"Prova d'avaluació d'anglès" with year 6 31.01.13

As you know, year 6 students are taking a set of official exams in May. The Generalitat tries to evaluate the competences' level of Catalan, Spanish, English and maths of kids who are going to finish primary education in June.

For that reason, last week and today I've been practising some reading comprehension with children. My school tutor gave me the last year exam so I made photocopies of the two texts and the corresponding questions. Last week we read the text together and I helped the kids to choose the best answer (the exam is a kind of multi answer quiz). Today I have let the students be more self-efficient and they have taken the exam on their own. 

During the next class, I have corrected the exam so I have had the opportunity of checking how high the marks are. Most of the kids have passed the test but some of them with a low score. I have calculated the arithmetic mean of all the marks and I have obtained a 6 (last year the arithmetic mean of the whole exam in Catalunya was a 7,4). I think that kids should work more on their reading comprehension because it's a very important part of a language learning process so I hope they keep practising when I leave. Next week we are going to take some oral comprehension exams so I hope they get better results.

If you want to see the 2011-2012 English test click here

If you want to hear the listening comprehension audio click here

"Word by word" in year 4 30.01.13

Last week I put in practice the game "word by word" with year 6 students. To play this game I wrote some definitions in every letter of the alphabet and kids had to guess the word. Because it was a very successful game and students enjoyed a lot playing, I decided to prepare the same game for year 4 pupils. As I said in the previous entrance, for young learners is easier not to write definitions but just put images in every letter.

Now I'm going to talk about the development of the game. As I did in year 6, I divided the class into four teams and they had to raise the hand to answer. In the case of year four, I have followed the order of the groups to let them say the words, so the game has been better organised than last week. If a group didn't know the word the next team could answer. 

I have also managed the class better than the other day because I have stopped the game every time there was some noise and kids were distracted. Finally they have been very concentrated and they have participated actively in the activity.

"Word by word" in year 6 25.01.13

On Friday I put in practice a very funny game with year 6: Word by word. Last year at university, the English teacher showed us this game to play with kids and told us that it was very useful to consolidate new vocabulary. For that reason, I used this resource in most of my lessons as a teacher, both with pictures for young learners and with definitions for the older students. 

During the week, I had been teaching job's vocabulary in year 6 so I wrote some professions' definitions in every letter in order to make them remember the new words. I decided that they worked in groups so I divided the class into four groups with a speaker in each one. If they knew the answer, they just raised the hand and said the correct word.

I think that games are very useful to motivate children to learn a new language and in case of "word by word", it's appropriate for all ages students. I saw the kids enjoying the game so I want to prepare more games for my future lessons.

The English classroom

I want to show you how the English classroom of Ignasi Iglesias school is:

This is the entrance.

This is what you see when you come into the class. The tables are grouped in groups of two or three and when kids sit down, they face the digital board. With this spatial distribution is almost impossible to work in groups.

On the right side of the classroom we find a shelf with the material (resources, handouts, stories, etc.) and some books to read.

Kids use Surprise! book, which includes lots of digital exercises and sources.

On the opposite wall of the digital board, there is a blackboard. We have to remember that kids face the digital board so when the teacher writes something on the blackboard they have to turn around and it's difficult for them to copy or just see.

This is the teacher table and shelf. There she has the books, the handouts for the next class, her material, etc.

In the corridor we find two murals with students' writings so everyone at school can observe them.

"The Gruffalo" with year 3 24.01.13

Yesterday I watched the film "The Gruffalo" with both classes of my year 3. This film is about a mouse that looks for some nuts in a wood and he finds lots of animals who want to eat him. The mouse invents a monster to scare the animals and finally, the monster called Gruffalo, becomes true. Will the Gruffalo eat the mouse at the end of the story?

Before watching the film, I explained the kids what was it about and I told them to pay attention to all the animals that appeared in the video. I saw children really interested in the story and they enjoyed the plot. When the film ended, I asked them which animals they had seen and how the Gruffalo looked like.

With this activity we worked on the animals' vocabulary and parts of the body. I think that kids loved the film because it's addressed to this age children so I want to use it with my future students.

Storytelling in year 4 23.01.12

Last week, my school tutor suggested me to do some storytelling with year 4 students. She provided me with a very nice book called "What's that noise" that explains the story of a nine years old girl who goes to live to an old house. Three mice live in this old house so, who will stay finally in the house?

Because we had enough books for all the kids, all of them have started reading the story in silence during 5 minutes. Then, I have read the text loudly in order to make them listen to the pronunciation. I have read the text in English but I have translated the most difficult words to Catalan to help students to understand it. I have also done mime because I think it's a good resource to develop their oral comprehension. I consider also important to change the voice and to use different tones of voice to catch children's attention and to make the story more realistic.

