Blended learning, English language teaching and the use of technology - the MEC blog - News Items

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:04:21 GMT

MEC Editor Kerstin Schneider writes:

Pakistan 's tide of misery

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the floods in Pakistan which are estimated to have affected 17 million people.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update

Steph — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:15:58 GMT

MEC Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the way the internet has changed people's reading habits. A new movement is trying to change these habits by encouraging people to read more slowly and carefully.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:00:26 GMT

MEC> Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Japan's women celebrate record old age

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about possible reasons for the long life expectancy of Japanese women.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

August word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'ten types of film' (Easy), 'words or expressions from crime headlines' (Average) and 'words or expressions related to music' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'vehicles' (Easy), 'words preceded by ''at''' (Average) and 'abstract nouns' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'places where people live' (Easy), 'verbs that can be used instead of ''say''' (Average) and 'ways of speaking'(Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

> >

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:38:53 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Satellite sensors help cut tree felling in Amazon rainforest

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about new technology that has helped to reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:10:03 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Spain creates passing perfection

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the Spanish football team and the style with which it won the World Cup.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:50:10 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Gandhi's long shadow

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about proposed salary increases for Members of Parliament in India and the reaction from Indian society.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:19:47 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Rural Tibetans dependent on 'fungal gold'

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a fungus in Tibet that is used as a treatment for cancer and can help the local economy.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

July word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are '-ing words that follow ''go'''(Easy), 'appliances' (Average) and 'verbs related to driving' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'the senses' (Easy), 'food and food preparation' (Average) and 'words that follow ''take''' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'members of your family' (Easy), 'jobs' (Average) and 'positive adjectives describing personality' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all. > >>>

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:38:11 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Displaced, hungry but still going to school

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about children's education in Haiti since the earthquake.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

>>>

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:51:47 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Oxfam defends international aid from wave of criticism

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a report by the charity Oxfam responding to criticism of international aid.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

June word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'ordinal numbers'(Easy), 'verbs related to the senses' (Average) and 'words describing how much money people have'(Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'words the follow ''I had''' (Easy), 'holidays' (Average) and 'prefixes' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'nationalities'(Easy), 'items in the kitchen' (Average) and 'words connected with fear' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.>

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:27:22 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Mapping the mind's response to danger

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a maths professor's research into how people react in a disaster situation.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:22:08 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Kabul Dreams

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about Afghanistan 's only rock band, Kabul Dreams. The band members speak different languages but their songs are in English.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 05 May 2010 09:51:17 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

'Vegetative' patient is able to communicate

This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a discovery scientists have made which allows them to communicate with patients thought to be in a vegetative state.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen. >

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:13:28 GMT

MEC Managing Editor Jeremy Smith writes:

Take your camera, not your rifle

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about endangered mountain gorillas becoming a tourist attraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:34:17 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

UN reports on a world of 'endless' cities

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a new UN report on the world's cities.The report identifies the growing number of 'mega-regions' and their impact on the world.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:54:01 GMT

MEC Managing, Editor Jeremy Smith, writes:

Entire family's genomes sequenced

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a study in which scientists have mapped the genome of each member of a family to understand why the children in the family have rare genetic diseases.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:47:11 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Scavengers of a populous island

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the problems with waste management in Java , Indonesia , and the people who collect waste on landfill sites to earn money there.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

April word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'names of continents and oceans'(Easy),'items in the office' (Average) and 'parts of a car' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'education'(Easy), 'space' (Average) and 'words that follow ''do''' (Difficult). >>

The Wordsearch topics are 'shapes'(Easy), 'verbs related to liking and disliking' (Average) and 'words connected to newspapers' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all. >> >

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:22:30 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Oscars 2010: underdog Hurt Locker trounces Avatar

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the 2010 Oscar ceremony in Hollywood .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:17:29 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Return of the pioneers

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about people who left their homes in the Caribbean to work in the UK after the Second World War. Now that they are retired, many are returning to their countries.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:36:06 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Lure of an unfinished metropolis

