What's happening in January, February and March 2026?
This page gives you an overview of all the activity happening across our TeachingEnglish channels in January, February and March.
For teachers, we'll be focusing on the theme of Managing the lesson. For teacher educators, the focus is Managing teacher learning. On this page, you'll find free online training courses, live webinars and other online events, podcast episodes and research – all related to the three-month themes. You'll also find training and resources related to our evergreen themes throughout the year. Learn more about our themes for 2025–26 by downloading our theme calendar.
In addition to our themed events and content, we also have hundreds of lesson plans and classroom resources. Below we've selected some lesson plans to help you engage learners with topical issues and special United Nations days in January, February and March.
Teacher pathways
Choose from three learning pathways designed to help you take charge of your professional development and advance your career as an English teacher.
- Getting started with managing the lesson
Get started with this ready-made pathway of free tools and resources to help you:
- create a positive, safe and supportive learning environment (physical or online) with effective and appropriate use of language to explain the aims of the lesson and give clear instructions for each task or activity
- manage each stage of the lesson effectively in terms of pace, learner interaction and variety of activities according to the equipment and resources you have available, so that the lesson aims can be achieved
- manage the learners effectively in terms of discipline and expectations to ensure they are fully engaged and motivated throughout the lesson, responding to individual needs as they arise and being flexible to adapt the lesson plan when appropriate.
- Going further with managing the lesson
If you want to go further with your professional development, this workbook will help you take your skills to the next level. It's designed to help you create a regular learning habit and apply what you've learned in the classroom. You'll find an overview of the theme and recommended learning materials. You'll also find support to reflect on and personalise your learning. You can use the workbook in different ways – do what works for you! We hope you find it beneficial.
Teacher pathways: Going further with managing the lesson- Working on managing the lesson with others
This group study guide for teachers and teacher educators looks at managing the lesson. It forms part of a series of group learning booklets in which teachers and teacher educators will find useful theory and practice for teaching English effectively, including short case studies and professional development activities to do with others.
Managing the lesson group study guide
Online training courses
We have a range of courses running connected to the theme of Managing the lesson and our evergreen themes. Live events and discussions related to these courses are hosted in our Courses for teachers community on Facebook and on YouTube. Learn more about our courses for 2025–26 by downloading our courses calendar. Find answers to our most frequently asked questions about training courses.
Courses connected to Managing the lesson
- Organising the classroom – enrol before 24 March (new course)
Learn how to use boards and other classroom resources effectively. Develop strategies for promoting social language, starting and finishing lessons and managing different interaction patterns in class.
Find out more and enrol on Organising the classroom
Download the free Organising the classroom workbook- Managing learners and resources – enrol before 24 March
Learn how to manage resources, groupings and differentiation effectively to help build positive relationships with learners in your classroom.
Find out more and enrol on Managing learners and resources
Download the free Managing learners and resources workbook- Classroom management for primary – enrol before 24 March
Give your primary learners the best environment to learn English by improving your management of instructions, learning activities, resources and physical space.
Find out more and enrol on Classroom management for primary
Download the free Classroom management for primary workbook
Courses connected to evergreen themes
- English in the multilingual classroom – enrol before 24 March 2026
This course will introduce you to multilingualism and what it means. Learn how to make your classroom and teaching multilingual so that your learners can learn to celebrate and use many languages in the real world.
Find out more and enrol on English in the multilingual classroom
Download the free English in the multilingual classroom workbook- Digital competences for teaching English – enrol before 24 March 2026 (new course)
Discover how to integrate digital tools to support language learning, collaboration, formative assessment and effective feedback. Improve your digital communication skills and teamwork in your professional context and learn about online continuing professional development.
Find out more and enrol on Digital competences for teaching English
Download the free Digital competences for teaching English workbook- Climate action in language education – enrol before 24 March 2026
Learn to integrate environmental issues into English language teaching and develop the skills you need to take and sustain meaningful and impactful action to protect the environment in your local context.
Find out more and enrol on Climate action in language education
Download the free Climate action in language education workbook- How to teach writing – enrol before 24 March 2026
Improve your learners' writing skills by exploring the subskills that make good writers, and ways of developing them in the classroom.
Find out more and enrol on How to teach writing
Download the free How to teach writing workbook- How to teach vocabulary – enrol before 24 March 2026
Help your learners notice, record, recycle and use new vocabulary more confidently with engaging classroom activities.
Find out more and enrol on How to teach vocabulary
Download the free How to teach vocabulary workbook- Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners – enrol before 24 March 2026
Make your classroom a trauma-sensitive learning environment. Help your learners to shine by working creatively with limited resources and by managing challenging behaviour positively.
Find out more and enrol on Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners
Download the free Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners workbook
Online events and webinars
See our free online events and webinars for teachers and teacher educators below. Download our webinar calendar for 2025–26 here.
