Four Nations, One Kingdom?
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Colour photo: a packed stand in a big stadium, with thousands of fans in orange and navy shirts waving blue and white Scottish flags. Screens around the pitch say Boston and FIFA World Cup 2026.

Terminale · The United Kingdom and its nations · Learning journey

Four Nations, One Kingdom? The UK Through Football

Why does the UK send four football teams to the World Cup, but only one team to the Olympics?

Scotland fans in Boston, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 2026. Photo: Gudlator, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Je n’ouvre pas sur la Constitution britannique, j’ouvre sur une tribune. Les élèves connaissent la Coupe du monde 2026 ; ils savent rarement pourquoi « le Royaume-Uni » n’y joue pas. Cette énigme sportive est la porte d’entrée : elle mène, séance après séance, à la question du programme, « Un Royaume toujours uni ? », sans jamais la plaquer.

Look, then guess

Look at the photo for one minute, in silence. Then talk with a partner.

Sentence starters
  • In this photo, I can see…
  • The fans are waving… / wearing…
  • The screens say… so I think this is…
  • They might be fans of… because…
  • They look… I guess their team has just…
Who are they?

They are Scotland fans, nicknamed the Tartan Army, in Boston (USA) in June 2026. Scotland had just won their first match of the World Cup, against Haiti. It was Scotland’s first men’s World Cup since 1998.

Now think: Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. So why is there a Scotland team at the World Cup, and not a “UK” team?

Four nations, one kingdom: is the United Kingdom still united?

This is the big question of our learning journey. You will not answer it today. Each session gives you one more piece of the puzzle, and at the end you will give your own answer in a five-minute talk.

Your learning journey

  1. 1 · Four shirts, one flagWhy four teams? Flags, nations, capitals.
  2. 2 · The night Hampden shook18 November 2025, and a summer in America.
  3. 3 · Burns, Glasgow and EdinburghA poet, a song the world sings, two cities.
  4. 4 · Belfast: walls and an agreementPeace walls, murals, 1998.
  5. 5 · Create your own gameFour Nations Cup: write the rules, play, improve.
  6. 6 · Debate and referendumIs the UK still united? Then your final task.
People in front of the Marcus Rashford mural in Withington, Manchester, covered with hearts and notes, July 2021Go further · new sessionWho gets to be English?A mural in Manchester, Plato’s Republic, the flags of 2025 and the Windrush: what makes someone part of a group?Open the session →

Photo: Gerald England, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · mural by Akse P19.

How we learn in this journey

Learn how to learn

Four habits of smart learners

1 · Same start, every time. Every session opens with a 5-minute Quick Recall. You choose your method: brain dump, flashcards, “ask me three”, or a quick sketch. Then you check with a partner.
2 · Say it, don’t re-read it. Re-reading feels easy but you forget fast. Explaining to a partner, defending a view or writing a 5-line summary makes your brain work, so you remember.
3 · Mistakes are data. A wrong answer tells you what to practise next. After a task or a game, we ask “What went wrong, what will I try next?”, never “Whose fault is it?”.
4 · We grow together. In groups, we help each other move forward. We criticise ideas, never people, and everyone adds their own angle.
Sentence starters for working together
  • I like your idea, and I would add…
  • I see it differently because…
  • Can you explain what you mean by…?
  • Another angle could be…
  • Let’s check this together: …

Each session has one learning method to try: dual coding, retrieval practice, flashcards, explaining to a classmate, spaced revision and “what I know / what I don’t know yet”. Use them in English and in every other subject.

Listen

A smart learner talks

Computer voice: Isabella (British English).

Transcript

Today I tested myself on the Hampden match instead of reading my notes again. I closed my notebook and wrote everything I remembered in three minutes. I remembered the score and the overhead kick, but I forgot the name of the last scorer. So I made a flashcard with Kenny McLean on the back. I will review it tomorrow, and again next week. What I know: the four nations and their capitals. What I don’t know yet: the date of the Good Friday Agreement. I still need to review it.

Badges you can earn

Badges reward effort and progress, not being the best. There is no ranking. Keep your badge card in your notebook or on the ENT, and collect your Journey Certificate at the end.

Word HunterSharp ListenerBrave SpeakerFact CheckerGame DesignerFair DebaterSmart LearnerComeback
Fill-in worksheet (paper or ENT)Game cardsBadge card and certificate

Ancrage programme. Terminale, voie générale, LVA/LVB, B1 vers B2. Axe 6 « Le Royaume-Uni et ses nations » (BO n° 22 du 29 mai 2025, repères culturels éduscol) : objets d’étude « Un Royaume toujours uni ? », « Glasgow et Édimbourg », « L’Irlande du Nord : identités plurielles ? ».

Déroulé conseillé. 6 séances de 55 min environ, plus la tâche finale. Chaque séance s’ouvre par le même rituel de 5 minutes, « Quick Recall », puis suit des blocs de temps affichés en haut de l’onglet.

Où se placer : pendant la minute d’observation, au fond de la salle, en silence, pour que la photo projetée fasse le travail. Pendant l’échange en binômes, circuler et écouter sans corriger : on note les mots qui manquent, on les donne à la mise en commun.

Garder la classe sereine. On ne demande jamais aux élèves leur propre nationalité, religion ou identité. On parle des nations, des supporters, des documents. Pour le référendum de la séance 6, vote à bulletin secret sur une question d’idées.

Faits vérifiés le 8 octobre 2026 : Scotland 4-2 Denmark le 18/11/2025 (Scottish FA, BBC Sport) ; Haïti 0-1 Écosse en juin 2026 à Boston, élimination au premier tour (UEFA, BBC Sport) ; photo Commons datée du match, description « Scotland’s victory over Haiti ».

Session 1 · Why four teams?

Four shirts, one flag

Première séance, premier rituel : le Quick Recall porte ici sur ce que les élèves savent déjà, sans note et sans faute possible. On installe l’habitude avant d’y mettre du contenu. Ensuite, le drapeau dessiné en trois couches : c’est la séance du double codage, le mot et l’image.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

What do you already know about the UK? There are no wrong answers today.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. Name the four nations of the UK.
  2. Name a British football team, player or song.
  3. Name a city in the UK, other than London.
  4. Write one word you connect with Scotland, and one with Ireland.
Check your answers
Today there is nothing to check: share your ideas with a partner and keep your list. You will add to it at the end of the journey.

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

Four shirts

These four shirts all come from the same country. How is that possible? Make two guesses with a partner.

Shirt A
Shirt B
Shirt C
Shirt D

Shirts drawn for this learning journey, inspired by the home colours of the four teams.

Sentence starters
  • The white shirt with a red cross is probably…
  • I think there are four teams because…
  • Maybe each part of the UK…
  • My guess is that… / It could be that…

Four nations, one state

The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower of Big Ben by the River Thames in London, under a blue sky.
England
Capital: London
UK Parliament: Westminster
A modern building with unusual curved shapes and wooden details: the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Scotland
Capital: Edinburgh
Scottish Parliament: Holyrood (since 1999)
A glass building under a huge wavy wooden roof by the sea: the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament in Cardiff Bay.
Wales
Capital: Cardiff
Welsh Parliament: the Senedd (since 1999)
A large white classical building with columns at the top of a long green lawn: Parliament Buildings at Stormont, Belfast.
Northern Ireland
Capital: Belfast
Northern Ireland Assembly: Stormont (since 1998)

Photos: Westminster, Domob, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Holyrood, Darren J. Prior, CC BY 4.0 · Senedd, The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Stormont, Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Geograph). All via Wikimedia Commons.

