Christmas is right around the corner and to get into the right spirit I annually circle back to many Christmas-themed books, poems, movies/ series and songs before the holidays. Today, I would like to share my personal favourites with you. 

Music:

Many Christmas songs are played throughout December, among them radio classics such as Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens (1984), All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey (1994), and Last Christmas by WHAM! (1984). 

While I do enjoy these songs a lot, I tend to go back to more classical songs from my childhood in a choir with songs such as the German classics Maria Durch Ein Dornwald Ging or O Tannenbaum, du trägst ein grünes Kleid or the song O Holy Night which was based on a French poem. Two songs I always listen to on repeat are Eta Notsch Swjataja (arr. Füting, 2015) and Shchedryk.

Shchedryk might sound unfamiliar, but I am sure that everyone has at least heard of it once. The Ukrainian New Year’s song arranged by Mykola Leontovych in 1916 was originally used in a pre-Christmas spring in Ukraine when the swallows returned after the long winter. By singing these songs, people blessed each other with a good year of harvest. So why do I label it as a Christmas song? In 1922, the Ukrainian song was altered. Peter J. Wilhousky arranged a new English version that is well-known as Carol of the Bells, a popular Christmas song that attracted even more attention with its use in the movie Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1991). Many people do not know or question the origin of the famous English version, which I believe to be a shame as the story behind the original ritual song and its lyrics are rather interesting. 

Books, Short Stories and Poems:

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss
• “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen
• “A Christmas Memory“ by Truman Capote

My last recommendation is not considered one of the classics for Christmas. However, I thought it to be rather interesting. “Journey of the Magi “ is a poem by the modernist writer T.S. Eliot. It retells the story of the birth of Christ by focusing on one of the magi’s perspectives. As I just mentioned, it is important to note that its author was an influential writer of modernist literature, so typical themes such as alienation and anxiety in an ever-changing world can be found. I think this poem shows another side of Christmas stories that might not be as popular as it can sometimes be hard to understand the meaning behind the words and verses, however, I still think it would be interesting to approach this poem as a literary challenge. 

Movies/ Series:

• The Family Stone (dir. Thomas Bezucha, 2005)
• Love Actually (dir. Richard Curtis, 2003)
• The Grinch (dir. Ron Howard, 2000)
• Santa Clause (dir. John Pasquin, 1995)
• Dash & Lily (Joe Tracz, 2020)
• Three Wishes for Cinderella (dir. Václav Vorlíček, 1973)

Here are some Christmas traditions and activities that I have enjoyed over the years.

• Feuerzangenbowle (dir. Helmut Weiss, 1944): Every year, a couple of days before Christmas, my whole family gets together to watch the German movie while having the actual drink. While this is an activity catering to the family’s adults, the children can enjoy their hot apple juice from authentic cups as well. Even though their drinks cannot be prepared the same way, they are always fascinated by the Feuerzangenbowle, prepared with a sugar cone on fire on top of the mug. This became a rather important tradition in my hometown as many families, neighbourhood clubs and even our university started to organize Feuerzangenbowle nights in the days before Christmas.
• Silly Christmas Pictures: Ugly Christmas Sweaters, DIY Christmas-themed headbands, recreating Christmas movie scenes as pictures
• Mince Pie Movie Marathons: During my time in England, I was introduced to many traditions from the UK. One that stuck with me was our Mince Pie Fridays. It is not an official tradition but a thing my family enjoyed a lot, it was a great way to introduce Christmas into a stressful week. Every Friday, after work and school, we would meet at home, prepare British Mince Pies and watch Christmas movies together. It was a great way to combine bonding time, relaxation and Christmas. 
• Christmas Crackers: They are an English must-have for Christmas, children can enjoy the little gifts inside.

Merry Christmas!

Lisa A.

The days are getting shorter, the sky darker and the weather colder- the long and sunny summer is over and the season of autumn begins. When I think about autumn, I think about pumpkins, cosy sweaters, scarecrows, long walks through landscapes full of paths of orange and yellow leaves and most importantly, curling up with a cup of tea and my favourite books,  TV shows or movies. The spooky season, which begins on October 1st, leads up to a day full of spooky fun, scary movies and maybe even trick-or-treating, but personally, a major event, that has been very dear to me since childhood, is choosing different books and poems to read during this time, literature that represents the atmosphere of Halloween, texts that are scary or just have themes that are a bit darker than my usual reads.

