Shakespeare Shadows

This year is the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare.Occasionally I am asked how we can link our target language learning to the whole school creative curriculum and in October last year one teacher asked me how she could perhaps link language learning to the school focus on Macbeth.Just how can we link language learning to Shakespeare as part of the primary school creative curriculum?

The launch of "Shakespeare Lives" by the VSO (British Council)  has made me put pen to blog and write down two of the ideas I developed after being asked the question aboiut Macbeth above.

So how do I think we can link a creative curriculum focus on most plays by Shakespeare and the learning of a primary foreign language....Below are two ideas that I think we could use with UKS2 :"Wordsmith Collections" (reading and dictionary work), and "Shakespeare Shadows"(speaking,performing,listening)

Creating wordsmith collections! - investigating nouns,adjectives and verbs in bilingual dictionaries

• As a class let's  collect nouns, adjectives ands verbs that we feel help to colour in the story line of the Shakespeare play we are considering.As I was asked about Macbeth (gruesome as it is ) I am focusing on this play but the ideas are transferable to other plays too: e.g. nouns the children may connect with Macbeth could be  - "soldiers,King,wife,witches,woods,castles,murder, blood, knives, madness, greed,ambition,battle "
• Let's collect adjectives about the characters: e.g. crazy,brave,greedy,powerful,jealous
• Let's look for infinitives of verbs associated with the story too e.g to fight,to murder, to chant, to be afraid, to die....(slightly dark I know with Macbeth!) . 
• Now let's create "Wordsmith Objects and Pictures", let's think of of objects and places in the storyline that are important (so what about a cauldron,a wood,a castle , a crown,a knife ,a King etc) and let's select nouns,adjectives and verbs we have found in our bilingual dictionaries to fill in the pictures we have drawn of the objects.We can only add nouns , adjectives and verbs that we feel fit in with the part of the story lin in the play where the associated with the object or place
• Can we create a class target language picture story book using these "Wordsmith collections?

Shakespeare Shadows : Creating our own "Shadow Theatre 60 Second" performances!

• Ask the children to focus on a character or group of characters in the play you are focusing upon- so if it's Macbeth , we could look at Macbeth, Lady Macbeth,the soldiers, Banquo,the witches, the gate keeper.....
• Ask the children to draw an outline of the character/characters they want to focus upon and ask them to transfer the outline to an A4 piece of card and cut it out.We are going to create our own Shadow Theatre monologues based on the characters the children select.This may be an activity where you want to ask some children to work in pairs or where they may want to work with two friends etc because they want to characterise and perform he witches or the soldiers for example ...  .
• Discuss with the children which part of the verb "to be" and "to have" they need use to speak in the third person about thie character/characters.
• Now ask the children to collect nouns and adjectives that they associate with the character/s
• Can they decide if they should use the phrase from the verb "to be" or the verb" to have" with the nouns and adjectives.
• Now they need to practise the words.Some of the nouns and adjectives may be unfamiliar to the children so ask them to apply their knowledge of sound- spelling and to practise these as single words and add a dramatic action - with their working partner or table 
• Ask children to share their dramatic action and their pronunciation of the key words they have chosen with the class- this will give you the chance to discuss and check pronunciation
• Ask the children to write their simple monologue for the character they have chosen.It must only last 60 secionds - maximum.This will be a description of the characters in the third person singular/plural  
• They need to practise reading this aloud , remembering  the monologue, so they can say the monologues without a script and then adding a voice that they think suits the character/s (e.g cackling voices for witches etc) 
  • Now it's time for the 60 second performances! Using a screen or a sheet placed on a table with a light behind the screen or sheet , invite each child to step behind the screen or sheet and kneel down below the top of the table at the back of the screen..They must hold up their card character and present their monologues in character to the class
• A great follow up  would be  with  Chatterpix or Yakit4kids APPs  spoken recordings too! .Simple black and white photos of the character outlines with maximum 60 sound recordings by each child, that could be played to the class as a whole final performance- joned together and collated in Book Creator!

You may find the link below to the British council VSO initiative interesting too.....Shakespeare lives

"First Week Back Feeling"

Below are some simple ideas to help teachers in the first week or two weeks back after Christmas.The ideas are tried and tested and we know they work well and give everyone a real language learning boost in the returm after what is often a hectic and too "short" holiday!

