MY DAILY ROUTINE CHART

What are we going to do at the beginning of each English lesson? Yes, I would like to describe you my Daily Routine Chart.

Take a look…It is compounded by day, month, year, weather, days of the week, pockets to introduce the rest of the material, and two more important things: a part dedicated to my eTwinning Project, in which we stick a representation of the vocabulary of the topic, ecause students establish comparisons thanks to the project; and another part dedicated to my Magic Books Project, in which we stick the chapter (or chapters) of the book ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ that students are reading during any egrated Didactic Unit.

From my point of view, this visual material is essential to start the class in a pleasant atmosphere, getting vocabulary, the adequate affective filter and providing organisation and a daily routine to my English lesson.

PROJECT: eTWINNING

In this project, my learners have the chance to interact with foreign students of schools of other countries which participate in the eTwinning Platform. So, I think, it is important that students know the countries of Europe.

For this reason, this map with a route which crosses all the Europe is hung in the English Corner. It has twelve different stops linked to the twelve Integrated Didactic Units. Students have to complete the different tasks in the eTwinning Project in order to move on the map. This project crosses boundaries and let my students know much more about Europe and the different values, customs, cultures and traditions. This is what I try to represent in this map, whose goal is to know more deeply the countries which participate in this eTwinning Platform.

And how do they “travel” across Europe? Each student has their own “eTwinning Passport”, in which they have to draw the most representative aspects that they have learnt about other countries during the eTwinning session.

But how do I carry out the Project?  For example, if the IDU is the number 11, this information exchange has, as a main point, to talk about the most popular traditions, festivals and festivities in their countries, establishing comparisons between Andalusian and other cultures, which is important to develop CAE and LTL. So, each student draws, in the corresponding page, (IDU 11), the name of the topic –traditions- and something which they have learnt during the session; for example, the Notting Hill Carnival, one of the most common festivities in England. This material can prompt learners’ interest and motivation towards the project.

But, this social guide interaction…In which ways?  Through the TWINSPACE by means of videos, songs, tasks, and so on related to this topic about music (R-W skills) or through Video Conferencing, of course when it is possible, to share information orally in a guided process (L-S skills).  Obviously, my role, as an English teacher, is to be facilitator and guide of this process. Of course, I would like to repeat the total importance of an adequate coordination and cooperation not only among teachers of all schools but also with the Teacher Staff in my school.

And the last question: why do I do this?  Because, as I said before, this eTwinning Project represents a great chance to develop positive attitudes towards the English language, since it is provided meaningful and functional communicative situations. In the current society, prompting values such as tolerance and respect towards other cultures is vital. And, from my point of view, there is nothing better than students share cultures and customs across Europe in an interactive and enjoyable way.

PROJECT: MAGIC BOOKS

In order to develop it, pupils are divided into heterogeneous and flexible groups of four that can be changed to satisfy all the pupils’ mixed-abilities. It is formed six groups, each of them corresponds to a different house of ‘Hogwarts’, but they are not called like in the book since there are only four houses. Instead of it, each group (or ‘house’) is assigned with a different name and colour. They are what you see in this map: Oxford (blue), Cambridge (purple), London (red), Belfast (yellow), Cardiff (green) and Edinburgh (white).

This map of the UK is hung in the English Corner as a representation of the six houses (or groups), each one with its corresponding colour. They are linked to cities from the U.K., so pupils can learn geography of English speaking countries besides embedding them in the project, creating some expectations and improving motivation towards the Project.

And how do I carry out? Students read the adapted book ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone’. Some chapters in each IDU are read by my students at home. How? Don’t worry, I provide every student the adapted book, created by me according to the cognitive stage and level of English of my class group, with images to better understand what they are reading. Moreover, every chapter is uploaded to my blog.

Next, now in the class, an informal chat about the general ideas of the chapters is done at the beginning of the session. Then, students, in small groups, read and answer some questions about the adapted chapters through the digital programme Plickers, in which every ‘house’ has to raise this card with a code which corresponds with the chosen answer during the Quiz. I scan groups’ answers through a smartphone, and then the outcomes appear on the Interactive Whiteboard. If they do it right, they earn points that are symbolized as ‘Quidditch balls’, so in this case, the house ‘London’ sticks one Quidditch ball on its board. 

Part of the wall corresponding to the English corner is decorated with the badges and colours of the house that earns more ‘Quidditch balls’ until the next unit. Of course, in my role as an English teacher I have to try that all pupils participate during the session and exchange ideas using English as the main via of communication.

But, why do I do this?  Basically, this project is an excuse. An excuse to get that students improve their level of competency in English (reading and predictive skills, fluency, vocabulary, grammar structures…) in an enjoyable and interactive way through the reading of an adapted book, using these materials to catch students’ attention and motivation, and prompting participation towards the project.

My board game: TABOO

I have to recognise that I love board games. For this reason I have created a board game in which students practise the vocabulary of a topic in a funny and enjoyable way. A board game with ladders, stops and different colours: if the colour is blue; the word must be represented through a drawing; if it is red, through miming, and if it is green, through a brief and simple description. Moreover, there are some boxes in which students must answer a question about the reading of the Harry Potter book (the Magic Books Project). This game tries to improve cohesion and inclusion in the class, because cooperative work and non-verbal communication are essential in the development of the game, so attention to diversity is highlighted.

THE CRAZY ENGLISH ALPHABET

Pronunciation is probably one of the most hated things for children in English classrooms. Here we are a webpage in which learners can practice how a letter is pronounced in a different way, depending on their position in the word, prompting expectations and arousing previous knowledge.

http://repositorio.educa.jccm.es/portal/odes/ingles/cuaderno_5pingl_the_alphabet/index.html

NUMBERS, NUMBERS...

More games about numbers in our English lessons! Students acquire the vocabulary in a subconcious way in a pleasant atmosphere.

http://repositorio.educa.jccm.es/portal/odes/ingles/cuaderno_5pingl_numbers/index.html