Read: Four nations, one state

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is one state, but it is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the name of the biggest island, with England, Scotland and Wales on it. Northern Ireland is in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Almost 70 million people live in the UK, and more than eight people in ten live in England.

Football explains a lot about this unusual family. In 1863, the Football Association (the FA) was created in England and wrote the first modern rules. Scotland created its own association in 1873, Wales in 1876 and Ireland in 1880. The first international match in history was Scotland v England, in Glasgow, on 30 November 1872. It ended 0-0. When FIFA was born in 1904, the four British associations already existed, so they kept their own teams. They still do today. They even have four of the eight votes on the IFAB, the body that decides the laws of the game.

The Olympics are different. There is only one team for the whole country: Team GB. A runner from Cardiff and a swimmer from Glasgow wear the same kit. And athletes from Northern Ireland can choose: they can compete for Team GB or for Ireland.

Listen

Four nations, one state

Computer voice: George (British English).

Transcript

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is one state, but it is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the name of the biggest island, with England, Scotland and Wales on it. Northern Ireland is in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Almost seventy million people live in the UK, and more than eight people in ten live in England. Football explains a lot about this unusual family. In 1863, the Football Association, the FA, was created in England and wrote the first modern rules. Scotland created its own association in 1873, Wales in 1876 and Ireland in 1880. The first international match in history was Scotland against England, in Glasgow, on the thirtieth of November 1872. It ended 0-0. When FIFA was born in 1904, the four British associations already existed, so they kept their own teams. They still do today. They even have four of the eight votes on the IFAB, the body that decides the laws of the game. The Olympics are different. There is only one team for the whole country: Team GB. A runner from Cardiff and a swimmer from Glasgow wear the same kit. And athletes from Northern Ireland can choose: they can compete for Team GB or for Ireland.

Four nations, one state: check your reading

Choose the right answer.

1. Great Britain is .
2. The first international match was played in .
3. The four British associations have of the eight votes on the IFAB.
4. At the Olympics, the UK sends .
5. An athlete from Northern Ireland can compete for Team GB or for .
Answers: 1. the biggest island · 2. 1872 · 3. four · 4. one team · 5. Ireland

Draw the flag

The Union Flag: a red cross with a white border, on top of a red and a white diagonal cross, on a blue background.
The Union Flag (Union Jack)

The Union Flag mixes three crosses:

the red cross of St George for England,
the white diagonal cross of St Andrew for Scotland,
the red diagonal cross of St Patrick for Ireland.

Wales is not on it. The Welsh flag shows a red dragon on green and white.

Flag of England: a red cross on white.
England · St George
Flag of Scotland: a white diagonal cross on blue.
Scotland · St Andrew
Flag of Wales: a red dragon on a green and white background.
Wales · the red dragon

Flags: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Learn how to learn · Session 1

Dual coding: a word and a picture

Your memory stores words and pictures in two different ways. If you link a word to a simple drawing, you create two paths back to the same memory. You don’t need to draw well: stick figures and arrows are perfect.

Try it now (10 minutes): draw the Union Flag in three layers, one cross at a time. Next to each layer, write the nation and the saint. Then draw a rough map of the UK with the four capitals.

Sentence starters
  • I drew… to remember…
  • This picture helps me remember that…
  • The first layer is… then I added…
  • Wales is missing because…
Fact or story?

“Wales is not on the Union Flag because the designers forgot it.”

Check

Story. The first Union Flag was created in 1606. By then, Wales had already been joined to England by law (the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542), so it was treated as part of the Kingdom of England. Nobody “forgot” Wales, but many people in Wales still ask for a dragon on the flag.

And one more: “Northern Ireland has its own official flag.” Story too. Since 1972, its official flag is the Union Flag. The Ulster Banner, its official flag from 1953 to 1972, is still seen at some sports events.

Sentence starters
  • I thought it was a fact, but actually…
  • The real reason is that…

Explain it: a fan from abroad

Work in pairs. A is a football fan visiting London for the first time. A asks: “Why can’t I buy a UK shirt?” B explains, without notes. Then swap.

Listen and repeat

Listen and repeat: four nations

Listen, pause after each sentence, repeat aloud. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.

Computer voice: Emma (British English).

Transcript
The United Kingdom is made up of four nations.England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.Each nation has its own football team.At the Olympics, they all compete together as Team GB.The Union Flag mixes three crosses.Wales is not on the Union Flag.Why does the UK have four football teams?Because each nation has its own football association and its own identity.
Sentence starters
  • The UK is made up of…
  • Each nation has its own…
  • It goes back to 1872, when…
  • At the Olympics, it’s different because…
  • So if you want a shirt, you have to choose between…
Model: The UK is made up of four nations, and each nation has its own football association, so there are four teams. It goes back to the nineteenth century, when the four associations were created before FIFA. At the Olympics it’s different: everybody competes for Team GB. So if you want a shirt, you have to choose between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!

Four nations, four capitals

Choose the right nation for each clue.

1. Its capital is Edinburgh, and its parliament sits at Holyrood.
2. Its capital is Cardiff, and its parliament is called the Senedd.
3. Its capital is Belfast, and its Assembly meets at Stormont.
4. More than eight people in ten in the UK live here. Its capital is London.
5. It is not on the Union Flag. Its flag shows a red dragon.
6. Its football association was the first in the world, in 1863.
Answers: 1. Scotland · 2. Wales · 3. Northern Ireland · 4. England · 5. Wales · 6. England

Exit ticket

On a slip of paper or on the ENT: “Today I learnt that… The picture that will help me remember is…”

Badge: Word Hunter
I reused at least five new words when I spoke.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.
Où se placer : pendant « Draw the flag », au tableau : dessiner soi-même la croix de saint Georges, puis laisser les élèves superposer les deux autres. Pendant le jeu de rôle, se placer près des binômes les plus discrets et jouer soi-même le supporter étranger si besoin.

Repères. Fondations : FA 1863, SFA 1873, FAW 1876, IFA 1880 ; premier match international 30/11/1872 à Glasgow (Hamilton Crescent), 0-0 ; IFAB : 4 voix FIFA, 1 voix pour chacune des quatre associations britanniques. Laws in Wales Acts 1535 et 1542 ; premier Union Flag 1606.

Badge Word Hunter : l’élève a réutilisé à l’oral au moins cinq mots nouveaux (nation, state, association, flag, cross, saint, compete).

Session 2 · Scotland, a football nation

The night Hampden shook

Le match du 18 novembre 2025 est un vrai récit, avec suspense et fin heureuse : c’est le meilleur support pour faire travailler la mémoire. On écoute, puis on se teste sans relire. C’est la séance de la récupération active, et celle où l’on apprend que se tromper au test est utile.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

Session 1, from memory.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. What are the four nations and their capitals?
  2. Which three crosses make up the Union Flag?
  3. Why are there four football teams?
  4. What is the name of the UK team at the Olympics?
Check your answers
England (London), Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff), Northern Ireland (Belfast) · St George, St Andrew, St Patrick · each nation has its own football association, created before FIFA · Team GB.

