Pete Sharma Associates

The Macmillan English Dictionary Online has been in existence for some time but previously, it was only accessible to those who had already bought a copy of the MED in paper form.

What those who are not on Macmillan’s emailing list may not know is that this online resource is now available for everyone to use.

Like all free versions of CD-ROM dictionaries, it does not have the same functionality of the full product. However what you get is:

• the ability to search the entire dictionary
• recorded pronunciation models (British English)
• single click cross referencing
• example sentences
• frequency rating stars
• lists of phrases
• thesaurus link for each definition

I’ve been using in the classroom recently – sometimes alongside the CD-ROMs of the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and, sometimes on its own. It has been getting an enthusiastic response, especially from those of our students whose company laptops are set up to prevent them from installing any software not sanctioned by their employer.

It was fantastic to be involved in the first Blended Learning course run by Pete Sharma Associates last weekend. We had 12 participants, a perfect number to get the diversity of experience we craved.

Thanks to guest trainer Julia Glass from Promethean who among other things demonstrated Learner Voting Devices. Also to PSA trainer Francis Jones who enthralled us in the Smart board workshop. Wealso  put a Mimio through its paces.

Co-trainer and PSA Director Kevin  pulled out the stops on podcasting, blogs and wikis and Moodle. Course participants are usig Moodle post course, making it a real Blended Learning course, with format mirroring content.

Barney – site builder, co-author – was as wonderfully helpful as ever, walking the fine line between omni-presence and invisibilty he treads so well. His fan club, like a mushroom in the dark, grows steadily.

A great weekend and I have blogged events on the British Council / BBC Teaching English site.

If you are thinking of taking the next course in June, my advice is to get your application in early as it is likely to prove popular.

You can now see my most schizophrenic moment, the Jekyll and Hyde Pecha Kucha presentation at IATEFL Cardiff. The presentation starts (roughly) at 56 minutes. Rumours that I took of my shirt at the end are true. Thanks to the great people at IATEFL on-line who made the on-line event happen, and of course to the host with the most, Lindsay C.

I am delighted to be this month’s Guest writer on the British Council BBC Teaching English website

Do take a peek.

Phew! What a fantastic experience this morning – thanks to all who attended and the tech guys who made it possible. Sorry if you lost the connection – the good news is that it will be archived shortly! will blog the address…..

Greetings from the conference.

Thanks to everyone who came to the New Inside Out Digital session – it wa a cracker. Huge thanks to Claire Sparkes for her IWB skills and to everyone in the team who helped make it a success….

Rumours are that the Pecha Kucha eve is going up on IATEFL online…..

Enjoy……