One of the works I annually circle back to is Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven”. Poe is a classic example of Gothic Literature, a genre that portrays a rather haunted and dark aesthetic- a perfect read for this season.  The Raven portrays two main presences, the unnamed narrator who is alone, distracting himself from the grief of losing his lover, and the supernatural element of a talking raven that suddenly taps on the window in the middle of the night. From the beginning, the narrator shows hope that Lenore, his lost love, has finally returned to him or that the afterlife will eventually grant them to see each other again. However, the raven’s presence immediately takes these hopes away by simply saying “Nevermore”, which is also the only word it uses throughout the poem. As a result of this loss of love, the hopelessness that comes with this grief haunts him and he drives himself into madness. While it might not seem like a poem fit for the sentiment of Halloween, Poe creates a haunting and even frightening atmosphere by writing about the grief of losing loved ones and never really overcoming this, never being able to let go and living a life full of uncertainty and pain that, in the worst case, can lead to madness. 

But Poe’s poem is already over 100 years old so it might not be an immediate choice of poetry for many people. But what if it can be connected to a more contemporary work, one that attracts a younger audience in the form of film? Last November the Netflix Series Wednesday debuted and it was obvious that it quickly became a fan-favourite. The basic summary is that Wednesday Adams is sent to a boarding school called ‘Nevermore Academy’, learns to use her slowly developing psychic abilities and discovers shocking secrets along the way. One thing that sounds familiar here, next to the well-known Addams family, is “Nevermore Academy”, a name that correlates to the raven’s message in Edgar Allan Poe’s poem. Yet, it is not only the school’s name that draws a connection to Poe and his literary work, as the whole series references him quite a lot- it has become a returning theme, a theme connected to admiration.

Did you know that the Netflix series Wednesday has such close ties with Edgar Allan Poe? Did you draw the connection between The Raven and the Nevermore Academy? Can you find any other references throughout the season? (Clue: There are 8 major ones!)

Further Recommendation:

Wednesday is not the only show that makes use of the famous gothic writer, as “The Fall of the House of Usher”, a popular drama miniseries from 2023, is based on one of Poe’s short stories of the same name. 

Next to that, the movie The Pale Blue Eye makes use of his actual person and follows Detective Landor on his investigation of a series of murders with the help of a cadet at West Point who turns out to be Edgar Allan Poe.

Lisa A.

“Because when I look at you, I can feel it. And I look at you and I’m home.”

– Dory, Finding Nemo

In light of the world’s annual celebration of love, I hope these recommendations can ignite the romantic spark needed to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit!

• For everyone in need of a heartwarming coming-of-age tale: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáez tells a beautiful and realistic love story full of emotions, even if that sometimes includes doubt. When Ari and Dante meet at the local pool, they appear to have virtually nothing in common. Dante is a mystery to Ari with his love for poetry and eloquent expressions. But as the pair spends the summer together, they grow closer and closer. 
• For all the cinephiles: WALL-E follows the life of an adorable robot. He spends his days collecting garbage on a deserted Earth, made uninhabitable by human behavior. When he is visited by a probe, EVE, he falls madly in love with her and follows her across the galaxy back to her spaceship. If crossing galaxies for someone isn’t love, what is?
• For the musical fans: West Side Story by Steven Spielberg tells the story of territorial and personal conflict between two gangs in 1957 Manhattan’s West Side. Prior to a planned ‘rumble’ between the Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks, Tony and Maria meet at a local dance. They immediately fall in love, and thus starts a modern version of Romeo and Juliet accompanied by beautiful music.
• For the poetry lovers: Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day by William Shakespeare may be one of the most-read romantic poems of all time. The speaker of the poem states that while a summer’s day fades away, the beauty of the addressee will not, as it is preserved in the lines of the sonnet.

And for those not in search of romance but still wanting to stay on theme, take a look at Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay! This historical mystery novel follows a group of girls at an Australian girls’ boarding school. When the group suddenly disappears while out on a Valentine’s Day picnic, the local community grapples with trying to make sense of these mysterious happenings. Lindsay’s work is widely considered one of Australia’s greatest novels and is definitely worth a read!

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with laughter and joy, shared with those who make you feel at home no matter where you are.

Sarah

Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.

– Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Sometimes getting into the Christmas spirit can be difficult. Christmas decorations galore, a dazzling tree, and perfect fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky certainly make it easier! But, for me, Christmas is a state of mind more so than something controlled by outside factors. So, in hopes of sparking some Christmas joy, here are my top literature picks for the holiday season!

• A classic for all ages: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a rhyming tale about the meaning of Christmas and commerce. The sheer thought of the nearing festivities so enrages the green monster everyone knows as simply the Grinch that he plans to steal the whole celebration in the middle of the night.
• A humourous twist on the Christmas song we all know: The Twelve Days of Christmas (Correspondence) tells the story of the 12 days of Christmas with a twist. Accompanied by humourous illustrations, this collection of letters narrates the arrival of extravagant gifts from the recipient’s point of view, Emily. She enjoys the lavish gifts of admiration at first, but as they become increasingly strange her gratitude lessens.
• A cautionary tale to remind you not to be a “Scrooge”: A Christmas Carol is a classic Victorian Christmas tale about Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly, bitter gentleman who despises the festive season and everything other people love about it. One Christmas Eve three ghosts visit him. With the intention to change his perspective, they show Mr. Scrooge the Christmas Eves of the past, the present, and the future – and thereby reveal the consequences of his behavior.
• And lastly, a Christmas carol book for the whole family: The Real Mother Goose Book of Christmas Carols is an illustrated book of Christmas carols with a wide variety of songs suitable for all age groups. Ranging from Jingle Bells to We Three Kings, there’s something for everyone!

I wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Sarah

We would like to write a few words dedicated to Shel Silverstein in honour of his birthday today! Winner of numerous awards, including two Grammy’s and a Golden Globe Award, he has captured our hearts with his words. Funnily enough, the authour also known as “Uncle Shelby” didn’t plan on writing children’s poetry – but he sure is quite good at it. His matter-of-a-fact, conversational way of writing combined with his humourous illustrations are witty and thought-provoking. His collection, A Light in the Attic, features many short and sweet poems such as What If, Smart and How Many, How Much.

My personal favourite:

“HAPPY ENDING?

There are no happy endings.

Endings are the saddest part,

So just give me a happy middle

And a very happy start.”

Shel Silverstein

Luckily with the amount of poems in his collections, there is no end in sight, so enjoy!

Sarah

In honour of Roald Dahl’s birthday, we would like to highlight some of our favourites works of his.

For everyone interested in a spin on classic fairytales, Roald Dahl’s novels and poems are the way to go. His novel The Witches perfectly balances dark humour and a touch of wholesomeness. Most of the poems in Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts are a bit more morbid. However, the dark but often humurous twists to these classic fables and fairytales make them captivating to any audience.

We hope you find his stories as bewitching as we do, and most of all, have fun!

“It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you’re not feeling twinkly yourself.” – Roald Dahl

Sarah

January 25th each year is a time to celebrate all things Scottish – it’s the birthday of one of Scotland’s national poets Robert Burns, or short: Burns Night. Yes, you certainly should try to wrap your tongue around one of Burns’ poems – the Address to a Haggis would be a good one so start with. For a start, it beautifully demonstrates the richness of Burns’ language. It also reminds us that there is a wonderful tradition you can join in, the so-called Burns supper: Scottish food and drink (whisky, that is, if you are of legal drinking age) to be enjoyed with friends and family, albeit following certain steps. So be sure to hold your own Burns supper with this simple guide – even if this year your crowd may be connected online instead of gathering at the same table.

If you are looking teaching resources concerning Robert Burns, the article “How to teach… Robert Burns” published on January 20, 2017, in The Guardian might be useful. Stay safe everyone, and celebrate the arts!

Rico

With more and more rainy days trickling into our lives, it’s time to accept that summer has inevitably come to an end. Now that fall break has arrived, take the time to enjoy some cozy autumnal literature with us! These picks are short and sweet, the perfect choice to accompany a steaming cup of coffee or tea! If you’re looking for an intriguing short story, take a look at Early Autumn by Langston Hughes: This short story shows that what appears to be small talk on the surface can be packed with emotions, love, and bitterness alike. Set in autumn, the falling leaves and cold weather reflect a complicated romantic relationship. A classic piece of poetry to get in the mood for autumn is, unsurprisingly, To Autumn by John Keats: Written in three stanzas, this romantic poem reflects on three different aspects of autumn: the power of nature, the consolation of beauty, and mortality and transformation.