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

Night view inside a big football stadium full of fans, with floodlights shining on the green pitch: Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland’s national stadium. Photo: Goodreg3, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Before you listen: predict

18 November 2025. Scotland need a win against Denmark to go to the World Cup. Final score: 4-2. What do you think happened? Make three predictions.

Sentence starters
  • I think Scotland scored…
  • Maybe Denmark…
  • The last goal was probably…
Listen

The night Hampden shook

Computer voices: Isabella, Lewis (British English).

Transcript

Presenter (Lewis): Good evening and welcome back to Football Tonight. What a night in Glasgow! On Tuesday the eighteenth of November 2025, almost fifty thousand fans packed Hampden Park. Scotland needed a win against Denmark to go straight to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Isabella, you were there.

Reporter (Isabella): I was, and I still can’t believe it. After three minutes, Scott McTominay jumped and scored with an overhead kick. Hampden went crazy. But Denmark came back twice: a penalty for 1-1, then 2-2, just after Lawrence Shankland had scored for Scotland. Denmark were down to ten men, but the clock was ticking.

Presenter: And then came added time.

Reporter: Yes! In the third minute of added time, Kieran Tierney curled a shot from outside the box: 3-2. Then, with the last kick of the game, Kenny McLean saw the Danish goalkeeper far from his goal and scored from the halfway line. 4-2! People were crying and singing in the stands.

Presenter: Scotland at the World Cup after twenty-eight years. Thank you, Isabella. And for our listeners in Wales and Northern Ireland, your teams are still in the race: the play-offs are in March.

Football Tonight: true or false?

Listen to the radio report, then choose.

1. Almost 50,000 fans were at Hampden Park.
2. Scotland scored first, after three minutes.
3. Denmark never came back into the game.
4. Kieran Tierney scored the last goal from the halfway line.
5. It was Scotland’s first World Cup qualification since 1998.
Answers: 1. True · 2. True · 3. False · 4. False · 5. True
Scottish FA · Match reportOfficial report of Scotland 4-2 Denmark, 18 November 2025. BBC Sport · Highlights and live textWatch the goals on the official BBC page (availability may depend on your country).
Learn how to learn · Session 2

Retrieval practice: test yourself instead of re-reading

Re-reading your notes feels comfortable, but it doesn’t tell you what you really remember. Pulling information out of your memory is harder, and that is exactly why it works.

Try it now: close everything. In 3 minutes, write down all you remember about the match: date, place, scorers, minutes, feelings. Then do the self-test below. Only after that, open the transcript and check in a different colour.

Sentence starters
  • Today I tested myself on…
  • I remembered… but I forgot…
  • The part I mixed up was…
  • Next time, I will…

Self-test: the night Hampden shook

No peeking! Answer from memory, then check.

1. The match was played on 2025.
2. McTominay scored with .
3. The score was 2-2 when began.
4. Kenny McLean scored from .
5. Final score: Scotland Denmark.
Answers: 1. 18 November · 2. an overhead kick · 3. added time · 4. the halfway line · 5. 4-2

Two songs

Before kick-off, the whole stadium sings “Flower of Scotland”. The song was written in the 1960s by Roy Williamson, of the folk group The Corries. It remembers the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, when the Scottish king Robert the Bruce defeated the army of the English king Edward II. Scotland’s football and rugby teams use it as their anthem.

England and Northern Ireland play “God Save the King”, the anthem of the whole UK. Wales sings “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” (Land of My Fathers) in Welsh. So when England play Scotland, the fans don’t even sing the same song.

Fact or story?

“Flower of Scotland is Scotland’s official national anthem.”

Check

Story. Scotland has no official anthem. “Flower of Scotland” is used by tradition, at football and rugby matches. Officially, the anthem of the whole UK is “God Save the King”.

Sentence starters
  • Many people believe… but in fact…
  • Officially,… but by tradition,…
Why do you think a song about a battle from 1314 is still sung at football matches today? I think fans sing it because… / It shows that… / It’s a way of saying…

What happened next?

26 March 2026 · World Cup play-offs. Wales draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff and lose on penalties. Northern Ireland lose 2-0 in Italy. Neither team goes to the World Cup.

31 March 2026 · Wales and Northern Ireland play a friendly in Cardiff: 1-1.

June 2026 · In Boston, Scotland beat Haiti 1-0. Then they lose 1-0 to Morocco and 3-0 to Brazil, and go out after the group stage.

15 July 2026 · England reach the semi-final but lose 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta.

BBC NewsroundWorld Cup 2026: Scotland are out, what went wrong for the team? FAW · Cymru v Bosnia and HerzegovinaOfficial match page, 26 March 2026. BBC Sport · Italy v Northern IrelandPlay-off semi-final report. England Football · Match centreEngland 1-2 Argentina, World Cup semi-final.

Be the commentator

In groups of three. Tell the last ten minutes of the match like a radio commentator, without notes: one person per goal, the third one describes the fans. Then each group adds one sentence about the summer of 2026.

Listen and repeat

Listen and repeat: telling a match

Listen, pause after each sentence, repeat aloud. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.

Computer voice: George (British English).

Transcript
After three minutes, he scored with an overhead kick.Denmark came back twice.The clock was ticking.In the third minute of added time, he curled a shot from outside the box.With the last kick of the game, he scored from the halfway line.The fans went crazy.Scotland qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Sentence starters
  • It’s 2-2 and the clock is ticking…
  • In the third minute of added time,…
  • Then, with the last kick of the game,…
  • The fans are…/ The stadium…
  • Sadly, a few months later,…

What went wrong, what I’ll try next

Look at your self-test and your commentary. A mistake is not a failure: it shows you what to practise. We talk about what happened, never about whose fault it is.

Sentence starters
  • Something that didn’t work was…
  • I think it happened because…
  • What worked well was…
  • Next time, I’ll try…

Got a question wrong? Do the self-test again tomorrow. Getting it right the second time earns the Comeback badge.

Badge: Sharp Listener
I checked my predictions by listening and found four pieces of information.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.
Où se placer : pendant l’écoute, assis parmi les élèves, pas au bureau : on écoute avec eux. Pendant le test de mémoire, ne pas circuler (les élèves cherchent le regard du professeur pour valider) ; on circule seulement à la vérification en couleur.

Repères vérifiés. 18/11/2025, Hampden, 49 587 spectateurs : McTominay 3′ (retourné), Højlund s.p., Shankland 78′, Dorgu, Tierney 90+3′, McLean 90+8′ du milieu de terrain ; Danemark à dix (Scottish FA, BBC Sport, Sky Sports, Reuters). Barrages 26/03/2026 : Pays de Galles 1-1 Bosnie-Herzégovine, t.a.b. perdus ; Italie 2-0 Irlande du Nord (FAW, BBC Sport). Juin 2026 : Haïti 0-1 Écosse, Écosse 0-1 Maroc, Écosse 0-3 Brésil, éliminée (UEFA, BBC Sport). 15/07/2026 : Angleterre 1-2 Argentine en demi-finale (englandfootball.com, BBC Sport).

