Every year, the BBC National Short Story Award contains some real gems of short fiction — and you can download the audio versions to listen to at leisure. Previous awards have been given to both unknown authors and well-established ones. This year, all five authors on the shortlist are women. Their stories have protagonists ranging … Continue reading “National Short Story Award to Listen to and Keep”
Columbus Day in October is a good time for class work exploring this controversial figure, and how his legacy is perceived in the U.S.A. and in Spanish-speaking countries. Christopher Columbus is honoured with a national holiday in the U.S.A., on the second Monday in October. For collège, this is a relatively simple description of Columbus … Continue reading “Christopher Columbus, Myth or Hero?”
From 28 September to 2 October, Dinard will celebrate the 27th edition of its British Film Festival. This year, the jury will be headed by French director Claude Lelouch who will personally award the Golden Hitchcock. There are six films in competition and a whole host of homages and premieres, to catch the best new … Continue reading “Dinard British Film Festival”
Il est souvent question aujourd’hui dans la société civile de démocratie participative pour réconcilier les citoyens avec la politique. De la même façon et par transposition, la communauté éducative peut explorer le thème de la pédagogie participative et collaborative pour réconcilier certains élèves avec l’apprentissage et, pourquoi pas, renforcer la motivation de tous ? Le cours … Continue reading “Le cours de langue comme lieu d’apprentissage d’une citoyenneté sereine”
In less than 2 decades, with Zip2, PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors, the South African entrepreneur Elon Musk has become one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the world. A mix between Tony (Iron Man) Stark and Henry Ford, Elon Musk’s life story reads like a myth or maybe a comic book. Born and raised in … Continue reading “Elon Musk: a Serial Entrepreneur”
Michael Moore’s new documentary film has a typically tongue-in-cheek title, Where to Invade Next. Moore decides that since the U.S.A. has a propensity for invading other countries it should do so for the right reasons. He sets off in search of countries that have things to teach the U.S.A. Michael Moore is that rare (or … Continue reading “Michael Moore: Where to Invade Next”
Amongst the many events celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016, the big one for schools will be 2 December: Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day. Why not participate in a class competition on the theme of Macbeth before 31 October? It could become an animated film for the global celebrations in December. The … Continue reading “Competition: Shakespeare Lives in Schools”
This speech by UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie on World Refugee Day in June 2016 is a good introduction to the unprecedentedly large numbers of refugees in the world today, and the international summits and actions trying to come up with solutions. At 1’19, it works for practising listening comprehension for the Bac exam, on … Continue reading “Refugee Speech”
This thought-provoking spoken-word poem about the experiences of refugees is a good way to have pupils connect with what can seem a nebulous, theoretical problem. The simple listing of the most important items refugees took with them on their flight should allow pupils to exercise their empathy and imagine themselves in refugees’ shoes. Actor Cate … Continue reading “‘What They Took With Them’: Refugee Poem”
Two international summits in New York are trying to find solutions to the worst refugee crisis since World War II. One in 113 inhabitants of our planet have had to flee their homes because of conflict, persecution or natural disasters. According to the UNHCR (the United Nations’ Refugee Agency), by the end of 2015, there … Continue reading “Two Summits on the Refugee Crisis”
