In Views of Britain, we use facts and figures both to survey the way the British think of themselves (The Way We Think We Are), and to examine how they are perceived by others (Through Other Eyes). One of the winners of our competition last year reflects on British politeness following her language course in the UK, (Courtesy in Bloom), and we have a classroom activity on stereotypes (Do You Know the British?). Finally, there is a short story, Notting Hill, which should provoke a lot of discussion.

When revisiting Myths and Legends, we felt we could not ignore a certain young man. The beginning of this millennium has seen a return in popularity to a very traditional type of story. The world-wide interest in the Harry Potter books, (translated into over 20 languages and over 40 million copies sold), suggests that the author JK Rowling has touched upon some universal themes and needs. In this section we have some Polish responses to Harry Potter. Małgorzata Zdybiewska from Radom NKJO puts the Harry Potter phenomenon into the wider perspective of our timeless need, both within children and adults, for myth (Harry Potter – a New Myth). This is a theme taken up by Justyna Kita, an English MA student from Sosnowiec university, who also looks at the importance of narrative in our lives (Harry Potter and the Mystery of the Global Phenomenon). A dissenting voice to the fan club for these books is heard from Marianna Walat, a teenager from Bydgoszcz, who compares Harry Potter, unfavourably, to Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings (Much Ado About Harry Potter). A survey of the debate surrounding both JK Rowling and the Harry Potter books is also provided by The Magical Touch. And I’m sure Harry himself would approve of our quiz.

Under Health we start off with Health Update - The Good News and the Bad News, which is a light-hearted look at what the medical experts have been telling us we should and shouldn’t do. On a more serious note we have two articles examining medical developments, and in particular the moral and ethical issues they sometimes raise. Both Second-Guessing the Future and The problems of medical ethics can be used as the basis for classroom discussion.

In Government you can find a Quick Guide to UK Devolution, and an interactive Quiz to see how much you know about it. The possible consequences of constitutional change in the UK are dealt with in the article The Quiet Revolution - Genies Out of Boxes?

Both the United Kingdom and Poland are societies where significant changes are taking place. We might expect these changes to be reflected in attitudes towards traditional festivals and the arrival of new ones. In the Festivals section you can find the opinions of some Polish and British people on this topic. You can also use this survey as the basis of a classroom activity (Festivals and Customs – A Classroom Activity).

Our Sport section has Playing the Game - A Classroom Activity, and a Sports Quiz.

Young people's attitudes and behaviour reflect changes in society, and in Youth Culture we take a look at British Youth today, using the results of recent surveys. This item also has ideas for how it can be used in the classroom. Millennium Wordpower examines how language is also constantly changing to reflect changes in society.

The Education section has a look both at the past and possible futures of education in Education Time-Machine.

In Identity we reveal the lucky teachers and students who are winners of courses in the UK through the article Polish Views on Identity, which also provides a fascinating insight into Polish opinions on British, Polish, and European identities.

As always we look forward to your reactions, comments and suggestions.