Vidéos. Uniquement des pages officielles (Scottish FA, BBC, FAW, England Football), en lien : pas d’intégration de vidéos non officielles. Les paroles de « Flower of Scotland » sont protégées : on la décrit, on ne la reproduit pas.

Badge Sharp Listener : l’élève a corrigé ses prédictions grâce à l’écoute et retrouvé au moins quatre informations du reportage.

Session 3 · Scottish culture, two cities

Robert Burns, Glasgow and Edinburgh

Après le stade, le poète. Burns est l’Écossais que tout le monde chante sans le savoir, chaque 31 décembre. Je pars de cette surprise : on chante « Auld Lang Syne » sans en comprendre les mots. Les mots écossais deviennent des cartes mémoire, faites par les élèves eux-mêmes.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

Session 2, plus one older question.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. When and where did Scotland beat Denmark 4-2?
  2. Name two Scotland scorers that night.
  3. Which battle does “Flower of Scotland” remember?
  4. Which nation is not on the Union Flag?
Check your answers
18 November 2025, Hampden Park, Glasgow · McTominay, Shankland, Tierney, McLean · Bannockburn, 1314 · Wales.

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

Painted portrait of a young man with dark hair, a white collar and a dark jacket, looking to the side: Robert Burns.
Robert Burns, by Alexander Nasmyth. National Portrait Gallery, London. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Who is he?

Look at the portrait. When do you think he lived? What was his job? Guess, then listen.

Sentence starters
  • He looks like…
  • Judging by his clothes, he probably lived…
  • He could be a… because…
Listen

Robert Burns, the ploughman poet

Computer voice: Daniel (British English).

Transcript

Robert Burns was born in 1759 in Alloway, in Ayrshire, in the south-west of Scotland. His family were poor farmers, and as a teenager he worked hard in the fields. He wrote poems and songs in Scots, the language of ordinary people in Lowland Scotland, and in English. His first book came out in 1786 and made him famous almost overnight. People called him the ploughman poet. He died in Dumfries in 1796. He was only thirty-seven. Today he is Scotland’s national poet. Every year on the twenty-fifth of January, his birthday, people all over the world celebrate Burns Night. They eat haggis, someone reads his poem Address to a Haggis, and the evening ends with everybody holding hands and singing Auld Lang Syne. The same song is sung at New Year, called Hogmanay in Scotland, from Sydney to New York, often by people who have no idea what the words mean.

Robert Burns: check your listening

Listen, then choose.

1. Burns was born in .
2. His family were .
3. He wrote in Scots and .
4. Burns Night is on .
5. In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called .
Answers: 1. 1759 · 2. poor farmers · 3. English · 4. 25 January · 5. Hogmanay

A song the world sings

Burns wrote down “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788. Here are the first verse and the chorus, in Scots.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Listen

Auld Lang Syne (first verse and chorus)

Computer voice: Fable (British English).

Transcript
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne!For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
auld = oldlang syne = long agoacquaintance = people you knowforgot = forgottenmy jo = my deartak = takea cup o’ kindness = a drink to friendship
So what is the song really about? The song asks whether… / It’s about old friends who… / People sing it at New Year because…
Fact or story?

“Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne all by himself.”

Check

Not quite. When Burns sent the song to a music publisher in 1788, he explained that it was an old song, which he had taken down from an old man’s singing. He probably rewrote it and added verses of his own. And the tune most people sing today was matched to the words later. So it is a mix of an old folk song and Burns’s pen.

Sentence starters
  • It’s partly true:…
  • Burns didn’t invent it, he…
Learn how to learn · Session 3

Make your own flashcards

Flashcards you make yourself work better than ready-made ones: choosing what to write is already learning. Keep them small: one word or one question per card.

Try it now: make 8 cards. Front: a Scots word or a question (What is Hogmanay?). Back: the answer in English, plus a tiny drawing. Test yourself in both directions, then test a partner. Put the cards you got wrong in a “not yet” pile.

Sentence starters
  • On the front I wrote… and on the back…
  • The card I always get wrong is…
  • My “not yet” pile has… cards.
  • I still need to review…

Two cities

Edinburgh

The capital of Scotland. The Scottish Parliament has met there since 1999, in its modern building at Holyrood. Every August, the city hosts the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, one of the biggest arts festivals in the world. Burns became famous there in 1786.

Glasgow

Scotland’s biggest city, on the River Clyde, once a giant of shipbuilding. Home of Hampden Park and of two famous clubs, Celtic and Rangers. Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and again from 23 July to 2 August 2026, when it stepped in to save the Games.

Compare the two cities

In pairs, find two similarities and two differences. Each partner must add an idea the other did not have.

Sentence starters
  • Both cities…
  • Edinburgh is…, whereas Glasgow is…
  • Unlike Edinburgh, Glasgow…
  • To add to your idea,…

Want to know more about the Commonwealth Games? See the learning journey Getting to Know the Commonwealth.

Raise a toast

At a Burns supper, someone gives a short speech, called a toast, before everybody raises their glass. Write a 5-line toast for an imaginary Burns supper, to Robert Burns or to old friendship. Then read it aloud to your group, or record it on the ENT.

Sentence starters
  • Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we remember…
  • He was born… and he wrote…
  • His song reminds us that…
  • Every New Year, people around the world…
  • So please raise your glasses to…
Model: Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we remember Robert Burns. He was born in 1759, the son of poor farmers, and he wrote poems in the language of ordinary people. His song reminds us that old friends should never be forgotten. Every New Year, people around the world sing his words, even without understanding them. So please raise your glasses to Robert Burns!
Badge: Brave Speaker
I read or spoke in front of a group, or recorded myself on the ENT.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.
Où se placer : pour la lecture du couplet, se mettre à côté de l’élève qui lit, face à la classe, jamais en face de lui : on lit « avec » lui. Pour les toasts, s’asseoir dans le public et applaudir comme les autres.

Repères. Burns (né à Alloway en 1759, mort à Dumfries en 1796) ; « Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect », Kilmarnock, 1786 ; Burns Night le 25 janvier ; « Auld Lang Syne » envoyé en 1788 pour le Scots Musical Museum de James Johnson, avec la mention d’une chanson ancienne recueillie auprès d’un vieil homme ; air actuel associé plus tard. Glasgow 2026 : Jeux du Commonwealth du 23/07 au 02/08/2026, clôture au Hydro (BBC Sport, Olympics.com), Glasgow ayant repris l’organisation après le retrait de l’État de Victoria.

Badge Brave Speaker : l’élève a lu le couplet ou son toast devant un groupe, ou l’a enregistré sur l’ENT, quel que soit le niveau de départ.

Session 4 · Northern Ireland: plural identities

Belfast: walls, murals and an agreement

Belfast demande de la justesse. Je montre les murs tels qu’ils sont aujourd’hui, avec leurs fresques et les messages des visiteurs, et je raconte 1998 comme un accord qui a apporté la paix sans tout réparer. Ici, la méthode est l’explication à un camarade : on ne comprend vraiment l’accord du Vendredi saint qu’en l’expliquant.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

Session 3, plus one older question.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. When was Robert Burns born, and when is Burns Night?
  2. What does “auld lang syne” mean?
  3. Give one difference between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
  4. What happened on 18 November 2025?
Check your answers
1759; 25 January · long ago, old times · e.g. Edinburgh is the capital, Glasgow is the biggest city · Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 and qualified for the World Cup.