Celebrate Epiphany and practise language learning skills - culture and target language opportunities for different stages of learner are below

Count Down to Epiphany Numbers and Dates :Take a look at the numbers and the dates between Christmas and Epiphany, practise numbers from 1-31  and create Spanish advent calendars all the way to Epiphany.

Pass the galette or the roscon de reyes ! Revisit familiar language and practise sound spelling links with this whole class game!   

Celebrate Epiphany with Y5 and Y6 with our Jewels on the Crown activities,using and practising our adjectives and agreement .

Take a step away from cultural celebrations ands reviist familiar language - numbers and colours for example.

0-100%.It's the Winter Sales. Take a virtual trip to the January Sales with UKS2.percentages,numbers and Maths

Rocket Mobiles! To revisit and relaunch the language learning of your beginner target language learners

Let's Read in Practice (Spanish)

Along with my colleagues Emilie and Ana we are developing a series of reading and exploring cullture lesson and activity packs to help teachers to explore the skills required to develop independent reading skills in KS2 primary language learning. The packs are called Active Reading and the first Spanish sequence based on Epiphany is ready to share! The French version has already been shared.

Working alongside myself ,the "Active Reading" packs  contain the resources.lesson activity guides, teacher notes  and sound files to deliver specific reading skill activities -from sound spelling, looking for clues to reading comprehension tasks.We have tried to generate activities for beginner,mpoving on and advanced KS2 target language learners.

The sequence of activities is based on the Let's Read CPD that we offered colleagues here in the North West funded via the DFE WTSA/JLN Language Learning for Everyone project.

To access the resources you will need to click on the link  below here, register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the Active Reading folders.These are located on the left handside of the page .Look for the Active Reading folder and icon.Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password.

Active Reading link

Assessment in Primary Languages: Principles and Practice

Over the last 18 months as part of the DFE funded WTSA/JLN Language Learning for Everyone we have been helping colleagues to understand and implement the requirements of the DFE KS2 MFL POS.In this teacher tutorial we introduce you to the national and international guidelines to support your own understanding and develoment of best practice assessment in your school.This is part one of a two part CPD

.In the second part of the CPD we share with you our network assessment in practice. 

You can access both of the assessment CPD teacher tutorials online here. Assessment CPD

To access the CPD and the resources you will need to click on the link above and register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the folders.These are located on the left handside of the page .Look for the Assessment CPD folder and icon.Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password. 

You may like to listen to the Teacher Tutorials  too .These are accessible in the folders and also below here: 

Ensuring progress in primary language learning

Over the last 18 months as part of the DFE funded WTSA/JLN Language Learning for Everyone we have been helping colleagues to understand and implement the requirements of the DFE KS2 MFL POS.In this teacher  tutorial you can consider how we are "ensuring progress in primary language learning" across KS2 and use this to support yoour own developing practice in your school. This tuturial follows on from the "Understanding thje DFE KS2 MFL POS" teacher tutorial mentioned in a previous  blog post.

We are now sharing this CPD online.. Here is an online teacher tutorial  :Ensuring Progress   .

To access the CPD and the resources you can also  click on the link  below , register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the folders.These are located on the lefthandside of the page .Look for the Ensuring Progress folder and icon.Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password.

Ensuring primary progress

You may like to listen to the Teacher Tutorial too .This is accessible in the folders and also below here: 

Understanding the DFE KS2 MFL POS

Over the last 18 months as part of the DFE funded WTSA/JLN Language Learning for Everyone we have been helping colleagues to understand and implement the requirements of the DFE KS2 MFL POS.

We are now sharing this CPD online.. Here is an online teacher tutorial "Understanding the DFE KS2 MFL POS" .

To access the CPD and the resources you will need to click on the link  below , register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the folders.These are located on the lefthandside of the page .Look for the DFE KS2 MFL POS folder and icon.Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password.

Understanding the DFE KS2 MFL POS CPD link

You may like to listen to the Teacher Tutorial too .This accessible in the folders and also below here: 

Let's Read in Practice

Along with my colleagues Emilie and Ana we are developing a series of reading and exploring cullture lesson and activity packs to help teachers to explore the skills required to develop independent reading skills in KS2 primary language learning. The packs are called Active Reading and the first French sequence based on Epiphany is ready to share!

