RELO Russia

📚 Forum Friday: What lies beneath the surface of a poem?

Poetry can open the door to meaningful conversations about language and culture, but students sometimes need support in uncovering the deeper meanings beneath the surface.

In this English Teaching Forum article, Aida Koçi McLeod introduces a five-step "iceberg" framework that helps students explore cultural references, interpret texts more deeply, and connect language learning with intercultural understanding.

📖 Read the article: https://bit.ly/TheIcebergInTheClassroom

📚 Read the full journal: https://bit.ly/ETForum-64-1

Thursday Teaching Activity: Stop, Think, Share!

Do your students read quickly through a text without stopping to think?

A few short pauses can help learners stay engaged, check their understanding, make connections, and use new vocabulary in context.

Try this simple trick to turn reading into active thinking!

Need a lesson idea? Find it in seconds!

English teachers, if you spend too much time searching for activities and teaching materials, try AE Lesson Planner. Select the resources you need and generate a ready-to-use, one-page lesson plan tailored to your students’ level, class length, and teaching context.

✨ FREE, instant, and easy to use.

Save time searching and spend more time teaching. The materials feature American English and are designed to support English language teachers around the world.

👉 Explore AE Lesson Planner here: https://aelessonplanner.netlify.app/

📚 Looking to improve your English language skills?

Join the American Center Moscow and English Language Specialist Marie van Romburgh for Advanced English for English Teachers!

This program is designed for English teachers who want to maintain, strengthen, and expand their English proficiency at the B2–C2 level through meaningful and engaging opportunities to practice and use English.

Build confidence, strengthen your language skills, and connect with fellow English teachers while keeping your English active and expanding your proficiency.

🔗 Register and learn more: https://amc.timepad.ru/event/4167391/

Materials Monday with Molodets! 🇺🇸🎡
Have your students ever wondered what happens at a state fair in the United States? 
State fairs are events held across the U.S. that bring communities together for food, entertainment, competitions, rides, and much more.
Explore American culture with your students while practicing intransitive phrasal verbs and talking about daily routines and activities in Molodets Module 12, Unit 2. 📚

🔗 Explore the materials: https://www.molodetsell.com/module-12

Culture Share Saturday: New Hampshire

This week, let’s learn more about New Hampshire, a small state in the northeastern United States with a fascinating history, unique traditions, and a few surprising cultural connections!

🚀 Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr., the first American to travel into space, was born in New Hampshire. The state also played an important role in early American history: on January 5, 1776, New Hampshire became the first colony to declare its independence from Great Britain.

🪨 New Hampshire is known as the “Granite State” because of its abundant granite formations and quarries. Granite is an extremely strong and durable natural stone, commonly used for everything from kitchen countertops to paving stones.

🥪 And here’s a deliciously unusual fact: New Hampshire is associated with the fluffernutter—a sweet sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow crème between two slices of soft white bread. It’s a fun example of how food can become part of regional identity!

📚 Vocabulary Friday: “No Rhyme or Reason”

Meaning: To have no clear logic, purpose, or explanation.

As English teachers, we sometimes encounter situations that seem to have no rhyme or reason—whether it’s a student’s unexpected response, a classroom challenge, or a decision that doesn’t quite make sense.

But does everything we do need to have a clear rhyme or reason? Sometimes, stepping away from logic, trying something simply because it feels right, or embracing the unexpected can lead to creativity, discovery, and new perspectives.

📢 LAST DAY TO APPLY 📢

Are you an English language educator specializing in Academic & Professional English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in STEM fields in higher education?

Don’t miss this opportunity to join a 14-day professional exchange in the United States!

