What the lesson is about

Fancy learning foreign phrases that would help promote your area? Want to take a virtual visit to a French or German town? Or maybe you simply want to prepare pupils for their next exam?

An innovative podcast that claims to make revising fun has been sold to 130 secondary schools and is being promoted as the latest “must-have” learning tool for teens.

The GCSEPod, developed by Ian Thompson and Anthony Coxon, enables 14 to 16-year-olds to learning or revise whatever they choose - even if they’re on the move. It covers 13 subjects and 400 titles and is split into digestible chunks of three to five minutes. It can be downloaded or streamed to a variety of phones, tablets and PCs.

In the two language studies available, students can learn phrases relating to their home environment (with help to prepare for speaking and writing assessments) or how to use the language to talk about life at school and their studies.

Kym Parnell, a teacher of 20 years who helped prepare English for the new GCSEPod, said: “My interest was sparked by the fact that it is a new student-centred approach to learning which can be fitted into any teenager’s hectic lifestyle.”

What else?

For TES Resources on healthy eating in French, try rb283‘s food worksheets, listening activities and reading sheets. 1stwentyfive has also shared a handy vocabulary sheet for food keywords. For a Year 9 (S2) options topic, why not try the importance of learning a language - it relates to food. Try slick’s resource.

In the TES forums, a teacher is looking for advice on a school dinner- themed lesson in French.

Where to find it

www.gcsepod.co.uksubjects.