careers” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/19/kei-miller-selects-the-uks-10-best-emerging-writers

You can book a free ticket to listen to Kei explaining his choices at 17:00 UK time this Thursday, 24^th June here https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/kei-miller-presents/

I used to pride myself on being up to speed on young writers from the UK, but somehow all those young writers have got old along with me!