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Helping
the non-specialist classroom teacher
Early Start
Languages packs help
the non-specialist primary classroom teacher introduce their
own class to a foreign language and culture - even if their
own command of the language comes from school-level
qualifications.
Primary teachers cover the whole
curriculum - the professional skills they employ to help
young beginners with literacy, numeracy, science, maths,
music, history and P.E. are equally relevant and valuable in
introducing children to the early stages of MFL and the
International Dimension.
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Films
gives an authentic model
The films show children native speakers talking
in authentic social contexts. They see and hear the
intonation, pronunciation, gestures, facial expressions and
"body language" of native speakers of their own age [and
adults too] - and they see from the context and in the
background all sorts of information about everyday life in
France, Spain or Germany.
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By using the films frequently in class
MFL sessions, both teacher and children are reminded of how
native speakers use the language. Without such a resource,
the children's pronunciation can only ever be as good as the
adults they hear and copy. Obviously audio-tapes and
textbooks on their own lack the richness of such a
resource.
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Short films are an
active part of the lessons
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Each part of the course has a film
(on DVD, video, disk or online) lasting about 5-8
minutes. This will introduce the children to a little more
language by showing many different people talking in
appropriate social contexts - almost all filmed in the
country. Progression is carefully planned - each part builds
on the language and structures taught in those studied
previously, so the parts should be used in sequence.
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Learning
activities across the curriculum
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Picture: two
language assistants working in a Croydon primary school. The
child who next catches the grey furry toy (seen in the FLA's
hand) engages in a simple Q and A dialogue about
themselves.
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Each EARLY START video-pack has a
Teachers Manual that suggests activities to help children
practise the new language introduced by the films - in class
and group activities, with activity sheets and flashcards,
through games and songs. These help pupils in primary school
learn a foreign language in a way appropriate to their
needs, interests and abilities.
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Singing activity working on colours at KS1
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We suggest how the class teacher can
use many different occasions in the school day for language
practice and exploring another culture - in literacy and
numeracy work; in art, music and PSE; in physical education;
in geography, history and technology; in developing ICT
skills - even in non-lesson time, e.g. meeting children in
the corridor, or when calling the register.
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In these ways, not much timetabled
time need be devoted specifically to MFL work.
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Progression
- speaking & listening, reading &
writing
These introductory courses aim to develop the learners'
confidence that they can speak languages and successfully
communicate with foreigners - and enjoy doing so. The
vocabulary and structures are chosen to be appropriate to
the needs and interests of children - they won't be buying
airline tickets or booking hotel rooms, but they will want
to be able to introduce themselves, and to understand
personal information from other young people.
The young beginners start with hearing
- and trying to understand - the new language. The next step
is for them to speak it, in appropriate situations. As the
course progresses they hear questions, and are able to
respond; they can seek information themselves. Soon they are
having conversations.
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The written word is introduced if
children are likely to encounter it - and then mainly
reading to recognise and understand. Translation and
potential difficulties of writing such as adjectival
agreements and accents are largely left to more formal work
at secondary school. But we suggest strategies for helping
children to read and write in the target language when
exchanging e-mails and other communications, and look at the
value of using simple children's books from other countries.
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Storytelling in a nursery class
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To avoid potential problems when
pupils from different primary schools transfer to secondary
school, the approach is to cover as little as possible of
the structured formal work pupils will meet at a later
stage.
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Gathering
information to help cross-phase
liaison
It is important to be able to pass on to the secondary
school MFL teacher what the child has covered in an
introductory course. To help make this easier, we have
provided profile statements at the end of each course book
which teachers can use to get quick feedback on pupils'
attitudes and perceptions. There is also a quiz for each
part, which tests what the pupils have learned. Each is
appropriate to the course methodology, i.e. the emphasis is
on whether they can communicate through speaking the
language, and understand when hearing it spoken.
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Vocabulary
Each language course progresses through a series of
topics that is common to virtually every mainstream PMFL
course in Europe. First pupils learn to understand and
respond to a limited range of personal enquiries. Next they
talk about their immediate environment, find their way
around a town, and give directions. Then simple structures
and phrases are introduced so they can speak the language at
mealtimes, when shopping and when playing games with their
peers.
At each stage, new words, phrases and
questions are introduced in three groups:
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Core vocabulary
The 'core vocabulary' is introduced in the video, and
the teacher can choose to go through the whole of the
course with the class speaking and hearing just
that.
Extra language that could be
introduced by the teacher
In each section, teachers are offered a further
selection of optional words and structures. You should
choose which, if any, to introduce for use in activities,
depending on your pupils' progress, and how confident you
are yourself with the language. An audio tape is
available that gives a model for
pronunciation.
Classroom management
vocabulary
Each Pack also has a further selection of words and
phrases for classroom management, which are shown in a
separate section of the film, or on the
e-flashcards.
We have tried to help the
inexperienced linguist avoid situations where an inadvertent
use of a word or phrase in a particular context might be
incorrect. This may happen, for example, where prepositions
have to change form to agree with the gender of a
noun.
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Activity to practise words for colours
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Recording 'Today's
weather' becomes another opportunity to use the foreign
language
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Action singing
game
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Where we draw attention to points of
grammar, we offer sensible 'survival strategies' for the
wary. Explanations are given to help the teacher offer a
correct spoken model to pupils - and not to give to the
class.
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Developing
cultural perspectives
Young learners are just getting to know their local area
and the country in which they live, so the emphasis in the
approach suggested is on discussion of similarities and
human diversity rather than national differences or
stereotypes. We include activities where children look at
how they do things, or behave in certain contexts, to help
draw out notions of how social conventions work, and help
them become aware that different people can do things in
different ways. Throughout, a European or even wider
dimension is encouraged.
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Children taste typical German foods
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A video-conferencing session with a linked school - using
both languages
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Using
the films - practical hints
Each film presents a number of short sections, each of
which extends the pupils' language by a small step, by
presenting new words, phrases or a new structure in a number
of contexts. Each offers a model of authentic usage and
pronunciation by native speakers, who are not actors - a
mixture of children and adults, and often with a variety of
accents.
Each video scene complements the
language heard with visual information about the social
context, offering incidental insights into how our European
neighbours live and their everyday culture.
Each section is carefully referenced,
so you can easily find it on the tape. Each supports
language activities that may last for short episodes
extending over several days or a week. During this time, you
will probably want to play each section several times as
your class works through activities in the book, so the
pupils become familiar with the authentic sounds. As a
general principle, it is a good idea to give pupils the
opportunity to see and hear the film again in any session
where you are introducing a brand new section of vocabulary
for the first time. This gives them the chance to find out
for themselves how much more they can understand and follow
once they have had some practice.
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Experience suggests that children
enjoy seeing the varied and lively films several times over
- the book suggests ways of making best use of them,
especially in circumstances where access to an electronic
whiteboard, data projector, TV set , DVD player or
computer is difficult (e.g. involves moving to a special
room).
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As their vocabulary grows, children can use a video camera
(if you can acquire one) in simple interview or even
game-show situations, to practise more extended exchanges in
the target language.
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Continuing
professional development
The team that developed these language courses is
available to give a limited number of presentations, subject
to the demands of updating and developing the course
publications.
For teachers new to teaching a foreign
language, we can recommend courses run by CILT and various
cultural agencies - see "Which
Language" page for contact
details.
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Updated: 20th December 2000
Copyright © 1995-2013 Early Start
Languages
