Churchill is a portrait of the wartime British Prime Minister, not as a one-dimensional heroic leader but as a far more human, and in some ways more likeable, character with all the frailties and contradictions that implies. Every country needs its national myths and in the wake of WW2, Britain constructed one where British people … Continue reading “Churchill Hesitates”
In this A1+ article your students will use their speaking and reading skills to travel in the world of Disney’s latest Pirates of the Caribbean film whose UK title Salazar’s Revenge is more explicit than the U.S. Dead Men Don’t Tell Lies. While exploring the theme of heroes and anti-heroes would obviously be above A1+ … Continue reading “Pirates of the Caribbean”
The new film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a high-energy action film of one of Britain’s most enduring myths: the sword in the stone. The film stars Charlie Hunnam and Jude Law as the “once and future king” and his evil uncle Voltigern, who has done his best to wipe Arthur and his … Continue reading “Medieval Murder and a Sword Called Excalibur”
“50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power” is a free downloadable film and discussion guide about gender balance that is central to 50/50 Day on 10 May. Here are some suggestions for using the film and other resources for a them on women’s rights or gender balance. You can find more … Continue reading “50/50 Day Film in Class”
Fifty-Fifty Day on 10 May is a global event encouraging discussion about a gender-balanced world. What would our lives be like if both genders participated equally in all aspects of it? A free film and discussion guide and online Q&A session aim to spark a conversation. Award-winning documentary maker Tiffany Shlain explains that she was … Continue reading “Make It Fifty Fifty”
In this A2-level article your students will read about the latest musical featuring the well-known characters of Beauty and the Beast. They will probably have seen the animated film on which this version is based when they were younger, but may not be familiar with the unfolding of the plot. The parallel drawn here between … Continue reading “Beauty and the Beast”
According to the theme song, it’s a “tale as old as time” – the classic fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” returns to cinema screens in a live-action remake of the 1991 Disney animation. Emma Watson stars as a Disney princess who doesn’t sit around waiting for anyone to save her. The Beauty and the Beast … Continue reading “Beauty and the Beast Again”
Lion is based on a true story, and these two videos work well together, showing the fiction with the trailer, and the reality, with a Public Service Announcement by star Dev Patel for donations to charities helping lost children in India, like the film’s hero, Saroo. In the film, Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) plays Saroo, a … Continue reading “Teaching With Trailers: Lion”
Loving tells the astonishing true story of an American couple who married in 1958 and spent the first nine years of their marriage fighting the segregationist laws that found them guilty of the crime of loving someone who was a different colour. Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter were childhood sweethearts in Virginia. When Mildred became … Continue reading “Fighting for the Right to Love”
Groundhog Day, 2 February, gives lots of possibilities for revising vocabulary for weather and seasons, considering weather proverbs in English and French, and getting a bit of science into English class. The weather, like Groundhog Day, comes back around regularly, and discussing the tradition can serve as a handy reminder of weather terms. Or pick … Continue reading “Weather Webpicks”