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the growing number of artists moving to Germany 's capital, Berlin , because of low living costs and the tolerance of the city.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:25:38 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Languages could smarten up your brain

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a report published by the European Commission on how knowing and using more than one language affects the brain.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:00:37 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Tiger leaves golf in the rough

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the sportsman Tiger Woods and the impact of his decision to stop playing golf.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

January word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'words relating to the classroom'(Easy), 'types of scenery' (Average) and 'adjectives describing scenery' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'things in the kitchen' (Easy), 'animals' (Average) and 'adjectives describing furniture'(Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

>>>>

News items update!

Steph — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:01:03 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

January 5^th- Canadian forests offer giant carbon storage

This news item is about plans in Canada to protect 100 million hectares of forests from logging, mining and oil drilling.

December 29^th - India grows its crop of billionaires

This news item is about a debate in India over the growing economy and the country's increasing number of billionaires.

December 22^nd - German banker labelled Robin Hood

This news item is about an employee at a German bank who took money from the rich to give to the poor.

All three news items were adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly.

You can find these stories in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:07:11 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

World cup pitches to go greener

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about an order by FIFA, the world governing body of football, that European grass must be used for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

December word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'adjectives to describe a restaurant'(Easy), 'words that follow ''self-''' (Average) and 'past participles to follow ''I had my hair''' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'the natural world' (Easy), 'health'(Average) and 'words which mean ''exclude''' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'space travel'(Easy), 'parts of newspaper' (Average) and 'adjectives describing animals'(Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:20:51 GMT

MEC Managing Editor Jeremy Smith writes:

UN representative meets homeless victims of American property dream

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a United Nations representative who is investigating the growing problem of homelessness in the USA .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:40:20 GMT

MEC Managing Editor Jeremy Smith writes:

Climate change at the end of the world

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the effects of global warming on a region in northwest Siberia .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:09:09 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Bidding war starts for Mandela's revelatory personal archive

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about Nelson Mandela releasing his personal archive of diaries, letters and notes to the public.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News items and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:50:22 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Land of history, land of legends

This week’s news item is our monthly news item for teens. It is about the south-west of England and the various attractions that can be found there.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

You can also find longer versions of the news item with extension activities by logging in to our teachers’ area here.

November word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'places in and around the house'(Easy), 'items that can be used when you are camping' (Average) and 'adjectives describing build' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'words related to shopping' (Easy), 'words related to money'(Average) and 'materials' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'office items' (Easy), 'travelling by plane' (Average) and 'words meaning ''miserable''' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

News Item Update!

Steph — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:46:46 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Lost Greek city emerges from the deep

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about an ancient Greek city that archeologists have discovered under the sea.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News Item Update !

Steph — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:24:52 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Shock at early Nobel Peace Prize for Obama

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the reaction to US President Barack Obama winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News Item Update!

Steph — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:55:18 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Waste means want for others

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the way rich countries waste food that could ease world hunger.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News Item Update!

Steph — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:14:44 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

All Indians to get ID cards

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a scheme in India to give identity cards to everyone in India .

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News Item update!

Steph — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:04:54 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

The medium but not the subject

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about universities in northern Europe that are leading a growing trend to deliver degrees only in English.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

For lots of fantastic resources for teaching primary and secondary-level subjects through the medium of English, plus CLIL teacher training material and methodological debate check out the Onestopclil website.

News Item Update!

