iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Some are impressed with my running (plodding). Especially as i have 3 titanium rods in each foot. So I made a challenge on the parkrun app. That's 60k... or 8 hours plodding. You could donate 50p per km and the good men of Ukraine have a car to evacuate them if needed? donorbox.org/simpsonsukra...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

If you have a spare quid or three (or precisely £30.86 - why not...) and you feel that the good people of Ukraine might benefit from it more than you might, I would be very happy to take it off your hands. donorbox.org/simpsonsukra...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

I have a very niche question. Please send it to someone who knows the answer! I have just listened to a TV interview in Breton and was struck by how French the prosody was (and how un celtic, to my untrained ear). So my question is: has French interference of Breton caused this? Or did I imagine it?

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

@superlinguo.bsky.social right up your street... if you'll still be awake!

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Things have been super busy for AGES! But this morning I wrote a blog post about one of my favourite subjects: what dictation can tell us about listening skills! learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com/2026/01/list...

learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com

Listening to your students' experiences of listening

In this post I’m going to talk about the new dictation task in the GCSE, and why i think it has the potential to be very powerful. I was i...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Here's a fun snippet I just wrote. Students translating audio input DO NOT come up with the same thing as they would if they were translating written input.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Working on the book with the best view in the world. Treating myself to the funnest chapter: I say bouteille d'eau they hear potato (but I won't call the whole thing off).

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

I am working on a paper. Found this from a previous presentation I did. Never underestimate the ability of the pre-teen to force any kind of general knowledge into something they semi-understand!

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

While discussing with @theniceman.bsky.social about the new report on language-learning, it behoves me to repost this, where I argue that the obsession with 'usefulness' in the UK education system is a nail in the coffin of language learning. learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com/2025/07/no-t...

learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com

No to utility

This post isn’t about listening. It isn’t even about teaching French, specifically. It’s about teaching languages to students whose first la...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

This will make all German teachers' hearts sing :)

To Dr Simpson. Thank you so much for being such a great German teacher. I wouldn't know my datives, nominative and accusatives without you. From xxx

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

All those interested in language-learning, at whatever level and wherever in the world: The Association For Language Learning Oxfordshire branch now has a LinkedIn page where we will keep you updated about all events - both hybrid and face to face. Open to everyone! www.linkedin.com/company/1079...

linkedin.com

LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I'm learning BSL. Six weeks in and starting to say things

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I told the kids - and some parents - that I would be leaving the school today. One child cheered (upsetting). But I also got this, and for once the positive feedback overrides the negative. Slightly redacted to avoid identification.

Dear Kedi, Well Burford don't know how lucky they are. Or maybe they do. In any case, sad though it is for certain xxxx and other MAS language enthusiasts, thank you for doing such a wonderful job with xxx and his peers. And of course we will stay in touch, try to stop us! You have encouraged xxx to feats of linguistic curiosity and achievement that make me feel like an absolute chump. This is magnificent and inspiring. Long may that continue.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

This is about language learning, but from a totally different angle. When we frame learning French / German / Spanish as important because it's useful for the future, we do everyone a disservice. And mostly it's not even true. learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com/2025/07/no-t...

learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com

No to utility

This post isn’t about listening. It isn’t even about teaching French, specifically. It’s about teaching languages to students whose first la...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

I wrote about dictation again, based on my year 10 Germanists in the classroom today. I hope it is useful to some - and it's not just relevant to those teaching or learning German! learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com/2025/07/gett...

learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com

Getting dictatorial about dictation

My year 10 Germanists have their listening mock exam tomorrow, so they wanted to ‘do listening’ today. Poor sods not knowing this is my abso...

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

I've started to write a blog post! Just off to my BSL lesson; will finish it when I'm back, I promise! @theniceman.bsky.social @spsmith45.bsky.social

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Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson

Sue Cowley @suecowley.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Don't forget to repost good stuff as you pass through! You won't get the dopamine hit of a notification when someone likes or reposts your repost, like you did on Twitter, so you need to actively make a conscious decision to remember to do it. We are the algorithm on here. #Bluesky

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Told the y7s they would be starting Spanish next year. Lots of very happy faces. Brilliant to have enthusiastic dual linguists but what is it and Spanish that gets them so excited?

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

The fabulous @spsmith45.bsky.social has done a masterful job summarising my thesis in a super-accessible way. If you couldn't face the 100,000 words, and can't wait for the book (finished soon!), Steve's resumé is all you need. 🍷

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

You know when you book a flight you get an indication of carbon footprint? I think it's time every AI interaction does the same. Do we really want to see a video of cats on diving boards or ask chat gtp to stop us doing the hard thinking if it's going to help kill the planet? (Alas probably yes.)

