Daniel Costa

The idea that knowledge should be gained in small amounts has found expression in an increasingly researched pedagogic approach known as ‘microlearning’. I see these bites as ‘tidbits’ (Cambridge, 2025) on the grounds that a small piece of interesting information resembles a small dish of pleasant food, as its definition conveys. Mobile devices, time scarcity and social connectedness have been considered main drivers of the practice (Torgerson, 2021:14–31). A glance at the state of the art of microlearning suggests that its essence is less clear cut than it seems, given the diversity that the concept entails. In a context...

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (Humane World for animals, 2023), around 92.2 billion nonhuman land animals lose their lives every year to feed humans. Several scientists (BioScience, 2019) have signed climate declarations prompting the move from animal to plant-based products to improve human health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Owing to greater awareness of its impact on health and the environment, as well as moral concerns, vegetarianism has increased on a global scale (World economic Forum, 2022), but to what extent do ELT coursebooks and online resources cater to the nature of meat-free diets? As occasional lesson...

How can one devoid of context distinguish between prints and prince? Or drawings and draw rings? Are they actually meant to sound the same? A frequent phenomenon known as ‘epenthesis’ conveys both the versatility of phonology and its ability to prompt misunderstandings. To what extent are learners exposed to this in the ELT classroom? The current article provides a reminder of key phonological features of this concept and their relevance to language education. Terms, terms, terms ‘Epenthesis’ refers to the insertion of a sound or letter within a word or phrase, and can either be a consonant or a vowel (Oxford...

Witnessing an exchange of emails with an editor a few years ago prompted me to ponder the scope of logical fallacies and how they affect decision-making in education and beyond. After refusing to publish an article on dubious grounds, the sender told the recipient that the problem with L2 speakers is that they fail to understand certain idioms, making reference to an expression used during correspondence to support the decision made. Alas, fallacious reasoning was at play – not only did it involve a faulty overgeneralisation of L2 speakers but it also assumed that the recipient was not an...

Daniel Costa looks at the game Connections and considers its use for language learners at various levels.

The article argues that there are more opportunities to use visuals in our classes both online and live not simply for vocabulary but for grammar and critical thinking.

This article examines both overt and subtle discrimination and how we should avoid them.

An activity for introducing a class to philosophy.

Daniel Costa advocates and describes using various tools to create bespoke images but warns of some of the inherent drawbacks.

The article describes some of the educational benefits to learning alongside animals.

Daniel Costa stresses the importance of raising learners’ awareness of how words are formed.

The article looks at a useful tool for time management, where tasks are prioritised based on their degrees of urgency.

In a wide-ranging article, Daniel Costa reviews the literature on this topic and comes to the conclusion that for many reasons there is no one critical period for learning a language.

Dan Costa suggests some benefits to learners from this daily word game. Although the vocabulary lacks a context there are strategies and habits which can be acquired as well as developing creativity.

Pausing between words and utterances can have an important linguistic and cultural meaning. Getting your students to understand this will help them improve their ability to listen.