Brontë Anniversaries

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 09 December 2016 > Celebrate

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”

Brexit Update

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 09 December 2016 > In the News

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”

Measure for Measure

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 08 December 2016 > Pedagogy

Comment deux matières comme les mathématiques et l’anglais peuvent-elles se rencontrer ? Hamid Belhadia et Cécile Clavilier, professeurs en 3ème section européenne en ZEP, témoignent de leur expérience. Nous avons mené ce travail commun sur l’année de troisième, en anglais et en mathématiques, la DNL (Discipline Non-Linguistique) pour cette classe. “From Measures to Bridges” s’ancrait sur … Continue reading “Measure for Measure”

Peter Brook: The Valley of Astonishment

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 07 December 2016 > What's On

Back by popular demand, the legendary director Peter Brook’s  The Valley of Astonishment in Paris. The play examines the joys and dilemmas of people with exceptional perception and memory: who experience synaesthesia, where the senses become mixed and a person can taste colours or see sounds. And in particular those who can apparently remember everything … Continue reading “Peter Brook: The Valley of Astonishment”

High-School Science Heroes

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 02 December 2016 > In the News

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”

Collaborative Science Online Resources

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 02 December 2016 > Webpicks

The recent success of Australian students who have drawn attention to a pharmaceutical price scandal by synthesising an essential medical drug in their high-school lab is a great subject for class discussion, involving science but also ethics and economics, as well as English of course. It can also inspire pupils to get involved in crowd … Continue reading “Collaborative Science Online Resources”

Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Victory for Civil Rights

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 28 November 2016 > Celebrate

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”

Shakespeare Lives in Schools Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 25 November 2016 > Webpicks

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”

Civil Rights: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 25 November 2016 > Ready to Use

Sixty years ago, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which had started on 5 December, 1955, after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat, finally ended. It was the first victory for Martin Luther King on the road to civil rights for African Americans. This B1-level article recapitulates the beginnings of the Civil … Continue reading “Civil Rights: The Montgomery Bus Boycott”