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🌴🎬 Culture Share Saturday: California ☀️🌉

This week, we're exploring California—a state known for creativity, innovation, and fascinating history!

🎥 California is the heart of the American film, television, and music industries. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, where movie premieres often feature the famous red carpet, a symbol of glamour and celebration.

💡 Northern California is famous for technology and innovation. Silicon Valley earned its name from the silicon used to make semiconductors and computer chips. Today, it is home to many of the world's leading technology companies and startups.

🚋 San Francisco's iconic cable car system began operating in 1873. It was the world's first cable-operated street railway and remains the last manually operated cable car system in the world. Even more impressive, San Francisco's cable cars became the first moving National Historic Landmark in the United States!

⛏️ San Francisco's NFL team is called the 49ers because of the thousands of gold miners who rushed to California in 1849 during the California Gold Rush.

🍎 Classroom Activity:
Ask students to match each California landmark or fact (Hollywood, Silicon Valley, San Francisco cable cars, and the 49ers) with a short description.

Then, have them work in pairs to answer: "Which place in California would you most like to visit and why?"
Encourage students to use at least three new vocabulary words from the lesson in their answers. 

Teaching English for Academic Writing MOOC is now open!

This free self-paced MOOC will provide participants the opportunity to develop an understanding of the different approaches, types and key components of academic writing courses. 📝

👉 Learn more and enroll: https://www.openenglishprograms.org/MOOC 

Teachers, here’s a practical teaching tip you can use to make camp-style activities run smoothly and stay focused on language.

A clear setup helps students know what to do, what to say, and when to switch. With simple modeling, short rounds, and a clear ending, games become effective language practice instead of chaos.

☀️ TODAY ☀️

Join American English at 15:00 or 20:00 MSK for the first webinar in American English Live Series 25. 

During this session, "From Y'all to Hi There: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Any English Accent," Amy Simpson will demonstrate a simple, step-by-step approach to help students understand regional accents, using Southern American English as an example.

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

Register and learn more here

🌟 Scholarship Opportunity for English Teachers! 🌟

💻 Want to create engaging online English courses but not sure where to start?

The RELO Office is excited to offer scholarships for the Fall 2026 course through the Online Professional English Network (OPEN)! This fully funded course is a fantastic chance for you to expand your skills, strengthen your impact, and grow professionally.

Creating and Implementing Online Courses (CIOC), delivered by Arizona State University, will guide you through the entire process—from planning and design to implementation and evaluation.

Using the ADDIE instructional design model, you'll learn how to: ✅ Analyze learner needs
✅ Design engaging online lessons
✅ Create assessments and learning materials
✅ Develop an implementation plan 

📢 Please share widely! Don’t keep this opportunity a secret – share it with teachers in your networks today! 

Apply here: https://forms.gle/E3uq6aTb8uLAQXdE6 

Application deadline: July 22

📚  Materials Monday within Molodets

This week, explore California and Silicon Valley—the global center of technology and innovation.
From the companies and entrepreneurs driving technological progress to the ideas shaping the future, this unit introduces learners to one of the world's most influential regions.

Learn more in the Module 9 Unit 3

🍎 Classroom Idea: Show students a photo of the Space Needle and ask:
• What do you think this building was designed for?
•What landmarks represent your city or country?

Then have students give a one-minute presentation about a famous landmark from their region.

🌎  Culture Share Saturday: Washington State

Washington State is known as the Evergreen State, thanks to its lush forests and year-round greenery. Beyond its natural beauty, Washington is a global center for innovation, technology, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship, making it home to a vibrant startup culture. 

The Space Needle was built in Seattle for the 1962 World's Fair, which welcomed more than 2.3 million visitors. Standing 605 feet (184 meters) tall, it was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. Even today, it is an engineering marvel, designed to withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes as strong as magnitude 9.0. 

⛴️ Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the United States, connecting communities across Puget Sound while offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains and waterways. 

🎉 #ForumFriday 

Looking for a fun, engaging activity to bring into your English classroom?

The "Lighter Side" section of English Teaching Forum offers practical, ready-to-use activities that help learners explore language in creative and memorable ways.

🔍 In this issue, "Grammar Crimes and Misdemeanors" challenges students to investigate common spelling and grammar "troublemakers," such as silent letters, turning language awareness into an interactive learning experience that promotes both accuracy and critical thinking.

📖 Try the activity

📚 Explore the full issue of English Teaching Forum

Are you interested in professional development, or do you know someone who could benefit from expanding their English language skills?

Enroll in a FREE OPEN MOOC!

For English language learners:
• English for Career Development
• English for Tourism Professionals
• English for Business and Entrepreneurship

For English teachers:
• Creating and Implementing Online Courses
• Teaching Academic Writing to Speakers of Other Languages

These courses offer engaging strategies, real-world applications, and flexible learning you can fit into your schedule—or recommend to your students.

👉 Learn more and register here: https://www.openenglishprograms.org/MOOC

🌐 American English Live Series 25 begins on July 15, 2026! 