Steph — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:44:28 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

New technology to save the planet

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a new study looking at practical solutions to fight climate change.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:32:38 GMT

MEC Editorial Assistant, Sophie Hern, writes:

Merkel retains title of world's top woman

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a list of the world's most powerful women. The list features 100 top women in politics, business and philanthropy, and was published by the US magazine Forbes.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

September word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'sports'(Easy), 'weights or measures' (Average) and 'words that can form a compound with ''well''' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'holidays' (Easy), 'verbs to do with speaking' (Average) and 'describing a feeling or mood' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'the way people look' (Easy), 'nouns connected with work' (Average) and 'verbs connected with cooking' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:26:39 GMT

MEC Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Asia lacks the means to feed extra 1.5 billion people

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a report that expects an extra 1.5 billion people to live in Asia by 2050. The report urges Asian countries to invest in irrigation systems so they can grow enough crops to feed their fast-growing populations.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:58:08 GMT

MEC Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Call to protect rare Himalayan species

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the WWF's call to protect species that have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas over the last 10 years.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:23:56 GMT

MEC Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Organic food not healthier, says report

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a report that says organic food provides no significant nutritional benefit compared with conventionally produced food.

You can find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area screen.

News item update!

Steph — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:08:23 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Bigger, taller, stronger, faster

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about new research that suggests reasons for elite athletes performing better than they did 100 years ago.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:24:22 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Global greying will test rich and poor nations

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the increasing number of old people around the world and the consequences of this ageing population.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:11:13 GMT

MEC Managing Editor Jeremy Smith writes:

Costa Rica is the greenest, happiest country

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a report that measures how happy and environmentally friendly different countries are.

You’ll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:52:56 GMT

MEC >Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Bank that loans money to the poor is still a success

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about Grameen Bank, a bank that lends small amounts of money to poor people. It is also starting to create businesses with a social purpose in Bangladesh .

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

You can find out more about Grameen bank by visiting its website:

Grameen bank >

July word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'countries' (Easy), 'school subjects' (Average) and 'containers for liquids' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are 'all sorts of things' (Easy), 'things you put things in' (Average) and 'words that follow ''go''' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'nouns connected with theatre' (Easy), 'adjectives describing people who are good at things' (Average) and 'humour' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:59:51 GMT

MEC> Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Kosovo clubbers fight for their right to party

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the club scene in Kosovo and the challenges faced by the region's electronic musicians.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:45:44 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Can Ronaldo strike brand gold?

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the professional football player Cristiano Ronaldo and his potential to become football's most successful brand.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:11:55 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Climate change creates new 'global battlefield'

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about an important report on the impact of climate change on humanity.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

You could get students to find out more about the organization that published the report by looking at their website: Global Humanitarian Forum

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:38:57 GMT

MEC Editor, Kerstin Schneider, writes:

Nigerian music reaches new audiences

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the increasing popularity around the world of urban music from Nigeria .

You’ll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:49:46 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Indus artefacts may contain a language

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the discovery of artefacts belonging to an ancient civilization, the Indus. The artefacts contain symbols which a group of scientists is claiming form a primitive language.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:59:28 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

Animal populations under threat in the Masai Mara

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a study of the wildlife in the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya . The study suggests that animal populations are declining.

You'll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item and word games update!

Steph — Tue, 05 May 2009 11:57:09 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

The flexible friend inside our heads

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt, and its possible benefits to people with medical conditions.

Go to the News items section on your Work Area screen to find out more.

May word games

This month's Witch's Pot topics are 'words for describing a person's appearance' (Easy), 'things people use in ithe bathroom' (Average) and 'words meaning "increase" or "decrease"' (Difficult).

The Swamp Disaster topics are '-ing words' (Easy), 'positive and negative' (Average) and 'pronunciation' (Difficult).

The Wordsearch topics are 'sports' (Easy), 'adjectives describing colours' (Average) and 'adjectives for positive states of mind' (Difficult).

There are new Crosswords and Bridge Builders at all levels too.

Visit the Word Games area to find them all.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:24:29 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

The search for Africa's Einsteins

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a higher education institute in South Africa which helps young African graduates to develop their skills.

You’ll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.

News item update!

Steph — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:58:52 GMT

MEC Managing Editor, Jeremy Smith, writes:

World library seeks global balance

This week's news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the World Digital Library. This is an online library project which aims to display many of the world's artefacts free of charge.

You’ll find this story in the News Items section on your Work Area.