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 Coordinator: Alison Clarke, Institute of Education, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove,
Worcester WR2 6AJ
Tel: 01905 855 056
Email: a.clarke@worc.ac.uk
West
Midlands Regional Consultative Group is a networking and discussion
group hosted by West Midlands Regional
Support Groups. They
meet regularly as smaller consultative groups and occassionally as a full
group.
Regional
Support Group sessions
Session
1: Tuesday 7 November 2006
Title:
Games and fun activities
Speaker(s): Steve Jones, Inspector MFL, Worcestershire; Helen Leigh, Consultant
PMFL, Worcestershire; Jacqui Tilt, AST PMFL, Worcestershire; Heather Crabtree,
Tutor PMFL Worcester University; Alison Clarke, Tutor PMFL Worcester University
Venue: Worcester University
This first session
was a very lively menu of games, songs and rhymes in French, German and
Spanish. Activities included an array of number games which will stretch
the brightest primary mathematicians; phonic awareness through nonsense
rhymes; some useful, songs with clear learning objectives; a lively introduction
to the alphabet followed by a version of Countdown; using active playground
games based on hopscotch to reinforce language. There was also an opportunity
for the group to mingle and get to know each other.
Session
2: Thursday 30 November 2006
Title: Making the most of ICT /
using the NACELL website
Speaker: Joe Brown - CILT, the National Centre for Languages
Venue: University of Worcester
Joe’s
lively and interactive session gave teachers a really good overview of
the support available from the NACELL and other websites which support
and encourage language learning. Joe’s knowledge and awareness of
developing initiatives was invaluable. We look forward to the new Primary
Languages website.
Joe
also shared a lot of IT based resources with us, with the emphasis on
what was available to download or access free of charge. He gave us lots
of practical ideas and helpfully linked all the activities to the KS2
Framework.
Session
3: Wednesday 7 February 2007
Title: Resources Fair - Come and view the latest Primary Languages
teaching and learning resources.
Exhibitors include: LCP Ltd., Teachers Talking French, European
Schoolbooks, Nelson Thornes, The Language Factory, Little Linguist, Eclipse
Books, PGL Travel ...
Speaker(s): various publishers and their representatives
Venue: University of Worcester
Despite the imminent snowy weather, 10 companies set up their stalls in
the Institute of Education. A good range of resources were represented
from interactive language courses, CD roms and web-based materials to
big and small books, games, songs, school holidays abroad, CILT Young
Pathfinders…to name a few. Around 30 people attended and
found the session really valuable.
Session
4: Wednesday 27 March 2007
Title: Storytelling
Speaker(s): 3 Foreign Language Assistants (German, French,
Spanish), Hanley Castle Language College; Eileen Moss, class teacher,
Castlemorton Primary School; Jacqui Tilt, Hanley Castle Language College
Venue: Hanley Castle Language College
Time: 16.00 – 18.00
Perhaps the rural
location of Hanley Castle deterred some people from attending the session
on a lovely sunny day in this beautiful location near Upton-upon-Severn.
The faint-hearted missed a treat – as witnessed by the excellent
evaluations!
In the first part of the session Hanley Castle’s three FLAs took
turns to present a story in her own language, each in a distinct way.
We had the German story – expertly and dramatically presented with
flashcards – of the unfortunate mole who sets out to find out which
animal is responsible for pooing on his head! (This was a hilarious but
unfamiliar story to most of us, with an interesting cultural dimension).
Our comprehension was tested with a number of fun games involving sequencing
the cards and ourselves. The Spanish story - an entertaining tale involving
a cat and a mouse, created by the FLA herself - was presented in delightful
Spanish using puppets, cards and other artefacts. Finally, the French
FLA showed us how a traditional tale (Le Petit Capuchon Rouge)
can be created with very little time and effort – yet to good effect
through PowerPoint. We are all indebted to the three FLAs for their efforts
and ingenuity.
Eileen Moss, class teacher from Castlemorton Primary School shared the
work she has done in her primary French teaching role in developing a
set of story sacks to enhance French language learning. She described
making and using the sacks for La chenille qui faisait des trous
and a French version of Farmer Duck. Velcro-ed story boards allow
the children to sequence and retell the story with laminated figures from
the story; card games and other activities, supported by tape recordings
by a native speaker allow teaching assistants to support small group learning
in class or parents to support their children’s learning at home.
Eileen’s school is a feeder school for Hanley Castle and she has
worked closely with staff there in implementing PMFL in her school. Eileen’s
story sack project grew out of the Primary Language Teaching CPD course
which she undertook at Worcester University. She chose to focus on planning
and evaluating this project for her Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching
Primary Languages.
Finally, Jacqui Tilt - Hanley Castle and PMFL AST in Worcestershire -
took us through the brand new Primary
Languages website. Colleagues were impressed and pleased at the availability
of this impressive new resource.
Session
5: Thursday 7 June 2007
Title: Getting to grips with the KS2 Framework for Languages
Speaker(s):
Venue:
Time: 16.00 – 18.00
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.
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