A teachers’ journal like this is designed mostly with the bold, immodest aim of touching everyone’s interests and needs, however diverse these may be. That is why the 'techies' among you can find something too familiar or unexpected in The APPI Journal issues that may arouse your attention and lead you to use it in the classroom. But keeping up with ITC applied to English teaching and learning needn’t be at the expense of the ‘non-techies'! Much older technology - the book or rather the course book - has also been dealt with recurrently here 'Does it do more harm than good?’ and the like.

Let me play bold and immodest again: readers will find quite a lot in this issue There are articles reporting on: a research project on the performance of the language skill most feared by students; the successful attempt of developing their critical thinking by redirecting the teaching options; the experience of embracing a project that has combined language and literature at school. Also: some classroom ideas that when put to practice have apparently made all the difference in the students’ performance. All in all every article contains practical teaching ideas.

Poetry has been present in both APPI magazines time and time again and this issue is no exception. The use of poetry in the classroom has contributed to language acquisition and to enable many students to find their 'voice’ in their personal way, either by simply reading and listening to it or learning to writing their own. It can provide students, and the teacher, with a space of freedom in the ELT classroom - their George Square. (p36)

The editor wishes to thank the brand-new writers Diana Sousa and Cristina Santos Pereira; and Mark Daubney, Celeste Simões, Teresa Simões Pereira, Nicolas Hurst, Helena Oliveira, l.isete Costa, Maria do Céu Costa, Octávio Lima, and Alexandra Costa for their generous contribution. In the Journal regular sections, Fitch continues to make public some revealing facts and ideas in another eloquent chronicle by the peculiar P. Pennyfeather Esq. on Llanaba School. Neil proposes free alternatives to MS Word or MS Powerpoint. Veríssimo writes about his students who have resisted learning how to learn as a way to learn better. Desmond shares 'a bit of this and that’ in his/your language workshop. José introduces an initiative to be made possible only with our help. A Thank-you to them all. The editor brings a review of a thought provoking book (literally!) for both students and teachers.

The APPlforma section has been substantially reduced in the present issue 50 our readers are strongly advised to depend on it as it shows on our website www.appi.pt Please access this regularly for updated information on teacher training/professional development courses.

We are looking forward to the coming Annual Conference to be held in Lisboa on May 6-8 at the SANA Lisboa Hotel. 'Shaping the Future of ELT was the leading aim for this year's issue - the 25th An outstanding line-up of sessions (plenaries, talks and workshops) and other events and activities has been organized for teachers of all teaching levels. If you have not enrolled yet and are considering to, you can use the enrolment forms enclosed ahead: on page 15 for the full Conference and on page 12 of the APPlnep Bulletin for the second day only, 7, ‘The APPlnep Day'. These are also available at www.appi.pt naturally.

As ever, if you have any comments on the articles in this issue or feel that you have an article you would like to see published - some fresh or 'different teaching ideas - do get in touch with me at appi@appi.pt Thank you.