Hitchcock’s Home in Dinard

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > What's On

From 27 September to 1 October, Dinard will celebrate the 27th edition of its British Film Festival. The winners’ statuettes for the festival are “Hitchcocks”, and the trailer for the festival sets a suitably eccentric British tone with an Alfred Hitchcock lookalike participating in a Busby Berkeley-style synchronised swimming routine. The films in this year’s … Continue reading “Hitchcock’s Home in Dinard”

My Kingdom for a GIF!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > Celebrate

What’s the link between a GIF and Game of Thrones? illustrator and animator Eran Mendel! Throughout Game of Thrones’ seven seasons, he has created GIFs, each focussing on an iconic moment of the show and it is really cool to watch. Today, the Internet loves using GIFs. 2017 marks the 30th birthday of this file … Continue reading “My Kingdom for a GIF!”

U.S. School Segregation Today

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > In the News

On 25 September 1957, U.S. civil rights activists won the right for African American children to go to the same schools as white children at Little Rock, Arkansas. But 60 years on, many schools in the U.S.A. are still separated along color lines. And one of the most segregated school systems in the country is … Continue reading “U.S. School Segregation Today”

Little Rock School Integration, 1957

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > Celebrate

September 25, 2017, marks 60 years since the “Little Rock Nine”, a group of African American students managed to gain access to the all-white Central High School in Arkansas. It was a landmark moment in the civil-rights movement to obtain equal treatment for all citizens, irrespective of colour. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court had … Continue reading “Little Rock School Integration, 1957”

Al Gore: Still Saving the Planet

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > What's On

In 2006, the documentary The Inconvenient Truth made Al Gore into the most prominent ecologist on the planet. Gore won a Nobel Prize for its impact on public opinion about climate change. Ten years on, An Inconvenient Sequel shows the positive changes that have been made, and Gore’s tireless work in continuing to promote solutions … Continue reading “Al Gore: Still Saving the Planet”

Hands Up to Speak!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > Pedagogy

Pendant la première semaine de cours de septembre, Sarah se tourne vers l’un de ses camarades. Elle glisse le bout de son index du haut de sa paume gauche vers le bas, et dit en même temps “What’s…”, pointe le garçon en face d’elle “your…”, puis tapote les deux premiers doigts de sa main droite … Continue reading “Hands Up to Speak!”

Freedom Poems for National Poetry Day

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 26 September 2017 > Celebrate

This year’s UK National Poetry Day is on 28 September. A great opportunity to get some poetry into your class, and to explore this year’s theme: Freedom. The National Poetry Day site shows the amazing variety of experiences that simple word can evoke, from “Invictus”, the poem that inspired Nelson Mandela in prison, to Edward … Continue reading “Freedom Poems for National Poetry Day”

Columbus Day

Posted by Speakeasy News > Saturday 23 September 2017 > Celebrate

How did an Italian explorer working for the Spanish crown become an American hero? Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. It is celebrated on the second Monday in October and commemorates Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas on 12 October 1492. In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue Children’s … Continue reading “Columbus Day”

Around the World In 78 Days!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 20 September 2017 > In the News

Jules Verne imagined travelling around the world in 80 days. Scottish cyclist Mark Beaumont did better, cycling around the world 78 days, 14 hours and 28 minutes! When Beaumont set off from Paris on 2 July, 80 days seemed a hefty challenge. The Guinness World Record for circumnavigating the world by bicycle was 123 days, … Continue reading “Around the World In 78 Days!”

Young People Represent Their Countries at the U.N.

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 19 September 2017 > In the News

From 19 to 25 September, the world’s leaders will take the lectern in New York for the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations. Amongst the delegates seeing world diplomacy at work for the first time are young people from more than 35 countries. United Nations Youth Delegates bring young people’s issues to the Assembly, … Continue reading “Young People Represent Their Countries at the U.N.”