- Managing the lesson – two webinars (16 January)
In this first event of our series on Managing the lesson, two of our TeachingEnglish course tutors will give a practical introduction to different aspects of managing classroom learning. Join us to learn practical ideas for how to create a dynamic and positive learning environment in your classroom. In the second session, discover strategies for dealing with noisy classrooms, and how to manage activities and transitions to ensure that learners are motivated and on-task.
12.00–14.15 (UK time)
Find out more and register for Managing the lesson
You can also join the events on Facebook. No registration is necessary to watch on Facebook.- The art of mentoring – Teacher educator webinar (20 January)
Please note that the content of this webinar is tailored for teacher educators and teachers who are engaged in facilitating the professional development of others.
More information about this event coming soon.
12.00–13.15 (UK time)
- The role of the teaching assistant – Teacher educator webinar (10 February)
Please note that the content of this webinar is tailored for teacher educators and teachers who are engaged in facilitating the professional development of others.
More information about this event coming soon.
12.00–13.15 (UK time)
Find out more and register for The role of the teaching assistant
- Teaching for equality – three webinars (20 February)
Join us on 20 February for three interactive sessions designed to help you promote equality through your English language teaching. Explore practical strategies to bridge the divide in tech-challenged classrooms, overcome barriers in under-resourced settings and equip your learners to succeed, whatever their circumstances.
12.00–15.30 (UK time)Find out more and register for Teaching for equality
You can also join the events on Facebook. No registration is necessary to watch on Facebook.- Teacher educator webinar series review 2025–26 – Teacher educator webinar (17 March)
Please note that the content of this webinar is tailored for teacher educators and teachers who are engaged in facilitating the professional development of others.
More information about this event coming soon.
12.00–13.15 (UK time)
Find out more and register for Teacher educator webinar series review 2025–26
- Belonging matters – webinars (20 March)
Join us on 20 March for two practical webinars. Experts from Southeast Asia focus on learner well-being and including home languages in the classroom to create a sense of belonging.
Find out more and register for Belonging matters
You can also join the events on Facebook. No registration is necessary to watch on Facebook.
- Facebook, Instagram and YouTube live events in January, February and March 2026
Join our online community of more than four million teachers worldwide. We will be hosting weekly events throughout January, February and March via our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.
These 30-minute live sessions are a great opportunity for you to join teachers from around the world.
Engage with English language teaching experts and community members on a range of topics and themes to help you develop your teaching skills, and share ideas and questions with a vibrant global online community.
See what's happening in our community on Facebook
See what's happening in our community on Instagram
See what's happening in our community on YouTube
For the classroom
See a selection of lesson plans below that you can use to focus on United Nations special days in January, February and March in your language teaching classrooms.
- World Braille Day (4 January)
The Very Busy Spider
Age group: Primary
Level: A1 and above
This is a series of activities and related worksheets for you to download and use with the storybook The Very Busy Spider. Learners will make a touchy-feely book and give a presentation of the story.- International Day of Education (24 January)
School subjects
Age group: Primary
Level: A1 and above
In the first lesson, learners will be introduced to school subjects. They'll consider the spelling of the vocabulary as part of learner training. Then they'll discuss their likes and dislikes. In the second lesson, learners will take part in a controlled line mingle and make a bar chart that will become part of a group poster.My ideal teacher
Age group: Primary
Level: A2 and above
In this lesson, primary learners do a series of simple and supported vocabulary and grammar activities, which lead to them writing about their ideal teacher. At the end of the lesson, they draw pictures of their ideal teacher and they make a classroom display of their texts and pictures.Challenges at school
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In this lesson, learners practise and improve their listening skills as they listen to a conversation between two teenagers talking about the challenges they face at school.Starting a new school
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In this lesson, learners practise and improve their listening skills as they listen to different teenagers talking about their experiences of starting a new school.- Safer Internet Day (10 February)
How the internet has changed our lives
Age group: Primary (9–11 years old)
Level: A2 and above
The lesson starts with a brainstorming activity involving the whole class. Learners think about how they use the internet in their daily lives. Then they think about how children's lives would have been different before the internet was invented. They are encouraged to use used to and didn't use to to make comparisons between the past and the present.Fake news
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
This lesson for older teenagers and adults at CEFR level B1 and above looks at strategies for identifying fake news and fake websites.Stay safe on social media
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In June 2013, the British Council's Social Media Team Child Protection team worked with CEOP to develop five Golden Rules to help parents and carers keep their children safe on social media. As this was a great success and was well appreciated, we would now like to continue this work. The aim of this lesson is to sensitise teenage students to the risks of social media and to raise their awareness of how to stay safe when using it.- International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February)
Women and girls in science
Age group: Secondary
Level: B2 and above
February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In this lesson, learners read an article about some of the reasons why there are fewer girls and women interested in working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and what's happening to encourage equality in these fields. Learners will have a chance to evaluate ways of doing this, as well as reading about alternative approaches. There are optional extension tasks at the end of the lesson.- World Day of Social Justice (20 February)
Young people and politics
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In this lesson, learners will discuss how young people can get involved in political issues. They will read an article about political activism and successful campaigns created by young people. There is a focus on vocabulary, and finally learners will plan their own campaign to raise awareness about a political or social issue.- International Mother Language Day (21 February)
How many languages can you speak?