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

It's not quite 'caturday' and I can't think of a frog-related Sunday pun but double frog in the Simpson pond (dug early April) has made me happy.

A close-up of a pond with lots of pond weed. Two little frogs are sticking their bulgy eyes and pointy noses out fof the water. They are khaki-coloured with black spots.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

My husband served @markhamillofficial.bsky.social breakfast in a small hotel in Yorkshire.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

I took this picture of my garden yesterday. Makes me happy.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

OMG I just came home from the gym. I was squatting on the 15kg bar (plus plates, obvs) and noticed that the writing on the end of the bar called it a 'Ladies' Bar'. WTAF. Got cross. So cross I forgot to take a photo. The 20kg bar is not the 'Man's Bar' (or even the Gentleman's Bar). #everydaysexism

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

@alastaircampbell2.bsky.social German teacher here. my suggestions for 'disagreeing agreeably': Mit Stimmung nicht zustimmen / Anderen Meinung aber nicht gemein / unstrittig streitend. For French I like 'désaccord cordial'.

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Imagine there was a toad that lived in trees. Now imagine it had not one, not two, but three digits on its little feeties. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Three-Toed Tree Toad. You're welcome. (Photography by Richard Singleton.)

Picture shows a green toad that actually looks more like a frog, and has three toes on each foot. He has a little cute snout and the picture is asking for a speech bubble. His upper skin is a shade of green that looks like lichen, and he is a bit warty. He might be a she; I don't know how to sex them.

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Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson

Department of Education, University of Oxford @education.ox.ac.uk · 14/04/2025

📢 Registration open! Join Dr Ian Cushing for a public seminar titled 'The white ears of Ofsted: language, race and the schools inspectorate'. 🗓️ 12 May 🕔 5pm Register to join in-person ➡️ forms.office.com/e/SPqLkVuz7r Or join us online ➡️ bit.ly/3RCdORL

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Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson

Silvia Bastow FCCT @fraubastowmfl.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

🧠Not all words are created equal. After hearing Paul Nation speak, I’ve been rethinking how we teach vocabulary and why frequency has to shape what we do. ✨Key takeaways, ideas & why fewer words (taught better) might be the way forward 👉 #mflsky

fraubastowmfl.co.uk

What I Learned from Paul Nation’s Webinar on Word Frequency and Vocabulary Learning

When we talk about teaching languages, it’s easy to get caught up in the grammar structures, the tenses, or the ever-growing pressure of exam specifications. But again and again, I find myself coming ...

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Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson

Routes into Languages -Yorkshire and Humberside @rilyorkshumb.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Are you a school language teacher? Have you signed up to the MFL teacher conference? @universityofleeds.bsky.social @lcsleeds.bsky.social on 20th June. Registration is free but places are limited #languages #mfl #mfltwitterati More info and programme on 👇 artsoutreach.leeds.ac.uk/our-activiti...

artsoutreach.leeds.ac.uk

Our outreach offer | Arts and Humanities Outreach Team

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Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson

Score My Wordle @scoremywordle.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

The top scorer for Sun, Mar 23, 2025, UTC is: @kedisimpson.bsky.social! They scored 360 points for #Wordle 1373 and solved it on row 1! That's better than 2,674 (~100%) other users. You’re unstoppable!

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Wordle 1,373 1/6 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Ostalgie in der Klassenzimmer. Not much we want from the DDR regime but for me these are key classroom elements. Hammer and sickel less so... unless I can say das ist der Hammer I suppose. ##shoutoutforgerman (reposting cos I forgot the pic before)

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Hey Germanophiles here's a picture of a bit of my classroom ##shoutoutforgerman

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Do the people at Connections know it's German week? #shoutoutforgerman

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

And my German teacher... Mrs Karin Baker who died just last month in her mid 80s. Taught me German from year 10 to year 13. Amazing life story growing up in Berlin in the early 1940s, coming to England ca 1947 as the step-daughter of an English soldier, marrying a Jewish man. #shoutoutforgerman

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

As for an incredible trip to Deutschland... Hamburg October 1988, which included a day trip to West Berlin via the Transitautobahn, peering over the wall, U-Bahn to Friedrichstrasse so I could go UNDER east Berlin if not into it, and learning the verb knutschen 😍😈 #shoutoutforgerman

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Dr Kedi Simpson @kedisimpson.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Trying to think of my favourite German words... I do like a good compound, and a good separable verb with an extra 'zu' thrown into it. I think I like Backpfeifengesicht, verschlimmbessern, Handschuhschneeballwerfer. #shoutoutforgerman

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