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Bedfordshire Regional Support Group |
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The Bedfordshire RSG is for anyone interested in primary languages, with a special welcome for colleagues from schools in the very early stages of introducing primary languages as well for those further down the line. Trainee teachers, too, are warmly invited to join in our activities. Sessions will be held in Luton and Bedford. Date: 27/09/2007 There was an excellent turnout for this first session of the new school year, with colleagues from all phases as well as other visitors with an interest in Primary Languages. Diana Williams of Warden Hill Junior School, Zoe d'Hommee of Downside, Marylyn Owen from Maidenhall and Alison Windsor from St Martin de Porres all spoke fluently and entertainingly about their experiences in the first year of teaching French in their schools. We saw some delightful video footage and still photographs of children enjoying different activities, and were inspired by descriptions of teachers who are learning the language alongside the children, and also of special events that had been organised in the various schools. The usual tea and coffee was on this occasion supplemented by wine and cheese, and there was also an opportunity to play some table games in French and German and to participate in a quiz. Everyone went away with a prize, a smile and some useful new contacts. Date: 13/11/07 Stephen Novy of Pekko's Puppets had already spent a whole day with the children of Leagrave Primary School before he began his special puppet show and workshop for the thirty-seven people who attended the RSG. We throughly enjoyed "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge". For those who have not seen one of Stephen's shows, they are hilarious as well as demonstrating his absolute mastery of the art of puppetry. Afterwards he gave us some very practical tips on easy and effective ways to make and work with puppets for teaching Primary Languages in the classroom. There were two raffle prizes kindly donated by Puppets by Post of Hitchin. We were very grateful for the hospitality of the school, who were using the occasion as part of their International Celebration Week. Date: 24/01/08 Tara Deevoy gave us an excellent presentation about what is involved in employing a foreign language assistant in a primary school. An assistant and her mentor from one of our local schools were very usefully able to add their perspective. Date: 05/03/08 Local Authority ICT Consultant Paul Hutton showed us simple ways of using different technologies to add spice to our language teaching. We looked at some recently published software as well as thinking about ways of developing our own whiteboard activities. For the last half hour there was a chance to share favourite websites and to 'play' with various devices including talking tins, a 'chatterbox' and a wonderful digital visualiser. The lucky raffle winner went away with a talking postcard with which to challenge their class. Date: 01/05/08 *please note change of date* This thoroughly enjoyable session was led by our colleague Mehdi Tchina, a French native speaker who teaches in a Luton primary school. Mehdi showed us the TF1 website and gave some interesting cultural insights into 'la Grande Messe' (the 8 o'clock news) and related topics. The main part of the evening involved food tasting, always a winner with children or teachers. Towards the end we worked off the inches with a French folk dance. Well done everyone, especially five year old Hannah who put the rest of us to shame!
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Coordinator: Pam Banks, Primary Languages Consultant, Luton Learning Resource Centre, Stranger's Way, Luton LU4 9ND