Our bioboxes are short “Who Am I?” quizzes to help introduce pupils to famous figures in the English-speaking world. This one is about Britain’s new King Charles III. You can download the MP4 file below to use in class.
On 8 September, the British Royal Family announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96. Britain’s longest reigning monarch had been on the throne for 70 years, which had been marked this summer by Platinum Jubilee celebrations. She was immediately succeeded by her son Charles, who will be known as King … Continue reading “The End of an Era”
Under the pseudonym Henry Fuseli, Swiss artist Johan Heinrich Füssli, became one of the leading lights of the 19th-century British art world and a popular proponent of Romanticism and the Gothic. His many depictions of Shakespearean scenes, the supernatural, dreams and nightmares are rich food for the imagination. A new exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart … Continue reading “Gothic Nightmares: Fuseli”
As a standalone activity or an introduction to our resource on the centenary of the BBC, this cleverly edited video provides the BBC’s answer to the question, “What is public-service broadcasting?” Or simply an introduction to the variety of programming that it has pioneered. If you show pupils the video on the Indy 100 news … Continue reading “This is Our BBC Video”
The British Broadcasting Corporation is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022, just as it faces the biggest threat to its existence. The Conservative government has announced the end of the licence fee paid by British residents to access the BBC for 2027. Without the licence fee, the BBC’s future as a public-service broadcaster, not dependent … Continue reading “Happy 100th Birthday to the BBC!”
The BBC is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year: founded in 1922 to produce radio programmes, it’s become a major British cultural force across TV, radio and increasingly digital platforms. This B1 resource has students use the BBC 100 website to find out about the corporation, its history, faces and voices, then prepare a podcast … Continue reading “100 Years of the BBC”
The 33rd edition of the Dinard British Film Festival will take place in Brittany from 28 September to 2 October. The films in competition haven’t been announced yet, but you can get ready to sign up your classes to see some of the best British films from the last year at special schools showings. As … Continue reading “Films for Classes in Dinard!”
We promised you a second part to our A1+ worksheet based on a comic-strip telling of Queen Elizabeth II’s life. The first worksheet ended with her meeting with Prince Philip in Dartmouth, in the south of England. In Part 2, we follow Elizabeth through the Second World War, marriage and up to her coronation. Your … Continue reading “Queen Elizabeth II Comic Strip Part 2”
The Platinum Jubilee Concert coverage on 4 June opened with a sketch that featured the Queen inviting Paddington Bear to tea. The short video is great. for class use, and would make a good complement to the “deep fake” Queen’s Christmas speech that is featured in Shine Bright 3e Snapfile 11 Twist and Tell. The … Continue reading “Marmalade Sandwich, Your Majesty?”
Why does the British monarch have two birthdays? Queen Elizabeth II’s real birthday is 21 April (she was 96 in 2022). But since 1748, the monarch’s official birthday is celebrated in June, because the weather is better. This year, it’s on 2 June. The official birthday is marked by the Trooping the Colour ceremony near … Continue reading “The Queen’s Birthdays”