Analysing Spanish MFL Curriculum

1.   Which are the most common domains for a child in this stage?

Los dominios abarcan los amplios sectores de la vida social. Se ha adoptado una categorización mayor limitando estas principales categorías relevantes para la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la lengua y su uso: la educativa, ocupacional, los dominios sociales y personales.

A nivel comunicativo los niños van a tener todos estos ámbitos relacionados unos con otros.

2.   Name the blocks of contents. 

·         Bloque 1: Escuchar, hablar y conversar.

·         Bloque 2: Leer y escribir.

·         Bloque 3: Conocimientos del lenguaje.

·         Bloque 4: Aspectos socioculturales y consciencia cultural.

3.   Which block of content is more relevant at this stage? 

Pensamos que los bloques de contenidos más relevantes o importantes en esta etapa son el bloque 1, escuchar, hablar y conversar, y por supuesto el bloque 2, leer y escribir, los cuales están unidos coherentemente. Cada vez más la sociedad en la que vivimos sufre continuos cambios de ámbito cultural, por este motivo es importante preparar a nuestros alumnos para esta sociedad multicultural, multilingüe e internacional.

Sin embargo, no quita que el resto de los bloques sean importantes. Con los contenidos tratados en el bloque 3 se intenta hacer una reflexión sobre el aprendizaje. Con el bloque 4 se tratan las normas de la lengua extranjera y su cultura. Se pretende que el niño valore y aprecie culturas diferentes y adquiera una conciencia intercultural.

Se consigue que el alumnado elimine prejuicios lingüísticos y culturales y comprenda la importancia de convivir interculturalmente.

4.   Which should be the starting point to reflect on how language works (grammar)? 

En la Educación Primaria se parte de una competencia todavía muy elemental en la lengua extranjera, por ello, durante toda la etapa, serán de gran importancia los conocimientos, capacidades y experiencias en las lenguas que los niños/as conocen para comprender y construir significados, estructuras y estrategias durante su participación en actos de comunicación.

El objetivo del área de Lengua extranjera es el de formar personas que puedan utilizarla para comprender, hablar, conversar, leer y escribir, por lo que esto  debería ser el punto de partida del aprendizaje.

Communicative language teaching

The natural approach

PEPP approach

1. Present 4 new words to your gruop; remember to establish a context in which the use of the new language makes sense and is appropriate and motivate/engage the children. When introducing each new word, follow the following sequence:

SUNGLASSES

Today I'm wearing a new sunglasses, my new sunglasses is pink. Look at my new sunglasses. Do you like the pink sunglasses? I love my new pink sunglasses. I think that you also love it. I'm very happy whith my new sunglasses.

Sunglasses, sunglasses, sunglasses, sunglasses, sunglasses, sunglasses (whith differents sounds)

Is there anybody here wearing a pink sunglasses? And a black sunglasses? Is there anybody here wearing a black sunglasses? You wear a sunglasses on your face. Or, do you wear sunglasses on your legs? NOOOOO!!!!!! You wear sunglasses on your face.

PENCIL

My father bought me a pencil. I’m got a new pencil. My drawings are grey because my pencil is grey. Have you got a grey pencil? I have also color’s pencils. I think my color’s pencils are wonderful. I can draw a beautiful rainbow with my color’s pencils. I love color’s pencils.

Pencil, peeeeeencil, penciiiiil, pee eeen ciiiiiiil, p e n c i l (with differents sounds)

Have anybody a pencil? What color is your pencil? There are many colors for pencils. Have you got a green pencil? Or yellow pencil? I draw, paint or write with my pencils. Don’t forget: write or draw with my pencils. Do you eat with your pencils? No. Or do you brush your teeth with your pencils? No. you write or draw with pencils.

HOUSE

This is my house. My house is white. I live on a big house. I live in my house with my family. My house has got one door and five windows. How is your house? Do you like my house? I live very happy in my house.

house, house, house, house (with differents sounds)

Has everybody got a house? the children haven't got a house in the third world. Houses are very nice. I love the houses with a lot of bedrooms, windows and toys.

CAR

I bought a new car, is white. Do you like my car? My car is very nice and fast. I am very happy to have my car.

Car, carr, caaaaar, car, car, car (with differents sounds)

I have the best car in the world. I don't know anyone who does, and when I drive everybody likes. When I drive my car, it looks like I am flying.

2. Do 3 different 'exposure' activities (remember: The learners DO NOT produce the new language yet).

a) The teacher shows cards with a objects and he says the name of these objects.

                             

b)The teacher make an action of these objects.

-Fly your plane.

-Drive your car.

c)The teacher put on the radio a listening with the actions of the objetcs and the students must to order the actions according to the listening.

Example:

-Number 1, drive your car.

3. Do 3 different 'practice' activities (start with a drilling activity in which you provide the model and the learners imitate it; start by getting the learners to imitate single words and then words whithin a longer chunk of language - a whole sentence; in order to do that, think about language (grammar structures and vocabulary) that the learners may have studied previously to the introduction of the language you pretend to introduce).

a) Show the class the meaning of these two words "foot" and "ball". Teach with gestures what they are and examples. Then repeat each word separately.

b) The whole class together repeat the word "football".

c) Enter the word in a sentence, explain with gestures and all repeat the phrase. Finally write in their notebooks. "I play football every week."