Topical Talk FAQs

Topical Talk lessons are made by our in-house team of experienced teachers, supported by the rigour of Economist journalism.

Lessons are produced over a two-week period, during which the content is fact-checked and subject to The Economist's editorial process.

We also test out the lessons ourselves and seek feedback from topic experts. This means you end up with accessible and engaging lessons that are ready to teach.

Learn about the process in depth here.

Teaching resources
All teaching resources are free to download - all you need is an account on our Topical Talk website.

Set up your free account

Topical Talk Festival
For government-funded/state school, Topical Talk Festivals costs £349 (+VAT) per class of 34 students. The price is adjusted depending on your type of school, and some subsidised places are available.

Topical Talk lessons are planned to be suitable for students age 10-16.

You know your students best, so we advise adapting the material to make it suit your class. That might mean supporting students who are less confident, breaking down an activity for students with a particular special educational need, or spending longer on an activity you know your students will love.

For tips on how to make the lessons inclusive for all learners, check out our supporting resource here.

Yes!

Our resources are produced by qualified, experienced teachers, with guidance and support from Economist journalists. You can trust our content to be accurate, expert-led and objective.

Unlike The Economist, we don't take a stance on the issues presented - instead, we want your students to think critically and openly about the whole issue so that they can make up their own minds.

Learn more about our approach here.

Our content features a wide range of topic experts.

Experts answer questions, set challenges and take part in live lessons – giving students access to reliable knowledge and inspiring role models.

See a range of our impressive experts here.

Our lessons and supporting resources help you to discuss the biggest issues of our time with your students, in an engaging and accessible way.

Whether it's exploring different examples of misogyny or solving problems to do with wildfires, our lessons cover the topics that matter. You'll receive a new lesson sent to your email inbox every week and, because everything is fully planned for you, preparation time is minimal.

Plus, students who take part in Topical Talk regularly can make up to 7x the progress in critical-thinking and communication skills.

Read about our impact here.

Festivals use Topical Talk teaching resources as a springboard for inspiring online discussions, exciting events and awards for thoughtful conversations and ideas.

The Festival takes place once a year between January and March. 

Find out more.

Topical Talk Prizes are annual competitions.

You'll use a special scheme of work to teach about one topical issue, in depth, over four lessons. Following the lessons, students prepare and present a project that draws together what they have learnt about, plus leadership skills. The projects are judged and their work can win feedback from Economist journalists as well as prizes.

Learn more.