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Today's lesson, we started to look at fashion and style. We looked at some new vocabulary on p.134.

To keep up with the topic and to give you something to think about over the weekend, here is a bit of reading about why fashion is ugly.

Have a look and we can talk about it next week!

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Today's lesson we saw some terrific presentations about Polish culture. Iwo showed himself to be the champion of culture by answering more questions than the others.
We then watched a short summary video of the news and considered how to use reporting verbs - we looked at the meaning and the grammar of them.

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Today's lesson:
It turned out no one was prepared for their presentation, so we will do them on Wednesday instead.
We looked at newspaper headlines - first of all looking at varieties of media (tabloid vs. broadsheet) and the differences between them in terms of content and language use. We then looked at common language used in headlines and the reasons behind the choice of this language:
Why choose to use 'vow' instead of 'promise'? Why use the present tense to describe past events? Why use the passive voice?

For homework, I suggested you check out some of the media we looked at, perhaps the Daily Mail, the 'king of tabloids', to see how they create headlines to act as clickbait

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MailOnline - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from MailOnline, Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.

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Today's lesson:
We read excerpts from some famous speeches and analysed them for their purpose and how the speaker exploits the language to support their intention. What effect does certain styles or structures have on the audience?:
Why does Martin Luther King use abstract language, while Churchill uses active verbs? How does using long or short sentences change the dynamic of the speech? How can using simple or biblical language have on an audience? Can you use the same style or type of language in different situations?

The examples came from the website linked below.

Homework is to research and prepare for your presentation on Monday.

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Speech is an essential element of language, one that we all employ in our daily lives. What about a speech?

A speech is a formal address, delivered to an audience, that seeks to convince, persuade, inspire or inform. From historic moments to the present day, the English language has given us some extraordinary examples of the spoken word. A powerful tool in the right - or wrong - hands, spoken English can, and has, changed the world.

We've chosen ten of the most famous speeches in English. They range from celebrated, world-changing pieces of rhetoric to our personal favourites, but most importantly they still rouse our emotions when we hear them today. We've examined each for the tricks of the oratory trade. After each speech you'll find some bullet points outlining its most distinctive rhetorical features, and why a speech writer would include them.

Remember these celebrated rhetoricians the next time you have to give a speech in public - be this at a wedding, award ceremony or business conference.

Scroll down to the end of this post for our essential tips on crafting speeches.

Don't be afraid of giving speeches in English!

1. Martin Luther King I Have a Dream 1963

We couldn't have an article about speeches without mentioning this one. Incredibly famous and iconic, Martin Luther King changed the character of speech making.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

What makes this a great speech?

- Abstract nouns like " dream " are incredibly emotional. Our dreams are an intimate part of our subconscious and express our strongest desires. Dreams belong to the realm of fantasy; of unworldly, soaring experiences. King's repetition of the simple sentence "I have a dream" evokes a picture in our minds of a world where complete equality and freedom exist.

- It fuses simplicity of language with sincerity: something that all persuasive speeches seek to do!

- Use of tenses: King uses the future tense ("will be able", "shall be", "will be made""), which gives his a dream certainty and makes it seem immediate and real.

- Thanks to its highly biblical rhetoric, King's speech reads like a sermon. The last paragraph we've quoted here is packed with biblical language and imagery.

2. King George VI Radio Address 1939

This speech was brought back to life recently thanks to the film, The King's Speech (2010). While George VI will never go down in history as one of the world's gifted orators, his speech will certainly be remembered.

In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.

For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.

Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies, but it has been in vain.

What makes this a great speech?
- At only 404 words long, the speech is impressively economical with language. Its short length means that every word is significant, and commands its audiences' attention.

- This is a great example of how speechwriters use superlatives. George VI says that this moment is "the most fateful in history". Nothing gets peoples' attention like saying this is the "most important" or "best".

- " We", " us" and " I ": This is an extremely personal speech. George VI is using the first person, "I", to reach out to each person listening to the speech. He also talks in the third person: "we are at war", to unite British people against the common enemy: "them", or Germany.

3. Winston Churchill We shall fight on the beaches 1940

Churchill is an icon of great speech making. All his life Churchill struggled with a stutter that caused him difficulty pronouncing the letter "s". Nevertheless, with pronunciation and rehearsal he became one of the most famous orators in history.

...we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

What makes it a powerful speech?