After reading the story, we have done some activities I had previously photocopied from the book. The activities were related to the story and they contained lots of contents: the time, prepositions of place, family vocabulary, etc. We have done the activity with the whole group class and all the kids have participated and have written the answers on the blackboard. We haven't had time to finish all the activities but  we have had a very great time. Tomorrow I'm teaching the same lesson to the other year 4 class so I hope to do it well!

My first day teaching 22.01.13

Today I have started teaching unit 3 of Surprise! book at year 6. Previously, I had planned the session and I decided to combine the contents from the book with extra vocabulary I looked for. 

From the beginning of the lesson I have established very clear rules: the class must be in silence when I talk and if someone has a question he just has to raise his hand and I will answer. I have also talked in English most of the time of the session and I've just switched to Catalan when kids didn't really understand (I have to admit that it has happened a few times because students had good oral comprehension).

I have had a great time at today's class because I have interacted with kids and they have participated a lot. I think they have learnt the vocabulary and they have also practiced their speaking and pronunciation thanks to a tongue twister.

The only thing I haven't controlled has been the timing. The lesson was only 45 minutes because it was in the afternoon and it has started late so we have only had 35 minutes to do the activities. I prepared a game for the end of the lesson we haven't had time to play. I hope we can put it in practice another day and I would also like to control better the time.

My tutor has congratulated me at the end of the class so I want to keep going with the same methodology and doing it well.

Planning and grading exams! 16.01.13

Today has been the third day at school and I'm having a fantastic time. Yesterday I talked with my tutor and she suggested me to start teaching next week. I'm so motivated because next Tuesday I will start a new unit of Surprise book with year 6 students. I will follow the book and my tutor has provided me with lots of resources as the teacher's book, extension activities, etc. Although most of the time we will work with the book, we are going to practice some readings from the "avaluació de competències bàsiques" because they will take this exam in May. 

I'm going to plan activities for other levels as well. For example, for year 4, I have selected a book story and we will read it in class. After reading it, we will do some comprehension activities in groups. I'm also planning to put a film called "The Gruffalo" to year 3 students because I'm sure they will love it, but I have to asked it to my tutor first.

Today year 6 pupils have taken an exam and I have offered to correct them. During this afternoon I have been grading exams and I have realised it is a hard work because it takes a long time. 

PLC. Linguistic Project of Ignasi Iglesias school

Today I have had access to the Linguistic Project of my school practice. I have read it all but I have especially focused on the part that talked about English. The Project was written in 2008 and teachers have added new information during the last four years. It was approved by the school council and by all the staff. 

In the Linguistic Project, specifically in the part referred to English language, we read:

• The English plan follows the curriculum and it distributes in a progressive way all the contents of the primary years.
• The methodology tries to promote some abilities and strategies in order to have a successful communication. Teachers will always try to create meaningful and motivating communicative situations in class.
• Teachers will always adapt the materials used in class to new students who don't know so much English.
• The school will make profit of some technogical learning resources as CDs, digital blackboards, etc. With this set of resources, teachers will try to motivate students and to develop kids cognitive abilities.
• In English class, the vehicular language will be English. Teachers will plan oral activities in order to improve this skill.
• Kids will start to study English in P5 of infant education. The lessons will be oral and playful.

My first day at school 14.01.13

Today has been my first day at Ignasi Iglesias school. When I have arrived, the head of studied had all the documents prepared for me: the timetable, the work plan, etc.

Then, she has shown me my class for the rest of these five weeks. I will be with the English teacher, who is also the tutor of year 6. My tutor has been very kind and friendly with me, and from the beginning, she has allowed me to participate and to do some activities. For example, in the first Catalan class, I've been writing in the blackboard some ideas of the pupils in order to write a legend. I also have been talking with kids in two English classes: with year four and year six. Children have introduced themselves in English and then, they have asked me some questions in this language as well. I have enjoyed a lot this activity because students have practiced their oral skills. In an Catalan class I have dictated a text so I thing that my first day has been so profitable.

I have already talked with my tutor about the classes I have to plan. We have arranged that I will plan some sessions of year 6 and I will use the book. I'm going to prepare English activities for the rest of the levels so I'm looking forward to observe how kids work and then start teaching.

Statement of purposes

In the second year of this degree we had our first school practice. In my case, the experience wasn’t good enough because I didn’t get very well with my school tutor. We didn’t have any communication and then I could participate in class so I couldn’t have the experience of being a teacher. For this reason, during my second school placement I decided to change my mind and I got very involved with my students and with the whole school. In the second school practice I learn how to plan units and activities in real situations. Moreover, I could analyse how the primary schools work because I assisted to many teachers meetings and I could observe lots of the teacher’s tasks. Last year I felt as a real teacher and I finish my placement with a very good feeling: I had learnt a lot, I did my best and I got on very well both with my tutors and students. In this practicum three I want to act in the same way I did last year and I hope I can enjoy my teaching English practice because actually, this is the main subject I’m going to teach at schools.

