Dr Kedi Simpson
@kedisimpson.bsky.social
Teaches French German Spanish in that order. New head of dept. Just finished PhD in language education. Likes cats, chickens, dahlias. Rhymes with lady.
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.
August 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
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.
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).
August 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
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).
Where am I? @spsmith45.bsky.social in particular
August 13, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Where am I? @spsmith45.bsky.social in particular
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!
July 31, 2025 at 8:13 PM
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!
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...
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...
learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com
July 31, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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...
This will make all German teachers' hearts sing :)
July 17, 2025 at 5:40 PM
This will make all German teachers' hearts sing :)
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...
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July 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM
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...
I'm learning BSL. Six weeks in and starting to say things
July 9, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I'm learning BSL. Six weeks in and starting to say things
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.
July 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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.
Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson
A recent post of particular interest to French teachers.https://frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2025/06/insights-from-kedi-simpsons-phd-thesis.html?m=1
Insights from Kedi Simpson's PhD thesis about how students' listening develops
I recently had the pleasure of reading Kedi Simpson's 2024 PhD thesis The Developmental Trajectory of Second Language Listening Errors. K...
frenchteachernet.blogspot.com
July 7, 2025 at 6:50 PM
A recent post of particular interest to French teachers.https://frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2025/06/insights-from-kedi-simpsons-phd-thesis.html?m=1
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...
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...
learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com
July 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
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...
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...
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...
learninglisteninglanguages.blogspot.com
July 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
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...
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
July 2, 2025 at 5:20 PM
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
And this!
“We’re at real risk of language education being accessible only to young people in the most affluent schools in England. This would be a disaster, shutting many young people out of essential education” : @cforsdick.bsky.social
Fewer pupils in less affluent English schools taking languages, survey finds
Less than half taking foreign languages GCSEs compared with 69% in most prosperous state schools
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
And this!
This!
Restricted access to language learning, and to developing language awareness, is a serious form of deprivation of multiple affordances, *especially* given the rapid rise of language technologies.
“We’re at real risk of language education being accessible only to young people in the most affluent schools in England. This would be a disaster, shutting many young people out of essential education” : @cforsdick.bsky.social
July 1, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This!
Reposted by Dr Kedi Simpson
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
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
July 1, 2025 at 6:48 AM
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
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
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?
July 1, 2025 at 9:25 AM
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?
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. 🍷
June 30, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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. 🍷
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.)
June 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
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.)
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.
June 15, 2025 at 6:18 PM
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.
My husband served @markhamillofficial.bsky.social breakfast in a small hotel in Yorkshire.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
June 14, 2025 at 7:43 PM
My husband served @markhamillofficial.bsky.social breakfast in a small hotel in Yorkshire.
I took this picture of my garden yesterday. Makes me happy.
June 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I took this picture of my garden yesterday. Makes me happy.
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
May 21, 2025 at 6:22 PM
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
