Ding Dong!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 03 June 2020 > Webpicks

Have you ever wondered why the sound of bells in English is rendered by “ding dong”? “Zig zag” or “Kit Kat” or “ping pong” are more examples of the same linguistic phenomenon, called “ablaut reduplication”. This short video explains the phenomenon, which isn’t only prevalent in English, it is also present in French, German and … Continue reading “Ding Dong!”

The Victorian Era

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 01 June 2020 > Webpicks

Learn more about the Victorian Era that Oscar Wilde lived in with this short slideshow.  

Nice posters for best social distancing practices

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 25 May 2020 > Webpicks

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Park System (NPS) has closed or limited the public’s access to a majority of park sites in the U.S. But, while some nationals parks remain closed, several of the most visited are beginning to reopen. What about social distancing practices? On April 22, the Trump administration announced that it … Continue reading “Nice posters for best social distancing practices”

Daily Routine with Rockwell

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 06 May 2020 > Webpicks

As we have said many times, teachers are finding amazing creative ways to keep providing their pupils with motivating, and feasible, work to do during lockdown. This sequence found on the Académie de Grenoble’s English site can be done entirely in distance learning. It mixes culture and language in a class for 6e about daily … Continue reading “Daily Routine with Rockwell”

Easter Traditions Videos

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 10 April 2020 > Webpicks

We have a bumper crop of videos and audio on Easter traditions in English-speaking countries, especially for A1+ learners. The Banque de ressources numériques éducatives anglais cycle 4 has three videos and an audio on Easter themes. Like all the resources in the BRNE, you can download the video or audio to use offline, as … Continue reading “Easter Traditions Videos”

International Fact-Checking Day

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 01 April 2020 > Webpicks

International Fact-Checking Day is on 2 April – the day after the annual feast of benign fake news stories and hoaxes that is April Fool’s Day. It promotes fact-checking to combat malicious fake news around the world. The day is organised by the International Fact-Checking Network, a team of journalists around the world coordinated by … Continue reading “International Fact-Checking Day”

Sport Relief Teaching Materials

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 24 February 2020 > Webpicks

Sport Relief is from 9 to 13 March in the UK. Like its twin, Red Nose Day, it has always had a big educational element. Schools participate massively in fundraising, but the charity also provides lots of teaching materials so classes can learn about the problems Sport Relief funds are helping to tackle. The schools’ … Continue reading “Sport Relief Teaching Materials”

Greta’s Speech

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 20 December 2019 > Webpicks

The speech young climate activist Greta Thunberg made to the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019 is a great example of a speech for students. It can be added to work on several Shine Bright 1e themes. Greta Thunberg would also be interesting to study in connection with the LLCER literature curriculum The Curious … Continue reading “Greta’s Speech”

Thanksgiving Stories

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 22 November 2019 > Webpicks

A Thanksgiving intergenerational project in the U.S.A. would make an excellent language activity anywhere. StoryCorps is an innovative oral history project that has been recording ordinary Americans having conversations with people they love since 2003. The concept is simple: the mobile StoryCorps recording booth sets up in a town. Anyone who wants to can come … Continue reading “Thanksgiving Stories”