Profesores Vascos en la Red...
...Euskal
Irakasleok Sarean
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INTRODUCTION OF ENGLISH IN THE SECOND
YEAR OF NURSERY EDUCATION Scheme for in-service training in
schools Department of Education – Basque
Government Academic year 1999-2000 I.
INTRODUCTION II.
SUMMARY OF DCB (National Curriculum Reform Blueprint) FOR NURSERY EDUCATION 1.
Aims
and general objectives of Nursery Education. 2.
Characteristics
of children in the second year of Nursery Education. 3.
Guidelines
for teaching and learning. 4.
Fields of
experience. III.
SCHEME FOR THE EARLY INTRODUCTION OF ENGLISH 1.
Justification
for the project. 2.
General
objectives of the project. 3.
Integrated
teaching of languages: some reflections. 4.
Methodology. 4.1.
Educational interactions: role of the teaching staff.
.
Role of the English language specialist. . Role
of the classroom teacher. 4.2.
Social organisation of the class and distribution of time and space. . Grouping. . Distribution
of space. . Distribution
of time.
4.3.
Organisation of contents.
4.4.
Teaching sequences. 4.5.
Materials and teaching resources. 5.
Evaluation. IV.
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES: 1.
Stories
and situations. 2.
Songs and
rhymes. 3.
Shows. 4.
Handicrafts. 5.
Games. 6.
Fillers. 7.
Rituals. V.
EXAMPLES: 1.
Development
of a session. 2.
Special
sessions. BIBLIOGRAPHY I.
INTRODUCTION The
introduction of English in the second year of Nursery Education will become a
reality in nearly all State schools in the Basque Autonomous Community during
the academic year 1999-2000. This
document is intended to be, firstly, a springboard for reflection for those
teachers who will be involved, and, secondly, to serve as an orientative guide
to help put the project into practice. To
this end, we have considered it necessary to undertake an exhaustive study of
the Diseño Curricular Base (National Curriculum Reform Blueprint) as applied to
Nursery Education, reflect on its content and highlight what we consider to be
essential points to be taken into account by the person specialising in English
in Nursery Education. We present these conclusions in section II. Later,
in section III we will make specific reference to what this project involves. We
will justify and explain the general objectives that we plan to achieve. We will
reflect on the integrated approach to language teaching which ought to exist in
every school, and on the interaction between teachers and pupils. We will also
consider other aspects, such as the distribution of space and time, how contents
should be organised, materials and didactic resources which will be used and the
type of evaluation which can be carried out. This
document is the result of the reflection and discussion carried out by a group
of teachers taking part in the experimental project concerning plurilingual
teaching set up by the Basque Government in September 1996. Their professional
experience and daily teaching practice have helped to create this document,
which attempt to draw some working conclusions. However, the content of the
document can, and indeed should, be modified, revised and discussed by all those
people involved in the process. II. SUMMARY OF THE DCB FOR NURSERY
EDUCATION 1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF NURSERY
EDUCATION The
introduction of a foreign language (L3) in the second year of Nursery Education
takes as its starting point:
“The main aim of Nursery Education is
to promote child development.” The
Department of Education has observed the benefits that knowledge of several
languages provides and has decided to start introducing L3 in Nursery Education. In
1996 an experimental project to introduce English at Nursery level was put into
practice in 13 Basque State schools with very favourable results.
