If you’re studying Animal Farm with your LLCER 1e students, check out the complete and unabridged audio book of Orwell’s allegory on the BBC Sounds site. You can easily find extracts to play for pupils or for them to listen to in preparation. Free to stream.
A new BBC film tells the true story of one man’s experience of being told that after 50 years he no longer had the right to live in the UK. They are known as the Windrush Generation: people who were born in British colonies who were invited to come and help Britain rebuild after WWII. … Continue reading “The Human Face of the Windrush Scandal”
1964 was the height of the Swinging Sixties in the UK. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were topping the charts. But their music was barely played on the radio. So Ronan O’Rahilly decided to start Radio Caroline, a “pirate” radio station on a ship in the North Sea. All the British radio stations were … Continue reading “Pirate Radio Pioneer Dies”
Governments and news organisations around the world are more and more concerned about teaching children to navigate the nebulous world of news and information on the Internet and help them become well-informed citizens. That means there are plenty of resources out there to help teach the topic. Here’s a selection. Today’s teenagers are often referred … Continue reading “Media Literacy Online Resources”
It was the British equivalent of making an announcement during the halftime break in the U.S. Superbowl game. Immediately after the 2017 Wimbledon men’s final the BBC revealed what the entire U.K. seemed to have been waiting for… that the next actor to portray the lead in sci-fi series Dr Who would be… a woman! … Continue reading “Doctor She”
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”
Just when you think you understand Britain, all your expectations get turned on their head. In a highly urbanised, high-tech obsessed country, a large proportion of the population has been on tenterhooks about a radio soap opera about a farming community. The Archers is a British institution. It has been broadcast six days a week … Continue reading “The Archers Phenomenon”