Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Victory for Civil Rights

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 28 November 2016 > Celebrate

Sixty years ago, on 20 December, 1956, Martin Luther King and his fellow campaigners won a first victory in the long battle for African-American civil rights. The Montgomery Bus Boycott, which had begun when Rosa Parks famously refused to move to the back of the bus, finally ended after 381 days, when the Supreme Court … Continue reading “Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Victory for Civil Rights”

Comic Con Paris

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 21 October 2016 > What's On

After New York Comic Con and C2E2 in Chicago, Comic Con Paris will take place from 21 to 23 October. It is the European reference in terms of pop culture. After a successful first edition, and more than 30 000 visitors, Comic Con Paris comes back with a second edition, for the best of entertainment. … Continue reading “Comic Con Paris”

U.S. Election Adverts

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 14 October 2016 > Webpicks

Television adverts, as opposed to the the carefully regulated “party political broadcasts” more common in Europe, are an intriguing aspect of American politics. And they are a fabulous teaching tool, giving an insight into American culture, and perfect for educating your pupils about the media. Pupils should pick up details that repeat from one ad … Continue reading “U.S. Election Adverts”

Collecting Statistics: Class Project on Gender Equality

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 12 October 2016 > Webpicks

This project from the United Nations is really concrete and could work well as part of an EPI with Maths and Geography, or at a more sophisticated level as part of a Lieux et formes du pouvoir or l’idée du progrès theme in lycée, especially with ES classes. It asks pupils to collect statistics about … Continue reading “Collecting Statistics: Class Project on Gender Equality”

International Day of the Girl Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 11 October 2016 > Webpicks

In 2011, the United Nations declared 11 October the International Day of the Girl. It’s a day to celebrate girls and raise awareness of the problems they face. The UN, Plan International and USAID all have excellent resources for working on gender equality and education in class. Many of these topics would work well as … Continue reading “International Day of the Girl Webpicks”

‘What They Took With Them’: Refugee Poem

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 20 September 2016 > Webpicks

This thought-provoking spoken-word poem about the experiences of refugees is a good way to have pupils connect with what can seem a nebulous, theoretical problem. The simple listing of the most important items refugees took with them on their flight should allow pupils to exercise their empathy and imagine themselves in refugees’ shoes. Actor Cate … Continue reading “‘What They Took With Them’: Refugee Poem”

Shakespeare 400

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 06 September 2016 > Celebrate

William Shakespeare died 400 years ago, on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52, in his native Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet his 37 plays are still played constantly around the world, and have provided the basis for more than 1000 films. Britain had had grandiose plans for celebrating the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s death in 1916 before … Continue reading “Shakespeare 400”

Chasing the Youth Vote

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 06 September 2016 > In the News

In the U.S. presidential elections,  all the candidates are chasing the youth vote. The Democrats most of all. So Barack Obama  has made a short video to encourage young people to sign up to vote. It would make a great classroom activity. The youth vote is a difficult demographic. Young people are more likely than … Continue reading “Chasing the Youth Vote”