The Department of Education has recently decided to extend this project
to the remaining state schools at Nursery and Primary levels, encompassing the
aims expressed in the DCB for Nursery Education: “The many means of expression,
especially oral language, are extremely important at this age. (...) Educational
intervention at this stage, aimed at getting rid of discriminating differences,
provides a stepping stone to obligatory schooling.” The
introduction of the L3 in the second year of Nursery Education should help
children to achieve the objectives stated in the Decree of Curricular
Development for Nursery Education:
a)
“Discover, get to know and progressively control their own body,
forming a positive image of themselves and their sexual identity, valuing their
abilities and limits of action and expression and acquiring basic habits to
protect their health and well being.” b)
“Progressively act more autonomously in daily activities, acquire
emotional and affective security and develop their capacity for initiative and
confidence in themselves.” c)
“Establish relationships in a gradually widening circle, begin to
listen and learn to articulate interests, points of view and contributions with
the group.” d)
“Establish ways of relating to adults and to their own friends,
exchanging displays of affection, respecting diversity and developing the
attitude to help and co-operate.” e)
“Observe and explore their immediate surroundings with an attitude of
curiosity and care, identify the most meaningful characteristics and properties
of the elements which form their world.” f)
“Learn some of the cultural norms of society and develop attitudes of
respect, interest and participation towards them; begin to respect and show
interest in other cultures.” g)
“Be able to represent and evoke diverse aspects of their experience,
either lived or imagined and express them through the symbolic possibilities
offered by games and other forms of expression.” h)
“Use spoken language appropriately in the different situations
experienced in daily life in order to understand and be understood by others,
express their own ideas, feelings, experiences and desires, make progress in the
construction of meaning, control their own behaviour and influence that of
others.” i)
“Enrich and diversify their
ability to express themselves via the resources and means within their reach,
make contact with and appreciate different artistic phenomena appropriate to
their age.” 2. CHARACTERISICS OF CHILDREN IN THE
SECOND YEAR OF NURSERY EDUCATION The
development of the young child demands a comprehensive response to education in
all its aspects. Some of the characteristics of children in this age group are
set out below.
Development of motor skills -There
is a constant need for movement. Games making use of motor skills need to be
alternated with quieter activities, e.g. those requiring balance and co-ordination
of movement. -The
variety of actions that the child is capable of increases due to greater hand
control. Progress in using a pencil is notable. Cognitive development -The
child learns to position him/herself in relation to objects. -They
can name different parts of the body and recognise them in a picture. -Their
knowledge of their world increases. Symbolic games acquire greater importance
within the group. -The
first signs of logical thought appear (classifying, ordering and recognising the
notion of quantity). -By
four years old the child is much better able to distinguish between reality and
fantasy. Their explanations are more real. Linguistic development -They
continue to express themselves via gesture and facial expression, but their
ability to communicate with spoken language improves greatly. Knowledge of their
surroundings and social interaction helps them to widen their vocabulary and to
structure and articulate their sentences more correctly. The child can
understand more complicated explanations and stories and is able to concentrate
on what an adult is saying for longer periods of time. Affective and social development -The
child enjoys handicraft activities, painting, modelling... -They
oppose adults as a way of self-affirmation, but they know how to accept reasoned
proposals. -They
are able to become part of a more or less stable group. Many pal up with a
friend and become inseparable for a time. -Their
attitude is more receptive, but still subject to the self-centredness typical of
this age group. Educational norms such as inviting him/her to hand out materials,
wait their turn, share toys... will help them to overcome this. -They
progressively acquire greater control over everyday customs (tidying away,
getting dressed and undressed, cleaning their teeth). In this way, they succeed
in reducing their dependence on adults and increase their own autonomy. 3. GUIDELINES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING In
the National Curriculum Reform blueprint for Nursery Education, (herein referred
to as the ‘DCB’) a set of guidelines are laid down in order that educational
practice coheres to the characteristics of the pupils at this age and takes the
following aspects into account: Linguistic policy In
this section, the DCB refers only to the two co-official languages of the Basque
Autonomous Community and does not refer to a third language. However, it does
contain some methodological guidelines for dealing with Basque as a second
language, which are also valid for the third language. “-Create
an atmosphere, which fosters a feeling of security and promotes communication. -Promote the functional and
instrumental use of Basque. -Guarantee the pupils’ comprehension
of the messages addressed to them in Basque. -Encourage the pupils’ oral
production in Basque.” (This
part will be developed more fully in Chapter III, 2 of this document) Dealing with mixed-ability
