Your point about being able to prompt with pourquoi leading to more questions, but less development is exactly what I was saying today. We did our first ones today and very few got anywhere near 17 questions.

Whenever I look at the vocab list I am always struck by the amount of cognates or near-cognates. I suppose I will see after the mocks how well this approach worked, but my Spanish tutee did the sample ones as mocks with me and got in the mid/high 40s for all the papers, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

I've been getting them to focus on learning verbs across three time frames for homework as I want them to be able to actually speak and write at greater length. They use Tassomai to practise topic vocabulary as that is a whole-school initiative.

I am teaching the way I always have, with an occasional glance down the vocabulary list to see if there is anything on there that I might have missed. I am practising the new speaking tasks, but I can't teach by sticking religiously to the list.

A Man Called Ove is my favourite book, same author. However, it remains the only book that has ever made me cry.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman. It has sad elements, but does not leave you feeling bleak. I love his writing.

Well done! My daughter failed last Fri, so now is booked in 4 months away and nowhere near where we live. Logging in every day for cancellations. I get the worry though, if she had passed I would be a bag of nerves.

More importantly, where are you heading and are #jeffandelaine involved?

I say that as someone who's led numerous trips abroad with 50+ students.

I have never camped as I don't want accommodation to ever be less comfortable than my own house, but I'd still rather do that than a week of cover. Subject material you aren't familiar with, students you don't necessarily know as well. A no-brainer for me.

I watched it all. It's a beautiful film, but I wouldn't say I found any comedy in it.

Depends on which genre I suppose. One of the reasons I can never pick a favourite song.

That's a good idea, I'll tell him.

Dookie-Green Day

Jagged Little Pill was going to be my suggestion too

I wanted it to share with a student who's going on to do A level. My school doesn't have a 6th form, it's someone I tutor.

That's great, thank you!