Oh, my God! Tener auxiliares de conversación siempre ha sido un gran reto y la verdad es que no me puedo quejar, tanto en lengua inglesa , como francesa he sido siempre muy afortunada. Pero a la vista está cuan especial y trabajadora ha sido nuestra auxiliar este año.
Gracias Kirsty, a ti, a tu familia y a tu pais. Los viejos profesores de la fatigada Europa, saben desde aquí, desde el sur, desde nuestro Maracena, que los nuevos profesores que Europa demandará os estáis preparando, para hermanar sus lenguas y enseñar a convivir a sus ciudadnos y ciudadanas, en un mundo global en el que los cinco continentes comprenden cuan pequeño es nuestro planeta.
Sabemos que tú, nuestra Mrs Kirsty, serás un día lider dentro de este nuevo elenco de profesores y profesoras.
La comunidad de Maracena y en especial la de las Mimbres te agradece mucho tu esfuerzo. See you soon.
martes, 2 de junio de 2009
miércoles, 27 de mayo de 2009
Thank you Las Mimbres
During my time at Las Mimbres I have experienced nothing like I expected and created bonds with the children that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I would like to thank them all for the many happy memories they have given me and I will miss them all very very much. I have received so many thoughtful gifts from the children and I have kept every single picture they ever drew for me. I will always keep them as a reminder of the happiness a child can bring.
I would also like to thank all of the teachers that I have had the chance to work with and also those who have made every effort to make me feel at home during my stay here. Paco and Juan De Dios are true gentlemen and I will always remember with great fondness their's and Maria-Louisa's big infectious smiles, whilst they made every effort to speak to me in English to make me feel more comfortable. My thanks also go to Teresa and Antonio with whom I have shared many hours in one on one sessions. I sincerely hope that they have gained as much as I have from this time and I hope to see you both again in the future. Special thanks also go to Pepe for his constant flexibility and kindness. Never has he let me down when I have needed a favour and I am very thankful to him for ensuring that my time here ran as smoothly and comfortably as possible.
I would like to make separate and special thanks however to Pepa for everything that she has done for me. The support she has given me since I arrived last year has been constant and unwavering and I would surely have left for home long ago if she were not here. From the start of my stay here she opened up her home to me and my family, and her constant acts of kindness throughout the year have ensured her my loyal friendship forever. I will miss you dearly and I promise I will see you again very soon.
I hope very much to revisit Las Mimbres in the near future before the current generation of students leave, so that I can see the progress they have made and say one final goodbye to them as a group before they move on to high school. I hope that they will remember me with the same fondness as I will remember them.
domingo, 24 de mayo de 2009
Sonia's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15770031/Sonias-Story?secret_password=cygco0fd284wspkrpn6
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Sergio's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15769580/Sergios-Story?secret_password=1k0jpfchehgmcfmppxu8
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Sara's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15769287/Saras-Story?secret_password=tbf70du826ejx86tqm8
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Paula's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15769031/Paulas-Story?secret_password=2m2xyqj88eetz1o0a7ts
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Noelia's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15768691/Noelias-Story?secret_password=1tqcf1mg0neh6e9v6lop
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Miguel's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15767232/Miguels-Story?secret_password=122zxnf4rf3gub9jtx7r
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Marta's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15767119/Martas-Story?secret_password=1ltcqamg2ok87vcb9dao
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Juan's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15766936/Juans-Story?secret_password=k7kilb94qh3reotzx79
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Joaquin's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15766768/Joaquins-Story?secret_password=lgqlvgf15k9b3uzrxfl
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Haiza's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15766285/Haizas-Story?secret_password=1thr1tkw8dcafmtfee95
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Gracia's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15751543/Gracias-Story?secret_password=q2q47kxswxxsts3dgj6
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Gonzalo's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15751398/Gonzalos-Story?secret_password=15028v8xf9m8y7jcfb6n
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Fani's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15751117/Fanis-Story?secret_password=2fu58oi6vkn0kda2ehsm
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Estefania's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15750995/Estefanias-Story?secret_password=107sqrnvlx6j6bq2k81y
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Esteban's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15750796/Estebans-Story?secret_password=2dqqmh5mdgamkpt8xcvd
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Diego's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15750632/Diegos-Story?secret_password=2e0b45rd8wh7jzlc9jri
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
David's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15750503/Davids-Story?secret_password=1vg38rutq7md7mlzxvyh
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Claudia's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15750262/Claudias-Story?secret_password=13euyahkfbv17xawsztl
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Carmen's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15749967/Carmens-Story?secret_password=19gtf1zlm93d9zgl8pjo
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Belen's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15749279/Belens-Story?secret_password=h6un26dyhq4p0iv5pk8
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Antonio's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15749825/Antonios-Story?secret_password=mrgm4cdp9srigqpqefb
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Ana's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15749562/Anas-Story?secret_password=195xmmz049y8ebp63x8x
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In order to see the document fully, It is necessary to download the full file and open with microsoft powerpoint.
