Following on from my previous post, here are clips from the same series in French and German.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fdPfginDpc

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XWl6cxH4Ew

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZjE2Nq5xKk

I’ve just been reminded of these lovely videos that were part of a campaign to promote language learning.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpSNq8vsXO0

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htoXVjs3N5A

On Tuesday I was in sunny (yes, it was sunny!) Manchester, delivering my AQA course.

Apart from the problems with the internet, I believe a good day was had by all – lunch was once more a highlight!

Rather than repeat all the links, can I refer you to my last post where you will find all the ‘new’ links about PLL, and also some recommendations from other delegates of sites and learning materials that they’ve found useful.

I forgot last week to put a link to a resource listing many many games and quick activities for the PLL classroom, so here it is.

Today I delivered a day of training entitled ‘Creative and motivational language learning in the primary classroom’ for AQA.

What a lovely hotel and wonderful people!

The materials were prepared well in advance, and things change from day to day let alone from month to month, and I am prone to spontaneity and tangents.  Therefore there are a number of things we discussed or I referenced that were not included.

Where possible, the link is below!

CILT statement – ‘Making Primary language learning compulsory.’ You can download the statement and also the full report here too.

TDA version of QCDA schemes of work – French, Spanish and German downloadable here

DFE statement (August 26th 2010) on the future of primary languages.

People recommended resources –

Linguascope

Tout le monde

Education City

Espresso

If I’ve missed something, please leave me a comment or use the contact form!

Today I presented twice at the Birmingham Primary Language Conference at Highbury Hall in Moseley.

My presentation, entitled Creative ICT in the PLL classroom, is below and, as soon as I have a spare moment, I’ll add the audio of my presentation as well.
Hampered by an internet connection that was, at best, flaky, I hope that I managed to explain even if I couldn’t show the sites and tools I recommended.

Please feel free to ask questions in the comments or using the contact form!

In my classroom, it’s ok to make mistakes. I encourage them – and I make enough of them to lead by example! I liked this poster.

And this one!

I received this message today from Linda Parker, Director of ALL (Association for Language Learning)

ALL together – let’s speak out about languages!

20-26 September 2010

The Association for Language Learning  would like to know about the issues which particularly concern you about the teaching and learning of languages and suggestions of things that should be done to tackle these.

At a time of change in the UK Government, ongoing political pressure from European sources, and internal pressures within our education system, it is relevant that ALL, the UK’s major association for language teachers, consult you, its members, about the matters that are most of concern and in need of attention.

Next week, beginning on Monday 20 September, ALL is asking members and language teachers everywhere to meet up anywhere, anytime – in the staff room, in your department, at home or in the pub – to think about ways in which language teaching and learning could be improved and promoted. And if you can’t find time to meet with others,  don’t let that stop you sending us your own views.

If the Government is serious about the Big Society, then we think it should be ready to hear what teachers have to say!

The consultation week will culminate on Saturday 25th September at the Annual General Meeting of the Association (Goethe Institut, London 10.30 – 12.30, see www.all-languages.org.uk for further details) where we will pull together the ideas that you’ve sent to us during the week and where we hope members within reach of London will join us to take the discussion further.

Here are a few ideas about the kinds of things you might like to talk about
Within the context of your own work and locality:
1. What is the achievement you would most like the media / public / decision-makers to know about?
2. What is your response to media statements such as “language teaching puts most people off learning a language” or “Languages considered least important subjects for children to learn at school” ?
3 What are the issues that worry you most?

4. How can we ensure that decision makers in education value language learning?

We’ll be adding more ideas to our website over the next week – see www.all-languages.org.uk

We’d like to hear from you in the week beginning Monday 20 September – every day we’ll update the website with views as they come in. There are a number of ways you can send us your thoughts:

• Email them to Steven Fawkes, ALL Membership Officer steven.fawkes@gmail.com
• Use our Facebook page to share your views – go to www.facebook.com/alllanguages.org.uk, become a fan and add your comment to our ‘consultation’ thread.
• If you fancy ‘tweeting’ instead, go to http://twitter.com/wendynewman1, follow us and send us your views.

We’ll make a final public statement, bringing together all your views, on the European Day of Languages, to be celebrated this year on Monday 27 September.

Let’s work together to make the voice of language teachers heard!

So, here I am passing the message on!

I’ll be tweeting no doubt!

I take my job as a parent very seriously and when I heard that Isaac would be learning German, I decided to prepare him adequately.

Firstly, we looked at the importance of language learning.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmOTpIVxji8

Then we looked at some numbers.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJa7TAnR9SA

Tonight we’ll be working on some instructions.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD5P7RsC9TI

When I said i take my job as a Mum seriously, that doesn’t mean I’m always serious! ;o)

I’ve just had a go at sub titling one of my favourite Spanish kiddies song – La Vaca Lola.

What do you think?

I used a tool called Universal Subtitles that allows you to subtitle videos in a variety of formats.  Looks rather interesting – and useful!

I can’t seem to make it embed in WordPress so here’s the link!

30 minutes later – I’ve done another one – here’s Juguemos en el bosque.

I am a great fan of IKEA.

As I have shared before, I find it a goldmine for teaching resources.

On my latest visit, I made a couple of purchases-

1. finger puppets

Great for speaking tasks to encourage reluctant speakers, to encourage imagination and to ‘distract’ from repetitious or disliked activities.  This set add to my already large collection of animals, fairytale characters, sea creatures and other random puppets I’ve gleaned from parties, charity shops and toyboxes!

2. fruit and vegetable punnets

These were my favourite find this time.  Soft fruit – banana, grapes, kiwi, orange, apple and watermelon – and vegetables – leek, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes and lettuce- in a punnet / basket.

Just the thing for –

• discussing fruit and vegetables
• looking at colour
• talking about healthy eating
• giving opinions – I like / dislike and why
• reenacting stories – Handa’s Surprise, The Hungry Caterpillar – or writing your own

and I’m sure there are more things that could be done with them given more than 10 seconds thought!  If you’ve got any ideas, leave a comment below!