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Somerset Regional Support Group |
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Regular sessions are held at different venues around Somerset. We explored the sort of vocabulary likely to be coming up this half term using some games and activities that are useful in the classroom. This was really 2 courses rolled into one, to enable teachers to feel really confident about how to pronounce the words correctly. We welcomed 3 tutors from the Somerset Adult Leisure & Learning service, who are now going to offer similar sessions in other parts of the county - which is HUGE, rural and has 216 primary schools! Date: 16/10/2007 Fun; useful; made me realise the value of using movement in language learning...were some of the comments made about our session on MFL & Somerset Total Communication. Louise Knight, who trains teachers to use this method of signing, provided us with a wonderful insight into the background of STC and how it is used to enhance the learning of children with all sorts of learning difficulties. In an area such as MFL, there is huge scope for embracing these signs that are already in use everyday in lots of Somerset Schools to give our children another method of embedding new language. We then explored how we could teach colours using STC to complement other well-known MFL techniques and activities. We all learnt how to sign the colours, added to our repertoire of useful games and enjoyed our cream cakes. This was one of the most interctive and fun sessions we have had! Date: 02/11/2007 Pronunciation was "purrfected" in the areas of the alphabet; asking where you live; asking how old you are; pencil case items and the days of the week by the small but very keen group at our recent ELLRSG session. Friday afternoon was the only time the venue was free to schedule this session that needed to be at the start of the second half of the term - but I would not choose such a slot again. Medals for "Service to the MFL cause" are definitely in order. In another relaxed but fast paced afternoon, we enjoyed playing some new games and reminded ourselves of some old favourites that are just perfect for introducing new vocabulary and having fun. One teacher reported that she had taken some of the words and games from the previous session and used those as a basis for her first go at MFL. She was delighted with the response from the children and returned absolutely inspired and with a thirst for more ideas. That's the sort of feedback that gives me a real buzz. Date: 26/11/2007 A "feet on" session taught us how to construct a dance "motif" that can easily be combined with simple French used by the teacher. Instructions such as "sautez"; "tournez" and vocabulary like "les epaules" and "les hanches" require the children to use the medium of dance to listen and respond. This proved to be a popular session looking at yet another cross curricular way of exploiting a foreign language. Date: 07/01/2008 Date: 26/02/2008 A lively discussion broke out on all sorts of nitty gritty classroom issues, such as how to encourgage children to ask questions and to give negative replies rather than just give positive answers. Sally from Chard shared a superb idea she has had, which is to have Le Prof du Jour - who sits on a chair next to her and chooses who they are going to put a question to. Sally reminds them of perhaps 3 questions they know and they make their selection. She does this with one boy and one girl during each lesson and they can hardly wait for their turn. It was good to be able to gently point out that the question/negative issues have been identified and included as objectives in the Framework! Date: 01/04/2008 Date: 28/04/2008 "Bright Ideas for a special event" was our title and there certainly were some bright ideas contributed by Giuliana Butt, Primary Leading Teacher and Karon Harvey, Primary Outreach Teacher from Huish Language College. Giuliana took us through how plans for a European Dimension DAY blossomed into a full WEEK. Giuliana had put so much time and effort into researching the art, food, customs of a different country for each teacher in her school in Wells to use that the Head declared it just had to be a week. It must have been the cuppa and slice of panettone that worked wonders as Giuliana enthused the staff. Karon's Special Day event was the culmination of a week of activities that took place in the feeder schools. Ideas have now been posted on our Somerset site for others to benefit from. Another teacher shared how they include a foreign language story as part of the bedtime story session in Book Week. The RSG will soon be buying a collection of different language story books for schools to borrow! Date: 03/06/2008 We pronounced our way through some of the more interesting animal names - both singular and plural, colours and then looked at sentence building using both. We finished up with animal sounds in French. Throughout the session we discussed various pronunciation rules and tried to apply sounds from words we are familiar with, in order to help us decode new words...just like we do with the children. Feedback was VERY positive, and as this was the first MFL event for the majority of those present it was wonderful to know they felt reassured that teaching MFL is not going to be as scary as they had thought. The group are keen to return next term for a session on games and activities to make MFL fun.
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Coordinator: Lesley Hooper, Somerset Local Authority, County Hall, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4DY