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”
London is celebrating its Roman past with the Londinium festival. Access and download teaching resources on the Romans in Britain from A1+ to B1. There are articles about Hadrian’s Wall at A1+, A2 and B1 levels, with accompanying interactive comprehension activities, as well as a B1 audio on British Queen Boudica’s resistance to the Roman … Continue reading “The Romans in Britain Teaching Resources”
The annual European Day of Languages on 26 September is a great reason to have some multilingual mingling and celebrations in your classroom! And for an instant teaching activity on comparing languages, why not get your pupils to participate in the competition to design a T-shirt for the 2018 event? Or participate in a world … Continue reading “Celebrate European Languages”
The Labor Day holiday weekend signals the end of summer for Americans. Although it takes place at the beginning of September, and the hot weather may continue for weeks, after Labor Day, schools start again it feels like the summer vacation has ended. Labor Day is the U.S. version of May Day in most other … Continue reading “Labor Day: Back to School”
These three videos associated with Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets provide plenty of opportunities to get pupils talking on a film many will have seen. This teaser trailer is almost without dialogue or voiceover, so it’s a great place to start, and can be used at all levels, with pupils commenting according … Continue reading “Valerian: Teaching with Trailers”
It’s one of the world’s last working palaces. It is also one of London’s major tourist attractions. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace has always attracted visitors but, since 1993, crowds have flocked to visit the State Rooms where royal ceremonies take place. Parts of the Palace date back to the 17th century … Continue reading “Buckingham Palace Open for Visits”
Robin Hood is great way into British history as pupils can build on their prior knowledge of the character. If you are working on Robin Hood as part of a medieval theme, with the Robin Hood Festival in Nottingham, or as a theatre activity, these videos provide vocabulary help and food for thought. This one-minute … Continue reading “Robin Hood Videos”
Dans notre série de suggestions pour tirer un maximum de bénéfice des documents fournis aux élèves, voici une idée pratique et simple d’activité qui favorise l’implication de tous et donne un feedback essentiel aux professeurs : l’utilisation de ce que l’on appelle exit cards dans les pays anglophones. Chaque élève se voit remettre une petite carte … Continue reading “Exit and Entry”
The David Hockney exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris from 21 June to 23 October is a retrospective of the British pop artist’s work. Who better to acquaint your pupils with Hockney’s painting than the man himself in this excellent short video. Warning: There is a brief image of a naked man diving into … Continue reading “David Hockney Video”
For the 20th anniversary of the publication of the first Harry Potter book, this A1+-level article aims at allowing pupils to rediscover well-known fictional characters, perhaps for the first time with the English names. It’s a good opportunity to help them develop reading strategies, using what they know to help them understand new words and … Continue reading “Harry Potter at 20”