Songs are nice additional elements to English classes. It is one of the few listening activities, where students are fully engaged and eager to complete the task.  

If you want to refresh your lessons using songs go to musicANDmuffins. They create great cartoons that go with various songs and they also include lyrics.

How to use it with your students:

Elementary/pre-intermediate classes: You could take screenshots of the video and the students first put them in order and then listen again to finish the lines.

Upper/Advanced classes: At first, you could play only the song and ask students to select key vocabulary to visualise the song. Next they make simple drawings. Finally, they watch the video and check how it differs from their work. It is a good way to practise listening for specific information.

Note: Don’t forget that you can send the links to the particular song in the Publish Web Links option on Campus!

Below is an example of the animation done by musicANDmuffins.

This month on MEC, we published five new web projects, at pre-intermediate and intermediate levels, bringing the total to 52 for both British and American English users.The coming clinic will be giving ideas on how to use it with your classes. In addition, we will see how you could include it as a syllabus item in your course. This will all be tied up with demo lesson ideas.

The clinic will take place on 27th November at 10am and 4pm UK time.

If you or any of your teachers would like to attend all you have to do is send me an email at j.trzmielewska@macmillan.com.

What are MEC clinic?

MEC clinics are short sessions involving groups of no more than 25. They are on a first-come, first-served basis to any MEC teachers.

How much is it?

It is free of charge!

How can it benefit me?

MEC clinics give you an opportunity to develop your knowledge of digital resources. You will have a chance to find out more about online learning, resources and the use of technology in your day to day teaching. After the clinic, you will receive

a certificate of attendance.

How long is it?

The session is 1-1.30 hours long.

What do I need to do?

We will set up and host the sessions. Those attending simply need a computer with internet access, sound and ideally a microphone. Don't forget a cup of tea!

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.

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.

Storytelling is a great way to introduce or practise vocabulary, grammar, and speaking. While it is quite easy to use books during storytelling lessons with your young learners, it is not so easy with teens and adults, who sometimes think it is a waste of time. You may change their opinion by including cartoons from aniboom.com in your classes.

This website is a community of independent animators from 72 countries around the world. You can simply go and watch a cartoon, or if you prefer you can create and submit your own work to Aniboom via online competitions.

There are many different ways to include a cartoon from aniboom.com in your English lessons.

On Campus, using the Publish Web Links option, you could send your students a link to a specific cartoon and ask them to brainstorm vocabulary related to it. You could also divide a class into small groups and send each group a different cartoon; their task would be to come up with a story.

Alternatively, you could prepare a cartoon for the lesson together with a basic story, and students could write either the beginning or the end of it.

Below I have included some cartoons:

A few weeks ago there was a MEC online clinic on the FCE exam and FCE resources on Campus. We talked about parts of the exam with the focus on listening and vocabulary. I thought you might be also interested in the speaking part and the changes that were made.

You could start the lesson with this Thai Airways (FCE funny) video. After your students have watched it, ask them to create their own definition of FCE.

In the second video you find out what's new in the FCE Speaking Test.

Homecoming hero

This week's news item is our monthly news item for teens. It is about a boy who became one of the youngest people ever to sail solo around the world.

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.

Pronunciation is a very important aspect while learning a new language. However, very often students see pronunciation classes as boring and not very useful. If you want to encourage your student to practise pronunciation and show them how important it is, I recommend you the following videos.

You may want to start your next pronunciation class with this video where Steve Martin is taking part in a pronunciation class to speak with an American accent.

Next, ask your students to list five ways to learn English pronunciation. When they create their top five play them this Five Ways to Learn English Pronunciation video.

You may finish up with this advert to show them what happens when you do not practise your English pronunciation and listening skills!