Theme: English at Work: Academic & Professional Communication in STEM

The exchange will offer opportunities to:
🔹 Explore innovative approaches to English for STEM
🔹 Strengthen skills in language instruction, curriculum development, and assessment
🔹 Explore AI, educational technology, OER, 21st Century Skills, and academic literacy
🔹 Visit U.S. educational institutions and organizations
🔹 Connect and network with U.S. educators and professionals
🔹 Participate in cultural activities and exchange experiences
🔹 Consider how U.S. practices can be adapted to your local context

📅 Application deadline: September 17

🔗 APPLY AND LEARN MORE: https://forms.gle/QgFbg78LXLjSQWNZ6

⭐ TODAY ⭐

The American Center in Moscow invites English teachers to join a professional development series on teaching soft skills to students of all ages and backgrounds, led by English Language Specialist Marie van Romburgh.

Through interactive activities, discussion, reflection, and practical teaching tips, participants will explore how to integrate soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, self-management, research, and resilience into their existing curriculum or create new lessons.

The series will focus on practical strategies that teachers can use in the classroom and adapt to real-world situations, helping students develop skills that support success in learning, work, and everyday life.

Learn more and register: https://amc.timepad.ru/event/4148991/

⭐ TODAY ⭐

Join American English at 15:00 or 20:00 MSK for the third session in AE Live Series 25! In this session,"Seasons of Learning: Autumn Narratives for Comprehension and Vocabulary Instruction," Laura Clark Briggs will illustrate how American autumn texts can serve as accessible entry points for teaching reading comprehension and vocabulary.📖 🍂
 
▶️ Join the session on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96503218412

Register and learn more here

🌎  IN-PERSON U.S. EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATORS

Are you an English language educator specializing in Academic & Professional English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in STEM fields in higher education?

Don’t miss this opportunity to join a 14-day professional exchange in the United States!

Theme: English at Work: Academic & Professional Communication in STEM

The exchange will offer opportunities to:
🔹 Explore innovative approaches to English for STEM
🔹 Strengthen skills in language instruction, curriculum development, and assessment
🔹 Explore AI, educational technology, OER, 21st Century Skills, and academic literacy
🔹 Visit U.S. educational institutions and organizations
🔹 Connect and network with U.S. educators and professionals
🔹 Participate in cultural activities and exchange experiences
🔹 Consider how U.S. practices can be adapted to your local context

📅 Application deadline: September 17

🔗 APPLY AND LEARN MORE: https://forms.gle/QgFbg78LXLjSQWNZ6

LAST DAY TO APPLY!

💡 Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and make educational technology work more effectively in your classroom! 

Join Virtual English Language Specialist Lawrence Berlin for “Choosing, Using, and Evaluating Educational Technology,” a professional development opportunity offered by RELO Russia.

💻 Explore practical strategies for making thoughtful, informed decisions about selecting, integrating, and evaluating educational technology in your teaching and curriculum.

🗓️ Choose the session time that works best for you!

Sessions will take place every other week via Zoom:
• Thursdays at 18:00 MSK, starting October 8
• Saturdays at 07:00 MSK, starting October 10

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://forms.gle/tL7SnQeNZmwrcvedA 
⏰ Application deadline: September 14, 2026

Participants who attend at least 80% of the sessions will receive a certificate of completion.

Limited Places Remaining!

💡 Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and make educational technology work more effectively in your classroom! 

Join Virtual English Language Specialist Lawrence Berlin for “Choosing, Using, and Evaluating Educational Technology,” a professional development opportunity offered by RELO Russia.

💻 Explore practical strategies for making thoughtful, informed decisions about selecting, integrating, and evaluating educational technology in your teaching and curriculum.

🗓️ Choose the session time that works best for you!

Sessions will take place every other week via Zoom:
• Thursdays at 18:00 MSK, starting October 8
• Saturdays at 07:00 MSK, starting October 10

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://forms.gle/tL7SnQeNZmwrcvedA
⏰ Application deadline: September 14, 2026

Participants who attend at least 80% of the sessions will receive a certificate of completion.

Culture Share Saturday: Maine

This week, let’s explore Maine, the northeasternmost state in the United States, known for its rocky coastline, forests, and delicious blueberries! 

