What is a Language Portfolio?The aim of creating a Language Portfolio with your pupils is to promote the learning of languages in general, and to record and validate all their linguistic abilities and language learning experiences (including those from outside the classroom).

The European Language PortfolioThe Council of Europe is promoting the use of the ‘European Language Portfolio’, a three-part portfolio that has the aim of encouraging lifelong language learning, providing a record of linguistic skills that is internationally recognized, and promoting tolerance and cultural awareness through learning other languages. The intention is that each student has their own personal Portfolio that will accompany them throughout their learning experience. The European Language Portfolio is divided into the following sections:

PassportThe Passport section provides an overview of each student’s ability in a language or languages. It includes self-evaluation and teacher assessment as well as any certificates a student may have received or records of courses they have completed.

BiographyThe Biography section allows the student to reflect upon and assess his or her progress. It encourages the student to think about what he / she can do in the language.

DossierThe Dossier contains selected pieces of work that illustrate the student’s achievements, abilities, and experiences, as recorded in the Biography or Passport.

What is the Incredible English Kit Portfolio?The idea of the Incredible English Kit Portfolio is to raise awareness of the existence of the European Language Portfolio and to prepare children to use future portfolios in the secondary education system. It is a useful tool for teachers in future years as it allows them to see what each child has studied so far. It is also extremely motivating as it gives children the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning as they indicate what they can do in English and decide autonomously what work to include in their Portfolio.The Incredible English Kit Portfolio does not aim to exactly match the structure of the European Language Portfolio, but instead takes the elements from it that are most relevant for children of this age.Each child’s personalized Incredible English Kit Portfolio might consist of a selection of the following, stored together in a designated file, folder, or box:

Passport / Biography section• Photocopies of My English pages, completed

at the end of each term.• Completed Unit, Review, and Skills tests.• Certificates of any external exams pupils have sat,

e.g. CYL Movers tests.

Dossier section• Posters, projects, displays, etc. that the pupils have done

throughout the course.• Photocopies of completed pages from the Activity Book

and / or the PMB.• Cassette or video recordings of pupils singing songs or

acting out stories, e.g. the unit stories.• Other (see ‘Further ideas’ below).The Incredible English Kit Portfolio can be included in the classroom routine as much or as little as you choose. A good point to start working on the Portfolio would be towards the end of the first term, when you can explain to the pupils what a Language Portfolio is, let them make the cover pages and complete the first My English page (see below), and tell them that they will be responsible for choosing which pieces of work they would like to include in the Dossier section (they can choose the pieces of work that they are most proud of, that they have most enjoyed doing, or that they think would be most interesting to other people).Parents should be encouraged to support their children’s language learning by helping them collect items for their Portfolio or making suggestions about what pieces of work to include in the Dossier section.The Incredible English Kit Portfolio for Level 5 contains the following material:

Portfolio coverPupils fill this in and stick it on the cover of the file, folder, or box that they are going to use for their Incredible English Kit Portfolio. They can also stick on a photo or a drawing of themselves.

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

My English pagesThese summary / self-evaluation pages are intended to be completed at the end of each term, and are divided into three sections: My words, My sentences, and My work.

My wordsPupils tick the boxes to indicate which vocabulary sets they have studied, and then complete the self-evaluation line to say how many of the words they can remember (go through the language with them for this first).

My sentencesPupils tick the boxes to indicate which language functions they are able to perform. Go through the ‘I can’ statements with the pupils first to make sure they understand them, and help them as necessary by reminding them of the language from the relevant units and writing examples on the board.

My workPupils tick the boxes to say which items they have made. The blank line can be used to write any additional items or projects that they have completed. If pupils have chosen to include any of these items in the Dossier section of their Portfolio, they can draw or stick a star next to the item to indicate this. (It will be very motivating for pupils if you can provide them with gold star stickers to use for this section.)

The items listed are taken from the following sections of the course:

(Units 1–3)A vocabulary record (Units 1–3, PMB pp5, 11, 16)A book review (Unit 1, Lesson 8)A concept map (Unit 1, PMB p7)A dinosaur fact card (Unit 2, Lesson 8)A cave painting (Unit 2, PMB p12)A leaflet for a tourist attraction (Unit 3, Lesson 8)A Roman numbers game (Unit 3, PMB p17)Me and my world (a review of a Music Day, PMB pp 18–19)

(Units 4–6)A vocabulary record (Units 4–6, PMB pp23, 28, 33)A description of how I made an object (Unit 4, Lesson 8)A picture timeline about my family (Unit 4, PMB p24)A programme note about myself (Unit 5, Lesson 8)Musical instruments (Unit 5, PMB p29)A concept map about food (Unit 6, Lesson 8)A food package (Unit 6, PMB p34)Me and my world (A leaflet about a theme park, PMB pp35–36)

(Units 7–9)A vocabulary record (Units 7–9, PMB pp40, 45, 50)A text about a day out (Unit 7, Lesson 8)A food chain game (Unit 7, PMB p41)A letter about an interesting job (Unit 8, Lesson 8)Tessellated shapes (Unit 8, PMB p46)A holiday diary entry (Unit 9, Lesson 8)A wind gauge (Unit 9, PMB p51)Me and my world (A diary entry, PMB pp52–53)

Dossier cover (My work)At primary school level, the Dossier of the work chosen by the pupil will probably be the largest section of the Portfolio. This page, entitled My work, will be the cover of that section, which can either be included within a ring-binder for the whole Portfolio, or kept in a separate folder or box. Pupils colour the page, and can also create a list of the Dossier contents if they wish.