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

A very long, high grey wall along an empty road, covered with colourful graffiti, with a metal fence on top and trees.
The peace wall on Cupar Way, Belfast, 2020. Photo: Gerald England, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
A street with a tall metal gate painted blue and green, with figures painted on it, next to a wall covered with colourful murals and posters.
A gate in the peace wall and murals, Northumberland Street, Belfast, 2023. Photo: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Look at the walls

Describe the two photos. Why would a city build a wall between two streets? Why is there a gate?

Sentence starters
  • The wall is so high that…
  • There is a fence on top, which suggests…
  • The gate might be closed at night because…
  • The murals show… / The colours make me think of…
  • I wonder why…

Read: walls, murals and an agreement

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. In 1921, the island of Ireland was divided. The south later became an independent state, today the Republic of Ireland. Six counties in the north-east stayed in the UK as Northern Ireland.

Two communities live there. Many unionists, mostly from a Protestant background, want Northern Ireland to stay in the UK. Many nationalists, mostly from a Catholic background, would like a united Ireland. From the late 1960s to 1998, a violent conflict known as the Troubles killed more than 3,500 people. In 1969, the first peace walls were built in Belfast to separate neighbourhoods and stop the violence. Many of them are still standing today.

On Good Friday, 10 April 1998, the British and Irish governments and most Northern Irish parties signed the Good Friday Agreement, also called the Belfast Agreement. In May 1998, people voted for it on both sides of the border: in Northern Ireland, 71% said yes. The agreement created an Assembly at Stormont, where unionists and nationalists must share power. It says that people in Northern Ireland can be British, Irish, or both, and that Northern Ireland will stay in the UK as long as a majority there wants it to.

In the 2021 census, 31.9% of people in Northern Ireland described their national identity as “British only”, 29.1% as “Irish only” and 19.8% as “Northern Irish only”. Many others chose a mix. Today, tourists come from all over the world to see the murals. Some murals still celebrate one side of the old conflict; others talk about peace, and visitors write messages of hope on the walls.

Listen

Belfast: walls, murals and an agreement

Computer voice: Isabella (British English).

Transcript

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. In 1921, the island of Ireland was divided. The south later became an independent state, today the Republic of Ireland. Six counties in the north-east stayed in the UK as Northern Ireland. Two communities live there. Many unionists, mostly from a Protestant background, want Northern Ireland to stay in the UK. Many nationalists, mostly from a Catholic background, would like a united Ireland. From the late 1960s to 1998, a violent conflict known as the Troubles killed more than three thousand five hundred people. In 1969, the first peace walls were built in Belfast to separate neighbourhoods and stop the violence. Many of them are still standing today. On Good Friday, the tenth of April 1998, the British and Irish governments and most Northern Irish parties signed the Good Friday Agreement. In May 1998, people voted for it on both sides of the border. In Northern Ireland, 71% said yes. The agreement created an Assembly at Stormont, where unionists and nationalists must share power. It says that people in Northern Ireland can be British, Irish, or both, and that Northern Ireland will stay in the UK as long as a majority there wants it to.

Belfast: check your reading

Choose the right answer.

1. The island of Ireland was divided in .
2. Many want Northern Ireland to stay in the UK.
3. The first peace walls were built in .
4. The Good Friday Agreement was signed on .
5. In Northern Ireland, voted yes in May 1998.
6. At Stormont, unionists and nationalists must .
Answers: 1. 1921 · 2. unionists · 3. 1969 · 4. 10 April 1998 · 5. 71% · 6. share power
1921Ireland is divided
1969first peace walls in Belfast
3,500+people killed during the Troubles
10 April 1998Good Friday Agreement
71%“yes” in Northern Ireland, May 1998
Learn how to learn · Session 4

Explain it to a classmate

If you can explain an idea simply, you understand it. If you get stuck, you have just found the gap in your knowledge, and that is useful. This is sometimes called the Feynman technique, after a scientist who tested his own understanding this way.

Try it now: one minute each, no notes. A explains the peace walls; B explains the Good Friday Agreement. The listener asks one “why” question and adds one detail the speaker forgot. Then swap topics and do it again: the second time is always better.

Listen and repeat

Listen and repeat: explaining Belfast

Listen, pause after each sentence, repeat aloud. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.

Computer voice: Emma (British English).

Transcript
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.The peace walls were built to separate neighbourhoods.Many of them are still standing today.The Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.Unionists and nationalists must share power.People can be British, Irish, or both.In other words, the agreement brought peace, but not a perfect one.
Sentence starters
  • Let me explain… In simple words,…
  • The key idea is that…
  • It happened because… and as a result…
  • In other words,…
  • I’m not sure about… Can you help me?
  • You explained… very clearly. You could add…
Fact or story?

“The peace walls came down after the Good Friday Agreement.”

Check

Story. Many walls are still standing, and some were even built after 1998. In 2013, Northern Ireland’s leaders set a goal: remove all the peace walls by 2023. The goal was not reached.

And this one: “In Northern Ireland, people can choose to be British, Irish, or both.” Fact. It is written in the Good Friday Agreement, and people can hold a British passport, an Irish passport, or both.

Sentence starters
  • It sounds logical, but in reality…
  • According to the agreement,…
Back to sport: at the Olympics, an athlete from Belfast can choose Team GB or Ireland. What does that tell you about identity in Northern Ireland? It shows that… / Identity can be… / Football and the Olympics are…

Exit ticket

Write 5 lines: “Belfast has walls because… In 1998,… Today,… One thing I still don’t understand is…”

Badge: Fact Checker
I told a fact from a story and backed it up with a source.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.
Où se placer : pendant l’explication en binômes, rester à distance, à hauteur d’élèves, et ne pas intervenir dans la minute : laisser l’erreur se produire, elle sera reprise à la deuxième tentative. Pendant le texte, se tenir près de la carte projetée pour montrer la frontière.

Garder la classe sereine. On ne demande jamais aux élèves leur religion, leur identité ou leur avis sur un camp. On parle des communautés « mostly from a… background », formule des sources britanniques, et on évite les mots « Catholics vs Protestants » comme étiquettes.

Repères vérifiés. Partition 1921 ; premiers peace walls 1969 ; plus de 3 500 morts (CAIN) ; accord du 10/04/1998, référendums du 22/05/1998 (71,1 % de oui au Nord, 94,4 % au Sud) ; texte officiel : gov.uk. Recensement 2021 : British only 31,9 %, Irish only 29,1 %, Northern Irish only 19,8 % (NISRA). Objectif 2013 de suppression des murs d’ici 2023 (stratégie Together : Building a United Community), non atteint.

Prolongement possible (au choix du professeur). La série Derry Girls (Channel 4) se termine sur le référendum de 1998 ; page officielle : channel4.com. Vérifier les extraits avant diffusion (langage).

Badge Fact Checker : l’élève a distingué un fait d’une idée reçue et l’a justifié par une source.

