Tradition and Innovation in the Primary Classroom
Iveta VītolaValmiera, 12 November, 2010
Classroom Atmospherea. unstressedb. non-threateningc. happyd. collaborative, not
competitivee. varied focus f. varied activitiesg. short activities
Classroom Activities busy children are
not naughty children young children
cannot concentrate for long periods
children can concentrate better when they are active, not passive.
Adults and children
• use their intelligence to ‘work out’ meaning
• use language to understand the world
• learn by studying books
• use their senses to observe the world
• make connections between sounds and ideas
• learn by exploration, discovery and play
Language as a toy• A foreign language is a toy
which children use to interact with each other.
• Like toy telephones, puppets, stories and games, a foreign language is a new toy which children will learn to use through playing with it.
Language as a toy• A young child does not
think of a bicycle as transport.
• A bicycle is a toy.• The bicycle only becomes
transport when the child has learned to ride.
Adults and children
So, if children can’t learn the way we teach…
...why not teach them the way they learn?
Balancing ActivitiesHead-up activitiesPupils have their heads up looking at the teacher, the board, poster or TV.Head-down activitiesPupils have their heads down reading, drawing, colouring, copying, writing, etc.
StirrersActing, dancing, singing, racing tend to make pupils excited.
SettlersListening to stories, drawing, colouring, copying. matching, writing, tend to calm and settle pupils.
Learning opportunities
• We don’t teach young learners, we create opportunities which will stimulate them to learn.
Where do children learn
English?in their brains!
Lower Primary Age Group
• Heavily dependant on the teacher• Inquisitive, easily motivated• Short concentration span• Receptive to fantasy and imagination• Just beginning to read and write in their
own language• Sensory preferences
Sensory Preference
Visual
Auditory
Kinaesthetic
Motivate with Mickey
Successful Teaching and Learning with English Adventure
Language presented in context of Disney characters children will recognise
Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic channels
Focus first on receptive skills
Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic channels
Personalisation and student – student collaboration
Further receptive skills practice – listening
Kinaesthetic focus – stickers
Song – making language memorable
Circle pictures – ‘Can you see them?’
Consolidation – story
Students act out
Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic
Production
Model
Personalisation
Multi-Skills
Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic
Children learn quickly –
And forget even more quickly
So…
RECYCLE!!
Review
Consolidation of all language covered so far
Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic
Picture dictionary
Visual record of vocabulary
Course ComponentsEach level comprises:
•Pupil’s book
•Activity book
•Interactive Whiteboard software
•Teacher’s book
•Posters
•Flashcards
•Audio CDs
•DVD
Principles behind the Course
•Learning a new language is a challenge!
•It is also a joyful experience.
•Our task as teachers is to provide our classes with a menu of diverse activities which cater for all the intelligences and learning styles.
•We need to engage the children’s emotions with a variety of relevant topics and provide a climate of healthy self-esteem.
Activity Book
Pages correspond with student book pages
Motivating practice
Varied levels of challenge – caters for mixed abilities
Teacher’s Book Interleaved with student book pages
Step by step guide to the lesson with suggestions for extra activities
CD Rom
Extra Practice through games and puzzles
DVD
Contains Clips from Disney movies
Flashcard set
Key vocabulary items
Teacher’s Book Suggestions for using flashcards
English-Latvian Dictionary
Pronunciation, translation
Fly HighFly High
Your Your primary primary students’ English students’ English language skills will soar withlanguage skills will soar with
Fly High• Solid skills work • Lower levels feature alphabet skills• Grammar is taught explicitly• Strong listening feature• Variety of activities that are easy-to-
teach and motivating for students• Extension activities to supplement class
work
Working towards a goal
Working towards a goal
Lesson aim: To enable children to talk about likes and dislikes in the context of food.
Grammar: I like / don’t like / do you like?
Vocabulary: Food items
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
soup
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
salad
Vocabulary: What’s in a word?
fish lunch pizza
soup chicken salad
Teaching ALL the class…
• Drilling• Take one away• Disappearing drill• Guess the card• Take a photo
Contextualising Grammar
you salad ?
Making Grammar Visible
likeYou
Phone a
Friend
Do
Making Grammar Visible
From reception to production
From reception to production
From reception to production
Working together
Fly HighFly High
Listening and speaking skills are reinforced with audio throughout the unit.
Each unit opens with an illustrated list of the key unit vocabulary covered.
Language is practiced through a wide variety of engaging activities.
Practice sequences include plenty of personalisation activities.
Students apply what they’ve learned and consolidate language with a game at the end of each unit.
Review of the alphabet covered in the unit includes pronunciation, spelling practice.
Vocabulary and language are continuously recycled through different activities.
Additional activities allow teachers to assess each student’s language skill level throughout the writing tasks and project work.
Audio and songs from the Pupil’s Book are also used in the grammar lesson in Fun Grammar book.
Grammar notes offer clear and simple explanations of grammar points.
Each grammar lesson ends with a production exercise.
Review of the alphabet covered in the unit includes pronunciation, spelling practice.
Vocabulary and language are continuously recycled through multiple matching activities and alphabet chants.
A review and assessment section occurs after every four units.
Additional activities allow teachers to assess each student’s language skill level throughout the course.
English-Latvian Dictionary
Course ComponentsCourse Components
• Pupil’s Book • Activity Book• Teacher’s Book• Class Audio CD• Vocabulary Flashcards• Alphabet Flashcards• English-Latvian Dictionary
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