- Structural repetition of the simple phrase "we shall..."

- Active verbs like "defend" and "fight" are extremely motivational, rousing Churchill's audience's spirits.

- Very long sentences build the tension of the speech up to its climax "the rescue and the liberation of the old", sweeping listeners along. A similar thing happens in musical pieces: the composition weaves a crescendo, which often induces emotion in its audience.

4. Elizabeth I Speech to the Troops 1588

The "Virgin Queen", Elizabeth I, made this speech at a pivotal moment in English history. It is a remarkable speech in extraordinary circumstances: made by a woman, it deals with issues of gender, sovereignty and nationality.

I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.

What makes this a great speech?

- Elizabeth puts aside differences in social status and says she will "live and die amongst (her troops)". This gives her speech a very inclusive message.

- She uses antithesis, or contrasting ideas. To offset the problem of her femininity - of being a "weak and feeble woman" - she swiftly emphasises her masculine qualities: that she has the "heart and stomach of a king".

- Elizabeth takes on the role of a protector: there is much repetition of the pronoun "I", and "I myself" to show how active she will be during the battle.

5. Chief Joseph Surrender Speech 1877

We've included this speech because there is something extremely raw and humbling about Chief Joseph's surrender. Combining vulnerability with pride, this is an unusual speech and deserves attention.

Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are - perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

What makes this a good speech?

- This speech is a perfect example of a how a non-native speaker can make the English language their own. Chief Joesph's rhetoric retains the feels and culture of a Native American Indian speaker, and is all the more moving for this.

- Simple, short sentences.

- Declarative sentences such as "I know his heart" and "It is cold" present a listener with hard facts that are difficult to argue against.

6. Emmeline Pankhurst Freedom or Death 1913

Traditionally silent, women tend to have been left out of rhetoric. All that changed, however, with the advent of feminism. In her struggle for the vote, Pankhurst and her fellow protesters were compelled to find a voice.

You have left it to women in your land, the men of all civilised countries have left it to women, to work out their own salvation. That is the way in which we women of England are doing. Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won't do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death.

What makes this a great speech?

- Direct acknowledgement of her audience through use of the pronoun you.

- Pankhurst uses stark, irreconcilable contrasts to emphasise the suffragettes' seriousness. Binary concepts like men/women, salvation/damnation, freedom/imprisonment and life/death play an important role in her speech.

7. John F. Kennedy The Decision to go the Moon 19 61

Great moments require great speeches. The simplicity of Kennedy's rhetoric preserves a sense of wonder at going beyond human capabilities, at this great event for science and technology.

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

What makes this a great speech?

- Simple sentence structures: "We choose to go to the moon" = Subject + Verb + Complement. The grammatical simplicity of the sentence allows an audience to reflect on important concepts, i.e. choice. Repetition emphasises this.

- Kennedy uses demonstrative (or pointing) pronouns e.g. " this decade", " that goal" to create a sense of urgency; to convey how close to success the US is.

8. Shakespeare The Tempest Act 3 Scene 2 c.1610

Of course, any list of great speeches would be incomplete without a mention of the master of rhetoric, the Bard himself. If you caught the London Olympic Opening Ceremony you would have noticed that Kenneth Branagh delivered Caliban's speech, from The Tempest.

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,

Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.

Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments

Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices

That, if I then had waked after long sleep,

Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,

The clouds methought would open and show riches

Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,

I cried to dream again.

What makes this a great speech?

- It expresses a wonder and uncertainty of the world, and an inability to comprehend its mystery.

- It is highly alliterative, a rhetorical trick that makes speech memorable and powerful.

- Shakespeare uses onomatopoeia (e.g. "twangling", "hum": words whose sound is like they are describing) to make Caliban's speech evocative.

9. Shakespeare Henry V Act 3 Scene 1, 1598

One of rhetoric's most primal functions is to transform terrified men into bloodthirsty soldiers. "Once more unto the breach" is a speech that does just that. It is a perfect example of how poetry is an inextricable element of rhetoric.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage

What makes this such a great rousing battle speech?

-Shakespeare uses some fantastic imagery in King Henry's speech. His "dear friends", or soldiers, are tigers, commanded to block their enemies' way with their dead comrades. This appeals to ideals of masculinity that men should be fierce and strong.

- Orders and imperative verbs give the speaker authority.

