PPLI Primary Guidelines - Flipbook - Page 45
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Language and Languages in the Primary School Some guidelines for teachers by David Little and Déirdre Kirwan
In Fifth and Sixth Class creative writing in multiple languages undergoes further development. The increasing
sophistication of pupils’ language skills is reflected in their interest in writing; the expressive quality of that writing;
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:
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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.
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Descriptions of pupils’ homes or their ideal house can be written in as many languages as possible.
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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.
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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.
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Multilingual posters can be created on various topics: healthy eating, exercise, anti-smoking, climate change, etc.
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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.
2.3.4 Consolidating plurilingual learning
When a plurilingual approach to language education is implemented across the school, teachers will think of many
different ways of consolidating language learning. Here are just four examples; teachers will think of many other
possibilities.
Inter-class interaction
EAL pupils from senior classes (Third–Sixth) can visit junior classes and interact with pupils in Irish and their home
languages. Senior pupils can also teach juniors songs in their home language. These activities benefit senior pupils as
well as juniors because they acknowledge and affirm their linguistic identity and promote self-esteem.
Senior pupils read stories to juniors
In Fifth and Sixth Class pupils may regard fairy tales as suitable for much younger children. However, having pupils at
this level read Irish versions of stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks and the Three Bears to Junior and
Senior Infants is a good way of boosting the language skills of all involved. Similarly, EAL pupils in Fifth and Sixth Class
can read stories in their home language to Junior and Senior Infants who have the same home language; and they
can repeat the exercise for their classmates, who try to identify and understand key words and phrases.
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