For this activity the students must pair up each person with the most suitable pen-pal for them. It is necessary to pre-teach vocabulary pertaining to movies, books, sports and hobbies in general. Also explain different ways to say ´like´ and ´dislike´- I brainstorm this beforehand. After the students have had some time to complete the activity, draw a table on the board with each person´s name, likes and dislikes and match them together as a class. This could work well as a test or as a revision activity.

For this selection activity the students act as travel agents and must choose the most suitable type of accomodation for four different kinds of travellers. Although the matching exercise should be pretty straightforward, this activity could lead to a general discussion about the various kinds of accomodation or a role play where students help each other to book a room.

Here are six job adverts that I have used to practise job interviews in the classroom. I brainstorm the questions that interviewers and interviewees may ask at a job interview and divide the class into applicants and employers. The applicants cycle between the various employers and the interviewers must eventually choose the best person for the job. Although I use this as a speaking activity you could also use it to practise writing letters of application.

Useful Global Village activity to run for a whole year-group of around 100 students. I print the cards and laminate them and place one under each student chair. If you have fewer than 100 students you could included staff or rope in more people where needed. As you go through the presentation ask the students to stand up once their picture for each section appears on the screen. I use this for an introduction to the Global Perspectives course but it could be a good activity for Geography or as a global-mindedness assembly. Cards can be modified each year to reflect changes. I use the UN website for the statistics.

I use this as part of a Y7 History Unit on Weapons Through Time. Once students have read the information sheet and answered the questions I set them the simulation task to test their understanding. Students receive an A3-sized plan of the battlefield and have to select from multiple-choice answers for each scenario during the battle from the point of view of the British general Wellington. I have tried to make the scenarios as realistic as possible but clearly at this level it has been simplified somewhat. Students need to record their choice by circling their option for each scenario. Then click on each button to reveal the consequence of their actions and points scored. There are some things (placement of soldiers, terrain, impact on other areas of the battlefield, luck) that hopefully will cause them to consider why it would have been difficult commanding a battlefield at this time. At the end I play them a clip of the charge of the French cavalry from the film ‘Waterloo’ and then have a discussion around the questions at the end of the presentation.