Oxford Australia Blog

Sharing our love of education, language, and books

Month: December 2015

  • Rudyard Kipling was born on this day

    Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born 150 years ago today in Bombay, India. He was educated in England, studied at the United Services College and began a career in journalism. Kipling later made the transition to writer and is best remembered for his mastery of short stories. To celebrate his birthday, here are five interesting particulars…

  • Oxford’s Australian Words of 2015

    Each year the ANDC selects a Word of the Year. The words chosen for the shortlist are not necessarily new, or exclusively Australian, but are selected on the basis of having come to some prominence in the Australian social and cultural landscape during the year. Oxford Word of the Year – 2015: Sharing economy The Oxford…

  • Summer Sweets: Pavlova

    Adding vinegar and cream of tartar to the meringue mixture gives pavlova a crisp crust and marshmallow centre. A range of other ingredients can be used to decorate it, including kiwifruit, banana slices, berries and grated chocolate. Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 75 – 90 minutes Special equipment: baking tray, baking paper,…

  • Sharing Economy – the term that defines 2015

    Sharing economy v. An economic system based on sharing of access to goods, resources, and services, typically by means of the Internet. The term sharing economy has been named Australia’s 2015 word of the year. The Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at The Australian National University (ANU), selected sharing economy due to its increased prominence…

  • Classroom resources for Christmas

    Christmas is nearly upon us, so we thought we’d share some classroom resources to help you and your class get in the festive mood. Teacher trainers Stacey Hughes and Verissimo Toste from our Professional Development team have prepared some multi-level activities for you to use in your classroom.  Christmas Activities Christmas Activities, including: Jigsaw Reading – pre-intermediate…

  • Oxford Word of the Month – December: Humidicrib

    noun: an incubator that monitors and controls warmth and humidity, in which premature babies are kept until they are able to survive outside it. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH On 23 July 1946 the Wingham Chronicle announced an ‘order placed for a humidicrib—a new invention for helping the development of premature babies,…