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Courses & Events
We offered a wide range of continuing professional development courses
Teaching French in EYFS/ KS1 with Dinocrocs Formats 1-6
Date: July 13, 2010 - May 20, 2011
Location: Middlesbrough Teaching and Learning Centre
Event type: One-day workshop
Contact us
Any questions about this event? Please email linksnortheast@newcastle.ac.uk or call 0191 222 5194.
Summary
Hocus and Lotus, the Dinocrocs that teach languages to young children.
This method is based on the Narrative Format, developed in the Faculty of Pyschology at the University of Rome. The method is modelled on the way in which children acquire their first language and is appropriate to children aged from 2 to 7. The method consists of routine group re-enactment of stories; it demands the extensive use of non-verbal communicative modes such as gaze, gesture, actions and body postures as well as facial expression and intonation. The children step into the action of the narrative by imitating the adult in spoken interaction involving turn taking between the adult/teacher and the group of children altogether. The Dinocrocs model has been used very successfully in Redcar & Cleveland for the past five years and results have been the same as those achieved in Italy. No knowledge of French is required by the teacher or teaching assistant but there is a commitment to learn each format, or story by heart. In fact it has been found that children take their model of pronunciation and intonation from the cartoon video and resources, rather than from the teacher. Schools will be expected to have purchased the Magic Teacher’s Kit, £45; the DVD £18, and the Sing Along CD £10 (all available from CILT, the National Centre for Languages (total price £73) www.cilt.org.uk/shop in order to access the ancillary materials free of charge.
These workshops are in a series run over six full day sessions at the Middlesbrough Teaching and Learning Centre on the following dates:
- Tuesday, 13th July 2010
- Friday, 15th October 2010
- Friday, 3rd December 2010
- Friday, 4th February 2011
- Friday, 18th March 2011
- Friday, 20th May 2011
Target audience:
- Enthusiastic KS1 and EYFS teachers and TAs
- Teachers responsible for primary languages
NB no previous knowledge of French is necessary.
Outcomes
- Learn the Dinocrocs Formats
- Understand the background and how children learn languages when young
- Speak French with the children
- Sing the Dinocrocs “mini-musicals” with them
- Measure the children’s progress in interpersonal skills
Trainer
Jim McElwee is the Modern Language Adviser in Redcar & Cleveland LA. He has been involved in primary languages since 1995 and is a CILT National Trainer. He is an accredited Dinocrocs trainer and is currently engaged in a research project at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Rome, La Sapienza. He has trained more than 200 teachers and teaching assistants in the Dinocrocs method and is a committed advocate of early language learning.
Cost
Free to Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough staff. Those from other authorities will pay a total of £100, to cover catering for the 6 days
In addition, schools will need to purchase a Level one Teachers’ kit (£45), Level one DVD (£18) and Level one CD (£10) from CILT books