- Repetition of key phrases and units of sound: the vowel sounds in the repeated phrase "once more" are echoed by the words "or" and "our". This makes it an extraordinarily powerful piece of rhetoric to hear spoken.

10. William Lyon Phelps The Pleasure of Books 1933

This speech was read a year before Nazis began their systematic destruction of books that didn't match Nazi ideals. As major advocates of books at English Trackers, we're naturally inclined to love speeches about their importance.

A borrowed book is like a guest in the house; it must be treated with punctiliousness, with a certain considerate formality. You must see that it sustains no damage; it must not suffer while under your roof. You cannot leave it carelessly, you cannot mark it, you cannot turn down the pages, you cannot use it familiarly. And then, some day, although this is seldom done, you really ought to return it.

What makes this a great speech?

- Phelps personifies books in this speech; that is, he gives books human characteristics - like the capacity to "suffer". Comparing a book to a guest creates novelty, which engages and holds the interest of a listener.

- This speech uses both modal verbs ("must", "ought") and prohibitions ("you cannot") to demonstrate both proper and improper behaviour.

Some tips to bear in mind when writing a speech

- KISS: the golden rule of Keep It Short and Simple really does apply. Keep your sentences short, your grammar simple. Not only is this more powerful than long rambling prose, but you're more likely hold your audience's attention - and be able to actually remember what you're trying to say!

- Rule of 3: another golden rule. The human brain responds magically to things that come in threes. Whether it's a list of adjectives, a joke, or your main points, it's most effective if you keep it to this structure.

- Imagery: Metaphors, similes and description will help an audience to understand you, and keep them entertained.

- Pronouns: Use "we" to create a sense of unity, "them" for a common enemy, "you" if you're reaching out to your audience, and "I" / "me" if you want to take control.

- Poetry: Repetition, rhyme and alliteration are sound effects, used by poets and orators alike. They make a speech much more memorable. Remember to also structure pauses and parentheses into a speech. This will vary the flow of sound, helping you to hold your audience's attention.

- Jokes: Humour is powerful. Use it to perk up a sleepy audience, as well as a rhetorical tool. Laughter is based on people having common, shared assumptions - and can therefore be used to persuade.

- Key words: "Every", "improved", "natural", "pure", "tested' and "recommended" will, according to some surveys, press the right buttons and get a positive response from your listeners.

About the Author: This post comes to you from guest blogger, Natalie. Currently blogging, editing and based in London, Natalie previously worked with the English Trackers team.

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Give me more!
Check out our post on Seven Ways to Seriously Improve your English

If you're applying for a job, read our tips on English Resumes - How to Avoid Five Common Written Mistakes

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10 famous speeches in English and what you can learn from them - English Editing Blog

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We've gathered the likes of Winston Churchill, MLK, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth I etc... Learn from the greats! Complete with videos and transcription.

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Today's lesson:
We looked at giving presentations about history. After discussing what 'top tips' we would give to people for making presentations, we then listened to an introduction and compared that to the books' tips. We considered how the speaker tried to engage the audience through asserting their thoughts and beliefs. After listening to the rest of the presentation, we analysed the overall structure of this presentations and presentations in general so that next lesson you can prepare one of your own.

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We started off with some Shakespearean insults, such as:
“His wit’s as thick as a Tewkesbury mustard.”
“Thou art as fat as butter.”
“Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad.”
"You have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness."
"No longer from head to foot than from hip to hip, she is spherical, like a globe, I could find out countries in her."

Then we learnt about some historical mysteries like the Dancing Plague of Strasbourg and listened to an academic-style discussion of the theories of its cause.
We then looked at how to discuss arguments and theories using words and phrases like:
put forward; proposed; established; claimed; argue; contend; allegedly; asserted; highlighting; emphasising; questioned; challenge; etc

Homework: Workbook p70 and 75. You should  do a bit of research on a historical person or even as you will be presenting something next week!

If you want to know more about historical mysteries, you can read about some here:

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history's big mysteries: questionable deaths

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History's big mysteries: Questionable deaths, missing people, monsters - CNN

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In this connected Internet age, there are still some questions that are answered only with speculation, conspiracy theories and educated guesses.

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Today's lesson:
We reviewed the vocab from last lesson and then listened to a story about an Asian gentleman's life. We then picked up on some of the phrasal verbs which were used in the story:
passed off
turns out
passed away
start off
moved on to
get ahead
set off
start up
built things up
lit up
dwell on
we briefly looked at similes - there'll be a bit more time spent on it next lesson.