Do you have any favourite autumn literature? Share your picks with us!

Take care,

Sarah

“I’m a mum to a toddler, a step parent, a trail runner, climber and all round outdoor enthusiast. I love the Peak District and get out whenever I can. I grew up in Chesterfield. I love dogs, books, dancing and real ale.” – Helen Mort

Our congratulations to Helen Mort – award-winning poet, novelist and senior lecturer for creative writing at the Manchester Metropolitan University. We feature some of her poetry taken from her collection No Map Could Show Them (2016) that navigates proximity and distance, past and present, edges and extremes – such as: “Lil’s Answer” – a poem on gender prejudices and discrimination, “What Will Happen” – lines on new roles and old norms of society, “Oxygen” – on mountaineering and the elixir of life or “Ink” – reflecting upon the process of injury and healing after a tattoo session.

Happy Birthday Helen!

Simon

Every year at the end of summer break, I used to set goals for the new school year. I treated it kind of like New Year’s; a fresh start that makes you think you can suddenly be the most productive person in the world. So of course I thought: “If I want to read more, I may as well read a new classic every week!” By now, I’ve realized I need to keep my goals realistic so I can achieve them. Here are some book suggestions that aren’t overwhelming, that can be read in excerpts or are part of a series… for any age group and language level!

• The Magic Tree House series is perfect for young history and mystery lovers looking to read regularly. The books follow two siblings, Jack and Annie Smith, traveling through space and time in a magic tree house. Their adventures range from watching dinosaurs and meeting Shakespeare to being dropped into the American Civil War. The stories are short and present a wonderful variety of topics for young readers.
• Teenagers looking for a contemporary novel will enjoy the coming of age story Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Simon Spier is a 16-year-old high school junior with an affinity for musical theatre. Lately, he’s been flirting online with a boy he only knows as “Blue”. He isn’t out of the closet; and plans on keeping it that way for the foreseeable future. This choice is taken from him when a classmate starts blackmailing him with emails Simon sent to his crush. How will he navigate this invasion of privacy while staying true to himself?
• And for those wanting to up their classics-game, give The Hobbit a try! It’s a short and sweet classic; and combines magical story-telling with fascinating creatures. Who wouldn’t want to read tales of outsmarting trolls and running from giant spiders? For those intimidated by a novel-length classic, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil captures the same magical essence wrapped up in beautiful poetry and illustrations.

I wish all of you a wonderful start to a new school year full of reading and learning!

Sarah

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” ― William Butler Yeats

Yeats was an incredibly versatile writer, producing poetry, prose, essays, and plays, and was the first Irishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature: “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.” He was also co-founder and director of the Abbey Theatre, which would later become Ireland’s national theatre. Yeats was very interested in occultism, spiritualism, myths and legends of Ireland in particular. These served as inspiration for his works, as did English writers such as Shelley, Spenser, Blake, and Wilde, and his great, although unrequited, love Maud Gonne. Maud Gonne was a well-known Irish nationalist, suffragette, actress and model for Cathleen ni Houlihan – the protagonist in the play by the same name written by Yeats and Lady Gregory. As the play explores Irish nationalism and patriotism, Gonne fittingly played the role of Cathleen. However, Yeats never really stood behind the nationalistic ideals and even actively questioned his own play in one of his poems: “Did that play of mine send out | Certain men the English shot?” (Man and the Echo) Unlike many modernist poets, who wrote in free verse, Yeats kept to the more traditional style. His poem Down by the Salley Gardens (inspired by a song he heard an old woman sing) now belongs to Irish folk music and it is definitely worth listening to it.

So let’s lift our glasses and drink to this brilliant writer. HAPPY BIRTHDAY W.B.!

Sarah-Sophia

Poetry is often a rather neglected genre in the EFL classroom. However, Limericks are usually appreciated by younger peoples because they are brief, provide humorous topics and a fixed structure. Lines one, two and five share the same rhyme, and lines three and four rhyme with each other:

There was a platform called Lit4School, a resource for teachers, a useful tool, literature and media teachers could find, materials of any kind, and all for free, how cool!

Take this annual opportunity to let your students come up with the familiar five-line verse, which is constructed to put a smile on your face. By the way, National Limerick Day is set on May 12th to mark the birthday of Edward Lear, an author and poet, who is still remembered for his nonsense limericks.

