Experiència compartida. Així treballem als centres: Madre Sacramento, Sant Just Desvern

La Carla i el Guillem són els language assistants que ens acompanyen aquest curs a l'escola Madre Sacramento (Sant Just Desvern).

Com el curs passat, continuem impartint l'àrea de Coneixement del Medi ("Sciences") en anglès.

Els dimecres a la tarda amb l'ajut dels language assistants els nens i nenes de primer s'ho passen d'allò més bé jugant i fent activitats relacionades amb el vocabulari i les principals estructures de la unitat que estem treballant. 

Aquí us presentem una de les activitats que hem fet aquest trimestre.

LIVING OR NON-LIVING?

Main Objectives:

* To distinguish living from non-living things: people, animals and plants.

* To communicate, verbally and in writing, simple messages.                    

Vocabulary:

Living things: animal, bird, cat, chicken, child, cow, dog, elephant, fish, frog, hamster, horse, pet, pig, plant, rabbit, sheep, swan, tree.

Non-living things: ball, bin, chair, gloves, rock, sand, table, umbrella.

Language structures:

Can you point to a .....?

Is a ..... a living thing?

Materials: opening picture, flashcards, poster, pictures (living and non-living things).

Activity:

Part 1: Children look at the opening picture for a few minutes and tell us things they remember seeing. Language assistants write the children’s ideas on a list on the blackboard.  After a while, they show the pictures again and together add items they forgot to the list. Language assistant go through the list writing A (animal), P(plant) or T (things) and ask:"Which are the living things? "(Plants and animals)

* Tips for language assistants: You can also do a little drawing where necessary to help memorization. If children use mother tongue, say the words in English for them to repeat.

Part 2: Language assistant show different pictures and ask them:

"Is a ......... a living thing?"

Language assistants classify the pictures in two different columns: living and non living.

Part 3: Each child draws two pictures: one of a living thing and one of a non-living thing. Children stick each of their drawing onto a large piece of paper divided in two columns (living and non-living)

Part 4: Worksheet (If there's extra time)

Source: CADWALLADER,J. & BLAIR, A. Social and Natural Sciences 1. Look & Think. Oxford University Press Espanya S.A (2011)

Click here to see more photos. 

This is what Carla and Guillem think about their participation in the programme:

Carla Simon from American School of Barcelona:

My name is Carla Simon and I am 15 years old. The Sharing to learn project has been a superb experience to me. Working with young kids has never been my fort, which is ironic since I have 5 cousins, all of them younger than 10 years old. But working with the children of Madre Sacramento has been nothing but exciting and new to me.

All the children want to learn English with such enthusiasm that it surprises me. Their excitement is contagious and I absolutely love working with them, ignoring that these kids are young. Therefore, they gave me a slight headache sometimes, but that’s nothing I can’t handle.

All these kids are so lucky to have the door to the English world opened to them. 

What can I say? These children always exceed my expectation and I can tell they have a bright future in the English world in front of them.

Guillem from INS Sant Just:

My name is Guillem and I am 15 years old. Every Wednesday we do different funny activities.

I like being with kids, they are learning a lot with us. And they also have fun. I think Sharing to learn is a good project to learn because it motivates them a lot.

I’ve got on well with my classmate, Carla, and with the teacher of the class, Neus. I’m glad to have decided to do this project because it’s a great experience for me and I love seeing these kids having a good time with us.

Thanks, Neus! Congratulations, Carla and Guillem!