Chris Wakely, Languages Adviser, Devon Education
Services
By 2011, as languages become a statutory part
of the Key Stage 2 curriculum, we face another major challenge: one
in three primary age children will be overweight or obese. In Devon
we have been looking at ways of using schools’ Daily Physical
Activity (DPA) programme in order to practise children’s
language skills.
One way to do this is to give children
instructions in the foreign language and ask them to respond:
- Touchez les pieds!
- Marchez!
- Dessinez un huit en l’air avec la main
gauche!
Often very little language is needed:
Faites comme ça! accompanied by a demonstration will
suffice in many cases when the teacher is uncertain of the exact
vocabulary needed.
The popular running and chasing game “Traffic
Lights” can be played with just three basic instructions: Feux
rouge / orange / vert! But it can be made much more
interesting by the addition of a few extra words: Bouchon!
(traffic jam) Accident! or En panne!
(breakdown).
Action rhymes have proved particularly
popular. They exploit two powerful mnemonics: music and performing
a series of coordinated movements. There are also opportunities to
boost their intercultural understanding when they learn songs from
another country.
So performing a simple aerobic routine to
Savez-vous planter les choux? helps them to keep fit,
memorise a little French, learn about the idiosyncrasies of French
gardening AND become better learners. How does this make them
better learners? Because responding kinaesthetically to a
linguistic prompt stimulates the links between the left and right
halves of the brain, but it is also great FUN, releasing endorphins
and neotrophins both of which help to keep the brain healthy.
Examples of these activities can be viewed in the Training
Zone:
An example of how combining DPA and languages
has been used as a transition tool in Devon can be viewed on the
CILT
website
To support this initiative, Devon Education
Services have produced Take 10 en français and Take 10
en español. A German version will also be available in the
future. These are available for purchase at the Devon
Education Services Shop.
Let’s all get moving!