Working alongside myself ,the "Active Reading" packs are being designed by Emilie in French and contain the resources.lesson activity guides, teacher notes  and sound files to deliver specific reading skill activities -from sound spelling, looking for clues to reading comprehension tasks.We have tried to generate activities for beginner,mpoving on and advanced KS2 target language learners.

The first pack about Epiphany in France is being created by Ana in Spanish too and will be available shortly.The sequence of activities is based on the Let's Read CPD that we offered colleagues here in the North West funded via the DFE WTSA/JLN Language Learning for Everyone project.

To access the resources you will need to click on the link  below here, register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the Active Reading folders.These are located on the lefthandside of the page .Look for the Actve Reading folder and icon.Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password.

Active Reading link

Let's Read CPD DFE POS

"Let's Read CPD"  WTSA/JLN MFL KS2 DFE POS project "Language Learning for Everyone" presentation,power point and resources are now online and available for everyone to access.!If you were unable to attend the presentation and workshop you can access the all the folders and find out more! Here is a "talk through"of the online resources,intended to help you access and use the resources effectively so that you can both develop your own knowledge of reading skills development in primary language learning and access resources for real primary lessons.

To access the resources you will need to click on the link  below here, register as an online delegate and then use the username and password to access the Let's Read CPD folders.These are located on the lefthandside of the page .Look for the Let's Read CPD label and icon.The access and registration instructions are also explained on the talk through clip too. (Once you have registered then you will not need to register a second time to access these resources.Use the right hand online delegate link and input your username and password.)

Let's Read CPD and Resources online delegate registration

Books primary language teachers really enjoy!

You may have read  my previous posts Let's Read CPD and Let's Read (book  blog pots compilation) or you may have seen the tweets prior to the CPD on my twitter feed all about books and their possible role and purpose in primary language learning! 

At the Let's Read CPD yesterday I asked my colleagues to pop down on a slip of paper the name of their favourite target language story book and also why they like to use this partilcular book with their primary language learners.("Oo only one book !" was the general reaction!!) Here are some of the results......what ilike about the comments below are that these are real teacher commnets with their own experiences whilst using the books.Thank you to everyone! 

It is really important as well to understand that the teachers represented a broad range of primary language teachers - classroom primary non-specialist teachers and TAs, secondary now primary language teachers, specialist primary language teachers and PPA teachers.

El nabo gigante- because it's very repetitive and the children can join in really well whilst I am reading it,adding actions.It's easy for the children to act out too! 

Le loup qui veut changer de couleur (several teachers selected this book) - great for days and colours with a lovey message at the end! Can be used for listening activities too.Le loup books are always a hit with the children! 

The very hungry caterpillar- lots of people picked this one!  Here are some of the  teachers' comments -  Days of the week , fruits, numbers, caterpillar life cycle.Can even lead to role plays with a visit to the doctor abd an upset tummy .too! Children love it already so they are excited about it! Good way of recapping and learning lots of new language1

Los 3 cerditos - lots of opportunities for  children to participate, repeat  and to do some drama! 

Va-t-en grand monstre vert!(Several treacher selected this book)  Children always love it and you can create monsters afterwards too! Book was used very recently with Y2/3 and they loved it! Practise parts of the body ,colours abd adjectives too! 

Going on a Bear Hunt (with KS1) - the sounds in the language are fun to explore, also opportunties to create own dramatic learning e.g counting up and downstairs to safety, hiding from the bear etc!

La petite sirene - read today in class! The children were worried about not understanding but found they knew most of the vocabulary and liked comparing the story to the film! 

Una Rica Merienda- It is an hilarious take on Red Ridning hood.I teach it at the end of the toic food.It also works as a crosss curricular text ,as a fun explanation of healthy eating!   

De la cabeza a los pies- it has exciting animals doing actions the children love! Lots of first person singular verbs ,colours,parts of the body and a nice intro to the Jungle Animals unit on the JLN SOW !

Toutes les couleurs (several teachers chose this) - good for teaching colours and anticipation of vocabulary .Lovely simple story with clear illustrations.Good for colours,body parts and acting out too!

Bonjour Berthe - the children find it funny with short sentences that are easy to follow and repeat! 

