Take a closer look! These young primary school language learners are so keen to get their new French/English spliced words up on the class white board. Thanks to Carol H and her enthusiasm and ideas the children will probably remember this lesson for a long while to come.It was all part of her celebrations of Roald Dahl's birthday and making links between English and the chosen target primary foreign languages in the schools where she works .

On Tuesday they were Spanish words because the children learn Spanish and my favourite spliced word had to be "faspido" ( a splicing of "fast" in English and "rapido" in Spanish) . Playing with words both for fun and for purpose .Linking the recall of English language and looking up the same words in bilingual dictionaries to find the target language words so that the children could make new and far more interesting words. This picture below of today's French whiteboard in Carol H's class ,used as a working and sharing wall, speaks louder than words in my opinion!

Meanwhile another associate of mine, Kate K ,was busy last week holding "tea parties" to welcome back her Year 6 Spanish learners in the two schools where she has worked with us as an associate for 12 months. Below is the description of the lesson she sent me ....

"Last week with y6 we revisited introductions and extended feelings. We mimed and pulled some amazing faces. 'Estoy gracioso' proved a particular favourite! Then we played a tea-party game where we pretended we were drinking tea from the cups full of adjectives we created last term. We 'mingled' with other party goers, finding out all about them and how they were feeling, whilst sipping our imaginary tea - little fingers aloft, of course! Great fun! "

There is so much going on here from a language learning point of view too: transactional language, dialogue building, language recall,drama, communication , use of gesture, practising "estoy" with feelings, understanding agreement of adjectives

And finally Joanne H set out her learning stall with Y6 Spanish this last week....a year group she has taught since Y3. She was looking at extended feelings too and focusing upon accurate use agreement of adjectives with subject of the verb "estoy....". Thanks to Joanne, as she has shared her full lesson plan on our PLN Facebook page . It is a lesson packed with challenge,focus and fun.Just right for the start of the busy year in Year 6 children's school life.