DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY FOR VERY EARLY LANGUAGE

LEARNING (VELL)Lifelong Learning Programme: Transversal Programme, Key Activity 2: Languages

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Project Aims

The aim of the project is to develop a methodology for pre-kindergarten students of foreign languages and thus set quality standards for language acquisition.

As a result, we are going to provide materials that institutions working in the field will be able to adopt.

We are convinced that the parents’ role in the process of children’s language acquisition at this age is indispensable. Therefore, the methodology is going to consider the needs of the parents as well.

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Project Partners

• Elementary School and Kindergarten ANGEL in Prague, Czech Republic

• English Learning Centre, Košice, Slovakia

• Paritätisches Bildungswerk Landesverband Nordrheinwestfalen e.V. (PBW), Wuppertal, Germany

• Consorzio per la Formazione Professionale e l'Educazione Permanente, San Donato Milanese, Italy

Prof. Dr. Charlotte Röhner, Uni Wuppertal

Françoise Ruel, Dt.-Frz. KindergartenWuppertal

Kordula Gützlag, PBW LV NRW

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Project Products

An entire product line was developed within the project: a teacher’s resource book, a video, a parent’s guide and a workbook.

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Parent’s guide

The parent’s guide will provide parents with tips for further practice in the areas introduced by the curriculum. The suggested activities will be based on home environment and the parent-child relationship.

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Target group

Even though the guide mostly refers to mothers, it also addresses fathers, grandparents, neighbours and other people playing with the child.

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Creating the Parent’s Guide

• During a project meeting in Pardubice, we jointly collected topics and activities for a Parent’s Guide and structured its content respectively.

• We aimed to strengthen parent-child interaction.• We want to support parents in using the new

language also in situations within a home environment.

• With the Parent’s Guide, we want to offer incentives and support to parents.

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Example

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Let’s try it together

Je suis là et tu es là

tu es là et tu es là et tu es là,nous sommes tous là!Amélie es-tu là?Elias es-tu là?Hanna es-tu là?tra la la la la!

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Experiences

• Our experiences with the Parent’s Guide show that its content is not always easy to apply because of widely different language skills that may lead to insecurity.

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What we want!

• The Parent’s Guide is not supposed to be a traditional school book! It is rather about providing a hands-on approach to language.

• Among other things, we want to emphasise the importance of a holistic and integrated approach to learning.

• Educators are required to train parents how to use the Parent’s Guide.

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What we want!

• Parents should find time and space to practice with their children.

• Parents should be motivated and have fun learning the language themselves.

• The most important factors are enthusiasm and interest. This will help to ignite the spark in your child!

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Discussion

• Do you have any questions?

• Thank you very much for your attention!