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Today's lesson:
We had a practice where you got spoken practice of the linking expressions from the previous lesson, consequently you were better able to use them. As a result of this, you should remember to use them while you produce written and spoken English.
We then started to discuss history - historical events in general and a connection to personal history. We also looked at some vocab. You can find a Quizlet set in the link.
For homework, you will find it useful to do the exercise on linking words on page 66 in the workbook and the vocab section on page 70 of the workbook.

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Outcomes Advanced Unit 12: History Flashcards | Quizlet

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Start studying Outcomes Advanced Unit 12: History. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.

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Today's class:
Today we looked at puns and wordplay. We started off with a review of sporting vocab, which you can look at again in the quizlet set below.
We then enjoyed a selection of puns taken from the link below.
These puns led into a listening about word games, where people talked about using Scrabble.
Homework - Workbook p64-65

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I know these are cheesy, but they make me feel grate.

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Some of you were asking about a Quizlet set for Outcomes unit 11. Here's the link - Enjoy!

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Outcomes Advanced Unit 11: Play Flashcards | Quizlet

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Outcomes Advanced Unit 11: Play study guide by George110765 includes 71 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades.

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Today's lesson:
We (finally) went through the language review. Most of you did pretty well, but there were still a few questions about using modal verbs.
Then we listened to 3 conversations about sport, which we used as a launchpad to look at using irony for humour.
While spoken or verbal irony is used mainly for humour, it had different uses in different genres. This video explains how irony is used in horror and comedy movies. How are the 3 types of irony different? Can you think of any examples of dramatic irony from films or TV shows?

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In on a secret? That's dramatic irony - Christopher Warner

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Today's lesson:
We looked at vocabulary connected with sports:
get knocked out
scrape through
overturn/uphold a decision
be caught doping
get thrashed
be sent to the sin-bin
to be suspended/substituted/dropped
to fade
to blow it
to fix a match
to get cramp/feel stiff
to sponsor somebody
Homework: to do the language review I'd been promising for a week or so - we will look at it on Monday

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Today's lesson:
We finished off the unit on health by reading and discussing mindfulness on page 90-91. If you found this interesting, you can have a look at other articles or videos about how to 'be mindful'. In the interests of balance, I came across this article about why mindfulness might not be good for everyone.

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I am sitting in a circle in a grey, corporate room with 10 housing association employees - administrators, security guards, cleaners - eyes darting about nervously. We are asked to eat a sandwich in silence. To think about every taste and texture, every chewing motion and bite. Far from being relaxed, I feel excruciatingly uncomfortable and begin to wonder if my jaw is malfunctioning. I'm here to write about a new mindfulness initiative, and since I've never to my knowledge had any mental health issues and usually thrive under stress, I anticipate a straightforward, if awkward, experience.

Then comes the meditation. We're told to close our eyes and think about our bodies in relation to the chair, the floor, the room: how each limb touches the arms, the back, the legs of the seat, while breathing slowly. But there's one small catch: I can't breathe. No matter how fast, slow, deep or shallow my breaths are, it feels as though my lungs are sealed. My instincts tell me to run, but I can't move my arms or legs. I feel a rising panic and worry that I might pass out, my mind racing. Then we're told to open our eyes and the feeling dissipates. I look around. No one else appears to have felt they were facing imminent death. What just happened?

For days afterwards, I feel on edge. I have a permanent tension headache and I jump at the slightest unexpected noise. The fact that something seemingly benign, positive and hugely popular had such a profound effect has taken me by surprise.

Mindfulness, the practice of sitting still and focusing on your breath and thoughts, has surged in popularity over the last few years, with a boom in apps, online courses, books and articles extolling its virtues. It can be done alone or with a guide (digital or human), and with so much hand-wringing about our frenetic, time-poor lifestyles and information overload, it seems to offer a wholesome solution: a quiet port in the storm and an opportunity for self-examination. The Headspace app, which offers 10-minute guided meditations on your smartphone, has more than three million users worldwide and is worth over £25m. Meanwhile, publishers have rushed to put out workbooks and guides to line the wellness shelves in bookshops.

