Are audiobooks "cheating," or are they one of the most underutilized tools in language learning? With over 40% of people still believing audiobooks don't count as "real" reading, a recent piece from the Harvard Gazette     sets the record straight .  ( the Harvard Gazette article ) Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Nadine Gaab and education experts explain that the brain processes written and spoken language using deeply intertwined neural networks-  meaning listening engages comprehension and vocabulary building just as rigorously as print . To bring this debate into our classrooms, I’ve put together a quick, 15-minute IB English B HL Listening Comprehension Exercise on the topic- check it out here  the handout What’s inside the lesson: Exam-Ready Format: Features short-answer, multiple-choice, and text-justification questions designed to match IB English B Paper 1 standards . Teacher Resource Included: Comes complete with a trimmed audio summary and a ready-to-u...

Ever taught a lesson where students learned about the water cycle and wrestled with the passive voice at the same time, and thought “wait, is this two lessons for the price of one”?  Congratulations, you’ve already been doing CLIL without the fancy name tag. Let’s fix that.  What on earth is CLIL?   Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is the approach where you smuggle a real subject (science, history, geography, whatever) into your English lesson, and both the content and the language get to be the star of the show. It’s not just “teaching biology in English while hoping nobody notices the grammar.”  It’s a genuinely dual-focused thing, where content and language prop each other up like two slightly wobbly ladders leaning against the same wall.  The go-to framework here is Do Coyle’s 4Cs , which sounds like a diamond grading system but is actually much more useful for lesson planning:   • Content – the actual subject stuff  ...

Bringing the Classroom to Life: How My Summer Misadventures Inspired a Brand-New Speaking Game! If there’s one thing holiday travel guarantees, it’s that humans do some truly baffling things. While taking a much-needed break this summer, I found myself noticing the hilarious, unpredictable, and strangely universal quirks of human behavior everywhere I went- from airport terminal confusion to bizarre local customs. Naturally, as a teacher, my brain immediately drifted back to the classroom: How can I harness this natural human weirdness to get my upper-intermediate and advanced students talking? The answer was waiting for me right on my phone feed when I got back: The Search Engine Game! Check it out here:  lesson plan+cards Inspired by real-life internet search habits and designed to spark genuine, high-level conversation, I’ve put together a brand-new classroom activity set tailored specifically for B2+ and C1 learners . What’s inside the pack? 10 High-Interest Prompt Cards: ...

Sometimes students ask to move a conversation lesson outside, onto the grass in the school yard. At first, that may sound like a disruption to your plan, but it can actually become one of the most effective ways to build speaking fluency. The fresh air, the extra movement, and the change of setting often help students relax and speak more naturally. The key is not to treat outdoor learning as a break from structure. In fact, it works best when the task is clear, the timing is short, and students know exactly what they are expected to do. When the purpose is well defined, the school yard becomes a real learning space rather than just a pleasant change of scenery. One of the easiest activities is walk and talk . Students work in pairs, discuss one question while walking, and then change partners after a short time. It is simple, energetic, and ideal for getting everyone speaking. Ready topics for walk and talk: Should school uniforms be required? Is it better to study alone or with othe...

Turns out you can have the cake and eat it too:) A super brief post today- just check out the fun "would you rather" flash cards I prepared here, under this  link or use  the presentation  with the same flashcards as slides- enjoy! Just a side note, hope you don’t mind...... If you like my content, maybe you would like to support me and buy me coffee ? Also, you might want to check other materials I create for the English Bilingual Secondary Classes (C1) - I am sure some of them will be useful for the English B HL classes, for example BritSpeak or OpenBookCouples.  Check out the shop at dwujezycznie.pl

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know my feed is usually packed with teaching methodology, classroom tips, and fresh materials for your lessons. But today, I’m stepping away from the "how-to" for a moment to share a bit of personal news, or, as we say, a little humblebrag:) I’ve spent so much time thinking about how to get students talking that I decided to create something tangible to make those conversations happen naturally.  I am incredibly proud to finally share my two new sets of  Let’s Talk Conversation Cards!  Whether you’re looking to spice up a higher-level language class or just want to actually connect with the people in your life, these cards were designed to spark discussions that stick. For the Truth-Seekers: A Woman Unfiltered    This deck is all about stripping away the masks. It’s a collection of prompts designed for raw, honest, and empowering conversations about the female experience. It’s perfect for a deep-dive workshop, a girls...