Juneteenth Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 01 June 2018 > Webpicks

Juneteenth is an American celebration marking the end of slavery, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the last U.S. state, Texas on June 19, 1865.  Read more about the history and traditions of Juneteenth in our article. If you would like to introduce your pupils to the event, these resources will help you. … Continue reading “Juneteenth Webpicks”

Martin Luther King Slideshow

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 06 April 2018 > Ready to Use

Civil-rights leader Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4 April 1968. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of King’s death, this B1 sequence will allow pupils to explore his life and legacy. After briefly sharing what they already know about this inspiring figure, students will watch a video and learn more … Continue reading “Martin Luther King Slideshow”

Frederick Douglass on the Web

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 12 March 2018 > Webpicks

On the occasion of Frederick Douglass’s Bicentennial, there are lots of online resources to help you introduce this major figure of the abolition movement to your pupils. This section on Frederick Douglass from the Library of Congress children’s site is suitable from A2. It’s not a very detailed biography but has an excellent quote from … Continue reading “Frederick Douglass on the Web”

Ella Fitzgerald Online Exhibition

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 26 April 2017 > Webpicks

2017 is the centenary of the birth of Ella Fitzgerald, one of the most recognized voices in jazz history. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is hosting an exhibition in tribute to “The First Lady of Song”. The online version is an excellent authentic document for classroom use. The mini-site is fairly succinct, with … Continue reading “Ella Fitzgerald Online Exhibition”

Hidden Figures in the Space Race

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 17 March 2017 > Ready to Use

In this B1-level article, your students will learn how a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as ‘human computers’ used their talents to help NASA launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Even if Virginia’s Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white colleagues, the black women of Langley’s group contributed to America’s … Continue reading “Hidden Figures in the Space Race”

Hidden Figures: Teaching with Trailers

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 08 March 2017 > Webpicks

The film Hidden Figures reveals the untold true story of a team of African-American women mathematicians, or “human computers” who helped the success of the Apollo Moon landings program in the 1960s. These videos are a great follow-up after using our B1-level article and teaching activities with your pupils. This short video introduces the film … Continue reading “Hidden Figures: Teaching with Trailers”

Detective Story on Stage Around France

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 08 March 2017 > What's On

San Francisco theatre company Word for Word are back for their annual French tour in March, with a performance of Edward P. Jones noir story “All Aunt Hagar’s Children”  in Nancy, Angers and Paris. If you have already seen a Word for Word performance, you are probably skipping straight to the reservations information at the bottom … Continue reading “Detective Story on Stage Around France”

The Face of Money: U.S. Banknotes Get a New Look

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 20 February 2017 > Ready to Use

This A2-level article will enable your pupils to understand the historical significance of portraits on American banknotes, and to compare with other currencies. The presentation of new notes featuring Harriet Tubman and other African-American and women’s suffrage activists includes suggestions for  an EPI with history. Vocabulary and structures Verb tenses: simple past and simple present … Continue reading “The Face of Money: U.S. Banknotes Get a New Look”

Media Education: Moonlight

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 17 February 2017 > Webpicks

Nominated for seven Oscars, Moonlight is a coming-of-age movie about Chiron, an African-American boy growing up in the 1980s and 1990s in a poor housing project in Miami. A short video gives a fascinating insight into how the film was made, and is perfect for working on éducation aux médias et à l’information. We wouldn’t particularly … Continue reading “Media Education: Moonlight”