Dear HLT Readers,

Welcome to the April issue of HLT. With this issue we show that HLT is a truly international magazine, and that contributions from China and Asia are getting more and more prominent in HLT. You can read a number of articles from this part of the world. See major articles: Exploring L2 Learners’ Cultural Awareness: Explaining Chinese (L1) Cultural Keywords in English by Wei-Wei Shen, Genre-based Approach for Teaching English Factual Writing by Ji Lingzhu, China EFL: What is Holistic English? by Niu Qiang and Martin Wolff, and the short article Off the Beaten Path: Creative Writing Exercises by Hall Houston. But other parts of the world are going strong as well!

I am happy that in HLT we have more and more texts about blended learning - using modern technology in class: Electronic Games (eGames) in the Language Classroom by Marko Maglic and “Activities for Interactive Whiteboards “– a Helbling Languages Publication by Daniel Martin.

There are some recommendations and reviews of new ELT publications worth your attention: Double Review of Academic English Publications: First Steps in Academic Writing and Introduction to Academic Writing, reviewed by Neil Mcbeath, Help! I’m a Teacher, Not a Therapist: 5 Good Reasons to Read “Teaching the Unteachable” by Marie Delaney, reviewed by Brigitte Mager and “The Art of Foreign Language Teaching: Improvisation and Drama in Teacher Development” by Peter Lutzker, Francke Verlag, 2007, reviewed by Mario Rinvolucri, UK

Teachers and authors are also looking for inspiration in other spheres such as psychology and NLP just to name a couple. See The Coffee Experience and Memory, Music and Emotion in Learning, both by Danny Singh.

There is more on the use of music and rhythm in class in The Immortal Chant by Daisy and in Using Songs in the English classroom by Hans Mol.

Your letters are always important to me as an Editor, both words of praise as well as criticism. But do not miss a very important voice of Grethe Hansen introducing the OpenEYE newsletter. Grethe raises some vital issues regarding the way the education of the YL is going. You will find more thought provoking voices on various issues regarding education in: Issues in Writing Articles for Teachers: Suggestions for Language Instructors by Ezana Habte-Gabr, Ethiopia, Intercultural Dialogue and the Quality of Language Knowledge by Marija Liudvika Drazdauskiene, When Teachers Fail by Mario Rinvolucri, No Time for Football Only Ball Practice! by Andrew Wright, and Building Nests in Our Classrooms by Ana Maria F. Barcelos.

For your entertainment there is some humour - Computer Quotes, selected by Hanna Kryszewska, and The Conditional Poem by Mohammed Arroub. There is a nice idea how to use poems in class in The Village Elders - a Language Plant Lesson by David Warr.

But there is also a more sombre note in Dirge Without Music, by Edna St. Vincent Millay whose lost tribute to late John Morgan finally found its way into HLT.

Finally, all of us at Pilgrims hope you are planning to attend one our courses in the summer and/or join us at the Pilgrims Conference, 16th – 22nd August 2009 at University of Kent in Canterbury. We are getting ready to welcome you. In the course outline section of this issue of HLT Mario Rinvolucri reveals some more details of the conference and writes a few words about the speakers - Pilgrims 35th Anniversary Conference.

This issue of HLT coincides with the annual IATEFL Conference at Cardiff. Some of the Pilgrims trainers will be attending and presenting. Perhaps we will meet? Also at the conference I will be on the lookout for interesting ideas and scouting for contributors. At IATEFL we will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary. Helbling, one of the publishers Pilgrims trainers regularly publish with, will host the celebration. If you are around, do not miss the Helbling stand: Thursday April 2nd from 4.00 to 4.30 pm.

Enjoy the new issue of HLT.
Hania Kryszewska
HLT Editor
E-mail: hania.kryszewska@pilgrims.co.uk