After meditation I would do things that were out of character, acting erratically. I had panic attacks

Large organisations such as Google, Apple, Sony, Ikea, the Department of Health and Transport for London have adopted mindfulness or meditation as part of their employee packages, claiming it leads to a happier workforce, increased productivity and fewer sick days. But could such a one-size-fits-all solution backfire in unexpected ways?

Even a year later, recalling the sensations and feelings I experienced in that room summons a resurgent wave of panic and tightness in my chest. Out of curiosity, I try the Headspace app, but the breathing exercises leave me with pins and needles in my face and a burgeoning terror. "Let your thoughts move wherever they please," the app urges. I just want it to stop. And, as I discovered, I'm not the only person who doesn't find mindfulness comforting.

Claire, a 37-year-old in a highly competitive industry, was sent on a three-day mindfulness course with colleagues as part of a training programme. "Initially, I found it relaxing," she says, "but then I found I felt completely zoned out while doing it. Within two or three hours of later sessions, I was starting to really, really panic." The sessions resurfaced memories of her traumatic childhood, and she experienced a series of panic attacks. "Somehow, the course triggered things I had previously got over," Claire says. "I had a breakdown and spent three months in a psychiatric unit. It was a depressive breakdown with psychotic elements related to the trauma, and several dissociative episodes."

Four and a half years later, Claire is still working part-time and is in and out of hospital. She became addicted to alcohol, when previously she was driven and high-performing, and believes mindfulness was the catalyst for her breakdown. Her doctors have advised her to avoid relaxation methods, and she spent months in one-to-one therapy. "Recovery involves being completely grounded," she says, "so yoga is out."

Research suggests her experience might not be unique. Internet forums abound with people seeking advice after experiencing panic attacks, hearing voices or finding that meditation has deepened their depression after some initial respite. In their recent book, The Buddha Pill, psychologists Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm voice concern about the lack of research into the adverse effects of meditation and the "dark side" of mindfulness. "Since the book's been published, we've had a number of emails from people wanting to tell us about adverse effects they have experienced," Wikholm says. "Often, people have thought they were alone with this, or they blamed themselves, thinking they somehow did it wrong, when actually it doesn't seem it's all that uncommon."

People don't talk about the risk of injury. You need a good trainer

One story in particular prompted Farias to look further into adverse effects. Louise, a woman in her 50s who had been practising yoga for 20 years, went away to a meditation retreat. While meditating, she felt dissociated from herself and became worried. Dismissing it as a routine side-effect of meditation, Louise continued with the exercises. The following day, after returning home, her body felt completely numb and she didn't want to get out of bed. Her husband took her to the doctor, who referred her to a psychiatrist. For the next 15 years she was treated for psychotic depression.

Farias looked at the research into unexpected side-effects. A 1992 study by David Shapiro, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, found that 63% of the group studied, who had varying degrees of experience in meditation and had each tried mindfulness, had suffered at least one negative effect from meditation retreats, while 7% reported profoundly adverse effects including panic, depression, pain and anxiety. Shapiro's study was small-scale; several research papers, including a 2011 study by Duke University in North Carolina, have raised concerns at the lack of quality research on the impact of mindfulness, specifically the lack of controlled studies.

Farias feels that media coverage inflates the moderate positive effects of mindfulness, and either doesn't report or underplays the downsides. "Mindfulness can have negative effects for some people, even if you're doing it for only 20 minutes a day," Farias says. "It's difficult to tell how common [negative] experiences are, because mindfulness researchers have failed to measure them, and may even have discouraged participants from reporting them by attributing the blame to them."

Kate Williams, a PhD researcher in psychiatry at the University of Manchester and a mindfulness teacher, says negative experiences generally fall into one of two categories. The first is seen as a natural emotional reaction to self-exploration. "What we learn through meditation is to explore our experiences with an open and nonjudgmental attitude, whether the experience that arises is pleasant, unpleasant or neutral," she says.

The second, Williams says, is more severe and disconcerting: "Experiences can be quite extreme, to the extent of inducing paranoia, delusions, confusion, mania or depression." After years of training, research and practice, her own personal meditation has included some of these negative experiences. "Longer periods of meditation have at times led me to feel a loss of identity and left me feeling extremely vulnerable, almost like an open wound," Williams says. As an experienced mindfulness teacher, however, she says she is able to deal with these negative experiences without lasting effect.

