Nick Clowes hails from the deep, dark midlands of England but now finds himself in deeper, darker Katowice. Having spent time teaching English in South Korea, Thailand, Spain and England, he now spends his time studying the Polish, their culture and customs (as well as occasionally teaching). Nick, having a passion for all things weird, wonderful and generally interesting is always looking to share his findings with eager students.
Opinie
Fantastyczne spotkanie z Nickiem i mało znanym obliczem brytyjskiej kultury na długo zostaną w naszej pamieci. Ciekawostek, o których mówił z pewnością nie znajdziecie w popularnej w Polsce literaturze.
Sosnowiec 17/05/2017, Gimnazjum Nr. 1 w Sosnowcu
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Bardzo dobrze przygotowane warsztaty. Ciekawe, zaskakujące i rozwijające młodzież.
Zespół Szkół nr 106 w Warszawie, 30/03/2017 Warszawa
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Jak zwylke warsztaty były świetnie przygotowane i przeprowadzone.
Zespół Szkół Nr 1 w Jastrzębiu-Zdroju, 31/03/2017 Katowice
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Bardzo udane warsztaty.
Gimnazjum im. Noblistów w Rokietnicy, 25/03/17 Poznan
IRELAND
Event type: Workshop
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Elementary / Pre-intermediate + / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
Ireland has a personality that is unique among nations. In this workshop, we will explore the people, places, and overall culture of the emerald isle. Ireland?s history stretches back over thousands of years, through murky legends and trouble and strife all the way to the modern age. We?ll look at music and dance, sports, food and drink and many other fascinating topics all while having a lot of fun.
Materials:
ireland_1_traditional_ireland
ireland_1_traditional_ireland
ireland_2_young_people_in_dublin
ireland_2_young_people_in_dublin
film-worksheet
angelas-ashes-quiz-answers
angelas-ashes-quiz
Ireland worksheets
Ireland worksheets
20 words Ireland
20 words Ireland
St PATRICK?S DAY AND OTHER IRISH FESTIVALS & LEGENDS
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Elementary / Pre-intermediate + / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
There are not many countries with such rich legends. Some are inspirational, some are terrifying. In this workshop we will take an in-depth look at Irish festivals and legends. We will pay particular attention to a national holiday that has become a popular celebration all over the world, Saint Patrick?s Day. Come and learn how this holiday came about and how it is celebrated around the world. And find out more about Ireland.
EASTER TIME FUN and GAMES
Event type: Workshop
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Elementary / Pre-intermediate + / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
Easter is a time for celebration, so come and celebrate with us! In this fun session for kids we will find out about some of the activities and games that British kids play at Easter. There will be races, crafts and lots of eggy fun – all in English of course! With plenty of prizes to be won, we hope that every child will come away hopping with eggcitement and full of fun new facts about how Easter is celebrated in the British Isles.
IRELAND
Event type: Interactive talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Pre-intermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
A land of ancient history, stunning landscapes and an irrepressible spirit that has survived even in the toughest of times, the so-called ?Emerald Isle? is a country which rarely fails to charm any lucky enough to visit. In this session we will cross the Irish Sea to explore the nation that, despite its small size, has made a huge impact on the worlds of music, literature and budget airlines. This interactive session provides answers to such questions as ?What is the difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland??, ?What is ?Hurling??? and ?How have they won Eurovision so many times?? By the end of the workshop we will have explored history, culture and language, all with energy and humour, to answer the fundamental question, ?What is Ireland??
Materials:
British Festivals and Traditions
Event type: Interactive talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Pre-intermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
The United Kingdom has a rich history of multicultural influences which have led to an extraordinary amount of bizarre traditions between the four countries, but which country outdoes them all? We?ll compare the four countries’ top customs and try some out for ourselves! A little sneak peek at the agenda: we?ve got cheese rolling, Morris dancing, pancake racing and gurning! Hogsmeade and Beltane? What are these? Let?s look at some of the oldest festivals in human history, celebrated exclusively in the United Kingdom!