Age group: Secondary
Level: A2 and above
In this lesson, learners will talk about the different languages they speak, and how these can help them to improve their English.The power of multilingualism
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In this lesson, learners will explore the role and benefits of multilingualism. They will reflect on how the languages they know can help them with their English learning.Benefits of being bilingual
Age group: Secondary
Level: B2 and above
This lesson was devised to celebrate International Mother Language Day on 21 February, which exists to promote awareness of linguistic diversity and multilingualism. The lesson begins with a few statements about bilingualism. The learners decide if these are true or false and then read a text to check their ideas. Having discussed the topic of the text, the learners move on to look at impersonal report structures.- World Wildlife Day (3 March)
My sea creature
Age group: Primary
Level: A2 and above
Use this lesson in face-to-face or online teaching to explore life under the sea with your primary learners.A new logo for the World Wildlife Fund
Age group: Primary
Level: A2 and above
Use this lesson plan with your primary learners to consider the importance of safeguarding all kinds of animals.- International Women's Day (8 March)
We can all do these jobs
Age group: Primary
Level: A1 and above
In this lesson, learners consider gender sterotypes associated with different jobs, and draw and describe a job they would like to do.She's a policeman
Age group: Primary
Level: A2 and above
This lesson asks primary learners to consider their perceptions of gender roles in jobs.The Bechdel Test: Exploring women's representation in films
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
In this lesson, learners use the Bechdel Test, a popular test used to measure the presence of women in films, to explore gender representation in films and series.Taking liberties
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
This lesson plan for learners aged 13–17 and adult learners looks at the theme of gender stereotypes and equality.Unsung heroes
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
This lesson raises awareness of women who have done great things, but who have received little or no recognition for them.Gender reporting in the news
Age group: Secondary
Level: B2 and above
This lesson invites learners to compare the front pages of English-language newspapers to critically evaluate how gender is represented in the news.- International Day of Happiness (20 March)
Happiness is a snip away
Age group: Secondary
Level: A2 and above
In the lesson, learners start by discussing their own jobs and categorising a variety of others. They then identify and exchange information through a jigsaw reading activity and discuss which given jobs were considered happy or unhappy ones. Finally, they share their own ideas and opinions on the topic.- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March)
Tusk Tusk
Age group: Primary
Level: A1 and above
This lesson plan for A1-level primary learners aged 9 to 10 years old explores racism, prejudice and tolerance.The school that tried to end racism
Age group: Secondary
Level: B2 and above
Use this lesson to explore race equality and unconscious bias with your secondary and adult learners at CEFR B2 and above.- International Day of Zero Waste (30 March)
Upcycling
Age group: Secondary
Level: B1 and above
This lesson is part of our series of Climate action in language education teaching materials. There are 12 lesson plans in the series, available for teachers of primary, secondary and adult learners of English. See the full list of lesson plans in this series.
Podcast episodes
See podcasts connected to the themes below.
- TeachingEnglish podcast: How can I teach online effectively?
Part 1 of this podcast (series 1: episode 5) focuses on an innovative English teaching project in Uruguay that uses videoconferencing technology to reach 80,000 children in over 550 primary schools. In Part 2, digital learning specialist and ELT trainer Raquel Ribeiro shares her insights into how you can teach online more effectively, whatever your own experience and personal context.
Listen to How can I teach online effectively? and download the show notes.- TeachingEnglish podcast: How can I teach effectively in challenging contexts?
In this podcast interview (series 1: episode 6), Mohammed Wais, a coordinator of the NGO 'Wave of Hope' at the Nea Kavala refugee camp in northern Greece, shares his experience of teaching English in this challenging context, providing ideas, initiatives and insights into how teachers can be as effective as possible.
Listen to How can I teach effectively in challenging contexts? and download the show notes.
Publications, research and insight
See publications related to the themes below.
- Maximising learning in large classes
This 'teacher-friendly' book was written by the tutors of a workshop that focused on teaching large classes in Ethiopia. Part 1 introduces some of the issues involved when teaching large classes, and Part 2 looks at specific activities that are useful in this type of learning environment.
- Creating and running successful online groups for teacher development
Use this step-by-step evidence-based toolkit if you want to start up and run a successful online group for teachers.
Creating and running successful online groups for teacher development
- Own-language use in ELT: exploring global practices and attitudes
This research paper explores teachers' attitudes to own-language use in the classroom.
Own-language use in ELT: exploring global practices and attitudes