Month: May 2010

As well as teaching Spanish at Whitehouse Common Primary, I am also often asked to speak at conferences about Primary Languages and how I teach using ICT.

I really enjoy speaking (as those who have met me already know!) and see it as a way of sharing my passion and enthusiasm with others.  Just as I use my blog as a way to share with others, when I’m presenting I’m passing on experiences and ideas that I have gained over time.

Over the next three posts I’ll be sharing details of three conferences at which I am speaking over the next term.  Perhaps one of them will attract your attention.

Today, 5th May, marks the 5th birthday of eTwinning.

The birthday was celebrated across Europe with balloon releases, cake eating and national events.

In the UK we were encouraged to plant blue and yellow flowers – the colours of the European Union and also the eTwinning logo.

At Whitehouse Common, 1DS marked the event in several ways.

1. we watched the eTwinning videos below – the children (aged 5-6) completely understood the message of the first clip – ‘eTwinning makes lessons more fun.  The kids looked much happier when the eTwinning man arrived.’  And they were highly amused by all the ball throwing in the second!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj58uA4cjrQ

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HDdxNQ6AIY

2. we made paper doll chains to symbolise people holding hands as friends – surprisingly they all successfully cut out their dolls in a chain (although we had one set of decapitated dolls!)

3. we coloured in flowers in blue and yellow for a display

4. and best of all, we planted some marigolds and a blueish daisy in the dragon planter.

So – Happy Birthday eTwinning from WCPS!

Thanks to an e-mail from Speekee, my knowledge of Spanish festivals has just grown!

This weekend in Spain’s festive year it’s The May Crosses – Las Cruces de Mayo.

Las Cruces de Mayo form a Spanish tradition which dates back to Roman times. Anyone can take part in making the decorative crosses, usually achieved by fitting together sections of plastic tubing, each punctured with lots of little holes. Then the crosses are laced with flowers which fit into the holes. Often, the immediate surrounds of the cross are also ‘dressed’ – with herbs, flowers and the like.

Here’s a clip they posted on Youtube to show what they look like.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERiyXCUlyNo

You can find out more here, here and see some photos here.

And here’s a marvellous 360º panorama of Las Cruces in Motril.

Las Cruces de Mayo – Motril (Granada) in Spain