Sir Walter Scott at 250

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 18 October 2021 > Celebrate

The father of the historical novel, author of Ivanhoe and the romanticised image of Scottish history portrayed in the Waverley novels, and a collector and preserver of ballads from the oral tradition, Sir Walter Scott was one major figures of Victorian Britain. This year, Scotland celebrates the 250th anniversary of his birth. Scott was born … Continue reading “Sir Walter Scott at 250”

Teaching about Refugees

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 12 October 2021 > Webpicks

The Walk with Little Amal project aims to raise awareness of the plight of refugees and particularly refugee children. As Amal makes an 8,000 km journey across Europe on foot, the project hopes to help other children think about the issue, and they’ve provided lots of educational tools to help teachers explore the topic in … Continue reading “Teaching about Refugees”

Celebrate Scotland’s Burns Night Online

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 22 January 2021 > Celebrate

Every 25 January, Scots and Scotophiles around the world celebrate Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. And since one of his famous poems is about the national dish, haggis, Burns Suppers are an occasion to taste haggis, recite poetry and enjoy Scottish music. You certainly won’t be able to go to celebrate in Scotland this year, … Continue reading “Celebrate Scotland’s Burns Night Online”

Presidential Poet

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 15 January 2021 > What's On

The line-up for the Biden-Harris Presidential Inauguration includes an extraordinary young poet. Andrea Gorman was named the country’s inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, at just 18. The Inauguration swearing-in ceremony traditionally includes a religious invocation and blessing, given by Father Leo J. O’Donovan and Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman, a recitation of the Pledge … Continue reading “Presidential Poet”

2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for American poet Louise Gluck

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 12 October 2020 > In the News

American poet Louise Glück won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for “her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”, the Swedish Academy said on Thursday. "It's too new … it's too early here." Take a listen to this brief conversation with new Literature Laureate Louise Glück, recorded shortly after the … Continue reading “2020 Nobel Prize in Literature for American poet Louise Gluck”

Studying Wordsworth’s Poetry for Spring

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 25 March 2020 >

One of the  most famous British poets is celebrating his 250th birthday in April! Why not introduce students to Wordsworth by studying one of his  iconic poems, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also known as “Daffodils”), a perfect start to spring! The following activities will help your students discover Wordsworth himself, through a Biobox … Continue reading “Studying Wordsworth’s Poetry for Spring”