As
the DCB for Nursery Education puts it: “Dealing with the heterogeneous
nature of the classroom supposes, on the one hand, accepting and appreciating
the differences. On the other hand, it implies coming to terms with such
differences and managing to develop the capabilities and skills of each and
every child whatever their stage of personal development, their socio-cultural
references, or their different processes and rhythms of learning. It also means
accepting the wide range of results and the giving help where it is needed.” For
this reason, when planning the English language specialist’s role in the
classroom, both the different outcomes to the activities proposed and the
special educational needs that might arise, will be taken into account. Affectivity and social relations In
this chapter DCB states the following: “...the need for affection is as
basic a human instinct as eating or protecting. Young children require a
constant, stable relationship with those who answer their needs for care,
protection, exploration and games. These relationships produce feelings of well
-being, confidence and security.” Further
on, it continues in this way: “There is no place for the impersonal
or mechanical in the Nursery School. Children need an adult ready and willing to
provide an affective relationship.” Another
very interesting point mentioned is as follows: “Children actively seek out social
stimulus, and when they live a situation in which they have to share the central
figure of reference and where they do not have exclusive access to that figure,
it helps them to restructure their egocentric position and develop new forms of
interaction in which they learn to wait, to retain their frustration and to
think about others.” The
English teacher must keep this affective need in mind in her day-to-day dealing
with the pupils and be affectionate with each one. Relationships with parents The
English specialist must stay in touch with the family and share the
responsibility for her teaching with the rest of the teachers involved. “The school needs to know the family
situation if its educational policies are going to make sense and be of personal
value to the children. A continuous, rather than sporadic, collaboration between
the Nursery School and the family is necessary to establish the roles of both
parties, and ways in which they can participate and co-operate.” (DCB) On
the other hand, experience has shown that families are extremely interested in
this early introduction to English. It is easy to use the existing network of
communication (form meetings, School Board, Parents’ Association etc.) to
exchange information, not just between school and family, but also between all
the parties that make up the school community. A comprehensive ‘whole’ child
approach We
feel it is important to highlight the following extract from the DCB. “One of the aspects which stands out
most in this stage of education, is that children at this age express themselves
and relate to each other and learn in a ‘whole’ way. This is seen in their
expressiveness, their way of being and interacting with the world that surrounds
them. As they develop their whole selves, all the affective-emotional, sensory-motor,
social-relational and cognitive-linguistic dimensions are linked in such a way
as to be impossible to develop separately. Since children work as an integrated
and unified whole, the Nursery School will create an educational framework in
which their experiences take place in a way which includes and integrates all
the dimensions of their development, without ignoring any or dealing with them
separately. This means that school activities and experiences
should allow the children to put into practice and develop their different
personal resources and whole selves.” For
this reason, the introduction of English should not be an element that is
additional to, or independent of the normal educational framework of the
school.Thus, the whole learning approach is related to meaningful learning. “... this does not mean the
accumulation and juxtaposition of learning experiences but rather establishing
meaningful connections between what has already been learnt in previous
situations and experiences, and the forthcoming information of new experiences.
The children’s schemata of action and thinking will restructure and change
gradually and progressively as they assimilate and relate the new information to
their previous schemata.” (DCB) Therefore,
in order forchildren to learn in a meaningful way, the introduction of the L3
should promote experiences and activities that make sense to them in a real and
affective way. In other words, that children can relate learning to their own
interests and experoences which actively involve them Relevance of the action: The
following guidelines are to be found in the DCB concerning this point:
“Children start to know themselves and the reality that surrounds them
through manipulating, playing and experimenting with physical and social aspects
of their environment. The importance of the action lies in the fact that it is
the focal point and the driving force behind the process of learning development.” Further
on, it reminds us that:
“...the need to act should not lead us into senseless action, but
rather to propose meaningful, useful and varied experiences.” Organisation of space, time and
material resources: In
order to make decisions about the organisation of the class, the following
aspects should be kept in mind: ·
The autonomy of the young child,
within different activity areas. ·
The mixed rates of working and
interests. ·
The balance between more
demanding and more relaxed moments in response to the needs of the child and the
school. ·
Dealing with the individual and
dealing with the group. ·
Observation. 4.
