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Advanced Level: Does the education system kill creativity?

Average: 1.9 (171 votes)

I recently posted a lesson based on a poem by Sarah Kay, which was presented at a Ted conference. Here is another Ted lecture, which looks at the role of creativity in schools. Listen to the first five or so minutes of the talk and answer the questions below true or false.

What is your opinion? Do you think there should be more creativity in the school curriculum or do you think we need to continue to focus on maths, science and English?

Let us know.

Lesson by Caroline Devane

Letter from Caroline: Bye-bye Colombia!

Average: 4.3 (15 votes)

Talking about Movies: Misson Impossible 4

Average: 1.7 (200 votes)

The long wait is over as Tom Cruise finally returns to cinemas to resume his role of Ethan Hunt.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the forth film in the franchise. The Mission: Impossible movies are a series of films based on the television series of the same name. Tom Cruise appeared in the first film in 1996. Since then the films have made over one billion dollars.

In this new film Ethan Hunt and his IMF are blamed with bombing Russia's Kremlin. He and three others must stop a man trying to start a global nuclear war.

Idiom: Not Float Someone's Boat

Average: 2.8 (19 votes)

mammoth

If something does not float your boat, you do not enjoy it or want it. When something floats your boat, you like it.

Example Sentences:

"The idea of playing football on a cold winter morning doesn't float my boat."

"Reading books doesn't really float my boat."

Danny's Reading: Christmas Review

Average: 3.5 (11 votes)

This April, my wife, my kids and yours truly are taking off to America for a two-week holiday, as avid readers of this monthly nonsense will remember me banging on about a couple of months ago. The flights for all four of us cost an arm and a leg, the travel insurance set me back a kidney, and the necessary permits to get into the country deprived me of another handful of non-vital body parts that I didn’t even know I had.

Music Video Lesson - Solomon Burke 'Don't Give Up On Me'

Average: 3.8 (10 votes)

In this beautiful and sad song, the singer requests that the woman he loves has faith in him; how romantic! Listen to the first half of the song and see if you can put the missing words in the correct gaps. Then answer this bonus question: What's the meaning of the main phrasal verb in this song? Good luck!

By Caroline

Happy New Year

Average: 3.6 (8 votes)

Hello and welcome to 2012!

People use the start of a new year as an opportunity to make a fresh start or to make a change in their lives.

Traditionally, people make New Year's resolutions – things they promise to do starting from January 1.

The most common New Year's resolutions are things like spend more time with family and friends, do more exercise and lose weight.

What are your plans for 2012, what are some of things you want to accomplish this year?

Complete these three sentences with your own three New Year's resolutions for 2012!

People of the Year 2011

Average: 4 (6 votes)

Here are some of the people of the year, as voted for by Timeout London writers! Read through the article and put the missing words in the correct gaps.

Who do you think deserves to be a 'person of the year' ?

 

Advanced Level: If I Should Have A Daughter

Average: 3.3 (33 votes)

This is my favourite poem by the wonderful slam poet Sarah Kay. It is rich in vocabulary and full of beautiful imagery and I really wanted to share it with all of you. Due to the length of the poem, this lesson may take you a bit longer than usual, but I think it’s worth it! On the link, the poem is in the first four minutes. After that, Sarah gives an inspiring lecture which is also worth listening to. So listen to the poem and complete the gaps with the missing words. Then let us know your opinions and also if you have a favourite poem…

Can you find any mistakes?

Average: 1.9 (227 votes)

Today's task is to take a look at the following seven sentences.  Do they have any mistakes or are they correct?

What are the mistakes? Write the correct sentences in the comments area.