Rachel, a 34-year-old film-maker from London, experimented with mindfulness several years ago. An old school friend who had tried it attempted to warn her off. "He said, 'It's hardcore - you'll go through things you don't want to go through and it might not always be positive.' I suppose sitting with yourself is hard, especially when you're in a place where you don't really like yourself. Meditation can't 'fix' anyone. That's not what it's for."

After a few months of following guided meditations, and feeling increasingly anxious, Rachel had what she describes as a "meltdown" immediately after practising some of the techniques she'd learned; the relationship she was in broke down. "That's the horrible hangover I have from this: instead of having a sense of calm, I overanalyse and scrutinise everything. Things would run round in my mind, and suddenly I'd be doing things that were totally out of character, acting very, very erratically. Having panic attacks that would restrict my breathing and, once, sent me into a blackout seizure on the studio floor that involved an ambulance trip to accident and emergency." Rachel has recovered to some extent; she experiences similar feelings on a lower level even today, but has learned to recognise the symptoms and take steps to combat them.

So are employers and experts right to extol the virtues of mindfulness? According to Will Davies, senior lecturer at Goldsmiths and author of The Happiness Industry, our mental health has become a money-making opportunity. "The measurement of our mental and emotional states at work is advancing rapidly at the moment," he says, "and businesses are increasingly aware of the financial costs that stress, depression and anxiety saddle them with."

Rather than removing the source of stress, whether that's unfeasible workloads, poor management or low morale, some employers encourage their staff to meditate: a quick fix that's much cheaper, at least in the short term. After all, it's harder to complain that you're under too much stress at work if your employer points out that they've offered you relaxation classes: the blame then falls on the individual. "Mindfulness has been grabbed in recent years as a way to help people cope with their own powerlessness in the workplace," Davies says. "We're now reaching the stage where mandatory meditation is being discussed as a route to heightened productivity, in tandem with various apps, wearable devices and forms of low-level employee surveillance."

One former Labour backbencher, Chris Ruane, recently proposed meditation for civil servants, on the basis that it would cut Whitehall costs by lowering sick leave through stress, rather than making the workplace and jobs less stressful in the first place. "The whole agenda is so fraught with contradictions, between its economic goals and its supposedly spiritual methods," Davies argues. "It's a wonder anyone takes it seriously at all."

Mindfulness has also been adopted by the NHS, with many primary care trusts offering and recommending the practice in lieu of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). "It fits nicely with the Nutribullet-chugging, clean-eating crowd, because it doesn't involve any tablets," says Bethan, a mental health nurse working in east London. "My main problem with it is that it's just another word for awareness."

My main problem with mindfulness is that it's just another word for awareness

Over the past few years, Bethan has noticed mindfulness mentioned or recommended increasingly at work, and says many colleagues have been offered sessions and training as part of their professional development. But the move towards mindfulness delivered through online or self-help programmes isn't for everyone. "It's fine, but realising you have depression isn't the same as tackling it," she says. "I don't see it as any different from the five-a-day campaign: we know what we should be eating, but so many of us don't do it. We know that isolating ourselves isn't helpful when we feel blue, but we still do that."

Part of the drive is simple cost-cutting. With NHS budgets squeezed, resource-intensive and diverse therapies that involve one-on-one consultations are far more expensive to dispense than online or group therapies such as mindfulness. A CBT course costs the NHS £950 per participant on average, while mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, because it's delivered in a group, comes in at around £300 a person. "It's cheap, and it does make people think twice about their choices, so in some respects it's helpful," Bethan says.

But in more serious cases, could it be doing more harm than good? Florian Ruths has researched this area for 10 years, as clinical lead for mindfulness-based therapy in the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. He believes it is possible to teach yourself mindfulness through apps, books or online guides. "For most people, I think if you're not suffering from any clinical issues, or illness, or from stress to a degree that you're somewhat disabled, it's fine," he says. "We talk about illness as disability, and disability may arise through sadness, it may arise through emotional disturbance, like anxiety. Then, obviously, it becomes a different ballgame, and it would be good to have a guided practice to take you through it." This runs counter to the drive towards online mindfulness apps, delivered without supervision, and with little to no adaptation to individual needs or problems.

But for Ruths, the benefits outweigh the risk of unusual effects. "If we exercise, we live longer, we're slimmer, we've got less risk of dementia, we're happier and less anxious," he says. "People don't talk about the fact that when you exercise, you are at a natural risk of injuring yourself. When people say in the new year, 'I'm going to go to the gym' - out of 100 people who do that, about 20 will injure themselves, because they haven't been taught how to do it properly, or they've not listened to their bodies. So when you're a responsible clinician or GP, you tell someone to get a good trainer."

