AGE

There are some important ideas to take account when children start to learn English. One of them is that, when children are younger they have more capacity to learn a language. Other is that the exposure it isn’t enough, the quality and intensity also are very important. And finally we had to decide our goals to each language.  

To take account all this we decided that Our project is aimed at 5 years old. We think that they embrace the mother tongue so is good time to start being in contact with English. Our main objective is to get the first contact with English, to listen to a new language and get children used to it.

CLIL

Before that class we have never heard about CLIL, we don’t know anything about it. But when we read about different real projects, we understand better the idea. One of the projects is from Cataluña and the other is from Zerain, that isn’t officially a CLIL project but it has a lot of same characteristics. So, here are some interest elements and ideas from the readings that are useful to our final project.

 

CLIL

• CLIL: contents learning and language learning, both integrated.
• They learn contents in English, not just learn language. 
•     Focused on communication.
• It doesn´t exist the best method, because each method has to be adapted to each situation, school, class, children and etc.
• The context is very important; we create the method from the context, so we can´t use the same method to all context. We have to see what I have (children, school, resources) and then I create the project.
• It must be centered on students. 

 

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

• They work one topic in all the subjects.
• English is used to learn other subjects.One of the objectives of this project is to improve the communicative competence of students, especially referring to oral skills.
• When children answer in their mother tongue, teachers have to answer always in English, so students can repeat it.
• In oral activities, always try to use the same grammatical structure.
• The visual support is very important in this stage. Extra elements; like films, photographs, illustrations etc.
• The body language is very important too. 

UXUE JAIO DA!

• The activities depend on the children real context.
• They don´t use books.
• They have a very close relation with families so they work with them.
• Children of different ages were together in the same class.
• It is important to focus on the children interests and worrying, like this the students results and behavior are better.

THE BEGINNING OF OUR PROJECT

Good and bad things based on our language learning experience

Good things

•  Good teachers.
•  Read books.
•  Native teachers.
•  Watch films.
•  Sing songs, play games, watch films…
•  Make exchanges.
• Speak with students in other countries.  
•  When you travel to another country and see that what you have learned is useful.
•  Knowing many languages gave you the chance to get more information.
•  Parent´s motivation.
• School gives the chance to learn English. 

Bad things

• Boring and no useful classes.  
• Bad teachers.
• No chance to improve speaking skills.
• School´s English level is not good.

Generally speaking, type of school that we like and dislike

Like

• Chance to socialize.
• A close relation between family and school.
• Work in corners.
• Trips.
• Close contact between students and teachers.
• Work in projects.
• Older children teach to younger children.
• Take into account the interests of children.

Dislike

• Too much theory
• Too much students in each class.
• No opportunity to improve creativity.
• No  importance to artistic lessons; like, music, plastic, dance …
• A lot of exams.
• The way to evaluate.
• Rivalry. 
• No respect learning speed of children.
• No relation between school and family. 

What we had learned at university that may be useful for us in this moment in the language area?

• Children have to connect a person with a specific language in the first years of their life.
• The first years of life are very important to learn languages because is easier and their capacity is stronger.
• When you have learned the mother tongue is easier to learn another language.
• To learn any language is important the interaction with other people.
• Children have to see English like something useful.
•  It must be a connection between what you are learning and the context.
•  The teacher must be a good model, he should speak correctly.
•   It is necessary the participation and the interaction for learn something.

Principals for our project to learn English

• More practical lessons.
• Work in corners.
• Close relation with family.
•  Develop artistic skills, such as; music, plastic, dance.

Questions we had while we were during this exercise

What is the best age to start learning English? 
What is the best way to teach English?
What kind of activities can we do?
What kind of songs can we sing with children?
How many hours per week?  
How can we get the interest of children?