Letter 1

Dear Hania,

Thank you for sending me the December issue of HLT. It is really interesting and inspiring. I will keep in mind a possible contribution to HLT. As winter holidays and the New Year 2012 are very near, I wish you Merry Christmas and a very resourceful year 2012!

Anca-Mariana Pegulescu

Letter 2

Dear Hania,

many thanks for the punctual message inviting me to have a look at a new issue of HLT. As an old fan of Pilgrims it is great to keep in touch with Mario and all of you. Best HUMANISTIC wishes

Antonio Marcelino

Letter 3

Dear Sir,

Thanking you for intimating me for such an innovative plateform. And i again congrats you. Kindly keep reminding me for the further developments please.

Sincerely,
AK Saini

Letter 4

I really want to thank you for the opportunity given to me by sending your issues. They're so precious and useful !!!! Textbooks are not always so interesting and our students are demotivated to study "ready-made lessons " .

Best Wishes
Francesca Lo Bello

Letter 5

Dear Hania,

Thank you so much for the special issue of HLT mag. It is such a treat to receive it and what I find most impressive about the emag is that it has included contributions by teachers and ELT professionals from so many different countries, cultures and educational settings. Many years ago, Camilla Dixo Lieff and myself submitted a short article on pronunciation (November, 2000, I think). Many years later, I am very happy to this valuable online publication stronger than ever.

I wish you all at HLT, a Very Happy Christmas and a successful New Year!

All the best
Ellizabeth Pow

Letter 6

Dear Hannya,

Thank you for always making me aware of the enormous work you are undertaking. Hope soon my friend and I professor Encabo will be able to coordinta an issue of HLT.

All the best as always
Juan

Letter 7

Dear Hania,

I would like to wish you and the rest of the team a merry christmas and a happy new year. I hope this coming year will be a good one for the magazine.

Feride Hekimgil

Letter 8

China Holistic English

CAUTION: Reading this may cause an increase in knowledge
Martin Wolf

Letter 9

Hi Hania,

As usual at this time of the year, I have attached my 2011 humorous Xmas greetings on a very topical issue and its possible consequences for CEF-based testing. Hope you enjoy.

I look forward to seeing you in the New Year

Best wishes
Geoff Tranter

Download PDF

Letter 10

Dear colleague,

The Disabled Access Friendly campaign uses ELT to raise awareness about issues that affect people with mobility disability.

We would like to invite you to visit our website www.disabled-accessfriendly.com, where you will find free online material that can be used to teach skills, for project work and examination practice, but that at the same time provides students with the information necessary to allow them to put themselves in the shoes of someone with a mobility disability, and stimulates them to understand others and to think how others feel.

The campaign’s website also provides foreign language centres and schools with information explaining how they can make small changes to their premises to facilitate people with mobillity disability, as well as a forum to share experiences.

Although based in Greece, the project is equally relevant to ELT teachers worldwide, as it is not culturally bound.

”The best schools have always done more than just prepare students for tests. They raise awareness of the world in which we live and try to make it a better place.”

Thank you!

The Disabled Access Friendly campaign team

Letter 11

Dear Teacher,

Christmas is almost upon us and it is time to party! 80’s music is a great soundtrack, so this month’s additions to the Downloadable Worksheets page of www.tuneintoenglish.com are all from that decade.

The first, appropriate for those who fear a catastrophic 2012, is The Final Countdown, a huge hit for Swedish band Europe in 1986. Prepared by Mena Bianco, from Naples, this worksheet focuses on phonetics.

The second addition is from Boy George’s one-time group Culture Club – 1983’s Karma Chameleon was their biggest hit, and Maria Gulczynska of Ancona has submitted a listening and vocabulary activity.

This month’s final addition is by another Scandinavian band – Norway’s A-ha won six MTV Awards in 1986 for their innovative video of Take On Me. Sabrina Masnata from Genova sent in an ordering activity, suitable for low levels. (Check out the hilarious Literal Video version of the song on the Student’s Area).

Remember there are also six Christmas worksheets online: Do They Know It’s Christmas? (Band Aid), Happy Xmas (John Lennon), Last Christmas (Wham!), Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (Dr. Elmo), Thank God It’s Christmas (Queen) and the traditional Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Thank you to those teachers who have submitted worksheets, I look forward to receiving your contributions.

The Christmas Karaoke page is now online, with over 100 festive favourites, so why not treat your class to a sing-along lesson before the break? The site also features over 7,600 karaoke songs, including all of those mentioned in this newsletter. The UK Top 10 Charts are published on Speak Up’s website – updated weekly, there is a link on the Tune Home page.

The Tune Into English Roadshow is on tour – the new show is receiving a very positive response. You can read comments and watch a video compilation of last year’s show on the website, and the Tune facebook page features a large selection of videos and photographs from over five years of the Roadshow. Thank you to all who have hosted the show.

Finally, remember that you and your students can send your questions to David Copley, the voice of Sean Penn. Watch the interview (with written transcript) by following the link on the homepage of www.tuneintoenglish.com. The best question wins a Tune Into English t-shirt!

I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.
Best wishes,
Fergal Kavanagh, Tune Into English