☀️ Did you know? Maine is often known as the first place in the United States to see the sunrise each day.

🫐 Blueberry country: Maine is the largest producer of blueberries in the United States, and its blueberries are enjoyed far beyond the state’s borders.

🌲 The Pine Tree State: Maine’s nickname comes from its vast forests, which cover about 89% of the state. The eastern white pine is Maine’s official state tree and can grow more than 200 feet tall and live for over 400 years!

Classroom Idea: “Maine in Three Words”
Ask students to choose three words they associate with Maine after learning the facts in the post. Then, in pairs, have them explain their choices and ask them what words they would use to describe their own region.

Today, we pause to honor the memory of the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the bravery of the first responders, service members, and civilians who answered the call to help. Let us reflect on the resilience and unity that emerged from this tragedy.

Join Laura Clark Briggs, our Virtual English Language Educator and AE Live Webinar presenter, whose webinar "Seasons of Learning: Autumn Narratives for Comprehension and Vocabulary Instruction" will take place on September 16 at 15:00 and 20:00 MSK!

▶️ Join the session on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96503218412

Register and learn more here

📚 Looking to improve your English language skills?

Join the American Center Moscow and English Language Specialist Marie van Romburgh for Advanced English for English Teachers!

This program is designed for English teachers who want to maintain, strengthen, and expand their English proficiency at the B2–C2 level through meaningful and engaging opportunities to practice and use English.

Build confidence, strengthen your language skills, and connect with fellow English teachers while keeping your English active and expanding your proficiency.

🔗 Register and learn more: https://amc.timepad.ru/event/4167391/ 

🌎  IN-PERSON U.S. EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATORS

Are you an English language educator specializing in Academic & Professional English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in STEM fields in higher education?

Don’t miss this opportunity to join a 14-day professional exchange in the United States!

Theme: English at Work: Academic & Professional Communication in STEM

The exchange will offer opportunities to:
🔹 Explore innovative approaches to English for STEM
🔹 Strengthen skills in language instruction, curriculum development, and assessment
🔹 Explore AI, educational technology, OER, 21st Century Skills, and academic literacy
🔹 Visit U.S. educational institutions and organizations
🔹 Connect and network with U.S. educators and professionals
🔹 Participate in cultural activities and exchange experiences
🔹 Consider how U.S. practices can be adapted to your local context

📅 Application deadline: September 17

🔗 APPLY AND LEARN MORE: https://forms.gle/QgFbg78LXLjSQWNZ6 

💡 Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and make educational technology work more effectively in your classroom! 

Join Virtual English Language Specialist Lawrence Berlin for “Choosing, Using, and Evaluating Educational Technology”, a professional development opportunity offered by RELO Russia.

💻 Explore practical strategies for making thoughtful, informed decisions about selecting, integrating, and evaluating educational technology in your teaching and curriculum.

🗓️ Choose the session time that works best for you!

Sessions will take place every other week via Zoom:
• Thursdays at 18:00 MSK, starting October 8
• Saturdays at 07:00 MSK, starting October 10

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://forms.gle/tL7SnQeNZmwrcvedA

⏰ Application deadline: September 14, 2026

Participants who attend at least 80% of the sessions will receive a certificate of completion.

🌎 Culture Share Saturday: Discover Connecticut! 🇺🇸

Did you know that this small New England state has played a big role in U.S. history—and even helped inspire the Frisbee? 🥏

📜 Long before the United States officially existed, people in Connecticut were developing ideas about how government should work. Connecticut also has the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States, the Hartford Courant, established in 1764.

🥏 From pie tins to Frisbees: The Frisbie Pie Company inspired the name and story behind the flying disc. Yale University students famously tossed the company's pie tins for fun, helping inspire the development of the Frisbee.

💡 Teaching Activity: 
Ask students: Can you think of an everyday object that has an interesting history?

Challenge: Ask students to research the history of an everyday object they use and give a short presentation explaining how it became part of everyday life.