FIELDS OF EXPERIENCE
In
this first phase of child development, the educational programme is closely
linked to the experiences that the children live and in this way they can
assimilate certain knowledge, values and attitudes. This fact asks for the
distribution of the pedagogic action into fields of experience, which contrasts
with the “fields of knowledge” proposed for primary and secondary studies. In
Nursery Education, the proposal for working on concepts, processes and skills,
attitudes, values and rules is included in three fields of general experience: The field of
identity and personal autonomy: includes all
the knowledge that the children assimilate step by step about themselves and
which guides them to an understanding of their self-image and confirmation of
their possibilities and limitations. Their progress in fine motor skills and
their growing concept of ‘self’ and personal autonomy helps them to
understand where they differ from others. The physical
and social field: includes all the knowledge
gained from the physical and social world. In other words, all the elements that
children are in contact with daily: objects, people, animals, plants,
machines... It also includes those relationships that they form with the social
groups they belong to: the family, the school, friends... and related situations:
parties, special events... The field of
communication and representation: looks
at all those forms of communication which help to establish the child and their
environment. We refer not only to verbal language but also to body language,
handicraft, musical and mathematical language. By these means, the child can get
to know, communicate and represent knowledge and relationships between things,
as well as feelings and experiences. This should be achieved within playful and
creative contexts. These fields are closely inter-related and naming them
individually does not imply that they should be worked on separately. III. SCHEME FOR THE EARLY INTRODUCTION
OF ENGLISH 1. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT As
the demand for English to be taught at school continues to rise, many schools
have introduced the teaching of English to Nursery-aged children with whatever
resources they have available and without adequate external help and expertise.
It is therfore logical that the Department of Education should provide
administrative channels and an appropriate methodological orientation for
schools in the foreseable future. During
the academic years (1996-1999) a pilot scheme was carried out in 13 schools in
the Basque Autonomous Community. The decision made after these three years of
experimentation was that, with the right methodology, fruitful learning
experiences were possible. The positive lessons learned are therefore being made
available to other schools to use as starting points and points of reflection. As
mentioned in the circular that the authorities from Educational Innovation sent
to all the schools about the early introduction of English, and based on the
ideas and opinions of specialists in this area, our bi-lingual education favours
the learning of a third language because of the positive transfer that takes
place between the languages that the children already know and the new language.
Our ultimate aim is to obtain the best possible level of proficiency in English
by the end of compulsory Secondary schooling. However, it is also our aim to
optimise the home language and the school language. It
is very important to point out that the contact with another new language at
this age will help the child to understand other cultures and perspectives
better. Furthermore, introducing a different code through games and motivating
activities will help to stimulate learning strategies which will be beneficial
to the child’s cognitive development.
2. GENERAL OBJECTIVES The
outcomes that we aim to foster in the pupils are as follows: 1.
To understand the message of some oral texts in English (rhymes, songs,
stories, descriptions, instructions, errands etc.) that are accessible and
meaningful to children at this age and are related to their ideas, experiences
and interests, and also to appreciate their cultural value. 2.
To use both verbal and non-verbal resources (signs, pointing, gesture,
looks, mime etc.) to interpret messages that have varying communicative
intentions (that arise in the classroom or from some other field of social
communication). 3.
To take part actively in normal linguistic interactions (reaction or
reply to messages received) that might arise in the foreign language class
respecting the rules that govern the language (pronunciation, intonation, rhythm
etc.) or some social conventions of communication (gestures, seating...). 4.
To show interest and curiosity in the foreign language and develop
positive attitudes towards the different uses of the language (formal and
informal). 5.
To recognise linguistic diversity and realise that languages, and the
different ways they are used, are used to satisfy the need to communicate
between people. 3. SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE INTEGRATED
APPROACH TO LANGUAGES “According
to recent research on multilingualism, the acquisition of more than two
languages is feasible in both the natural, and school, environments and does not
pose problems in either cognitive or linguistic development.” (Cenoz &
Genesse, 1998) If
there are problems, the causes are not in the number of languages that the
children are exposed to, but rather in the lack of coherence in the process of
teaching and learning each of them. The three languages should not be dealt with
in contradictory ways (with grammatical, functional, task-based approaches etc.)
but rather there should be a general plan common to all three, where the
conceptual, procesual and attitudinal concepts in the field of Communication and
Representation are co-ordinated. “The
acquisition of a language is not an isolated phenomenon. It is related to the
acquisition of other languages, and therefore it is important to look at all the
languages involved when studying attitudes in multilingual acquisition.” (Cenoz,
2000) “The
acquisition of English in the Basque Country supposes taking on a third language
in a bi-lingual educational context. This context justifies the need to compare
aspects related to the acquisition of English with those of the other languages
in the community.” (Cenoz, 2000) The
early introduction of English requires an analysis and adaptation of the project
in every school: of the general objectives of each language, of the common
methodological plan, of the time for each language, the spaces that they will
use, and the different fields for using the language. “In an early multi-lingualism
situation, it is vital that the school establishes both general and specific
linguistic objectives for each two year cycle for Basque, Spanish and English.
