Words Without Borders Campus

4 Powerful Ways to Commemorate June 4th, the Tiananmen Square Massacre

Posted on May 31, 2019

From the series "Eternal Sorrow," by Wu Wenjian.

A painting from the series "Eternal Sorrow," by protester turned painter Wu Wenjian.

This coming Tuesday will mark 30 years since the Chinese government's violent suppression of young pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square. In China, due to government censorship, most students know little or nothing about this event. How about students in the U.S. and other countries? Whether you have ten minutes or an entire class session, you'll find ways to introduce your students to the events of June 4th, 1989---and demonstrate their continued relevance---below.

Congratulations to Jokha Alharthi and Marilyn Booth on this year's Man Booker Prize!

Posted on May 22, 2019

We are delighted to report that Jokha Alharthi, an Omani author whose work we featured in the blog just a few weeks ago, just won the Man Booker Prize for her novel Celestial Bodies! Marilyn Booth translated the novel.

6 Great Resources for Teaching About the U.S.-Mexico Border

Posted on May 20, 2019

In researching resources for the novel excerpt "The Gringo Champion," which tells the story of a teen migrant, WWB has found great videos, articles, and photo essays addressing immigration across our southern border---which can be also be used with other works of literature, such as Esperanza Rising, or in social studies and history classes. You'll find links to these resources below.

Hawaii and Headlines: Opportunities for Teachers and Students

Posted on May 14, 2019

Steam Vents near the Kilauea Military Camp, Hawaii. — Steam vents near the Kilauea Military Camp, Hawaii. By Nan Palmero, 2011.Creative Commons license.

The Japan-U.S. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Teacher Exchange Program provides the opportunity for U.S. grades 7-12 teachers to participate in a five-day conference in Hawaii in August 2019. Applications are due May 23rd.

Original-Language Texts in Spanish and Mandarin

Posted on May 09, 2019

Tang Dynasty copy of 新婦地黃湯帖 by Wang Xianzhi (344–386), currently in the Taito Ward Calligraphy Museum.

Do you teach Spanish or bilingual-Spanish classes? You'll find original-language versions of these pieces of literature: “A Failed Journey” (Un Viaje Fallido), the journalistic essay “Violence and Drug-Trafficking in Mexico” (“¡Qué manera de perder!”: Violencia y narcotráfico en México), and the poems “Sleepless Homeland” (La patria insomne), and “Notes on a Zombie Cataclysm” (Notas en torno a la catástrofe zombi), all in the Mexico Unit.