People may not know they have a bipolar vulnerability until they try mindfulness

Certain mental health problems increase the risk of adverse effects from mindfulness. "If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, there is a certain chance that you may find meditation too difficult to do, as you may be re-experiencing traumatic memories," Ruths says. "Once again, it's about having experienced trainers to facilitate that. We've seen some evidence that people who've got bipolar vulnerability may struggle, but we need to keep in mind that it may be accidental, or it may be something we don't know about yet."

Of course, people may not know they have a bipolar vulnerability until they try mindfulness. Or they might have repressed the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, only for these to emerge after trying the practice.

How can an individual gauge whether they're likely to have negative side-effects? Both Farias and Ruths agree there isn't a substantial body of evidence yet on how mindfulness works, or what causes negative reactions. One of the reasons is obvious: people who react badly tend to drop out of classes, or stop using the app or workbook; rather than make a fuss, they quietly walk away. Part of this is down to the current faddishness of mindfulness and the way it's marketed: unlike prescribed psychotherapy or CBT, it's viewed as an alternative lifestyle choice, rather than a powerful form of therapy.

Claire is clear about how she feels mindfulness should be discussed and delivered: "A lot of the people who are trained in mindfulness are not trained in the dangers as well as the potential benefits," she says. "My experience of people who teach it is that they don't know how to help people if it goes too far."

There is currently no professionally accredited training for mindfulness teachers, and nothing to stop anyone calling themselves a mindfulness coach, though advocates are calling for that to change. Finding an experienced teacher who comes recommended, and not being afraid to discuss negative side-effects with your teacher or GP, means you're far more likely to enjoy and benefit from the experience.

As both Claire and I have found, there are alternative relaxation methods that can keep you grounded: reading, carving out more time to spend with friends, and simply knowing when to take a break from the frenetic pace of life. Meanwhile, Claire's experience has encouraged her to push for a better understanding of alternative therapies. "No one would suggest CBT was done by someone who wasn't trained," she says. "I'd like to see a wider discussion about what mindfulness is - and on what the side-effects can be."

Some names have been changed.

* Dawn Foster's new book, Lean Out, is published by Watkins.
Topics

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I am sitting in a circle in a grey, corporate room with 10 housing association employees - administrators, security guards, cleaners - eyes darting about nervously. We are asked to eat a sandwich in silence. To think about every taste and texture, every chewing motion and bite.

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Today we did some counselling and you created a presentation to promote a campaign. Next lesson we will hear from the other group of presenters and do an assessment to see how much we have learnt this term - so you should prepare for this.

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Today's lesson:
1) We looked back to what the 5 doctors from last lesson said and matched quotes to them.
2) We discussed how by using modals the meaning was affected.
3) We looked in depth at 7 of the 9 modals and why they are used and completed a table as attached.

Homework:
Do the practice exercises on p.177

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Next week, we will be having one-to-one counselling sessions where we get to have a conversation about how things have been going. To help you reflect on your performance and the course, you should complete this form. I look forward to speaking to you next week!

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Today's lesson:
1) We talked about doctors and listened to 5 doctors talking about their profession.
2) We looked at a number of phrasal verbs:

outbreak

breakthrough

work out

drop out

up bringing

crack down

run up

shake up

Make you all do the writing assessment below.

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Something some students find useful is recognising the sounds in the English language.
You can use this downloadable chart to help you - pay particular attention to the vowel sounds and try to produce them for your self.

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As part of your course, I will be assessing your speaking, writing, listening, reading and language skills.
We will soon be doing a speaking assessment, but this week I want ot get some writing from you.
The task
You should write a story about a medical mishap. You can use the workbook page 59 to help: this provides an example and some language you might want to use.
How I assess you
You will get a final score out of 20. I arrive at this by giving the following criteria marks out of 5:
Task: How well have you answered the question? Does it have an appropriate structure (start/middle/end)?  Do I, as the reader, enjoy this story?
Grammar: Is there a range of language? Is it accurate? Is the range of language appropriate to the task? In this case, does the type of grammar help to make the story interesting?
Vocabulary: Similarly to grammar - is there a good range and accuracy of language?
Organisation and coherence: Is the text well-organised? Does it use linking words to help the reader follow the story in terms of sequence of events and time/place/etc?

