Economics

Mr Aznar's annual stock market challenge to his students is difficult to improve upon. However, it may be made easier by some software which creates a virtual stock market with multiple companies and a whole universe of news events that affect the markets: www.stockmarketchallenge.co.uk

The plus points:

• Each day's trading takes 25 minutes: leaving time to analyse, discuss and plan... or to teach other topics. 
• The software is available in Spanish, English and French (but the games have to be played in one language or the other: you cannot keep switching between the two). 
• Schools already use the software as a cross-curricular tool, with English departments using the input as GCSE Speaking and Listening assessment.
• There is a thriving community against which to compare, compete or with whom to share.