Andrea's Story
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15749143/Andreas-Story?secret_password=73zv7af5o00hc04ols8
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miércoles, 6 de mayo de 2009
Things I have learnt in Las Mimbres
During my time at Las Mimbres Primary School, I have learnt a great deal with regards to various teaching methods and their application in classes. Set out below are some of my favoured methods that I regard as highly effective in teaching young children the basics of a foreign language.
Working in Small Groups
I found that working in small groups was extremely beneficial to the children and me, as we could get to know each other far more effectively and I could create a closer bond with each child. With the close relationships I established, I was able to engage the children far more easily and they are more willing to listen, learn and ask questions when they do not understand something. This was of great benefit with the Princess stories mentioned in my previous blog as I worked in groups of around 4 children on average, and they were eager to learn the basic vocabulary whilst colouring in the pictures. They are far more comfortable in asking questions, because in a small group there are not 22 pairs of eyes focusing on them when they ask me a question about something they do not understand. Group work in my opinion, definitely enhances a child’s confidence and willingness to learn.
Visual aids and songs
I have learnt that it is vitally important to show variety in my teaching methods as children can become extremely bored very quickly, which can result in them being restless and disruptive. To tackle this challenge, I have adopted various methods that I have picked up from shadowing the teachers in each class. I find that teaching children songs which focus on certain subject matters and the use of visual aids on another day will always get them excited. There is a contrast of co-operation and competition between the children in these two methods – all of them singing together when I teach them a song, and then becoming competitive in seeing who is the first to guess what each visual aid means. In learning the words to songs whilst constantly trying to outsmart the next student with the visual aids, the children find themselves learning basic vocabulary and phrases, whilst at the same time having fun.
Computer work
Finally, from time to time I will use the computer with each child individually as they are always excited to be picked out. On the computer I would show them various stimulating visuals, primarily slide shows and videos and I would allow them to pick out pictures and designs to collate with their work or to match certain words in the vocabulary that they have been learning.
Working in Small Groups
I found that working in small groups was extremely beneficial to the children and me, as we could get to know each other far more effectively and I could create a closer bond with each child. With the close relationships I established, I was able to engage the children far more easily and they are more willing to listen, learn and ask questions when they do not understand something. This was of great benefit with the Princess stories mentioned in my previous blog as I worked in groups of around 4 children on average, and they were eager to learn the basic vocabulary whilst colouring in the pictures. They are far more comfortable in asking questions, because in a small group there are not 22 pairs of eyes focusing on them when they ask me a question about something they do not understand. Group work in my opinion, definitely enhances a child’s confidence and willingness to learn.
Visual aids and songs
I have learnt that it is vitally important to show variety in my teaching methods as children can become extremely bored very quickly, which can result in them being restless and disruptive. To tackle this challenge, I have adopted various methods that I have picked up from shadowing the teachers in each class. I find that teaching children songs which focus on certain subject matters and the use of visual aids on another day will always get them excited. There is a contrast of co-operation and competition between the children in these two methods – all of them singing together when I teach them a song, and then becoming competitive in seeing who is the first to guess what each visual aid means. In learning the words to songs whilst constantly trying to outsmart the next student with the visual aids, the children find themselves learning basic vocabulary and phrases, whilst at the same time having fun.
Computer work
Finally, from time to time I will use the computer with each child individually as they are always excited to be picked out. On the computer I would show them various stimulating visuals, primarily slide shows and videos and I would allow them to pick out pictures and designs to collate with their work or to match certain words in the vocabulary that they have been learning.
Once Upon a Time...
This year I have been working with Primera C (or Year 1C) in developing their basic English grammar and vocabulary knowledge. Fairy tales involving Princesses and Royalty are very popular with children in all cultures. As such, it was decided that this would be a good topic to use as this would engage their imaginations whilst encouraging them to learn every day words and sentences used in the English language. A story is always a great way to learn as the pictures are visually stimulating and children find it more fun to learn this way.