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Today's lesson:
1) I told you a story about how I managed to break my brother's foot with a snowman (if you didn't come, you missed out).
2) We looked at how to use vague language and how that affects the message:

I told her to go to the doctor and they will help you.

I sort of told her to go to the doctor, or something, and they will help you somehow.

Go home and take 50mg of paracetamol or codeine and come back next week.

Go home, or whatever, and take a whole bunch of these pills or stuff like that, and come back in a week or so.

3) You invented a story and told that story to each-other.
The homework is the first assessed piece of writing.. See the separate Padlet post for more information!!

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Today's lesson:
1) We reviewed some of the vocab we had looked at in unit 9. I've created a Quizlet where you can test yourself or play some vocab games to review it. You can find it here: https://quizlet.com/_3vh35k
2) We looked over the homework, reacting to the text 'The Walking Dead'.

some other new phrases which came up were:
to be burnt (burned) out
Something is an exception, not a rule.

3) We started to look at the world of health and illness, discussing some pictures.

4) We read this attached text.

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Have a look at our range of free speaking clubs for all BC students

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Today's lesson:

1) We looked at 4 true and 1 not true news story about working conditions. We discussed how much we agreed/disagreed with the outcomes
2) We looked at 3 other case studies and tried to decide what should happen.
2) We played Godzilla and Tornadoes. Congratulations to the girls for overcoming the boys' challenge.

Homework:
p54-55 in the workbook.
Don't forget to enter the competition to win tickets to watch Yerma!

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So the way I pass the time on the 522 bus from my flat to the BC is to listen to a range of podcasts. Here are a few of my favourites, perhaps you might find them interesting:

Casefile - A podcast about true crime. You can learn about some famous and less well-known cases. recently, they put together a 3-part series about the Jonestown massacre where the phrase 'drink the Cool Aid' comes from. It's a truely chilling and emotional story.

Hardcore History - If you have a lot of time on your hands and are even slightly interested about history, this is for you. The podcaster, Dan Carlin, provides insights and stories about some of the more gruesome periods of history. The series on the First World War is a must (and is still free!), but I love the episode 'Prophets of Doom' which is about the period of the Reformation.

Reply All - A bit lighter than the previous 2, this podcast looks at stories about technology and the internet. I recently loved a story about a woman who was getting many mysterious phone calls to her work number.

These are just a few. Did you given them a try? What did you think? Why don't you share the podcasts you enjoy with everyone else?

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Today's lesson:
1) We tried to remember what had been said by various people in the recording last week.
2) We then looked at the reasons why we use the continuous forms:

Show an activity or event is/was unfinished at a particular point in time.

emphasise that we see an activity or situation as temporary

focus on the activity happening over a period of time - as opposed to the result

talk about arrangements and activities based on a previous decision

and discussed how using this can affect meaning.

I also provided the link to this Padlet site - welcome to those who made it!

Homework:
Workbook p.52-53

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Do you remember the other week when I showed you how to use corpora (the massive databases of language you can search to see how English is used)?
Here are some links you can follow to have a play around to see what you can find out:
http://corpus.leeds.ac.uk/itweb/htdocs/Query.html
https://corpus.byu.edu/bnc/
Why not use these links to see what you learn about these words:

get

roll

cut

banana

mobile

Is there anything surprising/interesting you find out about them?

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Today's lesson:
1) We looked at some infographics about work and discussed how relevant they are to Poland.
2) In groups, we tried to match some words to their meanings:

creche /kreʃ/ or /kreɪʃ/

absenteeism

dismissal

perk

subsidised

tribunal

voluntary redundancy

crackdown

casualisation

compassionate leave

We used the activity on page 84 to help.
3) We then had a focus on the pronunciation of these words - considering the syllables and word stress
Homework: Read the text 'The Living Dead' on page 83.

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Today's lesson:
1) we discussed last lesson's homework (this article) - how does the journalist encourage you to click on the headline? how are emotions described?
2) We reviewed the vocab from last lesson.
3) We listened to someone's first day at work (p. 80, track 28) - can you remember what the following means:
- 'take no notice of her'
- 'she's pulling your leg'
- 'slave driver'
- 'down to earth'
Were there any other words we looked at?
4) We looked at how to use 'then' to make deductions and you had to do exercise 8 as homework.