Saying Goodbye to Summer — and Building Stronger Connections

 As the school year draws to a close and summer stretches out ahead of us, it's the perfect time to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with our students. This year, I created a simple but meaningful worksheet titled "Bye Summer, Hello School" to guide our last lesson together.

It’s more than just a fun activity — it’s a bridge between seasons, a way to celebrate growth, and a gentle reminder of the importance of relationships in education.

Why Focusing on Relationships Matters

In the rush of curriculum goals and end-of-year testing, it’s easy to overlook the heart of teaching: relationships. Research consistently shows that when students feel connected to their teachers and peers, they are more motivated, resilient, and successful.
The end of the year is a powerful moment to show students that they are seen, valued, and heard — not just for their academic achievements, but for who they are becoming as people.

By asking students to reflect on their best memories, their growth, and their gratitude, we encourage them to see themselves as active participants in their own learning journey. It’s an opportunity to celebrate progress over perfection, effort over outcomes.

A Conversation Worth Having

One of the most meaningful parts of the worksheet invites students to write about:

• Their best memories

• What they’re proud of

• Their summer plans and goals

• Thank-you notes to their teachers

Taking the time to sit with students and talk through these reflections can be incredibly impactful. It reminds them that their voice matters — and it reminds us why we do what we do.

Even a five-minute conversation can affirm a student's sense of belonging and hope for the future. And that might be the most important lesson they carry into summer break.

More Ideas to End the Year with Heart

If you want to extend the spirit of reflection and celebration, here are a few more ideas:
🌟 Memory Jar: Have each student write a favorite memory from the year on a slip of paper, then read them aloud together.
🌟 Gratitude Circle: Sit in a circle and take turns sharing one thing you're grateful for this school year.
🌟 Future Letters: Let students write a letter to their future selves about their dreams for the next year — seal them up and return them on the first day back.
🌟 Class Awards: Create fun, personalised awards celebrating each student's unique strengths (e.g., "Most Creative Thinker," "Kindness Champion").

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In the end, it’s not just about saying goodbye to school and hello to summer — it’s about pausing to say, "You mattered. Your year mattered. You matter."

Because strong relationships don’t end when the school year does — they build a foundation for everything to come.

Here's the worksheet: Bye school, hello summer

Let’s Talk Negotiation! 30 Free Idioms to Boost Speaking Skills

 

As many of you know — I absolutely love idioms, and I love getting my students talking even more! That’s why I’ve put together a set of 30 idiom cards all related to the topic of negotiation. These cards are perfect for speaking activities, pair work, or even role-plays. And yes — they’re completely free to download as a PDF!

   

Why teach idioms through speaking?

🧠 Because idioms bring language t

o life!
💬 Because speaking builds confidence and fluency.
🎯 And because learners remember more when they use the language, not just study it.

Tips for using the idiom cards:

• Ask students to explain idioms in their own words.

• Encourage them to give real-life examples.

• Use the discussion questions to spark debate and storytelling.

• Mix the idioms into role-plays, business scenarios, or mock negotiations.

Idioms are everywhere in English — especially in business and negotiation contexts. By teaching them in a fun, conversational way, we’re helping learners sound more natural, understand more, and express themselves more clearly.

👉 Click below to download your free PDF of 30 negotiation idiom cards – ready to print or share digitally.
Free cards

One Picture, Endless Possibilities: Practicing Deduction in the Classroom

 Modal verbs of deduction can be a tricky topic for students, and at B2–C1 level, they need to show their ability to choose between must, might, could, can’t, or couldn’t have and do it with confidence. One of the most effective ways to help learners master this subtle grammar point is through visual storytelling and speculation.

In this post, I’m sharing  creative ideas for using photo-based cards and ready-to-use conversation questions to bring modal verbs to life. Perfect for speaking practice, grammar review, or an engaging warm-up.

Visuals make abstract grammar tangible. A strange or surprising photo immediately invites curiosity and speculation — and that’s exactly the space where modals of deduction naturally fit.

We ask questions like:

• “What must have happened before this?”

• “Who might have done this?”

• “That can’t be right... can it?”

Students don’t just learn the forms — they use them meaningfully.

I’ve created a series of photo prompt cards — each showing a funny, bizarre, or confusing scene. Alongside each image are targeted questions for both present and past deduction.

Examples include:

• A soaked dog on a couch

• A man in a suit climbing out of a pool

• A laptop covered in peanut butter

• A person barefoot in the snow

Each image sparks a mini-mystery, and students become grammar detectives.

Here are some practical, adaptable ways to use the cards:

1. Guess the Backstory

Skills: Speaking, storytelling
How: Show an image. In pairs, students discuss what might have happened using modals of deduction. Then share their best (or funniest) theory with the class.

2. The Detective Game

Skills: Critical thinking, group discussion
How: Each group gets one card and must prepare a full theory about what happened, using must/might/can’t have.... Then they present their findings like detectives reporting on a case.

3. Write a News Story

Skills: Writing, grammar in context
How: Students write a mini news report based on the image, starting with a headline and using at least three modal structures in the article.

4. Story Puzzle (with multiple images)

Skills: Creative thinking, fluency
How: Give each group 2–3 images. They must create a story connecting all of them, using modal verbs throughout to explain what must/might/can’t have happened.

Want the Cards?

If you're interested in getting these picture prompt cards, just drop me a message! A set contains of:

- 20 cards with pictures and questions 

- 20 cards with pictures

and it can be yours for 20zł.