He is Back*!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 14 January 2021 > Webpicks

On Sunday January 10th, Terminator actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger posted a powerful video on Twitter. He denounced the violent mob that overtook the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday 6th. Recounting his childhood in Austria after World War II, he linked the Capitol attack to Nazi Germany. My message to my fellow Americans … Continue reading “He is Back*!”

Young Scientist Named Time’s “Kid of the Year”

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 03 December 2020 > Webpicks

Gitanjali Rao from Colorado, won America’s Top Young Scientist 2017, for her innovative gadget to test for contaminants like lead in drinking water. She’s continuing her research to try to bring her test to market, while also working on cyberbullying and opoid addiction. She has also mentored 30,000 students, encouraging them to use science and … Continue reading “Young Scientist Named Time’s “Kid of the Year””

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Profiles

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 27 November 2020 > Ready to Use

Although President Trump is still making legal challenges over the election, it seems certain that after the January Inauguration, Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the U.S.A. and Kamala Harris, his running mate, will be the first black female Vice-President  and to thus make history. Thanks to this B1 article, the students will … Continue reading “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Profiles”

Audio and Video Resources for Thanksgiving

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 17 November 2020 > Webpicks

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving even under lockdown, it’s a good time to introduce, or remind pupils about this major event in the U.S. calendar, and give them a little refresher about the foundation of the United States. These video and audio resources are just what you need. You can find  these videos and audio recordings … Continue reading “Audio and Video Resources for Thanksgiving”

Roald Dahl’s The Witches

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 05 November 2020 > Ready to Use

Roald Dahl’s The Witches was published in 1983, a typically twisted tale of witches who look like normal women and want to eliminate children by turning them into mice. A second film version, this time  by American director Robert Zemeckis, was scheduled for a November release. Like everything else, it’s on hold for lockdown, but … Continue reading “Roald Dahl’s The Witches”

The Art of Being a Dandy: Aubrey Beardsley

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 04 November 2020 > Ready to Use

Despite his early death aged 25, Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) had a prolific career as an illustrator. Part of the Aesthetic movement, a friend of Oscar Wilde’s, Beardsley was a dandy and turned his own short life into a work of art. To accompany the exhibition currently on hold at the Musée d’Orsay, this resource explores … Continue reading “The Art of Being a Dandy: Aubrey Beardsley”

U.S. Youth Vote Videos

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 09 October 2020 > Webpicks

One of the  big battles in the U.S. elections is getting people to vote. Which starts with getting them registered. These videos are a great teaching resource. In 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only about 70 per cent of citizens were registered to vote. Of those, however, about 86 per cent actually voted … Continue reading “U.S. Youth Vote Videos”

Celebrating Votes for Women

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 09 October 2020 > Ready to Use

A hundred years after finally gaining the right to vote in the U.S.A., women today systematically both register and vote more than men. These two resources, one with a more complex article than the other, encourage pupils to discover the long campaign for suffrage, and some of the activists who worked for the 19th Amendment … Continue reading “Celebrating Votes for Women”

Guy Fawkes Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 08 October 2020 > Webpicks

To “remember, remember the fifth of November”, as a children’s rhyme says, A1+-level pupils can view a video, read about the tradition, and do an interactive activity. At A2-A2+, useful links can be made with the history curriculum, with an online game and fireworks to round off the subject.  It’s worth giving pupils a few … Continue reading “Guy Fawkes Webpicks”