One of the many benefits of studying English in London is surely the free access to some of the world’s finest art collections in the many galleries in the capital. I remember studying art as a teenager in the north of England and wishing I could see the paintings I admired so much. So it was that, last week, one of the classrooms here at Kings London was transformed into an art gallery for an afternoon. The walls of Room 201 were adorned with the likes of Turner, Magritte and Van Gogh; not the originals I hasten to add! Here’s how it came about.
I’ve taught the lesson a few times now, as part of the afternoon Fluency and Discussion classes. These classes focus on verbal communication and interaction rather than grammar, loosely based around a given weekly topic. Last week’s topic was Art and Literature. Initially, I had my doubts about doing this lesson with my elementary level class, as I normally do it with higher level students. I decided to try it anyway because previous students had got so much out of the lesson; after all, why should any students miss out on Munch’s ‘The Scream‘ or Millais’ ‘Ophelia’ just because of their English level?
An important part of the lesson involves the students ‘becoming’ art critics, walking around the ‘gallery’ and commenting on the paintings they see. To help them identify what they are looking at, they are introduced to some of the more well-known art movements, e.g. Classicism, Surrealism, Pop-Art, each with a short description.
In the end, my doubts came to nothing. The lesson worked wonderfully. As I watched my Beginner and Elementary students walking slowly around the classroom gazing up at the Constables, Warhols and Chagalls, making and comparing notes, I allowed myself a smile. Why? Because there is something magical about a young Saudi student who is only just starting to put words together, choosing Magritte’s surreal ‘Hegel’s Holiday’ as his favourite because it’s ‘protection’ and it’s ‘rain’. Or when a quiet Taiwanese student votes for Constable’s ‘Study of the Trunk of an Elm Tree’ over Van Gogh or Warhol because it’s ‘strong’, which is surely what the artist originally wanted to convey.
It was worth it because, sometime in the future, those students will go back to their countries and, one day, in a busy street in Seoul or a plush office in Astana, or a board room in Kuwait, they will come across one of those paintings, and it will take them all the way back to their friends and their teacher, to their class, one wet Spring afternoon in Room 201 at Kings London.
Total Dictation is one of several Russian educational events taking place in the world today. Its aim is quite simple - the continuing development of literacy amongst the Russian diaspora, as well as in Russia itself. The format of the event is as you might guess – candidates transcribe an orally delivered passage – but what makes it unique is that it takes place in many cities around the world on the same day. The event has grown since its debut in Novosibirsk in 2004, this year taking place in Moscow, St Petersburg, Aukland, Cambridge, Boston and London, amongst other cities.
While the Internet is lax in its grammatical restrictions, with many Russians living abroad, ‘Total Dictation’ challenges all Russians taking part to maintain and even improve their literacy. Through these events, the participants state, “Literacy is in fashion”.
Irina, this year's winner, outside Kings London
This year, more than 14,300 people around the world participated in this event. A text for dictation was written by Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin, the subject: Russian culture and history. The Total Dictation 2012 London event was hosted by Kings London. This year’s winner, Irina Kostyleva (pictured), PhD student at Imperial College London, was the only one of all London participants to be awarded grade 5 – a perfect score reflecting no mistakes in spelling or punctuation.
The event was publicized widely in the Russian press and in London reported by RIA Novosti, the internet based media company.
Many thanks to Kristina Urusova, Kings London Foundation Year graduate, for contributing this article. Kristina will be commencing her Bachelors Degree in Computer Science at King’s College University in September 2012.
Kings would like to introduce our new London blogger. After spending six months studying at Kings Los Angeles, 18 year old French student Kimberley transferred to Kings London in March this year, where she is preparing to take the Cambridge Advanced Exam. This week, she’s been out and about in London.
The Vintage Magazine Shop in London's West End
If you’re at a loose end in London, why not spend a little (or a lot) of time browsing an old comic at the Vintage Magazine Shop? Sometimes old magazines come back of the drawer, like old blogs returning from the depths of the RSS flux. Most of the time this happens, we stop there, we smile, we remember what we read on those pages in days gone by and we lose ourselves there again. The Vintage Magazine Shop is the perfect place for that. Amongst trinkets, postcards and posters of movie and rock stars, there are enough presents for all your relatives for the next ten years…who needs another reason to enter?
Most exciting of all, when you descend to the basement, you can browse anything from old Playboys to issues of People magazine dating back to a time when any rock star would have made Amy Winehouse seem like the perfect little girl. The atmosphere, a combination of music straight out of the sixties and the scent of old paper, causes a time warp as good as any experienced by Mister Spock on the best episode of Star Trek.
Isn't that Cary Grant?
Down in the basement
But if the weather is good and you prefer to spend some time outside, why not visit the British countryside without leaving London? I had this picture as my laptop wallpaper for a long time and everybody kept asking me: “It’s lovely, where is it?”
Prince Regent Canal in Camden
Nobody believed me when I answered: “In London.” And i’m not talking about the suburbs, I’m talking about CENTRAL London.
This casting of green is accessible on foot along Regents Canal, between Camden Town and Little Venice. To get there, nothing is simpler: at Camden Lock, take the steps down and you are on the tow-path. From there, you only have to walk along the canal and dream in front of the mesmerizing house in the shade of weeping willows, to imagine a nomadic life on a houseboat, or just stay awhile on a bench listening to the lapping water. You don’t have to do the whole walk; you can take one of the many stairways ascending to one of the many bridges crossing the canal to once again find the buzz of the city!
Well, so much for me saying in my last blog ‘hope the sun keeps shining as much as it has been this week!’ That put the dampers (many English expressions relate to our unpredictable weather patterns!) on any prospect of Easter sunshine – sorry about that. Read the rest of this entry »
