Author Archives: roycross

1. It’s International Mother Language Day today. UNESCO’s statement on ‘mother language based education’ begins as follows: “While mother-tongue-based education is essential to the full development of individuals and to the transmission of linguistic heritage, 40% of the world’s students … Continue reading →

1. Two online events next week. Here’s the first, from OUP (Oxford University Press) at 13:00 UK time on Thursday 23rd February: Harmonize: Breaking down barriers to project-based learning. Three (ever-so-slightly-unintentionally aggressive?) questions from the blurb: “Do you like the … Continue reading →

1. Tolu Noah recommends a five-step process for composing micro-lectures to her colleagues at California State University, Long Beach (which sounds like it might be a pleasant place to work!): Plan, Create, Record, Caption, and Share. Here’s her article on … Continue reading →

1. This LanguageCert webinar is quite an early start for UK attendees (only fair for a change!), 07:30 UK time on Wednesday, 15th February: Cultivating a Culture of Care in Language Education with Jane Arnold and Kieran Donaghy. More info … Continue reading →

1. Here’s exactly one week’s notice of the start on 14th February of a new course on English in the multilingual classroom https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/training/english-multilingual-classroom “This course will introduce you to multilingualism and what it means. You’ll learn how to make your … Continue reading →

1. Three pieces from The Conversation that have caught my eye recently: Seychelles is becoming overwhelmed by marine plastic – we now know where it comes from https://theconversation.com/seychelles-is-becoming-overwhelmed-by-marine-plastic-we-now-know-where-it-comes-from-198350 This one includes a frightening video showing marine debris flows in the … Continue reading →

1. UnHerd (good double pun) put 10 statements in front of 10,000 UK voters, covering Brexit, gender ideology, political disillusionment, conspiracy, Net Zero, immigration, the monarchy, the cost-of-living crisis, housing and lockdowns. In each case, respondents chose whether they agreed … Continue reading →

1. A piece from my previous employer, the British Council: Vicky Gough’s article for their online magazine, Voices: The British and their secret language regrets https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/british-and-their-secret-language-regrets We are not a nation of happy monoglots, it seems. 2. A piece from … Continue reading →

1. I could imagine that many of us have mixed feelings – at least! – about the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. This year’s has just ended, and here’s McKinsey’s ‘five key takeaways’ from it https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/5-takeaways-from-the-world-economic-forums-2023-meeting There’s a … Continue reading →

1. Three more on ChatGPT – tell me when you’re getting bored, please! Nick Cave’s view is that This Song Sucks https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/17/this-song-sucks-nick-cave-responds-to-chatgpt-song-written-in-style-of-nick-cave From The New York Times, Alarmed by A.I. Chatbots, Universities Start Revamping How They Teach https://tinyurl.com/4zh9wt92 From The … Continue reading →