Session 5 · Create your own game

Four Nations Cup: design, play, improve

Le jeu n’est pas une récompense de fin de séquence : c’est un outil de révision. En écrivant les questions des séances 1 à 4, les élèves reprennent tout le contenu à distance, et en jouant ils se testent. Le bilan d’après-partie apprend à parler d’une erreur sans chercher de coupable.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

Session 4, plus one older question.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. Why were peace walls built in Belfast, and when?
  2. What was signed on 10 April 1998?
  3. What must unionists and nationalists do at Stormont?
  4. What is Hogmanay?
Check your answers
To separate neighbourhoods and stop violence, from 1969 · the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement · share power · New Year’s Eve in Scotland.

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

The game in one minute

You travel around a football pitch. Answer questions about the four nations to win the four nation cards: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Watch out for the Referendum square and the Red Card square!

Listen

How to play Four Nations Cup

Computer voice: Daniel (British English).

Transcript

The aim of the game is to collect four nation cards: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Before you start, shuffle the question cards and put them face down in the middle. Each player throws the dice and moves along the pitch. If you land on a question square, another player reads you a card. If your answer is right, you win the nation card of that colour. If you land on the Referendum square, everybody votes on the question on the card, and the majority decides what happens. You miss a turn if you land on the Red Card square. You win when you have the four nation cards and you can say one true sentence about each nation.

Step 1 · Write your own rules

In groups of four. Use the model, but change at least two rules to make the game yours. Each member suggests one rule; the group keeps the best ideas.

Rule-writing starters
  • The aim of the game is to…
  • Before you start,…
  • Each player must…
  • If you land on…, you…
  • You miss a turn if…
  • You win when…

Step 2 · Write your question cards

Each member writes 6 question cards: 3 about a session they found easy, and 3 about a session they found hard. Write the answer on the back. Use what you know from memory first, then check in your notebook.

Question starters
  • What is the capital of…?
  • When was… signed / created / played?
  • Why does… have…?
  • True or false: …?
  • Who scored… / wrote… / built…?
  • Explain in one sentence why…
Print the board, nation cards and 24 ready-made question cards

Step 3 · Special cards

Referendum card
Everybody votes, by a show of hands, on the question on the card (for example: “Should the next match be played in Cardiff or in Belfast?”). The majority decides where the player goes.
Penalty shoot-out card
Two players answer the same question. The first correct answer wins a nation card.
Peace wall card
A wall blocks your way. To open the gate, explain one thing about the Good Friday Agreement.
Red Card square
Miss a turn. You can come back next turn by answering any question: that’s a comeback!

Step 4 · Play with another group

Swap games with another group. Play for 15 minutes. One player in each group is the referee: they read the rules aloud and check the answers.

Sentence starters for playing
  • It’s your turn. / Whose turn is it?
  • Throw the dice! You landed on…
  • Is that right? Let’s check the back of the card.
  • Good try! The answer was actually…
  • According to rule number…, you have to…

Step 5 · What went wrong, what we’ll try next

The other group tells you how your game went. We criticise the rules and the cards, never the people who made them. Then your group improves one rule and one card.

Sentence starters
  • One rule that didn’t work was… because…
  • This question was too easy / too hard because…
  • We got stuck when…
  • What worked really well was…
  • Next time, we’ll try…
  • Our new rule is: …
Learn how to learn · Session 5

Spaced revision: little and often

Revising for three hours the night before a test feels efficient, but most of it is forgotten a week later. Short reviews spread over several days work much better, because each time you almost forget, your brain rebuilds the memory stronger.

Try it: your question cards are now your revision tool. Plan four short reviews before the final task: tomorrow, in 3 days, in a week, and the day before. Ten minutes each. The cards you get wrong go back to the top of the pile.

Sentence starters
  • I will review… on…
  • Last time I got… wrong, so this time…
  • I still need to review…
  • The cards I now know by heart are…

Other games made for English classes, by the same author: A Day in London.

Badge: Game Designer
My group wrote new rules, played, and improved one rule after the review.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.
Où se placer : pendant l’écriture des cartes, passer de groupe en groupe en ne regardant que les questions, pas les réponses : on vérifie que les questions sont claires. Pendant la partie, se mettre en retrait : c’est l’arbitre élève qui tranche. Pendant le bilan, se tenir entre les deux groupes et reformuler toute remarque personnelle en remarque sur la règle.

Matériel. Plateau, cartes nations, cartes spéciales et 24 questions prêtes à imprimer (cartes.html), en A4, à découper. Un dé par groupe ou un dé en ligne. Les cartes écrites par les élèves s’ajoutent aux cartes prêtes.

Badge Game Designer : le groupe a écrit au moins deux règles nouvelles et amélioré une règle après le bilan. Comeback : l’élève revient après un carton rouge ou une erreur et réussit au deuxième essai.

Session 6 · Is the United Kingdom still united?

Debate, referendum and your final task

On arrive enfin à la question du programme, mais les élèves ont maintenant de quoi y répondre : un match, un poème, des murs, un jeu. Le débat porte sur des idées et des documents, jamais sur les personnes. Le référendum de classe montre ce qu’est un vote binaire sur une question complexe, et l’auto-évaluation prépare la tâche finale.

Quick Recall · 5 minutes

The whole journey: one question per session.

Minute 1Choose your method.
Minutes 2 to 4Recall, no notes, no book.
Minute 5Check with a partner.
Brain dumpMy flashcardsAsk me threeSketch it
  1. Why does the UK have four football teams?
  2. What happened at the 2026 World Cup for the four nations?
  3. Who was Robert Burns?
  4. What changed in 1998 in Northern Ireland?
  5. Which rule from your game would you keep?
Check your answers
Four associations older than FIFA · Scotland out in the group stage, England out in the semi-final, Wales and Northern Ireland out in the play-offs · Scotland’s national poet (1759 to 1796) · the Good Friday Agreement: peace, shared power, British, Irish or both · your own answer!

I remembered… · I forgot… · My partner reminded me that…

Is the United Kingdom still united?

Five documents

Document A · 2014

Scotland says no to independence

On 18 September 2014, Scottish voters were asked: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” 55.3% voted No and 44.7% voted Yes. Turnout: 84.6%, a record.

Source: official result announced by the Chief Counting Officer, 19 September 2014.

Document B · 2016

Four nations, two answers

In the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, England (53.4%) and Wales (52.5%) voted Leave. Scotland (62.0%) and Northern Ireland (55.8%) voted Remain. The UK as a whole voted Leave.

Source: Electoral Commission.

Document C · May 2026

New parliaments in Edinburgh and Cardiff

On 7 May 2026, the SNP won 58 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and the Greens won 15: together, parties that support independence hold a majority. In Wales, Plaid Cymru won 43 of 96 seats, and on 12 May 2026 Rhun ap Iorwerth became the first First Minister of Wales from Plaid Cymru, a party that supports independence.

Sources: Scottish Parliament; Welsh Government; BBC News.

Document D · 2021

Plural identities in Northern Ireland

British only: 31.9%. Irish only: 29.1%. Northern Irish only: 19.8%. Many others chose a mix of identities.

Source: Census 2021, NISRA.

Document E · June 2026

The photo

Scotland fans in Boston, at the World Cup, waving Scottish flags. Not one Union Flag can be seen. At the Olympics, the same fans cheer for Team GB.

See the photo in the Start tab.

Sort the documents

In pairs: which documents suggest the UK is still united? Which suggest it is less united? Some documents can go on both sides.

