Express Publishing ELT

In many countries you are named after a relative – often a grandparent, but this is not such a tradition in the U.S. and U.K. Names pop in and out of fashion and new ones are created, perhaps later to be discarded by the grown child who wishes to become unencumbered by the whims of their parents who decided they should be “Moon Unit” (daughter of Frank Zappa) or “Zowie” (son of David Bowie – whose real name is actually Jones).     read more >>

A recent article in the Guardian newspaper states that “Expressing yourself with your hairstyle is out; it seems, at many schools.” Here’s part of the article:

I shed tears at Ian Whitwham’s At the Chalkface: Great Moments in Education. There is a section in this profoundly human and inspiring book entitled Seth in the Sixth Form. I have now read it seven times. It pricks the ducts.     read more >>

Questions:

1.       Who died on the date he was born, couldn’t spell his name, (or at least spelt it about 7 different ways), never went to university, but enriched the English language with 2000 new words?

2.      How many queens of England have been named Elizabeth?

    read more >>

The two articles below are about chavs. They could be used as a basis for students to discuss the idea of social class. In your culture can you make a distinction between social classes? Do names, dialects or accents carry certain connotations? Can you switch classes or are you stuck with the class you are born into?

Holiday Company offers ‘chav free’ breaks free of children called Britney     read more >>