Happy Limerick Day, kind regards and stay safe everyone,

Simon

“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. […] Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.” – Maya Angelou, Still I Rise (1978)

These empowering lines originate from the pen of award-winning author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. Born on April 4, 1928, Marguerite Annie Johnson experienced sexual assault as a child and became involved in the sex industry as a young woman. Angelou suffered from racial injustices of the Jim Crow Laws in the American South and fought together with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the Civil Rights Movement. Her autobiographies and poems have been internationally recognised and been used for educational purposes ever since. On Lit4School we feature four of her poems: “Still I Rise“, “Caged Bird“, “Phenomenal Woman“ and “Amazing Peace“ as well as her inspiring autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). Her works often feature encouraging speakers and passages demanding for protest and resistance against injustice, racial or gender stereotyping and discrimination, while also exploring female identity, family and loss. Angelou’s inspiring writing is suitable for interdisciplinary teaching projects on racism and segregation and should also be related to current cases of police violence against people of colour in the US or the Black Lives Matter protest movement.

Happy Easter, kind regards and stay safe everyone!

Simon

“For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.” – William Wordsworth, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (1807) 

Since 1999 World Poetry Day celebrates and recognises intercultural, linguistic diversity in poetic expression with readings, exhibitions and recitations. Described as the ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings‘ (William Wordsworth, Preface to Lyrical Ballads) and as an art, which ‘makes familiar things be as they were not familiar’ (Percy Bysshe Shelley, A Defence of Poetry and Other Essays), poetry is a literary genre that usually features (1) brevity, (2) density, (3) subjectivity, (4) musicality and (5) complexity. As for every other literary genre, definitions vary, but it might be safe to say that most poetic forms rhyme, follow a regular sequence of stressed and unstressed syllables (metre) and are, due to their density, rich in stylistic and rhetorical devices. 

Teaching poetry allows for flexibility, as poems are usually shorter and fit into one lesson. ‘Language cast in verse‘ (Michael Meyer, English and American Literature) comes in multiple shapes and poetic sub-genres (such as lullabies, Christmas carols, songs, odes, free verse, rap, sonnets and haiku) that you might want to explore with your students. Poems are available for different language levels and offer a great variety of topics that are mentioned in the teaching curricula. Most importantly, poetry can motivate your students, as it allows for creative classroom activities. The (1) pre-, (2) while-, (3) post sequence, provides a well-structured framework when applying poetic texts to the EFL classroom. (1) Before reading the poem to the class, you may introduce the author, explain the communicative situation, discuss or brainstorm about the title or familiarise your pupils with unknown vocabulary, phrases and grammatical structures. (2) The while-stage offers different possibilities for recitation such as choral-, role-, mood-, chain- and commented reading. Also, you can provide your class with incomplete or wrong versions of the text (gaps, jumbled and nonsense lines etc.) the students have to correct during the 1st and 2nd reading. (3) After you read the text twice with your students, you should check their global and detailed understanding by asking questions. This stage also allows for discussions on different perceptions or an evaluation and contextualisation of the poem. Vivid imagery, rhetorical forms, concentration, compression, reduction and the repetition of words, sounds and phrases charge poetic language with meaning and allow for analytic and formalistic interpretations during this stage. Excessive analysis, however, bears the chance of close readings, intensive reception and revealing reader responses, but also the danger of one-sided teaching, which can be perceived as ‘boring’ and ‘tedious’ by learners of English. Therefore, analysis and interpretation should always be accompanied by playful, creative and experimental tasks and activities e.g. adding a stanza or verse, collaborative creative writing, interpretative recitation or poetry slam competitions. 

Free resources for English poetry, such as poetryfoundation.org, poetryarchive.org or poets.org, can be found on the internet. Also, Lit4School offers a great variety of poetic texts for every grade and school form. Here is a selection of our all-time favourite poetic texts featured on our platform:

Elementary School (Grundschule)

• “Little Red Reading Hood” by Ben Mantle and Lucy Rowland
• Something Beginning With P: New Poems From Isrish Poets byy Alan Clarke, Corrina Askin and Seamus Cashman
• Selected rhyming tales by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
• “Man Gave Names To All Animals” by Boby Dylan and Jim Arnosky
• “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss

Middle School and School for Students with Special Needs (Oberschule und Förderschule)

