Eleni's English Corner

This morning I came across an interesting article on National Geographic . The article, which can be found here , talks about the importance of taking a walk after eating a meal. Then, I thought, wouldn't it be interesting to create an activity for a CLIL class? So, here we go! The first thing I wanted to do is modify the text and add some photos and bullet-point lists, to make easier for my students to read. For this I used canva, and you can find the modiefied text below. And now the CLIL task! Title: The Journey After You Eat After this task, students will be able to: • understand what happens in the body after eating • explain how movement affects digestion and blood sugar Before reading the text, ask your students these questions: 1. What do you usually do after eating? 2. What do you think happens inside your body after a meal? You can write the answers on board. Then, ask your students to read the modiefied text in small groups (3-4). While rea...

In this post you will find a presentation I had to create for my Master's study at Nebrija University. The topic of my presentation was Food and Nutrition , and I had to implement Puentedura's SAMR model. SAMR stands for S ubstitution, A ugmentation, M odification, and R edefinition. All activities in the presentation, also found in previous posts, were designed for a 2nd year secondary class of mixed-ability students, aged 13-14. Their level of English is A2-B1. After completing the activities, students should be able to: 1. Identify main nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals) 2. Classify foods into food groups 3. Design a balanced weekly menu 4. Justify food choices using nutritional vocabulary 5. Develop oral communication skills 6. Develop peer assessment skills For Substitution , the students will be introduced to essential nutrients via a text created in Google Docs, replacing the printed version. While reading the text, students can rig...

The Present Perfect Simple tense. Have you bought the food ingredients? Have you ever eaten sushi? Has your mother prepared the dinner?? The Present Perfect Simple is the tense that connects the past to the present. We use it to talk about our experiences or things that happened in the past, but are related to the present moment. Read the short story below: The World Traveler My sister Sarah is a chef and a traveler. She is 25 years old, and she has already worked as a chef in five different countries! Last year, for example, she was working in France. Sarah has cooked in Italy, and of course she has eaten authentic pizza in Milan. She has also traveled to Japan, to learn how to prepare authentic suchi. She has not been to Australia yet, but she is going there next summer. Sarah is really happy because she has just finished her food blog! As you have noticed, in the story above we used the Present Perfect for three reasons: 1. Life Experience: We don't say when...

Today, I am sharing a special spoken presentation I had made together with a classmate from a previous study, about a big global issue: Obesity, with a focus on young ages in the UK. Listen to the presentation to find out facts, why obesity is an important issue, the UK statistics and food taxes, school meals and home nutrition, and finally, what we can do to stay healthy. It is time to listen, learn, and take action for our future. This presentation can be used in class, to raise wareness about this important global phenomenon.

Talking about food, diets, cooking, and healthy habits is one of the most common topics. To do that clearly, you need the right grammar tools. This post will guide you through essential grammar that helps you describe foods, discuss nutrition, give advice, and share recipes. Let’s dig in! 🍎🥗🍞 1. Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns When shopping, measuring, or describing what you eat, you often need to know whether you can count the item. For example, you can say 'I want 10 apples'. But can you say 'I want 5 sugars'? Not really, because you cannot count the sugar. Food vocabulary contains both countable nouns and uncountable nouns, so using them correctly is the key! Countable nouns (can be counted): an apple, three carrots, two sandwiches. Uncountable nouns (cannot be counted individually): rice, cheese, milk, sugar 2. Quantifiers Quantifiers help you talk about amounts, which is essential when discussing diet, portions, or cooking. Some common qua...

Things are heating up in this digital kitchen! There is one more challenge for you. In this Wordwall game you’ll see images of healthy foods and nutrient categories; your job is to connect them as fast as possible. Many students have tried, but only a few have reached the leaderboard. Are you one of them?

In this post, I want to share some classroom ideas related to healthy eating. Feel free to share yours in the comments! Classroom Discussion Ask discussion questions to practise speaking, as well as critical thinking and health awareness. Some examples are: What does “sharing is caring” mean in the context of healthy eating? What healthy habits do you already practice? What new habits would you like to try? Another idea is to have students list their favorite "high-performance" activities (gaming, playing football, playing the piano) and discuss which foods help them do those things better. “Share Your Habit” Activity Each student writes down: One healthy habit One small recipe or snack idea Then students share their ideas with the class or in small groups. The teacher collects the ideas and creates a class healthy habits list. Some examples might be: Drinking water instead of soda Yogurt with fruit for breakfast A banana and peanut butter snack Heal...

I have searched the web and have collected some reliable websites to help you understand nutrition. Explore these links to read facts about vitamins, minerals, and how to keep your body healthy. Knowledge is power, and it’s delicious! These resources can be used both by teachers, but also by students to learn new vocabulary, and see how the world talks about food. From interactive maps of nutrients to expert advice on balanced meals, it’s all here in this 'expert corner'. The first one is Nutrition.gov . The website includes fun facts and games. Also, it is great for (small) research projects! If you want to be a hero in the kitchen, this is the website for you! FoodHero is made for people who want to eat well without spending too much money. There is a section for kids, with online games, jokes, and coloring sheets that help you learn about nutrients while you play. Sometimes, food companies use "sneaky" marketing to make us think a snack is healthy when i...

How much do you really know about what’s on your plate? It’s time to put your knowledge to the test! I have prepared a special "Kitchen Challenge" using Kahoot, about proteins, vitamins, and healthy habits. Do you have what it takes to reach the top of the leaderboard? You’ll need to work fast to identify the right nutrients and solve the puzzles. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it’s the best way to see how much you have learned! Ready? Set? Play! Click here to play!

Our students will now move from the page (poster/presentation) to the screen! In this blog, there are instructions for the groups on how to present their healthy creations in a short film. It’s more than just a presentation; it’s a "cooking show" where words meet flavour. Grab some popcorn and see how we’ve brought our English to life! In the previous post, students received instructions to create a balanced weekly menu. In this task, students will take their groups' work a step further by creating a video to present it. The YouTube video above has some useful information! Below you will find the instructions for the assignment. My Canva Presentation with Video Instruction Click here to view the presentation in full screen

Welcome to the classroom’s creative corner! Just like a balanced meal, a project needs the right ingredients: a bit of grammar, a dash of vocabulary, some inspiration and creativity, and a lot of teamwork! Below you will find instructions for a group activity. Students will work together to create a presentation or a poster about food and nutrition. They will need to use Canva. It’s fresh, it’s fun, and it’s 100% student-made!

In this post, you can read some useful information about nutrients, and which food items are the best source for them. You have two options: 1. You can simply read the text. 2. You can read the text as a Google doc or listen to it. This way, you will have the option to read some words translated into Dutch or check the meaning of the words you do not understand. But before you read the document, check this video below. You will find out what nutrition is, and why it matters! Open the Google Doc with Comments

For my MA university study, our professor had asked us to develop a resource using Scratch. The work should consist of creating a story, or a lesson, using Scratch, which should include different characters acting as instructors to teach a certain subject. The story should include some interaction for the students who will use it, and some gamification characteristics, such as gaining points. The game should also include questions to test the level of assimilation of the student. I had to think of which topic to choose. Then I remembered that when I first moved to the Netherlands, I had a bit of trouble finding my way around, so I had to ask locals for directions all the time. That was how the idea of this Scratch lesson was created. In this game, a tourist visits a city and asks for information. Different characters are included, such as a teacher, a police officer, a bus driver, a librarian, etc. While playing the game, the student can interact with the characters and answer some...