Materials:
British Festivals & Traditions 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
British Festivals & Traditions 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
Weird Britain
Event type: Interactive Talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
People are strange. We know this. They always have been and will continue to be for the rest of time. However, in one small corner of the world, people have taken being weird to the extreme, even made it into an art form like sculpture or poetry. Welcome to weird Britain, the home of worm charming, toe wrestling, cheese racing, nettle eating and many more weird and wonderful events and colourful characters. In this workshop we?ll take a look at the extremely weird side of Britain and maybe try a few weird events ourselves. You had better be ready for things to get really weird.
Materials:
More Weird Idioms Teachers version
More Weird Idioms
Weird Britain crosswords Teachers version
Weird Britain crosswords
Weird Britain idioms food sports Teachers Version
Weird Britain idioms food sports
Weird Britain mad food Teachers version
Weird Britain mad food
Weird Britain UK Quiz Teacher’s Version
Weird Britain UK Quiz
Weird Britain weird customs Teachers Version
Weird Britain weird customs
Weird Britain 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
Weird Britain 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
English, But Which English?
Event type: Interactive Talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 13+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
What is English? The evolution of English is a long and winding road. There is a common ancestor somewhere in the mists of history, but in the modern world there are thousands of variations of English ranging from British RP to Indian English, from Cajun English to South African, from Ponglish to Cockney and everything in between. Many students spend years trying to sound like an 'authentic’ English speaker. Come along and we will examine what that means and why it might not be as important as you think.
English But Which English Worksheet
English, But What English 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
English, But What English 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
Street English – Innit!
Event type: Interactive Talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 13+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
Good day there, how do you do? – Ever heard a native speaker talk like this? Have you ever heard a native speaker ask, „How are you?” The chances are good that you haven’t. The way that English speakers change their language depending on who they’re speaking to is quite dramatic. In this session, we will be looking at the way in which native speakers speak to each other day to day. Just remember to leave your regular phrase book at home: ?Hello? and ?How are you?? will definitely not be needed, geeza!
Street English, Innit! 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
Street English, Innit! 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
The Horrible Victorians
Event type: Interactive Talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
Let me tell you, history is horrible, really horrible. I don?t mean horrible as in a bunch of boring dates to remember, I mean horrible as in gruesome, blood-curdling, vomit-inducing, disgusting horrible. Think that the Victorians were all polite, pleasant and all enjoyed a good cup of tea? Yeah, right! Want to know why ?dredgermen? were paid to collect dead bodies from the banks of the Thames? Want to know why Victorian family photos often featured corpses? Then grab your top hat or corset and come along to find out for yourselves.
The Horrible Victorians Worksheet
Horrible Victorians 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
Horrible Victorians 20 WORDS WORKSHEET Nick Clowes
The Brutal British Empire
Event type: Interactive Talk
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate / Upper-intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
The British Empire changed the course of world history and created much of the world we know today. The biggest empire the world has ever known was not built on love and friendship. It was built with blood, pain and cruelty. Come along to this interactive session, and find out how the British enslaved twenty percent of the world’s population and conquered a quarter of the planet’s surface. After all, the British Empire is the reason you are studying English.
The Brutal British Empire Worksheet
Games English Kids Play
Event type: Workshop
Facilitator: Nick Clowes
Minimum age: 10+
Level: Preintermediate / Intermediate
Time: 60 min.
* On demand contents, level and timing can be tailored to groups? needs.
Fancy a quick game of conkers? No? How about a quick round of kerby? While many modern kids around the world are occupied with their phones and tablets, for generations, young people had to be creative and look for fun wherever they could. The British have always been obsessed with sport and games, and as such we invented dozens of great games. Come along to this interactive session to try some for yourself. You never know, you might be inspired to put down your phone for a few hours.
Materials:
