Tomorrow sees the MFL Show and Tell event at Nottingham High School.  I blogged about it here and will blog after the event too.  Additionally, I will try to tweet my thoughts and impressions ‘on the go’ so to speak (although I may have my hands full with other duties!)

To keep you a sneak peek as to what I’ll be talking about, here’s a word cloud of my presentation!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya85knuDzp8

Wow!  Just discovered that there are starter clips in Spanish too!

This time they’re set in Mexico.  They cover similar themes – traditions as well as daily life.

One particularly caught my eye – La cultura folclorica de Veracruz .  This short clip is about music and musicians, and a story telling festival.  This links with Unit 14 of the QCDA scheme – and I happen to be doing that at the moment with year5!

Hopefully this will help them understand what ‘la música folclórica’ is all about!

TeachersTV is, I think, an increasing useful source of clips and materials, not just for CPD but also for classroom use.

Here they present some lovely lessons starters set in Martinique, set around preparations for carnival, the school and the local area.  Not only good for the language – for example, Une chasse au tresor  looks at vocabulary of directions – but also for ICU as the setting of Martinique allows comment to be made on the surroundings, comparing and contrasting, and also raises awareness of the Francophone world.

Another episode focuses on the preparations for Carnaval and the Carnaval itself – always fascinating to pupils in the UK where such festivities are unusual!

And another looks at the route Matis takes to school – an eyeopener in terms of what the route is like!

At about 2-5 minutes long, they’re a great way to open a lesson, or for those 10 minutes activities that can spread out over the week.

CILT advertisement that might be of interest to people – If you’re interested in this, the closing date is 15th September, so best to sign up before the holidays!  Find out more on the CILT website or by emailing ptp@cilt.org.uk

Another Spanish football song – it’s the ubiquitous Gummibär with his football song.

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

Also available in other languages including French and Hungarian as well as separate English versions for the English/Australian and American fans!

Think they’ve missed a trick though – no vuvuzelas ;o)

I loved the official song of the FIFA World Cup 2010 when I first heard.  And I love  this bi-lingual version  with K’Naan, the original artist, singing with David Bisbal even more.

I’m posting two versions – the first, the video, and the second, the karaoke version with the words on screen.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8__lUfx7zdo

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHLYSTqymIg
Waving Flag de K´naan y David Bisbal
Give me freedom
Give me fire
give me reason
Take me higher
see the champions
take the field now
youll be fighters
make us feel proud
En las calles muchas manos
levantadas, celebrando
una fiesta sin descanzo
los paises como hermanos
Canta y une tu voz
grita fuerte que te escuche el sol
el partido ya va a comenzar
todos juntos vamos a ganar
Unidos!
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de libertad
que viene y que va (x3)
when i get older
i will be stronger
theyll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
Now wave your flag (x3)
ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh
Danos vida
danos fuego
que nos lleve a lo alto
campeones o vencidos
pero unidos a internarlos
In the streets
are exalted people
as we lose our inhibitions
celebretion is around us
every nation all around us
Singing forever young, singins
songs underneath the sun
lets rejoice to the beatuful game
and together at the end of day
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de la libertad
que viene y que va (x3)
when i get older
i will be stronger
theyll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
Now wave your flag (x3)
ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh
Unidos!
Seremos grandes,
seremos fuertes
somos un pueblo
bandera de la libertad
when i get older
i will be stronger
theyll call me freedom
just like a wavin flag
Now wave your flag (x3)
ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh
And everybody
will be singing

The Youtube page also explains –

El español David Bisbal y el somalí K´Naan interpretan la versión latina del tema Waving Flag, elegido para la Copa del Mundo FIFA Sudáfrica 2010.
La canción fue estrenada ayer, como parte de las celebraciones rumbo al Mundial.
“La música y el futbol unen al mundo, y a través de esta canción queremos contagiar el sentimiento de alegría que nos provoca este evento mundialista”, explicó el artista español, al referirse a la canción inspirada en costumbres africanas referentes a la fiesta, y que aborda temas como el amor, la unión y el optimismo.
El tema presenta pasajes en español e ingles y un video en el que se pueden ver las pocas habilidades futbolistas de Bisbal, quien lucha sin éxito dominar un balón.
La canción de la Copa del Mundo, Waving flag, fue compuesta por el rapero Knaan Mogasishu, quien nació en Somalia aunque es ciudadano canadiense.
La canción es el tercer single de su álbum Troubador y meses atrás fue elegida por la organización del Mundial como su himno oficial.

One of the two official World Cup songs here – sung by Shakira.

In Spanish!

Here’s the karaoke version!

Bet it’ll go down a treat with the kids at school!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IGNI0fAorE

And the official video here –

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5RQZ88P1U

On the eve of the World Cup in South Africa, here’s the first of (I expect!) several football related posts.

I am a football fan, and I make no secret of my love for La Furia Roja.

¡Sí, podemos!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5YNmTQ5Qng

I’m currently on holiday in France and under a virtual (self-imposed) break from technology.

However, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that I’ve spent the last week in Barcelona on a Comenius Reggio visit.  I’ll blog about it more, but in the meantime, you can check out the daily reports I posted on WCPS website.

One of the highlights – there were many – was the visit to Vilafranca de Penedes for a rehearsal of Els Castellers.  It was an unforgettable night for so many reasons.  It warrants a full blogpost but to whet your appetite, here are Els Castellers in action, doing something that no one had ever done before.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41rz5RtdUY0