It’s been wet and very cold over the last few weeks, and I have been moaning (silently) about British winters. One day, to pass some time, I was scrolling through the sports channels on my TV when I came across some footage from the Vendée Globe, a single-handed yacht race around the world starting out from the west coast of France at Les Sables d’Olonne where, coincidentally, my family had spent a couple of summer holidays when I was eight or nine. The first film was about Pip Hare, a British woman who was hoping to be the first female to complete the race twice. Unfortunately, a huge wave had hit her boat, breaking the mast about 1,500 kilometres south of Australia. All alone, she repaired the sail as much as possible and slowly made her way to Melbourne, a journey which took two weeks. What strength of mind and courage! The next film featured a primary school in France where the children were following the race as part of their curriculum. The teacher, when asked what subjects she was covering, replied, ‘Maths, geography, meteorology, history, a bit of physics’. The race has become a brilliant context for project-based learning. With this latest MET being about global issues, it is good to be reminded about our place in this vast world and how many areas concern us all, wherever we are and whoever we are teaching. To find examples of what teaching resources are available for people who want to follow the race just Google Vendee Globe Teaching resources.

When we had the idea of global issues as a theme, I was expecting articles about climate change, displaced people, sustainability and possibly poverty. It was only by consulting the United Nations website that my list got longer. Just the letter A offers: Africa; AIDS; ageing; and atomic energy. Africa is the only continent named as a global issue; but when you consider what Africa has been through historically, its current challenges and future projects, you realise how important it is for the whole world. AIDs is an example of a terrible medical challenge which still remains a huge threat in many parts of the world and ageing is something that happens to everyone but which has huge implications for all of us. One of the articles in this issue looks at teaching older students. Atomic energy is something which is loved and hated in equal measure; it is a ‘good’ source of energy but how do we deal with the waste? All of these topics require thought, discussion, reflection and analysis – the kinds of things learners want to articulate their views on. But how can they do that with a limited level of English? See what Adrian Tennant and John Hughes suggest in their articles.

One topic I am continually getting articles on is AI, and today there was a brilliant radio programme based around the use of AI in medicine. It appears that AI can analyse scans not only with great speed but also with great accuracy. As a complement to doctors and radiologists, AI is going to make a huge difference diagnosing where and where not to give treatment. Equally for lawyers, the ability to scan and analyse documents in huge numbers with reliable levels of accuracy is something which AI can deliver, again not to replace but to enhance the lawyer. With teachers it is the same. The AI available to us and our learners is incredible and makes the use of it a truly global phenomenon. As with all new skills, learning how to do it and how to practise it is where the teacher comes in.

Since November we have been running webinars and all four we have run so far have been very successful. They have been hosted from Japan, Dubai, Poland and Greece and we have covered emotional intelligence, critical thinking, grammar and communicative video viewing. All have been run by regular MET contributors and sign ups from over 70 different countries for each. Wherever you are in the world, don’t hesitate to join our next ones. Visit https://www.modernenglishteacher.com/webinars to stay up-to-date. Talking of critical thinking it was sad to see the passing of the great Mario Rinvolucri this month. He was truly a an inspirational figure to, many of us. See an obituary on page 9. As I sit here in England I imagine you in a wide range of teaching situations in so many different countries. You really are a global readership with so many shared concerns. I do hope you enjoy this issue and, as ever, if you get inspired to write, contact me.

Robert McLarty

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