The Adidas advertisement featuring the Spanish ‘selección’ have the message El pasado no cuenta – Todo vuelve a empezar. The past doesn’t count. It’s all starting again.

Which it is!

httpv://youtu.be/JE3z0vVJDRk

And then they made another, with a similar message, but pointing out that La Furia Roja actually won in their away kit at the World Cup!

httpv://youtu.be/jjowT-C6s4s

Here’s the Eurocopa song by David Bisbal featuring Cali and El Dandee. Called No hay dos sino tres, it refers to the fact that Spain could win their 3rd Eurocopa (they are the holders from 2008 and also won in 1964) The first clip features lots of clips from the World Cup / Copa Mundial and ‘de motivación’ – to encourage the Selección in Polonia y Croacia.

Doing OK so far…

httpv://youtu.be/_949qd18BVA

And here’s the karaoke version

httpv://youtu.be/M1zLdmfofEc

As I now live in Switzerland I can’t be at TeachMeet Brum tonight. To assuage my disappointment, I thought I might appear virtually and therefore prepared a little video presentation on Memrise.com, a really great site that I’m using to learn some German, revise the Catalan I learned at university and to play around in Spanish, a language that I speak and teach. It’s not just for learning languages though – you can learn about animals, famous people, general knowledge and, as I show in the video, apples! So, in a nutshell, helps you memorise things! You can add your own lists of words so you can customise it to the needs of your classroom for example and you can access other people’s lists too (could save lots of time!)

I did forget to mention that there is an iPod app being developed – I’m currently one of the people beta testing it as they look to improve it. They are planning an Android app too.

[vimeo 42614325 w=500 h=313]

I had a bit of time today as my youngest was ill so decided to make some simple resources to go with my previous post about Nubeluz and their song Quiero ser…

I used Tools for educators, a great online worksheet/puzzle/resource maker about which I have previously written.

So, here you have –

vocabulary sheet    jobs vocabulary

a labelling worksheet   job labelling

a set of bingo cards (10 different cards in total)  Jobs bingo

a boardgame 

A very versatile site which is really useful to a pretty average drawer like me! And resources such as the board game and the bongo cards can be used for multiple languages so could be used in literacy as well as Spanosh/French/German etc.

My one issue is that there is a distinct lack of women in the library of job images!

You can make wordsearches which are fun but not my favourite activity in the classroom as well as crosswords and mazes. ANd there’s a new ‘guest tool’ which I will be investigating called Comic Strip Maker that allows you to make dialogues between the Anime style people on the pages.

Thanks to Pat Sweeney on the Yahoo MFL Resources group for pointing out this group.

If you like Hi5, and you love a bit of 90s “cheese”, you’ll love Nubeluz.

As Pat writes –

“Many of Nubeluz’s songs seem to be innocent good fun and definitely have catchy tunes that make you want to dance and sing along.
However, some “carry a message “. For example “Papi, deja de fumar!”
( Daddy, give up smoking!) or “Cuidado ” ( Be careful!) which warns of being mislead by friends to get involved in things that are not right or good.”

She goes on to pose a question –

“I would be very interested to know what people think of the songs and whether they would deem them suitable for using as teaching aids..and if so..with which groups..how?”

So…here are some ideas for how to use  Yo quiero ser

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm1ZqJel8-c

I think this would fit well with the topics People who help us or Jobs people do that are part of EYFS and KS1. I think that the chorus is the most useful part.

Activities you might do:

• ask learners to identify the jobs they hear in the chorus. They are repeated at the very end so there are 2 chances to catch them. You might provide a tick sheet with pictures for younger learners or the names in Spanish for older ones.
• make a pelmanism game with job images and names in Spanish for matching first then for playing.
• cut the lyrics (chorus) into strips. Ask learners firstly to see if they can match the jobs with the description of what they do. This uses their LLS as they will look for cognates, make connections between the word for the job and words in the description and so on. Then they can check their answers by listening and watching again.
• I might use Amara (was UniversalSubtitles) http://www.universalsubtitles.org/en/ to put Spanish subtitles on the video too. (See this example and also this post about how and why)

• I might use other video clip such as Los oficios which features a famous song, or this version with the words.
• This clip Cuando sea grande would be a good step onto using the future tense. Seré dentista/artista etc. I also like the final lines – “Cuando sea grande, haré mil cosas/Porque estoy seguro que podré. Y mientras tanto llega la hora/Solamente niño quiero ser”
• There is a whole unit of work on Udicom on Los oficios. These resources are intended for ‘alumnos de compensatoria’ or learners needing extra help in Spain so many are very simple exercises on copywriting, phonics, matching and writing words and short phrases. I particularly like the phonics sections and the use of little rhymes too.
• This interactive site is useful for learning the names of jobs by hovering over the people, and clicking to see/hear a short sentence about what they do. Further forward (click on arrow bottom right) it talks about “profesiones” – professions as opposed to “oficios” – jobs.
• Here’s a free poster that you can download – I believe you need to purchase the other posters tagged Los oficios but you can look at them for ideas!
• I also found this blog with an image and short descriptions for 6 jobs/professions.
• And this is a wonderful site with lots of ideas and materials for a wide age range. There are a number of stories at a variety of levels (primary and secondary) as well as comics and ‘information books’, all presented online. As this resource is aimed at social studies for Spanish learners, so you need to bear that in mind e.g. Look at the complexity of language rather than going by the age indicated. I looked at a few stories – Alejandro el canguro pintor (basic) is a lovely tale about a kangaroo that draws all the time, and Maria auxiliar de ayuda a domicilio is more complex and a home help who makes Grandma’s life better. There’s a teachers guide that includes ideas and some activity sheets. Well worth an explore if you’re looking to work cross curricularly at primary or secondary level!