In our third period of practice, we are going to spend five weeks at school and we will have tutorial sessions at university as well. I hope these two experiences help each other to improve our docent assignment. I would like that our university sessions guide us in this experience and give us resources to do it properly. It’s also very important to put in practice everything we have learnt during these three years and a half at university because both theory and practice complement one another and doing this, we will realised if our learning has been useful or not.

One of the main strength I have to face this English practice is that I’ve been working as an English teacher of primary and infant students during two years. Although I only had ten kids per class, I gained experience in planning, inventing activities, assessment, classroom management, etc. I think most of the resources I put in practice with my students last year will be very useful at school this month. I will make profit of the most successful activities and I’m sure children will enjoy them. I also think that the fact of having studied ELT methodology in the first semester is an asset for us. We have learnt how to plan meaningful English units, to develop CLIL projects, different resources to put in practice in class apart from de book, etc. Definitely, I’m sure I’m going to use most of the tasks we saw at university because I found them very interesting and useful.

If now I think about my weaknesses, I have just experience in teaching small groups of students. In the private academy I used to work I had maximum ten kids per class, so it was easy to manage the group. I also think it’s going to be difficult to teach just English. Last year we taught in our mother tongue, so it was easy to explain to students the doubts they had. This year I would like to talk most of the time in English, and I know the level of this language at schools is low. For this reason, I could get a bit nervous if children don’t understand me or don’t know how to do the activities I purpose. I have to consider too, that in Ignasi Iglesias School, there a lot of kids with special education needs. They spent the day both in the ordinary class and in the USEE, so that’s why I will have to adapt the contents for them.

I consider this school placement as an essential process in our degree and it will contribute to our teacher growth. With this, I’m very motivated to start this third practice and I hope it was as great as the previous one was. To have a successful experience I’m willing to work in a positive way at school and at university, to always offer my help to the teacher in class, to analyse all the educational situations and to reflect on my interventions with children. I also want to communicate and get on well with all the teachers of the school and with my university tutor and I will ask about any question I have. I hope to spend a wonderful time at school and to make profit of it for my future teacher assignment.

Reading: Aula

On Monday 14th in the tutorial session we talked about a reading called Aula, from the author Joan Todó.

In this story we see the daily life of an English teacher and all the problems she has to deal with at school. For example, kids are not very motivated to learn English and neither the teacher to teach a new language. At school there are a lot of students who need special education and the teacher doesn't attend these needs.

The teacher is not neither coordinate with other teachers and now the director proposes CLIL classes, thing that will suppose to much work for the teacher. We also see some activities in the English class: she prepares some pictures of The Simpson, but after painting the characters, children don't do any activity related to English. Parents of pupils are another problem to deal with: they don't try to understand teachers and they think their kids behave well all the time in class.

After talking about the problems the teacher had, all the members of the tutorial group proposed some solutions to improve the quality of the teacher English sessions and also to motivate both students and teacher. For example we thought about work group because then kids with different level of English will be able to help each other. Coordination with other teachers is also very important, not just to prepare meaningful activities but also to plan CLIL sessions. In the class there is an English student so we said that the teacher could propose the girl to help her classmates, to talk about her country, etc.

Presentació al CEIP Ignasi Iglesias

Hola a tothom!

Aquí comença el meu blog sobre aquesta experiència de pràctiques III a l'escola Ignasi Iglesias, situada a Cornellà de Llobregat.

Dimarts vaig assistir a l'escola per primer cop per presentar-me i conèixer el centre. L'edifici és molt nou ja que va ser construït fa pocs anys (abans l'escola es trobava a un altre edifici) i una de les coses que més em va cridar l'atenció és la quantitat de llum que hi entra. 

La primera cosa que vam fer quan vam arribar al centre les meves companyes i jo va se tenir una reunió amb al directora i la cap d'estudis del centre. Van ser molt amables i ens van proporcionar una sèrie de papers per entendre millor el funcionament de l'escola i d'aquestes pràctiques. En el meu cas, em van assignar una de les dues mestres d'anglès que hi ha al centre, que a més a més és tutora de cicle superior. D'aquesta manera podré assistir tant a classes d'anglès com a d'altres assignatures. 

Un cop vam llegir tots els papers vam poder fer un volt per l'escola. L'edifici consta de tres nivells: al de baix de tot es troben els nens d'infantil, el gimnàs, el menjador i la sortida al pati.

A primer pis trobem l'entrada i consergeria, la biblioteca, una gran terrassa, lavabos, l'USEE i d'altres classes que aniré explicant més endavant.

Al pis de dalt estan les classes de primària, així com més lavabos i d'altres classes. Si voleu veure més fotografies del centre cliqueu aquí.

A més a més de conèixer les instal·lacions de l'escola, la cap d'estudis ens va informar que ens trobàvem a una escola verda i per aquest motiu trobem un hort a la terrassa.

A mesura que vagin passant els dies explicaré més coses sobre l'escola. De moment aquí teniu la seva web per si hi voleu fer un cop d'ull.

http://www.xtec.cat/ceip-ignasiiglesias-cornella/