Join six free professional development webinars for English language teachers around the world! This series explores topics related to teaching about American English and life in the United States in celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday. 💻🌎🎉

These six free professional development webinars take place on the third Wednesday of each month from July 15th to December 16th at 15:00 and 20:00 Moscow Time.

In the first session, "From Y'all to Hi There: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Any English Accent," Amy Simpson will demonstrate a simple, step-by-step approach to help students understand regional accents, using Southern American English as an example. 🗣️👂✍️
 
▶️ Join the session on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/96503218412 

If you register for the series, you can complete the attendance quiz and be eligible to receive a digital badge after watching the entire webinar. 

🔗 More information: https://openenglishcommunity.org/page/registration

🌟 Scholarship Opportunity for English Teachers! 🌟

💻 Want to create engaging online English courses but not sure where to start?

The RELO Office is excited to offer scholarships for the Fall 2026 course through the Online Professional English Network (OPEN)! This fully funded course is a fantastic chance for you to expand your skills, strengthen your impact, and grow professionally.

Creating and Implementing Online Courses (CIOC), delivered by Arizona State University, will guide you through the entire process—from planning and design to implementation and evaluation.

Using the ADDIE instructional design model, you'll learn how to: ✅ Analyze learner needs
✅ Design engaging online lessons
✅ Create assessments and learning materials
✅ Develop an implementation plan 

📢 Please share widely! Don’t keep this opportunity a secret – share it with teachers in your networks today! 

Apply here: https://forms.gle/E3uq6aTb8uLAQXdE6 

Application deadline: July 22

📢  LAST DAY to APPLY! 📢

Are you an English language teacher looking to expand your skills and explore innovative teaching practices?

We are excited to announce that FULL SCHOLARSHIPS are available for the ISTE Open Educational Resources Course. This course provides educators with practical strategies for finding, evaluating, creating, and integrating high-quality open educational resources into their teaching.

Learn more: https://iste.org/courses/open-educational-resources

📝 Apply here: https://forms.gle/DthED8MbSZKz9V6S6
📅 Application Deadline: July 7, 2026

📚 Materials Monday

Looking for quality resources to support English language teaching and learning?

Explore the English Language Learning collection in the American Center Moscow eLibrary!
From grammar and vocabulary development to TOEFL preparation, writing instruction, and conversation practice, this collection offers a wide range of FREE resources for teachers and learners alike.

Discover new materials, classroom ideas, and learning tools to enhance your English language journey.

🇺🇸 July 4th marks Independence Day in the United States, and next year Americans will celebrate an even bigger milestone—the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. 🇺🇸

How do Americans celebrate the Fourth of July? Many communities host parades, fireworks displays, concerts, festivals, and community events. Families and friends often gather for picnics, barbecues, and outdoor celebrations while displaying the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag. 

Want to experience an authentic American Independence Day celebration?

You can watch the A Capitol Fourth: 250th Weekend Celebration livestream, featuring patriotic music, performances, and fireworks from Washington, D.C. The event will be streamed online as part of the nationwide America 250 celebrations. 

🔥 Fourth of July and the American BBQ Tradition

For many Americans, Independence Day is more than fireworks and parades—it's also a time to gather with family, friends, and neighbors for a backyard barbecue. Across the United States, people celebrate the Fourth of July by cooking outdoors, sharing meals, playing games, and enjoying community events. From small family cookouts to large neighborhood gatherings, barbecues have become one of the holiday's most cherished traditions. 

Try some 4th of July Food recipes here: https://www.pbs.org/food/collections/july-4th-recipes

🎵 Teaching US Culture Through Music: A Mix for America

As we continue our series of posts dedicated to the 250 anniversary of the United States, let’s explore a powerful lens for looking at American history: music!

If you are looking for a fresh, authentic audio resource for your students, look no further than NPR’s iconic A Mix for America playlist.

🪙 Resource Alert! 🪙

Do you know how many coins are currently in use in the United States? 

This article by Jeanne S. Holden is perfect for teaching U.S. culture, history, and real-world reading skills.
It covers U.S. coin history and design, an inside look at production at the U.S. Mint, the cultural meaning behind currency mottos, and hobby tips alongside a helpful vocabulary glossary.

Celebrating Independence Day!

This July 4, 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday!

Use the prepared lesson plan to learn about the founding of the United States and the celebration of Independence Day – together with your students explore how communities come together under shared principles and represent their personal contributions to their community with a class quilt!

Independence Day lesson plan: https://teachercommunity.access-program.org/news/11540615

🇺🇸 America 250 Week: Exploring the Declaration of Independence 🇺🇸

As we begin our week dedicated to America's 250th celebration, we're starting by learning about the Declaration of Independence—one of the most important documents in U.S. history. 
Explore authentic historical language, persuasive writing, and the ideas that shaped the founding of the United States. Use it to spark discussions about freedom, government, and the role of civic documents in society.

This article shares practical strategies for helping students engage with this challenging but important text through close reading, vocabulary development, and historical context.