Talks & workshops for students

THE UK TODAY

Brexit marked a turning point for the UK, impacting many aspects of daily life. So what does it mean to be British today? What are the key issues facing the UK? Why was the country ready for a change of government in 2024? What role does the monarchy play in modern Britian? And what might the future hold?

This talk provides a broad overview of different topics that are currently in the news and can be tailored to the needs of your students.

For Years 10 and upwards (a simplified version can be offered for Year 9).

WHAT TEACHERS HAVE SAID:

The students liked that you included them by asking questions and appreciated your excitement about their answers.

The students liked that you were so authentic in your passion for the topic, you genuinely seem to enjoy what you are doing.

The students liked that you are a very confident and skilled speaker, both in terms of performance and subject matter.

Ireland past and present

Why do the Irish and the British share such a troubled past? In this talk we'll be looking at important figures in Irish history as well key events such as The Great Famine, the Home Rule Movement, the Easter Rising, the division of Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. We'll also be examining why Northern Ireland played such a pivotal role in the Brexit process and consider what the future might hold for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

For Years 11 and upwards

WHAT TEACHERS HAVE SAID:

"Thank you once again for the fantastic event at our school. The students told me that they particularly enjoyed your clarity. Even the less gifted students said that it was amazing because they understood everything."

THE 4 Cs and Beyond
Why we all need 21st century skills

This talk is especially close to my heart because the need for 21st century skills - especially critical thinking and agency - has become increasingly pressing.

In the first part we look at essential skills such as curiosity, creativity, communication, collaboration and agency. Short activities engage the students, and a key takeaway is provided for each skill. The second part of the talk focuses on the role of critical thinking in navigating an era influenced by AI, misinformation and digitally altered materials.

For years 9 and upwards

Finding your voice
How to create a podcast

This hands-on workshop guides students through the process of creating a class podcast, offering practical tips and ideas. Students have the opportunity to try things out at each step of the way - from writing a description for their episode and experimenting with their voice during recording to learning interview skills and mastering basic editing.

The workshop focuses on the following key areas:

I Creating your content

II Finding your voice

III Interviewing your guests

IV Producing your podcast

V Sharing and receiving feedback

For Years 8 and upwards

Finding your focus
Creating a short video

In this workshop students are given practical tips and ideas to help them create short videos. They learn the fundamentals of video creation based on the five shots technique and have opportunities to gain hands-on experience at each step.

Workshop overview:

Introduction: What is it all about?
I Video basics
II Generating ideas and sketching your storyboard
III Filming with a smartphone
IV Editing your video
V Giving and receiving feedback

For Years 10 and upwards

WHAT STUDENTS HAVE SAID:

I liked that we learned many new techniques that are easy to follow.

I liked it when you took your time to talk to each group individually. You showed us your own video and talked about the process behind it.

I liked listening to your English. I liked your film as a concrete example. I think the strucutre of the input was great.

Witches, magic and ... Shakespeare

The aim of this workshop is to get the students speaking and acting (lots of moving) and to think about different ways words and phrases can be spoken. At the same time, it gives the students a playful first introduction to Shakespeare and takes away (some of) their fear!

The workshop covers the following areas:

• Short introduction
• Session 1: Introductory activities to get the students warmed up
• Session 2: Macbeth & witches
• Session 3: Producing and acting out the opening scene from Macbeth
• Short closing session

For Years 8 and upwards