PPLI Primary Guidelines - Flipbook - Page 40
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Language and Languages in the Primary School Some guidelines for teachers by David Little and Déirdre Kirwan
the length of the stories they write; their choice of
language(s) in which to write; the way in which all their
linguistic knowledge is brought to bear on their
writing; and the support this knowledge provides for
their further language development. The texts they
write are informed by all aspects of the curriculum and
by the innovative ways in which, with support from
their teachers, they present those topics, for example:
•
A description of the weather from the four points
of the compass of whatever country is in focus can
be written in all the languages the pupils know – In
the north it is cold can be written in English, Irish,
home languages and any other languages the
pupils know; similarly for south, east and west.
•
Descriptions of pupils’ homes or their ideal house
can be written in as many languages as possible.
•
Pupils can keep a diary of Christmas, Eid and other
celebrations in multiple languages and can design
multilingual greetings cards for their teacher and
peers.
•
A lesson on a Christmas carol or hymn in Latin, e.g.,
Dormi Jesu, Adeste Fideles, gives pupils an
opportunity to draw on their collective linguistic
resources to arrive at an English translation. This is
a highly motivating activity that pupils engage in
with enthusiasm; it is empowering for them to
realize that working with your peers you can
understand a language that you have not learned.
•
Multilingual posters can be created on various
topics: healthy eating, exercise, anti-smoking,
climate change, etc.
•
Pupils can work collaboratively to produce versions
of folktales from Ireland and EAL pupils’ countries
of origin in two or more languages.
Mixing languages in one text
Pupils enjoy using all the languages in their repertoire in a single text, for example, a report on a visit to their
prospective post-primary school. The rule is that each sentence must be written in a different language from the
sentence that immediately precedes it.
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