Hong Kong citizens have been protesting for weeks against a law they say would stifle political opposition by allowing activists to be extradited to mainland China for trial. In the face of surveillance, activists in the former British colony are turning to web apps to anonymously organise protests, or even vote on their next actions. … Continue reading “Digital Democracy in Hong Kong Protests”
To mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, Peter Jackson has restored old black-and-white archive footage of British servicemen’s life in the trenches. “They Shall Not Grow Old” takes its title from a 1914 poem and this resource fits perfectly into Shine Bright 1re Advanced File 2: “War will Not Tear … Continue reading “WWI: They Shall Not Grow Old”
A new biopic, Vita and Virginia, tells the story of author Virginia Woolf’s relationship with aristocrat Vita Sackville-West, which resulted in one of the most innovative novels of the early twentieth century, Orlando. Apart from an interest in literature and writing, nothing destined Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West to meet, never mind form a relationship. … Continue reading “Virginia Woolf Love Story”
Caroline Criado Perez’s thought-provoking book Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men does exactly what it says: shows the hundreds of ways in which the needs of women (and anyone who isn’t a 1.77m tall, 76kg white male) are ignored in all aspects of our society. The author will be giving a … Continue reading “Visible Woman”
British author and activist Caroline Criado Perez’s new book Invisible Women sets out to show that we live in a world that is literally made for men. And the results of that vary from annoying to downright dangerous. This B2-B2+ resource based around a review of the book fits well into the Shine Bright 1re … Continue reading “Invisible Women”
Forty-six years after it was filmed, an extraordinary documentary has been released of Aretha Franklin recording her most popular album, and the biggest selling gospel album of all time. The “Queen of Soul” was at the height of her career in 1972, having recorded 11 consecutive Number 1 singles in the pop and R&B charts. … Continue reading “Amazing Grace”
A new documentary film by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson brings the soldiers in the First World War to life to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice. The First World War was the first major conflict after the invention of film cameras. To mark the centenary of the end of the War on … Continue reading “They Shall Not Grow Old”
The trailer for the biopic Tolkien is perfect to add to Shine Bright 1re Advanced File 2 “War will not tear us apart” or File 1 “Biopics in Hollywood”. It draws parallels between Tolkien’s childhood friendships and love, his experience of World War I and his later heroic fantasy novels The Hobbit and Lord of … Continue reading “Tolkien, War and Fellowship”
Shine Bright 1re File 16 is on Born-free South Africa: the young generation that was born after the end of apartheid. The legacy of Nelson Mandela’s life and politics is the cornerstone of today’s South Africa. In this B1 article, your students will learn about Mandela and his part in the abolition of apartheid and … Continue reading “South Africa: Nelson Mandela”
Dorothea Lange’s iconic photos of Depression-era America and the farming families forced to flee meteorological and financial disasters often focus on the roads the migrants travelled. In Shine Bright 1re Advanced File 4 “On the Road”, pupils analyse a photo by Lange juxtaposed with extracts from John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. This resource will … Continue reading “Dorothea Lange: On the Road”