So, Pat. Does that answer your question? 🙂

A message from Linda Parker of ALL

Primary Spanish teachers – join us for free at Language World on Saturday 31 March! http://www.all-languages.org.uk/events/language_world/language_world_2012

Are you looking for ways to improve your Spanish?  ALL Corporate Member, the Fundacion Comillas, will be with us at Language World to talk to teachers of Spanish about their professional development courses in the beautiful village of Comillas in Cantabria.  As well as these opportunities for teachers, this region has a lot to offer for school group visits and exchanges. Want to know more? Then why not take up this invitation to come along and find out for free on Saturday 31 March?   As well as visiting the Language World Exhibition (open from 08.30 – 14.00), you can come along to the following session completely free of charge:

11.55 – 12.40

 Fundacion Comillas

The Comillas Foundation: research, academic programs, and professional development

Professor Kim Griffin will present the Comillas Foundation programmes for professional development for Spanish teachers.  The Comillas Foundation was created in 2005 as a centre for the teaching and learning of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.  Located in the picturesque town of Comillas on the northern coast of Spain, the Comillas Foundation offers a variety of courses specially designed for primary and secondary teachers of Spanish.  Courses are taught at all levels of competency and “classroom-without-walls” activities complement the academic environment.  The Comillas Foundation courses are total immersion courses and professors are trained to help participants use the Spanish language to their full potential.  Courses are also available for teachers who bring groups of young students to Comillas.

Dr. Kim Griffin has been a resident of Spain for thirty years. Dr. Griffin currently directs the academic program at the Comillas Foundation. Previously she directed the Middlebury College School in Spain; an undergraduate and post-graduate institution. A graduate of SUNY Oswego, Middlebury College, and the Ohio State University, she has taught both English and Spanish as a Second Language, founded and directed the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation for a Spanish university, and teaches post-graduate courses at several Spanish institutions. Dr. Griffin has also presided over the Association of North American University Programs in Spain, which represents over fifty of the most outstanding American universities that host programs in Spain.

Interested?  Contact us for a free pass today!  Email info@all-languages.org.uk

Please note that this invitation does not include refreshments, lunch or any other Language World sessions.  To join us for the full event, register HERE

Fasten your bug-belts for some exciting news!

Starting on Monday 12th every weekday on CBeebies at 09.35 and repeated at 13.35 is…..

You may have already discovered Lingo and his multi-lingual bug friends on the CBeebies website – I know that he has been a hit with more than one family that I know! Lingo ‘the ultimate show bug’ is putting on a show and  and his performing bug friends help him prepare, teaching him some words in their language on the way, ready  for the ‘Big Bug Show’.

Well, after lots of planning, and auditioning of bugs, Wei the Chinese bug, Jargonaise the French bug and Queso the Spanish bug will all be starring in their own week of programmes on CBeebies.

The schedule is as follows –

Week 1: Chinese
Mon 12th – Ep 1: “Chop Chop”
Tues 13th – Ep 2: “Wei’s Giant Jump”
Wed 14th – Ep 3: “Cannonbug”
Thur 15th – Ep 4: “Wei Up High”
Fri 16th     – Ep 5: “Wei’s Buggy Best 3”

Week 2: French
Mon 19th – Ep 6: “Can-Can’t”
Tues 20th – Ep 7: “Trapeasy Rider”
Weds 21st – Ep 8: “Balancing Bug”
Thurs 22nd – Ep 9: “The Limbo Show”
Fri 23rd       – Ep 10: “Jargonaise’s Buggy Best 3”

Week 3: Spanish
Mon 26th – Ep 11: “Questanets”
Tues 27th – Ep 12: “Queso The Clown”
Weds 28th – Ep 13 “Ice Cream Queso”
Thurs 29th – Ep 14: “Strong Bug”
Fri 30th      – Ep 15: “Queso’s Buggy Best 3”

I’m especially excited as I have been involved with Lingo since the beginning of the process, firstly with the website and then with the programmes and, whilst my contribution was one of many and possibly quite small, it’s good to see the fruits of one’s efforts!

Make sure you tune in for fun, laughter and language learning at 09.35 on Monday. And if you can’t watch it then, record it or find it on iPlayer.

I, amongst many many other people, used the extra day we have this year and blogged on Feb29th.net. Brainchild of @deputymitchell to get the world blogging in a simple and easy way, Feb29th.net has collected flags from 91 nations and been visited over 21,000 times. More importantly, thousands of people, young and old have added their post, however short, to the project. If you look at the tag cloud on the website, it’s great to see the size of the Under12 and 12-17 tags – the bigger the word, the more it appeared.

I read several posts and this one caught my eye. I hope “Harry Gardner” doesn’t mind me copying his blog post –  did ask him in the comments! Love that an under 12 has chosen to post so many reasons for language learning! I love number 6, and can tell you that you do need number 11 to learn a language (intensively especially!) as it doens’t just happen. Unfortunately.

My post is here.

It's heavy!

Materials and presentation from my second session at #ILILC2 – Barça, Barça, Baaarça!

Barca – presentation

Barca handout – links to things mentioned in the above presentation and more!

comenius_spotlight_birmingham – information sheet from British Council on the project

Here are the links to the documents used in my iPad session today / tomorrow!

Appy learners – PDF of presentation slides

ILILC apps handout – list of references to further information advice and tutorails on using iPads and iPod Touch devices

iPad-Apps-table- some recommended apps

App list – list of apps that were on iPads used

httpv://youtu.be/v0FVm_H_D18