A Year in Words

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 17 December 2021 > In the News

Different dictionaries have been revealing their “words of the year” for 2021. The COVID pandemic has had a major influence on the words we use and look up. Vax, double-vaxxed, vaccine and pingdemic all show up, as well as perseverance, which we’ve all had to show. Oxford Dictionaries announced vax was their word of the … Continue reading “A Year in Words”

Your Students Have Talent: Masked Self Portraits

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 13 October 2021 > Pedagogy

We always love to see your students’ work. Adeline Paget sent us photos of her 6e students who did the masked self-portraits activity we suggested. The students from Collège Albert Camus  La Norville made the folded self portraits showing themselves masked and unmasked and including self-describing adjectives, and then displayed them on the doors of … Continue reading “Your Students Have Talent: Masked Self Portraits”

Back-to-School Masked Self-Portraits Activity

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 10 September 2021 > Webpicks

Drawing or writing self-portraits is a classic activity for the beginning of the school year when teachers are getting to know their pupils and vice versa. But how can it be adapted to mask-filled classrooms in the Covid era? Nathalie Legendre tested a masked self-portrait activity in collège. Mme Legendre teaches in Collège Barbey d’Aurevilly … Continue reading “Back-to-School Masked Self-Portraits Activity”

Inauguration Day

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 07 January 2021 > Celebrate

Assuming that anything happens as planned in this extraordinary election campaign, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris as Vice-President, on Inauguration Day, 20 January, 2021. The ceremony and traditional celebrations that follow will be much smaller than in previous years because of the coronavirus … Continue reading “Inauguration Day”

2020: A Year in Language

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 02 December 2020 > In the News

It’s the traditional time of year for dictionary publishers to announce their “word of the year”. In a year dominated by the pandemic, Oxford Dictionaries decided to choose several, whereas Collins chose “lockdown” from a shortlist dominated by the health emergency. Merriam Webster in the States went with the word “pandemic” itself. Frequently-used words this … Continue reading “2020: A Year in Language”

Fourth of July in Lockdown

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 01 July 2020 > Celebrate

U.S. Independence Day will be a subdued affair this year due to Coronavirus but celebrations will take place. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs decided to mark the event with a video available in English and eight other languages. It’s a simple introduction to the event for students from A1+ (reading … Continue reading “Fourth of July in Lockdown”

Nice posters for best social distancing practices

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 25 May 2020 > Webpicks

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Park System (NPS) has closed or limited the public’s access to a majority of park sites in the U.S. But, while some nationals parks remain closed, several of the most visited are beginning to reopen. What about social distancing practices? On April 22, the Trump administration announced that it … Continue reading “Nice posters for best social distancing practices”