• “My People” by Oodgeroo Noonuccal
• “Imagine” by John Lennon
• “Why Did They Knock Down the Trees, Daddy?” by Colin Milton Thiele
• “Black Kid in a New Place” by James Berry
• Selected poems by Shel Silverstein
• “The Sonnet is the Easiest of Poems” by Katherine Ashewode
• Revolting Rhymes (illustrated collection of poetry) by Roald Dahl

Grammar and Vacational School (Gymnasium und Berufsschule)

• “Caged Bird”, “Still I Rise” and other poems by Maya Angelou
• “That Is My Dream!” and selected poems by Langston Hughes
• “The Wild in Me!”, “Lil’s Answer” and other poems by Helen Mort
• “To Autumn” by John Keats
• “We Refugees” and selected poems by Benjamin Zephaniah
• “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil” by J.R.R. Tolkien
• “Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day” by William Shakespeare

Spoken word poems are a powerful phenomenon of contemporary poetry. Have you thought about using one in your EFL classroom yet? Here are a few examples, which also address current affairs such as #fridaysforfuture, #metoo and #blacklivesmatter:

• “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman
• “Why I Hate School and Love Education” and “The American’t Dream” by Suli Breaks
• “Somewhere in America” by Belissa Escobedo, Rhiannon McGavin and Zariya Allen
• “Dear Future Generations” and “I Sued the School System” by Prince Ea
• “Da Rules” by Em Allison, Marvin Hodges and Saidu Tejan-Thomas
• “Depression & Other Magic Tricks” by Sabrina Benaim
• “Me Too” by Crystal Le

We hope you enjoyed our second #EFLSpecial blogpost on poetry in the English language classroom. Soon, our third post is coming and this time dramatic texts will be explored and explained further.

Literary regards, stay safe and tuned,

Simon

“Let America be America again, let it be the dream it used to be.” – Langston Hughes

These first lines taken from Hughes’ poem “Let America be America again” (1935) seem now more topical than ever: In 2020 police violence, institutional racism and discrimination remained a current issue in the United States and beyond. Never has the ‘pursuit of happiness‘ seemed so far off. Recently, the land ‘where every man is free‘ has witnessed a change in government and the hope to overcome the inequalities – also expressed by the poem’s speaker – and to make this dream the reality of tomorrow, remains a vision and task for the Biden-Harris administration.

Today, we celebrate Hughes’ poetics and his 120th birthday, which marks the beginning of the ‘Black History Month’ – an annual observance for African-diasporan- and African-American history and heritage all around the world. As an award-winning poet, novelist, playwright, political activist and leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes reflected the joys, needs and frustration of black working-class life and brought African-American identity, racial inequalities and stereotyping on the literary agenda. His works offer colourful insights into African-American life in the 1920s and herald the recognition of black literature and arts.

On Lit4School, we feature the illustrated version That Is My Dream (2017) of Hughes’ “Dream Variations”, which is suitable for younger learners of English, and two works for intermediate learners – the short story Early Autumn and the poem mentioned earlier.

Kind regards and stay safe,

Simon

“You have to take care of democracy. As soon as you stop being responsible to it and allow it to turn into scare tactics, it’s no longer democracy, is it? It’s something else. It may be an inch away from totalitarianism.” – Sam Shepard in The Village Voice, November 17, 2004

Donald Trump has officially left the White House, and President-elect Joseph Robinette Biden and the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American, vice President-elect Kamala Harris are about to be inaugurated. Breaking tradition, former president and first lady Melania will not be attending the ceremony at the US Capitol, refusing to welcome the 46th president of the United States and his incoming first lady, Jill Biden. To minimize the spread of the coronavirus, hundreds of thousands of American flags, representing the people of America, were placed on the National Mall. Security Measures are high: approximately 25,000 troops of the National Guard, police officers and Feebs firmly confront terrorist threats of the last few days.

The change of government hopefully marks a paradigm shift in US politics: Lies and hateful messages have been spread by the 45th president. America faces challenges from coronavirus to racial inequalities, unemployment, environmental pollution and climate change, healthcare and educational issues, tensions in the transatlantic relations and international alliances that Harrison and Biden need to tackle and aim to overcome. US democracy has been challenged as well and must be restored, renovated and rebuilt by the new administration. What do your pupils think about the current situation in the US? This powerful poetry slam by Prince Ea might fuel your classroom discussion on key issues and future perspectives of the US presidency and politics.

Kind regards and stay safe,

Simon