One of the biggest challenges in teaching English at the secondary level is getting students to see the language as something real, useful, and connected to the world. Many teachers ask themselves the same question: how can we motivate secondary school students to use English beyond the textbook?
It’s becoming increasingly clear that one of the keys is working with authentic content: texts, audio, and videos created by real people, with real experiences and perspectives. When students connect with relatable, human stories, English ceases to be just a subject and becomes a tool for expressing themselves, communicating, and better understanding others.
In The Big Picture, our textbook series for secondary school, we have focused precisely on this approach. In this article, we share the stories of three collaborators who are part of the project and who help students discover English through creativity, communication, and personal expression.
Educational research confirms it. When students work with real content it helps to:
- increase motivation
- improve understanding
- develop deeper communication skills
Claire
Claire, known as Claire Makes Things, is an illustrator and designer based in Madrid. In "The Big Picture",
she appears in speaking and listening activities, where students practice the language through her creative experience.
Her approach perfectly aligns with the book's concept: “Creativity is not only about making something look good; it’s about communicating ideas and helping people see things in a new way.” Through her story, students discover that English is also a tool for expressing ideas, designing, and connecting with others.
Discover her work and read the full interview below:
Quick intro about you. ex: What do you do, where do you live, what’s your project?
Hi there! My name is Claire, though lots of people know me as Claire Makes Things. I’m an illustrator from the Netherlands, based in Madrid, Spain. I love illustration, lettering and mural designs. I also teach creative classes online and in-person workshops, where I help students explore drawing, design, and visual communication. My project focuses on showing how creativity can become both a career and a way to connect with people.
How does the concept of “The Big Picture” fit in with or relate to what you do?
The Big Picture connects strongly with what I do because every design I create starts with seeing beyond the small details. In lettering and illustration, I think about the message, the feeling, and the story before I start designing. Creativity is not only about making something look good; it’s about communicating ideas, solving problems, and helping people see things in a new way.
Why did you choose to collaborate with Milton Education and The Big Picture?
I love projects that inspire students through real-life stories and creative careers. It’s important for young people to see that there are many different paths in life and work, including artistic ones. I also enjoy sharing my experience and encouraging students to think globally, creatively, and with confidence.
What you hope students take away from your authentic story?
I hope students understand that there is no single ‘correct’ path to success. Careers can grow through curiosity, practice, and being open to opportunities. I hope they feel inspired to develop their own talents, trust their ideas, and remember that creativity is valuable in every field, not only in art.
Quita
Quita shares her experience and her well-known TEDx talk on first impressions in "The Big Picture." Her message revolves around a simple yet powerful idea: small actions can generate big changes in how we relate to one another.
In the classroom, this translates into real-life listening activities, reflection on interpersonal communication, and the use of English in authentic social contexts.
Discover her work and read the full interview below:
Quick intro about you. ex: What do you do, where do you live, what’s your project?
Hi I’m Quita. I’m sweet and petite and currently live in Pennsylvania, USA with my husband, daughter, and dog. By day I work at a tech company as an administrative business partner. I love to travel, bake, sing, read, craft, and play pretend with my daughter. In 2019 I gave a TEDx Talk about first impressions. It’s been exciting to see how people near and far have adopted the tool to create more connections and community.
How does the concept of “The Big Picture” fit in with or relate to what you do?
The Big Picture is everything. When I was working on my TEDx talk I started big and then refined my way down to the tool that is “S.T.O.P.” but, when in use, seeing the other person helps ensure that we are all a part of the Big Picture. When we respect and regard one another we are honoring each other in a way that is bigger than ourselves. We are all part of the community and we all need to take a moment to make sure we see each other and not put judgements ahead of people.
Why did you choose to collaborate with Milton Education and The Big Picture?
I hope that by collaborating with Milton Education more people can adopt the tool of “S.T.O.P.” and use it regularly.
What you hope students take away from your authentic story?
I hope students take the tool of “S.T.O.P.” and use it in everyday life. I hope people know that they can make a difference in someone else’s life. We don’t always need big changes, but progress can be made with small intentional changes.
Isabel
Isabel Hui escribió un ensayo cuando estaba en el instituto… y terminó ganando un concurso del New York Times. Hoy, su historia forma parte de los materiales de The Big Picture. Su mensaje es claro: ser uno mismo también es una forma de comunicación. Para el alumnado, esto supone trabajar la lectura auténtica, la escritura con propósito y la expresión personal en inglés.
Discover her work and read the full interview below:
Quick intro about you. ex: What do you do, where do you live, what’s your project?
My name is Isabel Hui, and I’m from Atlanta, Georgia. I’m currently a law student, expected to graduate in May 2027. But this project of mine was actually a short essay I wrote in 2019 as a part of a high school writing contest.
How does the concept of “The Big Picture” fit in with or relate to what you do?
I think that it’s always important to consider the bigger picture and the grand scheme of what you are doing because it helps you stay on track with smaller decisions you make in your daily life. With me, for example, I’m still in school, which can be hard when all my friends are working and living their lives. It can be hard to stay grounded, but remembering the bigger picture and how I want to help people has always helped me stay motivated.
Why did you choose to collaborate with Milton Education and The Big Picture?
I chose to collaborate with Milton because I appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes into each decision they make regarding each piece they choose to share with students. I didn’t feel like a one-off author being used to fill a quota, but someone they actually wanted to collaborate with to help students. I didn’t realize when I wrote this essay that it could be used to help others, and Milton helped me see that.
What you hope students take away from your authentic story?
I hope that students remember that it is always okay to be yourself, even if that doesn’t go quite as you expected. Have confidence in who you are!
Discover the rest of the contributors in the next post.
Working with real people in the classroom is not just a methodological issue. It’s also a way to help students develop their own voice, connect with different perspectives, and discover that English can be used to communicate real ideas, emotions, and experiences.
The stories of Claire, Quita, and Isabel show that language learning can go far beyond grammar and vocabulary. Through creativity, communication, and personal expression, students find real reasons to participate, reflect, and express themselves in English.
In The Big Picture, every story is designed to connect language learning with the real world. Because learning English isn’t just about memorizing structures; it’s about learning to participate, communicate, and connect with others.
We want to thank Claire, Quita, Isabel, and our entire team of collaborators for sharing their stories and being part of this project. Their work not only enriches the educational content but also helps thousands of students discover new ways of expressing themselves and seeing the world.
If you are interested in working with authentic content in your secondary school classroom, we would be happy to share more information with you.