New Zealand

In the first of our special features on English-speaking countries, we visit New Zealand, a great destination for teachers and students of English. Apart from offering a wide choice of courses, it’s a country of outstanding natural beauty, making it perfect for people who love the outdoors.

December is the first month of summer in New Zealand, so there are a lot of tourists there at Christmas. Most of New Zealand’s Christmas customs come from Europe, but the country does have its own Christmas tree. It’s called the pohutukawa, and it has red flowers at this time of year. The native people of New Zealand, the Maori, believe that if the pohutukawa has a lot of flowers before Christmas, it means it will be a long, hot summer.

You can use this feature to find out more about New Zealand. There are also lots of activities for you to use in the classroom so that your students can learn more about one of the world’s most beautiful countries.

The fact file quiz Find out how much you know about New Zealand in this quiz. Choose the correct answer to each question and then check your answers by reading the NZ Fact File. You can use this activity with your students in class. Go to page	Picture quiz Look at the pictures of New Zealand and match them with the picture captions. This is another activity you can use in class. Download the quiz in PDF format
Interview: the teacher Read an interview with a teacher and teacher trainer from New Zealand. Go to page	Interview: the student Read an interview with a student from Madrid who chose to study in New Zealand. Go to page
Talk like a native If you want your students to learn some New Zealand words and expressions, try this interactive exercise. Go to page	Useful Contacts & Credits A list of useful organisations and Internet sites. Plus a list of people who helped compile this feature. Go to page