Sentence starters
  • Document… shows that…
  • According to document…,…
  • This could be used on both sides because…
  • This figure is surprising because…

Fair debate

Two teams. Each speaker has one minute, and must start by summing up the previous speaker’s idea before answering it. Criticise the idea, never the person. Everyone speaks once and adds a new angle.

Listen

Is the United Kingdom still united? Two voices

Computer voices: Emma, George (British English).

Transcript

Speaker 1: In my opinion, the United Kingdom is still united. The four nations share a King, a currency and a passport, and many families have members in two or three nations. At the Olympics, they all cheer for Team GB. In 2014, a majority of Scottish voters, about 55%, chose to stay in the UK.

Speaker 2: I see your point, but I’m not sure I agree. Since 1999, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have had their own parliaments, and they make more and more of their own laws. In May 2026, parties that support independence won a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament, and for the first time the First Minister of Wales comes from Plaid Cymru, a party that supports independence. So the Kingdom is still together, but it looks less and less like one single nation.

Listen and repeat

Listen and repeat: debating fairly

Listen, pause after each sentence, repeat aloud. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.

Computer voice: Lewis (British English).

Transcript
In my opinion, the United Kingdom is still united.I see your point, but I’m not sure I agree.On the one hand, the four nations share a King and a passport.On the other hand, they have their own parliaments.According to the document, 55% of Scottish voters chose to stay in 2014.To sum up, the Kingdom is still together, but it is changing.
Giving your view
  • In my opinion,…
  • The main reason is that…
  • For example, in 2014,…
  • Football shows that…
  • Since 1999,…
Answering fairly
  • If I understood you correctly, you said that…
  • I see your point, but…
  • That’s true, and yet…
  • Another angle could be…
  • We agree on…, but we disagree on…

Class referendum

Secret ballot. On a slip of paper, answer the question as if you were a voter in the UK: “Should England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland stay together in one United Kingdom?” Yes or No. Two students count the votes and announce the result.

A referendum gives a simple answer to a complex question. Is that a strength or a weakness? On the one hand,… On the other hand,… Personally, I think…
Learn how to learn · Session 6

What I know / what I don’t know yet

Before you prepare the final task, take stock. Be honest: “not yet” is a perfectly good answer, because it tells you exactly what to review.

I can explain…YesAlmostNot yet
why the UK has four football teams but one Olympic team
the three crosses on the Union Flag, and why Wales is missing
what happened at Hampden on 18 November 2025
who Robert Burns was and what “Auld Lang Syne” means
two differences between Glasgow and Edinburgh
why Belfast has peace walls
what the Good Friday Agreement changed
what devolution means (since 1999)
one argument for “still united” and one for “less united”
Sentence starters
  • I already know…
  • I don’t know yet…
  • To fix this, I will…
  • I’ll ask… to explain… to me.

What went wrong, what I’ll try next

Think about your part in the debate. What would you do differently?

Sentence starters
  • I wanted to say… but I couldn’t find…
  • When… answered me, I…
  • Next time, I’ll prepare…
  • An idea from the other team that made me think was…
Badge: Fair Debater
I summed up the other person’s idea before answering, and added a new angle.
And if you use today’s method, tick a box for Smart Learner.

Final task

Your answer: is the United Kingdom still united?

Part 1 · Speaking (5 minutes). Choose three documents from the journey: one photo, one text, one set of figures. Present them and give your answer to the question. Your teacher will then ask you two or three questions.

  1. Introduction: a hook (a moment from the journey), the question, your plan.
  2. Part one: what still unites the four nations.
  3. Part two: what pulls them apart.
  4. Conclusion: your answer, with one nuance.

Part 2 · Writing (about 200 words). Write a synthesis of the three documents you chose, then give your opinion in a final paragraph.

Sentence starters
  • On 18 November 2025, Hampden Park… This raises a question: …
  • First, I will show that… Then, I will explain why…
  • The UK is made up of… which share…
  • However, since 1999,…
  • Document… proves that… whereas document… suggests…
  • Some people feel British, some feel…, and many feel both.
  • To conclude, I would say that… but…
Model introduction: On 18 November 2025, Kenny McLean scored from the halfway line and Scotland qualified for the World Cup, but not the United Kingdom, because the UK sends four football teams. This raises a question: is the United Kingdom still united? First, I will show what the four nations still share. Then, I will explain why they seem to be growing apart, using a photo, the 2014 referendum and the May 2026 elections.

Assessment grid (/20)

CriteriaWhat I can doPoints
Documents and contentI present three documents accurately, with dates and figures. I link them to the question./6
Argument and structureI have an introduction with a plan, two clear parts, linking words and a conclusion with a nuance./5
LanguageI use varied vocabulary (nation, devolution, identity, share power…) and correct structures (past tense, comparison, opinion)./5
Delivery and interactionI speak clearly, without reading, for about 5 minutes. I understand the questions and answer with an example./4
Total/20

Writing checklist: three documents named · a synthesis that compares them · a clear opinion paragraph · about 200 words · linking words (however, whereas, therefore).

Go further

People in front of the Marcus Rashford mural in Withington, Manchester, covered with hearts and notes, July 2021Go further · new sessionWho gets to be English?A mural in Manchester, Plato’s Republic, the flags of 2025 and the Windrush: what makes someone part of a group?Open the session →

Photo: Gerald England, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · mural by Akse P19.

Keep exploring

Who gets to be English?Go further: a mural, Plato, the flags of 2025 and the Windrush. Big Brother Is WatchingOrwell, dystopia and power: another Terminale learning journey. English-speaking OceaniaNew Zealand, the Treaty of Waitangi and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Getting to Know the CommonwealthThe UK, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations. All the learning journeysThe map of English learning journeys.
Où se placer : pendant le débat, au centre, entre les deux équipes, en « gardien du temps » : chronomètre visible, on ne donne pas son avis. Pendant le dépouillement, s’effacer complètement : ce sont deux élèves qui comptent et annoncent.

Tâche finale. Prise de parole en continu argumentée, 5 min, B2, à partir de trois documents, suivie d’un échange ; puis synthèse écrite d’environ 200 mots. La grille /20 est rédigée en anglais pour les élèves, à distribuer avant la préparation.

Repères vérifiés. Référendum écossais du 18/09/2014 : 55,3 % non, 44,7 % oui, participation 84,6 %. Brexit 2016 : Angleterre 53,4 % Leave, Pays de Galles 52,5 % Leave, Écosse 62,0 % Remain, Irlande du Nord 55,8 % Remain. Élections du 07/05/2026 : Écosse, SNP 58 sièges, Greens 15, sur 129 (parliament.scot) ; Pays de Galles, Plaid Cymru 43 sièges sur 96, Rhun ap Iorwerth élu Premier ministre le 12/05/2026 (gov.wales, BBC News). Plaid Cymru a déjà gouverné en coalition (2007-2011) : on dit bien « premier Premier ministre issu de Plaid », pas « premier gouvernement Plaid ».

Référendum de classe. Vote à bulletin secret, question d’idées, « as if you were a voter in the UK ». Aucun élève n’est invité à dire ce qu’il a voté.

Badge Fair Debater : l’élève a reformulé l’idée de l’autre avant de répondre et a apporté un angle nouveau.

