‘Tis the season to be jolly! Before the winter holidays, why not do a little cultural comparisons, looking at how Christmas is celebrated in English speaking countries in the northern and southern hemisphere? These digital resources will help you. There is are several videos and audio recordings with interactive comprehension activities about Christmas in the … Continue reading “Christmas on the Web”
Two hundred years on, the three Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, are still some of the best-loved novelists Britain has produced. Their enduring classics Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall conquer new readers in each generation and have inspired many other writers and artists. The bicentenary of their births, from … Continue reading “Brontë Anniversaries”
Britain voted to leave the European Union in the 23 June referendum. Prime Minister Theresa May has said repeatedly that the government will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, to start the negotiation process to leave, by the end of March. But a legal appeal in front of the Supreme Court could hold up … Continue reading “Brexit Update”
Australia, with its topsy-turvy seasons and love of sport and the great outdoors, is a rich subject for language and cultural learning. Australia Day on 26 January is a great time for some Oz-themed resources. This is a nice easy short video about finding your own way to celebrate Australia Day. From A2. This is … Continue reading “Australia Digital Resources”
When they see injustice in the world, some teenagers take to the streets, or social media to demonstrate. And some take to the science lab. A group of high-school students in Australia have just synthesised an essential medical drug that is at the centre of a pharmaceutical pricing scandal in the U.S.A. In September 2015, … Continue reading “High-School Science Heroes”
Sixty years ago, on 20 December, 1956, Martin Luther King and his fellow campaigners won a first victory in the long battle for African-American civil rights. The Montgomery Bus Boycott, which had begun when Rosa Parks famously refused to move to the back of the bus, finally ended after 381 days, when the Supreme Court … Continue reading “Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Victory for Civil Rights”
The British Council has produced various films to celebrate the anniversary, modern, short versions inspired by elements of Shakespeare’s plays. Some are difficult for learners, language-wise, but we’ve selected these two for class use. Plus an interactive film from Shakespeare’s Globe. This film is a satirical homage to Hamlet, and the main character is a … Continue reading “Shakespeare Lives in Schools Webpicks”
Collège and lycée classes can participate in the Sadlier Stokes Prize about Australia’s participation in World War I. Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier and Sergeant Charlie Stokes of the 5th Australia Division, were decorated for their bravery in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, on 24 April, 1918. The town was strategic in the German plans to attack … Continue reading “Win 1500 Euros for a Class Project About Australia”
Seventy-five years ago, just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes launched a surprise attack on the American naval base of Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was the signal for America to join World War II. Unexpected Attack The raid came with no warning and no declaration of war. … Continue reading “The Attack on Pearl Harbor”
“The Color Line” exhibition at Quai de Branly in Paris reviews the history of discrimination in the U.S.A. through the eyes of African-American artists. The show is an exploration of 150 years of American history from the end of the Civil War with the abolition of slavery, to segregation, the civil rights movement and the … Continue reading “African-American Artists and Segregation”