• Today is the first day of December – and the official countdown to Christmas! 01-Dec-2011

    Hooray! It’s December 1st, and here in the blendedmec offices we’re all very happy to have another excuse to eat chocolate every day, thanks to the office Advent calendar …

    On a more serious note, the start of Advent is an important Christian season marked by expectation and patience for the celebration of

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  • Europe’s political silly season 29-Nov-2011

    This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the growth of small political parties across Europe. In many cases, the parties have seats in parliament.

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

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  • Exam practice made easier 25-Nov-2011

    Taking an exam – no matter how experienced you are – is a stressful business. Getting good grades can be essential for getting to the next level of your course, on a degree course or the job you want. Having the support you need can make a big difference to how

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  • Morocco leads solar plan 22-Nov-2011

    This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a project to build a network of solar and wind farms across North Africa and the Middle East.

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

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  • Finding a job after CELTA 21-Nov-2011

    Are you thinking about doing a CELTA but are worried about your career prospects as an EFL teacher? Or have you just finished a CELTA course, and aren’t sure where to start looking for that first teaching job? There are loads of jobs sites and forums out there, and we all know that

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  • Giving thanks American style 18-Nov-2011

    One of the most important dates in the North American calendar is fast approaching and with it the chance to have a lesson with your students about the traditions of the historical day. Next Thursday the 24th of November will see North Americans celebrate in a frenzy of family, turkey and

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  • CELTA series: What happened next… 16-Nov-2011

    As part of our CELTA series which we have been running for the last few weeks we met with Kerstin and Casey to talk about the CELTA course they have completed.

    In this video I interview Kerstin and Casey who talk why they decided to do a CELTA course, what were the

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  • Global effects of GM crops questioned 15-Nov-2011

    This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a recent report highlighting problems with the use of genetically modified crops.

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

    Kerstin

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  • The life of a goldfish 11-Nov-2011

    Ok, I confess this isn’t about goldfish. In fact, it’s the annual passing of Remembrance Day that has got me thinking, apart from the obvious, about memory itself.

    I don’t know about you but both my short-term and long-term memory aren’t the sharpest (I refer you back to the goldfish). I’m often

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  • World population reaches seven billion 08-Nov-2011

    This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about the rapidly growing world population. The UN calculates that the world’s population has reached seven billion.

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

    November word games

    This

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  • Onwards and upwards with the DELTA 07-Nov-2011

    So you’ve done your CELTA, you’ve been teaching a few years and are looking for a new challenge; where to next?  Assuming that you and teaching are still rubbing along nicely then you might consider building on your initial qualification with a teaching diploma such as the DELTA (Diploma in English

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  • Bringing the bonfire to your classroom 04-Nov-2011

    Tomorrow will see a night of festivity throughout the United Kingdom as the country celebrates Guy Fawkes Day as on every 5th of November.  Talking about the festival can provide a great intro to talking about UK culture and acts of terrorism.  For a bit of context you can base a

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  • Obama’s dis/approval rating: 46 is the magic number 03-Nov-2011

    With just under a year to go until Election Day in the United States, the New York Times reports that Barack Obama’s approval rating is at 46%. Funnily enough, his disapproval rating is also 46%. Ultimately, as many people approve of the current President of the United States as disapprove. It

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  • An ELT feast just one click away! 02-Nov-2011

    How often has it happened that you wanted to attend an interesting talk or workshop, but it turned out that at that very time you were teaching or the conference itself was located too far away to fit into your schedule as well as budget? It’s time to relax as a

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  • Tuvalu faces a life-and-death struggle against climate change 01-Nov-2011

    This week’s news item, adapted for MEC from a news article originally published in the Guardian Weekly, is about a crisis in the small Pacific nation of Tuvalu. Drought and rising sea levels are threatening Tuvalu with many local people fearing their country will disappear completely.

    You can find this story in

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