Rewards for effort and progress

Badges and Journey Certificate

Badges are not prizes for the best students. They reward effort, courage and progress. Everyone can earn every badge, at their own pace, and nobody is ranked. Colour in each badge on your card when you earn it.

Word Hunter
I reused at least five new words when I spoke.
Sharp Listener
I checked my predictions by listening and found four pieces of information.
Brave Speaker
I read or spoke in front of a group, or recorded myself on the ENT.
Fact Checker
I told a fact from a story and backed it up with a source.
Game Designer
My group wrote new rules, played, and improved one rule after the review.
Fair Debater
I summed up the other person’s idea before answering, and added a new angle.
Smart Learner
I used a learning method: self-test, flashcards, explaining, spaced revision or self-assessment.
Comeback
I made a mistake, tried again and did better the second time.

Journey Certificate

At the end of the journey, you receive a certificate: “This certificate is awarded to … for completing the learning journey Four Nations, One Kingdom? with courage and effort.”

Print the badge card and the certificate
Talking about your progress
  • I earned the… badge because…
  • The badge I’m proudest of is… because…
  • I’m still working on…
  • I earned the Comeback badge when…

Principes. Badges d’effort et de progrès, jamais de classement public. Carte A4 à 12 cases imprimable ou à déposer sur l’ENT. Le professeur valide d’un tampon ou d’une initiale ; l’élève peut aussi proposer lui-même un badge en justifiant avec une phrase en anglais. Smart Learner récompense l’usage des méthodes « Learn how to learn » ; Comeback récompense le fait de réessayer après une erreur.

For teachers · Pour le professeur

Teacher notes

This tab is written in French for teachers. Student content in all other tabs is 100% in English. Click “Professeur” at the top to see teacher boxes in every session.

Le parcours en bref

Niveau : Terminale, voie générale, B1 vers B2. Axe 6 : « Le Royaume-Uni et ses nations » (BO n° 22 du 29 mai 2025 ; repères culturels éduscol). Objets d’étude : « Un Royaume toujours uni ? », « Glasgow et Édimbourg », « L’Irlande du Nord : identités plurielles ? ».

Problématique : Is the United Kingdom still united? Accroche : pourquoi quatre équipes à la Coupe du monde et une seule aux Jeux olympiques ?

SessionContenuMéthode « Learn how to learn »Badge
1 · Four shirtsQuatre nations, un État ; drapeaux ; Team GBDouble codage (mot + image)Word Hunter
2 · Hampden18/11/2025 ; deux hymnes ; été 2026Récupération active (se tester au lieu de relire)Sharp Listener
3 · BurnsBurns, « Auld Lang Syne », Glasgow et ÉdimbourgFabriquer ses cartes mémoireBrave Speaker
4 · BelfastPeace walls, fresques, accord de 1998, identitésExpliquer à un camarade (Feynman)Fact Checker
5 · Your gameJeu « Four Nations Cup » à concevoir, jouer, améliorerRévisions espacéesGame Designer
6 · DebateCinq documents, débat, référendum, tâche finale« What I know / what I don’t know yet »Fair Debater

Le fil « Learn how to learn »

1. Rituel court. Chaque séance s’ouvre de la même façon : Quick Recall de 5 minutes, en trois blocs affichés (choisir sa méthode, rappeler sans notes, vérifier à deux), méthode au choix : brain dump, cartes, « ask me three », croquis. Les questions reprennent la séance précédente et une séance plus ancienne (espacement).

2. Rappel actif par l’oral. On ne relit pas ses notes : on explique à un partenaire, on défend un point de vue ou on écrit un résumé de 5 lignes, toujours avec des amorces de phrases.

3. Droit à l’erreur. L’erreur est une information. Bilan « What went wrong, what I’ll try next » après le commentaire (séance 2), le jeu (séance 5) et le débat (séance 6), sans jamais chercher de coupable. Le badge Comeback récompense le fait de réessayer.

4. Apprendre entre pairs. Les groupes s’aident à progresser ; on critique les idées, jamais les personnes ; chacun ajoute son angle. Amorces dédiées dans l’onglet Start.

Une méthode par séance, intégrée à l’activité de la séance (voir tableau). Badge transversal : Smart Learner.

Référence : University of Cambridge, Cambridge students, « Learning, thinking, and reasoning skills » (cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk), qui conseille notamment de réfléchir à sa propre manière d’apprendre et d’expliquer des notions complexes à des amis pour repérer ses lacunes.

Accroches vérifiées (8 octobre 2026)

  • Scotland 4-2 Denmark, Hampden, 18/11/2025, qualification directe, première Coupe du monde masculine depuis 1998 : Scottish FA, Reuters, BBC Sport, Sky Sports.
  • Barrages du 26/03/2026 : Pays de Galles éliminé aux tirs au but par la Bosnie-Herzégovine (1-1), Irlande du Nord battue 2-0 par l’Italie : FAW, BBC Sport. Match amical Pays de Galles 1-1 Irlande du Nord le 31/03/2026 (FAW).
  • Écosse en juin 2026 : 1-0 contre Haïti, 0-1 contre le Maroc, 0-3 contre le Brésil, éliminée : BBC Sport, UEFA, BBC Newsround.
  • Angleterre battue 2-1 par l’Argentine en demi-finale le 15/07/2026 : England Football, BBC Sport.
  • Jeux du Commonwealth de Glasgow, clôture le 02/08/2026 : BBC Sport, Olympics.com.
  • Élections du 07/05/2026 en Écosse et au Pays de Galles : Scottish Parliament, gov.wales, BBC News.
  • Recensement 2021 d’Irlande du Nord, identité nationale : NISRA.

Supports imprimables

Fiche à trous / document à compléter (papier ou ENT)Plateau et cartes du jeuCarte de badges et certificat

Boutons « Imprimer » (séance affichée) et « Tout » (parcours complet) en haut de page.

Crédits

  • Scotland fans in Boston, June 2026 : Gudlator, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
  • Hampden Park : Goodreg3, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
  • Palace of Westminster : Domob, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Scottish Parliament : Darren J. Prior, CC BY 4.0 · Senedd : The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Stormont : Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Geograph). Wikimedia Commons.
  • Peace wall, Cupar Way : Gerald England, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Northumberland Street peace gate : David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Geograph). Wikimedia Commons.
  • Robert Burns by Alexander Nasmyth, National Portrait Gallery, London : public domain. Flags : public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
  • Shirts and badges: drawings made for this learning journey. Recordings: computer voices (Kokoro, British English).
For teachers: marking grid for written work (out of 20, lycée général et technologique)

Use this grid for every piece of written work in the sequence. The mark stays between 0 and 20: never below 0, never above 20.

Base: 10 points if the task is met.

Bonuses (up to plus 10)Points
Clear plan, followed+2
Introduction+1
Conclusion+1
Linking words+1
Figures of speech+1
Integrated quotations+2
General knowledge+2
Points taken off (up to minus 11)Points
Grammar: more than 4 errorsminus 3
Vocabulary: more than 4 errorsminus 5
Phrasing or reasoning: more than 2 errorsminus 3

Worked example: task met (10); plan, introduction and quotations (plus 5); grammar (minus 3). Total: 12 / 20.