What does the Dossier contain?It is important that pupils understand that they make the choice of which pieces of work to include in their personal Dossier. They can choose the pieces of work that they are most proud of, that they have most enjoyed doing, or that they think would be most interesting to other people. In addition to the My work items suggested on the My English pages, pupils may like to include photocopies of their favourite pages from the Activity Book (e.g. any of the writing or drawing activities), and video or cassette recordings of themselves singing songs or doing role-plays from the course (e.g. acting out the unit stories with the finger puppets).

Further ideasEnglish language learning is not restricted to the classroom, and as part of the Portfolio’s aim to foster positive attitudes towards other cultures, pupils should be encouraged to notice any examples of English language and culture around them. Pupils can collect (or photocopy) comics, food packaging, CD and DVD covers, stamps, tickets, postcards, song lyrics, etc. and keep them in their Portfolio folder or box. Alternatively, you could create an ‘English corner’ in the classroom where such objects could be displayed for the whole class to see.Pupils can also write (in L1) about their experiences with English, e.g. listing any projects they have done, performances of plays, courses attended (including after-school classes and summer schools), details of trips to English-speaking countries, communication / exchanges with pen pals, and simply a list of English-speaking people they know. They can illustrate their work with pictures of their experiences.Encourage pupils to take pride in their Portfolios, and to regularly go through the Dossier section, tidying and organizing it, and adding work as necessary to keep it updated. Encourage them to show their Portfolios to friends, family, and other teachers in the school, and remind them that it is a valuable record of their achievements in English. Fostering early pride and motivation in this way will encourage pupils to continue learning and using English (and other languages) throughout their lives.

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

Name Age Class School Teacher

Stick your

photo here

✄3rd EDITION

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

My English (Units 1–3)

My words

I can say words for:

Things we read Animals

Design features Places in town

Kitchen items Numbers and maths

I can remember: some of the words.

most of the words.

all of the words.

say what was in a place There was a dictionary in the library.

say what wasn’t in a place There weren’t any comics on the shelf.

say what people could do He could run.

say what people couldn’t do They couldn’t fly.

ask what people could do Could she swim? No, she couldn’t.

say what people did She bought a rubber.

say what people didn’t do He didn’t go to the museum.

ask what people did Did he take a photo?

My sentences

I can …

A vocabulary record

A book review

A concept map

A dinosaur fact card

A cave painting

A leaflet for a tourist attraction

A Roman numbers game

Me and my world (a review of a Music Day)

My work

I have made:

= my best work (look in my Dossier)

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

My English (Units 4–6)

My words

I can say words for:

Craft items Musical instruments

Inventions Food and drink

Jobs in the house Nutrients

I can remember: some of the words.

most of the words.

all of the words.

My sentences

I can …

A vocabulary record

A description of how I made an object

A picture timeline about my family

A programme note about myself

Musical instruments

A concept map about food

A food package

Me and my world (A leaflet about a theme park)

My work

I have made:

= my best work (look in my Dossier)

ask about the past using questions Who did you see?

say what people did in the past He invented the sandwich.

ask what people were doing What was she doing at eight o’clock?

say what people were doing She was cooking the dinner.

say how much people have got She’s got too much sugar.

say how many things people have They haven’t got enough eggs.

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

My English (Units 7–9)

My words

I can say words for:

Woodland animals Polygons

Food chains Adventure sports

Jobs The Beaufort scale

I can remember: some of the words.

most of the words.

all of the words.

say what people are going to do in the future He’s going to take a photo.

say what people aren’t going to do in the future She isn’t going to win.

ask what people are going to do in the future Are they going to win?

ask questions without question words Does he fight fires?

answer questions with short answers Yes, he does.

talk about experiences She’s ridden a horse.

talk about things you haven’t done I’ve never climbed a mountain.

My sentences

I can …

A vocabulary record

A text about a day out

A food chain game

A letter about an interesting job

Tessellated shapes

A holiday diary entry

A wind gauge

Me and my world (A diary entry)

My work

I have made:

= my best work (look in my Dossier)

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

Portfolio Dossier (Level 5)

songs

writing

stories

projects

acting

✄3rd EDITION

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 5 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press