Gloucestershire Regional Support Group

Coordinator: Penny Krucker, International Education Office Gloucestershire LEA, The Hucclecote Centre, Churchdown Lane, Gloucestershire GL3 3QN
Tel: 01452 427270 Fax: 01452 427269
Email: penny.krucker@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Regular sessions are held in Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire Regional Consultative Group is a networking and discussion group hosted by Gloucestershire Regional Support Group.

Regional Support Group sessions

Session 1: Wednesday 4 October 2006
Title: Celebrations including Diwali and Christmas. Using languages and culture to bring festivals alive through songs, stories, plays and other activities
Speaker(s): Sue Wise and Daxa Mehta – International Education Office, Janet Archer – La Jolie Ronde
Venue: International Education Office, The Hucclecote Centre

The session included:

• Christmas activities in French including songs, plays (le bonhomme de neige), making cards, strip bingo and celebrating Epiphany.
• The origin and practice of celebrating Diwali, making cards and lamps and greetings.
• La Jolie Ronde new Year 3 & 4 scheme of work – an introduction, sample activities and resources
• Question and answer session
• Information on next RSG sessions.

Session 2: Thursday 23 November 2006
Title: Tricks of the Trade – language learning tips
Speaker(s): Sue Wise, Val Thornber
Venue: The Hucclecote Centre, Gloucester

The session included:

• Tricks of the Trade – hands-on activities to take back to the classroom. Using language for real purpose; pronunciation and intonation tips
• Demonstration by Beelingua of 'Little Tails of the Unexpected'  - an interactive language-learning software programme with an extensive resource pack of stories, songs, books, cut-out masks and puppets, over 100 worksheets, flashcards stickers and posters. The main characters: ‘Cinderella’, ‘The Beast’, ‘The Frog Prince’ and ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ take the learner into the dungeon of a castle where the language is learnt and practised. During this session, Valerie Thornber, the author of Little Tails, will show teaching techniques using the software and how to apply them to your classroom.
• Bridging the Gap between Primary and Secondary School – a brief look at how secondary and primary schools can ensure an easy and meaningful transition
• Improve your French language and teaching skills in the Dordogne – how to apply for funded study visits

Session 3: Tuesday 23 January 2007
Title: Teaching languages to mixed aged classes
Speaker(s): Sue Wise - Primary Languages Advisory Teacher,Nelson Thornes
Venue: International Education Office, Hucclecote
Time:

• Planned progression in language teaching, including ideas for small schools and mixed-age group teaching
• A spellbinding start to French! An introduction to Rigolo, a new, flexible, easy to use interactive resource with the options of a virtual teacher to give extra help and support to the non specialist French teacher and the ability to customise resources for the specialist teacher
• Training opportunities

After an ice breaking activity based on a pets survey, Sue Wise gave a presentation (based on work by Joan Dickie) of teaching languages in mixed aged groups. This concentrated on the learning of core structures and common units and varying themes each half term.

There was then a demonstration of the Nelson Thorne resource Rigolo and a discussion of training opportunities for primary language teachers.

Session 4: Tuesday 27 March 2007
Title: Bringing languages alive by running an international day in your school
Speaker(s): Sue Wise, Mary Wormington
Venue: International Education Office, Gloucester
Time: 16.30pm

Beginning with an opportunity to sample foods from France, Spain and Germany this session continued with activities to combine international awareness with language learning. This included playing an adaptation of “Twister” using a map of Europe with country names in French, a French map activity, blindfold food tasting, recognising the words to a French song and making and playing “Cocotte” with questions on Europe.
The whole session was greatly enhanced by the presence of 10 French teachers from Aquitaine who were in the county for 4 days to form partnerships with Gloucestershire schools.

Session 5: Thursday 10 May 2007
Title: “Making it Happen”
Speaker(s): Elena Doyle – Spanish teacher, Gloucestershire;
Sue Wise - Primary Languages Advisory Teacher; Mary Wormington - European Information Manager
Venue: The Hucclecote Centre, Churchdown Lane, Gloucester
Time:

Elena described the resources she used to teach Spanish in four primary schools in Gloucestershire and used Early Start CD and a karaoke video to demonstrate teaching methods for greetings, colours and numbers.
Vocabulary, French/UK stadia locations, les pays participants, les maillots, Allez les Bleues and other ideas for using the rugby world cup to encourage French learning across the curriculum and in particular activities to motivate boys.
Exchange of ideas on teaching French in active way – e.g. the handkerchief game, beanbag exchange.
“Pour mon anniversaire” – from Les Cantines Arc en Ciel. CD with other modern French children's songs. Resources for teaching about Europe – free maps, “Languages Take you Further”.

NACELL Regional Support Groups are funded by the DfES and co-ordinated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages in support of the National Languages Strategy.