UNIT 1

It's school time!

Image: 'Back to school', by Mark Bonica

In this unit we will revise greetings as well as some politeness rules and two-cypher numbers. We will also revise and enlarge vocabulary about school and classroom. At the end of the unit the students will be able to give some personal details, identify some parts of the school and identify and locate classroom objects using prepositions of place.

Number of sessions: 9
Length of the class: 45'

Number of pupils: 27 (4th grade Primary)

OBJECTIVES:

• To revise/practise greetings.
• To ask and answer questions about personal details (name, age, address, city, phone number).
• To understand and start using the syntactical-discursive structures: numbers from 0 to 199, prepositions of place (in, on, under), conjunction 'and' and affirmative sentences.
• To review and strengthen the alphabet (a, b).
• To relate the letters of the alphabet with their sounds.
• To revise/recognise/use classroom objects.
• To learn and identify some parts of the school.
• To follow oral instructions and commands given.
• To listen to and understand a story/song.
• To sing a song.
• To manifest a positive attitude at the English class.
• To accept and respect the English classroom rules.

CONTENTS:

Block 1. Oral texts comprehension

• Greetings.
• Personal details, places and objects description.
• Sound, stress and intonation discrimination.
• Alphabet.
• Mobilisation of previous information about kind of task and topic.
• Differences in use of the simplest daily communication formulas concerning greetings.

Block 2. Oral texts production: expression and interaction

• Interaction to ask for information.
• Expression of the message with clearness.
• Appropriate usage of non-verbal language.

Block 3. Written texts comprehension

• Relation of letters and their sounds.
• Hypothesizing about meanings starting from pictures.

Block 4. Written texts production and interaction

• High-frequency words orthography.
• Product presentation, in paper or digitally, using appropriate elements.
• Establishment of basic social contact by simple daily communication formulas.

HIGH FREQUENCY VOCABULARY:

• Personal identification: name, age, address, city, phone number.
• School and classroom: playground, classroom, computers room, music classroom, library, gym, blackboard, digital board, notebook, book, pencil case, picture posters, classroom library, magazine.

SYNTACTICAL-DISCURSIVE STRUCTURES:

• Logical relations expression: and.
• Affirmation: affirmative sentences.
• Quantity expression: singular/plural, cardinal numbers (0-199).
• Space expression: prepositions of place (in, on, under).

KEY COMPETENCES:

LCC: Linguistic communication competence.

SCC: Social and civic competence.

CAE: Cultural awareness and expression.

DC: Digital competence.

ISE: Initiative sense and entrepreneurship.

I won't enumerate Learning Standards and Assessment Critera, because I think each teacher should choose them according to their own personal way of teaching and the value they give to the different objectives and contents.

ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY

My pedagigic method will be adapted to the students' characteristics to favour their capacity to learn on their own and work as a team promoting creativity and dynamism. It will integrate resources of information and communication technologies in learning, and it will take into account the following principles:

• Teaching methodology at a primary education level should generally aim for pupils' development, integrating their experiences and learning.
• Teaching must be personalised and adapted to the learning rhythm of each child.
• Recreational activities constitute an especially suitable resource at this level.
• Contents should be organised according to a global focus.
• The teaching process will be based on the pupils' constructive activity, ensuring that what is learnt will actually be of use and encouraging pupils to learn on their own.

Language is mainly a communication system. It is therefore necessary to learn how to communicate properly (first orally, then by writing).

According to this general principle, here are the main characteristics of this method:

• It is necessary to follow a direct, functional, flexible and communicative method by using the current audio-visual resources: video, CDs, DVDs... and the information and communication technologies. the internet, computer, digital board...
• Methodological guidance follows a general principle: first oral then written communication.
• It is necessary to give more importance to communication rather than to form.
• Making mistakes is part of every learning process. It is better not to avoid them.
• The teacher must be the 'driving force' and the guide to learning. He is the head of the planning, methodology, and the efficient running of the class.
• It is essential that students feel motivated. Authentic motivation arises from the real necessity of the English language in everyday life: science, culture, tourism, work, society, institutions...
• Cultural contents are an integral part of the students' education as they form part of the communicative competence. 'Cultural' knowledge is melted with linguistic knowledge.

SESSIONS:

1st session

2nd session
3rd session
4th session
5th session
6th session
7th session
8th session
9th session


You will find the explanation for the different activities in the 'Binnacle' page.

As you can see, I like to start each session using a 'hello' song, as well as finish them with a 'goodbye' song. Here you have the videos I recommend you, they are short, easy and children love them! They are from Dream English Kids songs, where you can find lots of fun videos to work all kind of topics. I love Matt and his songs!

If you have any doubt about the activities of the sessions above, just write a comment! I'll be glad to answer as soon as possible! 😉