Women on Stage: How Shocking!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 24 January 2017 > What's On

For three nights only, a play about the pioneer women actresses who were the celebrities of Restoration London in seventeenth century. In Shakespeare’s plays, the women’s roles were played by boy actors. In Puritan England, the idea of a woman acting on stage was considered scandalous. In fact theatres in general were considered immoral, and … Continue reading “Women on Stage: How Shocking!”

Supreme Court Rules on Brexit Launch

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 24 January 2017 > In the News

Britain’s Supreme Court has ruled that Parliament must vote on the government’s plans to trigger Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty, to start the process of leaving the European Union. The Supreme Court was hearing the Government’s appeal against the October High Court ruling that the government couldn’t trigger Article 50 and start Brexit negotiations without … Continue reading “Supreme Court Rules on Brexit Launch”

Happy Birthday, Professor Hawking

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 20 January 2017 > Ready to Use

In this B1-level article, students will learn about Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s most famous scientists, as he unexpectedly reaches his 75th birthday in spite of a terrible neurological disease. The film The Theory of Everything , released in 2014, pays tribute to this exceptional man, played by Eddie Redmayne who won a Golden Globe, … Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Professor Hawking”

Stephen Hawking at 75

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 20 January 2017 > In the News

Stephen Hawking is a phenomenal scientist and scientific phenomenon. He enjoys his unique position as a popular cultural icon as well as one of the most respected scientists of his generation. The man who doctors gave two years to live when he was 21 has just celebrated his 75th birthday. To coin a phrase from … Continue reading “Stephen Hawking at 75”

Up Helly Aa Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 January 2017 > Webpicks

The highpoint of the cultural calendar in the Shetlands, Scotland, is a spectacular Viking fire festival in January: Up Helly Aa. This video and photo galleries are useful for discussing the festival.  Find out more about the celebration in our article. In this video, an American man with Shetland roots describes discovering Up Helly Aa … Continue reading “Up Helly Aa Webpicks”

Shetland Viking Fire Festival

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 January 2017 > Celebrate

The Shetland Islands are the northernmost part of the U.K., and belonged to Norway until 1468. So it’s no surprise that the highpoint in the Shetland cultural calendar is a spectacular Viking fire festival in January: Up Helly Aa. On the last Tuesday of January, a thousand costumed men pull a Viking longship through Lerwick … Continue reading “Shetland Viking Fire Festival”

Learning to Learn

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 January 2017 > Pedagogy

What does a pupil understand when a teacher says, “Learn today’s lesson for next time”? What exactly should the pupil do? Read the work over, copy it out, memorise the new words or expressions, use them in context to produce a message…? Which tools should be used (notebook, textbook, school homework website…)? And how will … Continue reading “Learning to Learn”

Prohibition

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 17 January 2017 > Webpicks

Ben Affleck’s gangster film Live By Night is a great opportunity to introduce your classes to the period of Prohibition. Live By Night centres on the organised crime gangs which profited from Prohibition by producing or importing illicit alcohol and running underground bars called speakeasies. The Bill of Rights Institute has free downloadable teaching resources … Continue reading “Prohibition”