Why teach global issues?
Teaching the National Curriculum is a challenge in itself. So is the idea of enhancing the curriculum with a global dimension yet another thing to squeeze in, or could it be the solution to bringing the existing curriculum more to life?

Secondary Curriculum Review
QCA has launched a review of the NC for KS3-4. The new curriculum will have 4 dimensions;
Global
Enterprise
Creativity
Cultural Understanding and Diversity

Ideas for Etwinning
Elanguages.org is a free website for schools to share information. For example, look at our project with a school in Ariège, France.
Edublogs.org is a free website for educational blogs. This is a very simple way to raise an issue and ask students to contribute moderated comments. For example see Qu’est-ce que tu fais le weekend? and the Global Issues Forum
Audacity is a great free download to enable students to record their own audio. This means that they can use the software at home as well as at school. The files can either be uploaded to a blog, or a podcast website such as podomatic or Gcast.
Bubbleshare and AuthorStream are free sites that allow you to upload images or powerpoint presentations.

LickHill Primary School have used audacity and bubbleshare to create a great activity on clothes and put it on their blog.

Videoconferencing
Flashmeeting is a basic videoconferencing tool with the following benefits:
It is safe to use as you have to be a teacher to have an account
It doesn’t require special software, just flash
It can be used with a basic webcam and/or microphone
It uses commonly open firewall ports, so rarely gets blocked
You can watch a recording of a flashmeeting between students at Notre Dame, Norwich and Summit High, Cincinatti.
For info about flashmeeting and how to get a free account click here.

Global Issues
Tour de France
UN Cyberschool bus - Great for UN MDGs and in lots of languages
International day of Peace

useful sites
Joe Dale’s Blog - A great blog with regular updates on how schools are using web2.0 in MFL.
Global Messenger - My website on elanguages.org with free downloadable resources
Global Gateway - Etwinning portal
British Council International School Award - A framework for global education in your school
Global Dimension - Links to the best global education resources
Oxfam Cool Planet - Excellent online resources based Oxfam’s work
Climate Challenge - Pratical ways to reduce global warming
BBC Newsround - Best site for internation current affairs in child speak
My global del.ici.ous tags - To see all my favourite global links