Keep Calm and Carry On!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 08 April 2025 > Celebrate

This slogan from 1939 symbolises British identity in 2025 . You can find it on T-shirts, mugs, postcards and posters. The simple white words appeared on a red poster prepared for World War Two. But the poster wasn’t distributed. In 1939, the British government was prepared for a major war, and possibly an invasion. It … Continue reading “Keep Calm and Carry On!”

Presidential Inaugurations: A Video

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 14 January 2025 > Webpicks

Once every four years, a U.S. President is inaugurated. This video gives a succinct summary of the significance of this ritualised event. The first 1m30 gives an overview of the day from the oath to the speech and the inaugural balls, with some short extracts from Abraham Lincoln’s and John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speeches. Then … Continue reading “Presidential Inaugurations: A Video”

Bilingual Book Prize

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 10 December 2024 > Celebrate

A new literary prize has been awarded for the first time. The Entente Littéraire prize celebrates books aimed at teenagers and young adults translated from English to be published in French or translated from French and published in English. The prize is championed by the UK’s Queen Camilla and France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron, to … Continue reading “Bilingual Book Prize”

Operation Overlord: the Turning Point of World War II

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 06 June 2024 > Celebrate

On June 6, 1944 at dawn, Operation Overlord, the largest airborne and naval offensive in history, was launched by the Allied forces to open a second front in Western Europe against Nazi Germany. After months of titanic preparations mobilising nearly 5 million men and immense logistics, an armada of 4,300 landing ships and 500 warships, … Continue reading “Operation Overlord: the Turning Point of World War II”

Olympic Spirit

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 27 May 2024 > Ready to Use

We felt this video showed a great example of resilience and Olympic spirit.  It shows Sifan Hassan, a Dutch athlete who came to the Netherlands as a refugee from Ethiopia when she was fifteen and here we see the final lap of the 1,500m qualifying heat, in which she fell over, stood up and finally … Continue reading “Olympic Spirit”

Ireland: 100 years of the Olympics

Posted by Speakeasy News > Sunday 26 May 2024 > Ready to Use Shine Bright Lycée

It’s the final countdown! The Olympics in Paris are about to start and to gather the whole world – and Ireland! –  for a few weeks. For this occasion, the Centre culturel irlandais in Paris has prepared an online exhibition reflecting how the Games mirror societal issues and the history of Ireland. The exhibition is … Continue reading “Ireland: 100 years of the Olympics”

Irish Independence: Online Exhibition

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 05 April 2024 > Ready to Use Shine Bright Lycée

This online exhibition offered by the Centre culturel irlandais in Paris will give pupils an insight into the turbulent history of Irish independence. These B1+/B2 texts are a means for your students to better understand Ireland’s troubled history while learning / revising the lexical fields of war and violence. This resource  could either be used … Continue reading “Irish Independence: Online Exhibition”

New Names for London Train Lines

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 19 February 2024 > In the News

You’re no doubt familiar with London’s iconic Underground map, and the names for Underground lines like Victoria, Circle, Bakerloo and Jubilee. But now the Overground trains in the network are being given new  names reflecting the history and culture of the city. In fact, they’re being given names for the first time — up until … Continue reading “New Names for London Train Lines”

Waitangi Day in New Zealand

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 24 January 2024 > Celebrate Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée

New Zealand is a unique country, so it’s not surprising that its national day is unique too! New Zealand’s nearest big neighbour, Australia, is more than 4000 kilometres away. Because it is so isolated, it has some unique plants and animals, like the kiwi, a bird that can’t fly. People from New Zealand are often … Continue reading “Waitangi Day in New Zealand”