England was chosen as a setting for 3 reasons; the first and arguably the most important reason being that Universal English throughout the World is derived from the Queens English - as written in the Oxford Dictionary. Although there are variations of English, such as American English and Australian English, it is the “Queens” English that is most widely used. The second reason is that England is most famous for its Royal Family and historical castles. Lastly of course, it is the country I was born and raised in.
The stories all follow the same general path, explaining details about the Princess’ life and family, with a focus on home, living, family and appearance. Firstly, I worked in small groups of children and we drew the pictures. Then I created a slide show with each page showing their work on the story with approximately nine narrative pages on average per student. I would create a title focusing on the topic of that page of the story and as it progressed on each slide, the children’s pictures emphasised each part. The 9 pages generally follow the same pattern (as shown below) and some of the slide shows can be viewed on this blog.
Page 1 – A front cover sheet with the student telling their name and age, and explaining (in English) that this is their first tale written in English.
Page 2 – A Castle showing where the Princess lives.
Page 3 –A Castle and a map of Britain showing the general location of the River Thames in London and the starting of the story with the traditional: “Once upon a time..” This is a phrase very common in children’s stories.
Page 4 – The Shop shows the Princess buying items for home and school such as a pen, pencil, book and a sword to kill the dragon in the story.
Page 5 – The parts of the body. The students would draw a picture of the Princess labelling each body part in English.
Page 6 – The Face. This would continue from the last slide with a picture of the face with the children labelling in English each parts of the head from eyes to ears and mouth.
Page 7 – Foods. Next we advanced to various every day foods – essential vocabulary for the students if they are to learn English or indeed, any other language.
Page 8 – Family Members. Here the main members of the family are mentioned.
Page 9 – Animals and how they move. Finally we focused on different animals common in England as pets.
There were a few children who drew extra pictures and these mainly focused on Christmas and also one or two extra illustrations showing where the Princess lives.
All in all, it is vitally important that children learn the basic and essential vocabulary used in every day English as this will be of great benefit should they ever travel to an English speaking country later in their lives. I feel that the topic chosen was largely successful as the children have begun to point out certain things in English such as stationary in the classroom and certain foods at lunchtime – both of which were emphasised in their stories.
England was chosen as a setting for 3 reasons; the first and arguably the most important reason being that Universal English throughout the World is derived from the Queens English - as written in the Oxford Dictionary. Although there are variations of English, such as American English and Australian English, it is the “Queens” English that is most widely used. The second reason is that England is most famous for its Royal Family and historical castles. Lastly of course, it is the country I was born and raised in.
The stories all follow the same general path, explaining details about the Princess’ life and family, with a focus on home, living, family and appearance. Firstly, I worked in small groups of children and we drew the pictures. Then I created a slide show with each page showing their work on the story with approximately nine narrative pages on average per student. I would create a title focusing on the topic of that page of the story and as it progressed on each slide, the children’s pictures emphasised each part. The 9 pages generally follow the same pattern (as shown below) and some of the slide shows can be viewed on this blog.
Page 1 – A front cover sheet with the student telling their name and age, and explaining (in English) that this is their first tale written in English.
Page 2 – A Castle showing where the Princess lives.
Page 3 –A Castle and a map of Britain showing the general location of the River Thames in London and the starting of the story with the traditional: “Once upon a time..” This is a phrase very common in children’s stories.
Page 4 – The Shop shows the Princess buying items for home and school such as a pen, pencil, book and a sword to kill the dragon in the story.
Page 5 – The parts of the body. The students would draw a picture of the Princess labelling each body part in English.
Page 6 – The Face. This would continue from the last slide with a picture of the face with the children labelling in English each parts of the head from eyes to ears and mouth.
Page 7 – Foods. Next we advanced to various every day foods – essential vocabulary for the students if they are to learn English or indeed, any other language.
Page 8 – Family Members. Here the main members of the family are mentioned.
Page 9 – Animals and how they move. Finally we focused on different animals common in England as pets.
There were a few children who drew extra pictures and these mainly focused on Christmas and also one or two extra illustrations showing where the Princess lives.
All in all, it is vitally important that children learn the basic and essential vocabulary used in every day English as this will be of great benefit should they ever travel to an English speaking country later in their lives. I feel that the topic chosen was largely successful as the children have begun to point out certain things in English such as stationary in the classroom and certain foods at lunchtime – both of which were emphasised in their stories.
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