Furthermore, depending on the sociolinguistic context, the different
characteristics of each school and the hours allotted to each language, the
objectives will be different for the languages (…) An important aspect of
early multilingualism and one that has received a great deal of attention in
some schools, is the co-ordination between the syllabuses in the three languages
in order to promote the inter-dependence between the languages and make the most
of cognitive and metalinguistic advantages.”
(Cenoz, 1998) For
example, in Nursery Education, as well as in Primary and Secondary Education, we
must bear in mind that: “... languages are learnt when you do
things that are meaningful for those that learn them, and at the same time that
somebody teaches these things.” (Vila, 1997) Another
example is the treatment given to written and oral texts. The English language
should be using the same approach as with Basque or Spanish (Psychogenesis,
Phonemeic approaches...). 4.
METHODOLOGY 4.1. EDUCATIONAL INTERACTIONS: ROLE OF
THE TEACHING STAFF Role of the English language specialist The
specialist teacher forms part of the staff of the school and as such s/he should
be integrated in the appropriate teaching team, in this case the Nursery
Education team. S/he should attend and participate in the co-ordination meetings
established by the school. In these meetings, the English specialist will work
as all the other members of the group, collecting and giving information,
opinions, and proposals about how the levels are working, the organisation of
the classroom, and the characteristics and needs of the pupils. In
a school which has more than one group in any level, or two or more English
specialists, we recommend that one teacher works with Nursery Education and the
first cycle of Primary, and the other teacher works with the second and third
cycles of Primary. However, there should be time, within the school timetable,
for co-ordination among teachers. Based
on the premise “one person – one language”, the specialist will use only
English in the classroom. It is also seen as opportune to extend the use of
English to other moments and places within the school context (playgrounds,
corridors...). The whole school committee should however, discuss ideas for this
type of proposal. The aim here would be to extend the formal use of English to
areas outside the classroom in order to promote individual or group production.
However, in reality, the specialist may find that the situation requires the use
of Basque or Spanish. The communicative and affective function of language with
the pupils, with the other teachers, with the ancillary staff and the parents
should always be the main concern. In this way, the children have a model of a
person who uses different languages to communicate. In
many cases, the English specialists have spent their teaching careers working
with the second and third cycles of Primary. They are not Nursery specialists.
It is, therefore, important to take measures to ensure that their understanding
of Nursery and the first cycle of Primary be more effective. In the first place,
the specialist needs to collaborate with the classroom teacher. The specialist
could go into the class and share some sessions with the classroom teacher in
September to get an idea of the class dynamic and the everyday work of the
Nursery class. In this way, when the English classes start at the beginning of
October (when the full school day commences) they will have a clearer idea of
the tasks they will have to carry out during the school year. During
the first term, it is advisable to have the classroom teacher in the classroom
as well, to work together and to establish a link between the classroom teacher,
specialist and pupils. The specialist will be responsible for the session but
will be able to count on the classroom teacher’s support. The presence in the
classroom and the type of support given should be decided on in the meetings
with the teachers of the cycle. The
English specialist must keep in mind that in Nursery Education, the affective
factor and level of personal satisfaction are of primary importance. For this
reason, they must establish a warm, affectionate relationship with each and
every child. In this way, the children will feel more secure and gain confidence
to take risks. Since
the aim at this age is not oral production, but rather to create a motivating
atmosphere towards the English language by means of contextualised and
meaningful exposure, every effort must be made to provide authentic learning and
communicative situations, so that the pupils gradually, as they feel more
confident, can begin to produce orally. Language production should never be
forced and cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Basque, Spanish, Galician, Arab,
etc.) should be respected and valued. Finally,
with respect to error correction, it is worth pointing out that errors and
cross-language interference are part and parcel of the learning process, and are
therefore a positive sign that the assimilation of the new language is taking
place. As the DCB for Nursery Education points out, errors are signs of the
process of active construction of the language and immediate corrections based
on artificial repetition should be avoidedbecause they interrupt the flow of
communication and the desire to communicate. Role of the
classroom teacher
The
