CLIL PROJECT IN PRECSHOOL

The CLIL project, content language integrated learning, is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language. It is advisable in the last level of preschool and it is composed by six didactic units which have been done from a global and interdisciplinary perspective.

The main objectives of CLIL project:

•  Communication focusing on fluency instead of accuracy.

• Learn contents from other areas using English.

• Conceive English as a way of communication.

• Develop children´s selves intellectually and emotionally.

THE PLANNING:

1)      Stories: The starting point of every didactic unit is the story which can be a story book, DVD,  a song, a dance …
2)      Activities: The activities are written and oral. However, the important key is to make the children be in touch with the language in a natural way. It is essential to take into consideration this points:

-          In the oral, try to use the same grammatical structures.

-          When the children answer in their mother tongue language it is important to repeat it in English.

-          Open questions and discussions are useful for improving children´s understanding.

-          Visual and body language is also important for the understanding.

                The written activities are always going to be a extension of the oral ones.

  

 3) Grouping: There are going to be different type of groups (individual, pair, group of 4-8 pupils, whole group …)

The topics of the CLIL project:

• Transport.

• Dinosaurs.

• Healthy.

• Feelings.

• Wild animals.

• I am different.

               

 NEW IDEAS FOR OUR PROJECT

   In the last classes, we have been discussing different ideas for our project. The main question is how to teach English to small children efficiently. We are not sure yet but we agree in different points which are going to be explained now.

                First of all, there is an agreement about the importance of the fluency and not so much the accuracy of communication. In that age, grammar is not easy to understand as their skills are not enough. However, oral capacities can be improved quickly and more over, if their curiosity is promoted.

                For that, teachers should know children´s interests and motivations. It is also essential to prepare a clear structure of the class planning (beginning, central part and the end). The structure must be adapted to children´s wants.

                One way to discover their interests is to offer them cameras and go outdoors. Based on the taken photos, children can explain what they have seen and why the matter is of their interest. Like this, the teaching of a language is not only focused on the classroom and the environment allows the learning in a dynamic way.

                 We also take into account that we are not only English teachers. As preschool teachers, we must strongly follow their development and detect any difficulties that could affect their improvements. Moreover, we should respect the different rhythms, adapt the classes and promote a cooperative way of learning. 

                Educational materials are also a key factor. It is really important that a native speaker has created them, in order to make children get used to hearing English accents. For example, the use of songs or videos is very useful.

                Finally, we feel that we must analyze the method more profoundly. There is not a unique method, on the contrary, sometimes the method has to be adapted to school location, children´s characteristics and to the school general policy. All these considerations will be changed, adapted, and improved while we advance with this subject.