Avoid sex, religion and politics. And it’s always a good idea to talk about the weather. – These are two of the most commonly given pieces of advice about making conversation in English. It is not bad advice, but it’s not great either. It is a good idea to get people talking about themselves –

Who was Guy Fawkes and why do we celebrate this day? Guy Fawkes was a member of a group of English Catholics who attempted to kill Protestant King James I of England in November 1605. They wanted England to become a Catholic country once more and believed that killing James I would achieve this. The

Lonely Planet has unveiled its list of best countries to visit in 2014 and Scotland came third, after Brazil and Antarctica. The guide said Scotland will “jam-packed schedule of world-class events” in 2014. But let’s have a look at what to expect if you head to Scotland next year: The XX Commonwealth Games will be

Music can help you learn English. It helps you copy the melody and pronunciation of a language as well as remember interesting vocabulary and understand grammar patterns. So where else would be better to learn English than in Glasgow, which in 2008 was named a United Nations city of Music by the UN cultural body,

1. EssayBuilder This is a fantastic resource for students who want to improve their IELTS writing task 1. It shows you the vocabulary and the grammar that you need to describe a graph, chart, table or diagram. 2. iPass IELTS videos IELTS speaking test practice videos showing real candidates doing mock interviews; includes full transcripts

Youtube The biggest collection of video and audio material on the web, Youtube is a great way to get extra listening practise related to whatever you are studying it in class – grammar, IELTS, English for business – it’s all here. See this link for Steve jobs’ famous iPhone launch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZYlhShD2oQ  TED TED.com has become

What is an autonomous learner? An autonomous, or independent, learner is someone who takes charge of their own learning. They know their preferred learning styles, are aware of their strengths and actively seek to work on their weaknesses, inside and outside of the classroom, through a variety of activities. Why is this important? It is

The 1+2 policy is designed to introduce the teaching of two foreign languages during primary and secondary school in Scotland, the first language being introduced in primary and the other one taken over the years until the end of secondary school. By 2020, all schools in Scotland should be teaching two languages from an early

On your commute to school: Start your day by thinking positively about your lessons. Imagine yourself using new vocabulary successfully in class and then use the vocabulary in your lessons that day. If you take the bus to Live Language, pick up a free copy of the Metro. Have a read at some of the

What’s your learning style? Some people prefer to hear about a concept to learn it; others need to see a demonstration. Learning Style Theory states that different people learn in different ways and that it is good to know what your own preferred learning style is. By recognizing and understanding your own learning styles, you