co-operation of the classroom teachers is vital for the development of the
project, especially since the aim of the project is to have the foreign language
integrated into the curriculum for Nursery Education in each centre. The
attitude that the classroom teacher displays towards the English class is of
paramount importance: s/he can prepare and encourage the children at the start
of a session, greet the specialist in English when they come into the classroom,
participate in activities, and appraise the progress of her/his group of pupils. We
propose that the educational activity carried out in the classroom be the fruit
of the collaboration between the classroom teacher and specialist, and that they
act together. It would therefore be very useful if the Nursery classroom teacher
had some knowledge of English. 4.2. SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE CLASS
AND DISTRIBUTION OF TIME AND SPACE Grouping Different
types of grouping should be used in the classroom depending on the activity and
on the aim which you hope to achieve. Each type of grouping favours a specific
type of learning, and therefore during the school year it is worth thinking
about types of groupings when planning activities. The
organisation should: -Promote
interaction between the teacher and pupils and between the pupils themselves. -Encourage the learning of co-operation
between equals. -Develop the autonomy of the pupils. -Be
based on principles of heterogeneity and homogeneity depending on the
characteristics of the pupils, the teaching/learning activities and the factors
which are influential in the school and classroom. For
the above reasons, we have planned activities for the whole group (stories,
games, dances, etc.), others for small groups or pairs (making up stories,
posters...) and others for individual work (products to be taken home etc.). In
each session, one child in the group will be in charge as ‘monitor’ (it
should be the same person who has the responsibility on that day in the
classroom). Their responsibilities will gradually increase as the year goes on:
giving out material, getting the pupils into groups... Distribution of space Some
guidelines for distributing the space in the classroom are outlined below: On
the one hand, we recommend that the English class takes place in the children’s
normal classroom. We thereby fulfil a double objective: the children feel secure
since they are familiar with the space and the rules that govern it, and it
makes it easier for the specialist to use the information surrounding the
children. It
is important to differentiate between two physical areas of the classroom: -One
for activities with the whole group: story telling, games and physical
activities such as dance... -Another
area for small group or individual work (the corners normally used in Nursery
Education can be put to good use here). It
is also important to think about a space in which to keep material and
unfinished work. Any
exhibition of work done in English should be displayed alongside work done in
Euskera or Spanish. As
far as possible, it is desirable that products of the English class be displayed
outside the classroom (in corridors, playgrounds, etc.) to show the pupils their
value as a means of communication. Distribution of the time As
we have mentioned above, the time distribution will be in three sessions of ½
hour per week. That is not to say that we think this is the only valid
distribution of time. We do, however, recommend that the session be immediately
after the break or first thing in the afternoon in order to avoid interfering
with the work of the classroom teacher with her/his pupils. However,
in order to ensure that the sessions really last 30 minutes, we propose that the
teacher be allowed 5 minutes between classes to give them time to tidy up, put
things away and prepare whatever material is necessary for the next session. The
specific characteristics of each school should be taken into consideration since
most of them have more than one class for each year group and the specialist has
to work in more than one year. It is vital that the Nursery team, English
teachers and School Board agree on his/her timetable. 4.3. ORGANISATION OF CONTENTS Any
project intended for the Nursery stage of Education must take as its basic
starting point, a way of working that deals with the different types of content
(concepts, procedures and attitudes) and the three areas of experience for this
stage as laid down in the DCB: Identity and Personal Autonomy, Social and
Physical environment and Communication and Representation, in a holistic and
cross-curricular manner. In
the English sessions, therefore, we propose an approach that combines the areas
and contents in activities that are meaningful for children at this age. The
article "Eleaniztasun Proiektua Kueto Eskolan" points out: "... we take the characteristics
and attainment outcomes of the children in Nursery Education as the starting
point. We want to integrate the active methodology used nowadays in language
teaching into the dynamic of this stage. A language is, for children at this age,
a tool to be used, and it is the job of the teacher to create the right
situations (games, stories, poems, songs, etc.) to make this possible. On the
other hand, the more natural these situations are, the easier the use, since the
language is produced more spontaneously. The specialist teache |