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Challenging Children

Content in the Primary EFL Classroom

Children are

Children are

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Children are
Curious Energetic Creative Imaginative Eager Playful Friendly Egotistic/self-important (me,me, me!)

What do children enjoy doing?


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Children are Children enjoy


Curious Energetic Creative Imaginative Eager Playful Friendly Egotistic/self-important Playing games Listening to stories Asking questions Learning about things Drawing pictures Making things Doing things (physical) Pretending

So how can we include all this?


Following a topic-based syllabus Using non-ELT materials (Primary) Adapting the course book Substituting Activity Book with paper! Including content from other subjects Doing project work Having a discussion circle Using real story books Getting parents involved

Why is cognitive complexity so important?

Cognitively undemanding work, such as copying or repetition, especially when there is little or no context to support it, does not enhance language learning. [B]y actively involving pupils in intellectually demanding work, the teacher is creating a genuine need for learners to acquire the appropriate language.
Postitively Bilingual, Smith and Paterson, 1998

Comparing cognitive tasks in ELT and CLIL


Typical KS1 ELT tasks
Listen and point to the picture Listen and touch flashcard Name the picture Match pictures and words Find the words (wordsearch) Read and colour Listen and colour Ask and answer Act out the story

Examples of CLIL tasks


Sequencing story events Predicting what will happen Classifying items Evaluating items Creating and designing Making decisions Make a poster Do an experiment Carry out a survey Make a model

Why CLIL?
Motivating (varied topics and subjects) Challenging (varied levels of cognitive complexity) Real and meaningful Less focus on form (grammar) Language use is natural Builds self-confidence (tasks are not just linguistic)

Choosing your own topics


5 to 7 year olds 8 to 10 year olds

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Choosing your own topics


5 to 7 year olds
Creepy Crawlies My House Jungle Animals Heroes Our World My Body Healthy Eating Treasure Island Growing
Space Shopping and Money Technology Vikings/Romans My Hero Continents Sport and Fitness Comics The Rainforest

8 to 10 year olds

Brainstorming lesson ideas


Subject Areas: Maths Science P.E/Drama Art & Design PSHE

Spider s Make your own spider

The Very Hung ry Cater pillar

T h e

S p i

C r e e p y

Movem

Discove

Why use stories?


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Why use stories?


Children enjoy being read to. They can develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. They often activate emotional intelligence. They have a lot of repetive language that stays with the learners. Stories often represent social values. Stories can be a nice way to introduce new content.

The Three Little Pigs


Evaluate different building materials

Do a clic para modificar el estilo de texto del patrn an experiment to test resistance of building materials undo nivel Discuss the problems from the story and come up with possible solutions Understand the importance of collaboration and helping each other Perform the story as a class play

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Why use art & crafts?

Why use art & crafts?


Children enjoy making things. Children love drawing. Children often learn by doing. It allows for personalisation of the language e.g. My spider has got blue spots. There is something to take home and show parents (and use the language learnt!) It gives learners a break from listening and

http://voicethread.com/share/1867633/

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Why use experiments?

Why use experiments?


Experiments require higher order thinking skills such as prediction and hypothesis Experiments require learners to accurately follow instructions to get an adequate result a useful future skill Experiments require physical activity and movement, changing classroom dynamics Experiments are fun!

A sample experiment Rainbow Colours


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The colours started to move and mix

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The final results!

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Where to find out more?


My website Five Six Seven: http://www.wix.com/michelleworgan/fivesixseven My email: michelleworgan@gmail.com My Twitter handle: @michelleworgan My blog: www.inspireyourlearners.blogspot.com Boletn Oficial del Estado no.293 http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2006/12/08/pdfs/A43053-43102.pdf (outlines competencias bsicas and National Curriculum for Primary Education) Onestopenglish: http://www.onestopenglish.com/clil/

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