La surpise de Handa - full of vivid,colourful pictures that can be used for colours,numbers,animals at a simple, moving on and advanced level.. 

Mama - because it is immediately readable and has a great last page! You can even read it to reception.You can use it for lots of counting,colours,animals ,rooms etc, etc

Cher Zoo- children know the story.They like learning the animals and from the actions we add to the story they can work out the meaning of the adjectives.

Hombre de color- challenges, thinking, perceptions.Cross curricukar links with PHSE.Accessibkle vocabulary.

The Gruffalo (was selected by several teachers) -the children enjoyed reading a familar text they love.Lots of repetitve language .Animals and actions

Chapeau- fun using lots of different characters and hats to bring children into the story! 

Le petit prince - you can use the visuals and there is a film that has a translation for the children to read.

Cher Zoo. -the children are already familiar with the story.they like learning the target language nouns for the animals.From actions they can work out the meaning of the words.

Let's Read CPD

Creating current and creative language learning

We really enjoy creating current and creative ways forward with language learning. Thanks to Joanne Hornby, who works with me and suggested we take a look at the Sainsburys' 2015 Christmas advertisement I feel we have done just that recently! Creating language learning focuses from current topical resources makes a big difference to the way the children perceive their language learnning and yet we can still hit appropriate learning objectives.

We have put the wonderful story "Mog at Christmas" by Judith Kerr into French and Spanish and  we can share this story  with our younger learners.

With our more advanced UKS2 language learners in all languages we can generate a creative fun and also language focused series of activities.Additional materials and resources will be shared in a special Mog at Christmas folder on the VLE for network members too! 

The two posts I am sharing below consider: recognising familiar words,broadening vocabulary, describing people,objects and places in full sentences (speaking and writing), understanding basic grammar ( nouns,verbs and adjectives) .Plus we have been able to re-use familiar techniques which aid the delivery of the activities for both teachers and children.We have also been able to create creative outcomes that our UKS2 children will enjoy.

Take look here! I have added the link to the blog post and explained why this is a useful  lesson packed with activities that explore the structure of language and also have a Christmas theme.

Mog, negatives and positives at Christmas Sainsburys' advert 2015 

• nouns, adjectives, verbs
• reading and identifying familiar words
• broadening vocabulary
• linking to our Y6 SOW Autumn 2 focus of house and home
• use of the negative
• creating negative and positive statements
• reading, writing, speaking and a touch of performance and drama too! 

Christmas heroes - Mog the cat Rudolph. Father Christmas, Christmas elf, Christmas fairy 

• The verb "to be" 
• a paradigm
• Third person singular (possibly plural with elves)
• Adjectives
• Agreement of adjectives with masculine and feminine nouns and subject pronouns
• Familiar and unfamiliar language/ cognates,semi cognates and false friends
• Writing a description in the third person singular
• Creating people pillar poems and a 3D creative activity

Let's Read

This week we welcome Vicky Cooke to the North West to speak at one of CPD pedagogy sessions as part of our DFE POS project "Language Learning for Everyone". Her session is called "Let's Read" and it is all about reading skills! 

Here is a compilation of all the blog posts that I have shared in the last two years about primary language target language books - French,Spanish and German.Hope that you find this useful! 

Why "reading in the target language is a great way!" to practise language with young learners.Range of French,Spanish and German favourites mentioned here! 

Toujours rien?!  Spring time story, performanc and drama

Reading and understanding book titles to stimulate creative speaking and writing.

Non fiction French books to explore and inspire young learners 

Celebrating international literacy day in early September each year and exploring target language books and links between languages.

German and Spanish books to inspire dialogue. Gute Nacht Gorilla and Buenos noches gorila

A French and German book "Heute bin ich/Aujourd'hui je suis ..."  to explore feelinhgs and get creative with emotions.

Drawing sketches of animals using the target language Kritzelbuch book in German

Carnival, the book Au carnaval des animaux in several languages and a series of activities 

World Book Day and a celebration of target language books! 

Spanish books - found in Spanish book shops  and immediately loved as additions to our SOW! 

More Spanish books we love and want to use! 

Describing people and future aspiriations in Spanish and roles (great with UKS2)

French book haul 2015 - my new favourite books and reasons to buy and use them!