No Travel No Problem! -Bringing Languages Alive During a Pandemic-Seneca MFL Conference 10 October 2020

 I had a great time at the Seneca Virtual MFL Conference today.

Here is a copy of my slides:

https://www.slideshare.net/icpj/no-travel-no-problembringing-languages-alive-during-a-pandemic

More resources from the conference can be found here.

Enjoy! 

"Music, Rhythm and Grammar-Supporting Recall", TM Modern Foreign Languages Icons event, Saturday 26 September 2020

 

I had a great time at the TM Modern Foreign Languages event this morning. There certainly was a great variety of topics and presenters and now I am truly buzzing with new ideas...

Please find a link here to my presentation on " Music, Rhythm and Grammar-Supporting Recall" :

Really looking forward to try in my classroom all the new ideas that were shared!

Music and Technology: Making Language Learning Memorable, a TiLT Webinar-Thursday 29 August 2020

I have always been a strong advocate for using music in the Languages classroom and was delighted to be offered to present a TiLT Webinar for ALL London on this topic.

I have been a member of ALL, the Association for Language Learning for as long as I can remember and their programme of free Webinars to support language teachers during the pandemic has simply been amazing. Co-hosted by ALL London chair Helen Myers and ICT expert Joe Dale, there are now more 50 TiLT Webinars that can be accessed through the ALL London website and Joe's YouTube channel.

In my webinar, I shared a range of tools and ideas for integrating music in activities in and outside the classroom. We looked at streaming platforms like Spotify, recording tools and apps as well as sites to source free beats and loops to support pupils' creativity and memorisation of language.

I also presented tools to use melody, rhythm and song lyrics to enhance pupils' enjoyment, motivation and support their recall of key language structures.

I showed different resources to develop teachers' knowledge in order to link music and song lyrics to the culture of the Target-Language countries.

Last but not least, I shared how specific websites, apps and social media can support teachers in discovering new artists and tracks from a range of Target-Language countries.

My slides can be downloaded from here

A copy of the chat discussion and the recording of the webinar  is available from ALL London website and Joe Dale's YouTube channel

The following collaborative Wakelets were started in the session:

French https://wakelet.com/i/invite?code=5665d3a

Spanish https://wakelet.com/i/invite?code=882ab34

German https://wakelet.com/i/invite?code=792a9af

Songs for young learners https://wakelet.com/i/invite?code=ad5b361

Do join in and share your favourite songs to teach languages....

Twitter Summer Foreign Language Bookclub !

It all started on Twitter… After Jane Basnett, @basnettj asked her Twitter network for suggestions to create a list of French books for French teachers to enjoy over the summer.

After posting the link to her list, I agreed to add a page for Spanish books and Sonja Fedrizzi, @FedrizziSonja  offered to make a page for German books

You can download the list by clicking here 

In addition to the various recommendations I was given by many Spanish teacher colleagues, I was also told about other exciting opportunities to practise the language, such as …

The Tomo y Lomo podcast in Spanish about famous contemporary writers

La escóbula de la brújula, cultural podcast in Spanish also featuring contemporary literature

I also found out about the MFL virtual book club run on Facebook by @katelanguages 

Do join the foreign language book conversation on Twitter and Facebook and feel free to leave a comment to recommend a book from the list… Enjoy and Thank you Merci Gracias!

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and Modern Languages Options: What is it and What is the point?

The EPQ is not a new qualification but discussing it with Nick Brown, Head of Languages at Lincoln Castle Academy, I started to understand its real potential to promote languages…

I first came across the EPQ at my previous school. Like in many schools, it was used as a way to enrich the curriculum in the VI Form. As such, it is a way to get learners to get a Level 3 qualification as well as develop their research skills and engage with content that is within and beyond the curriculum.

Full details about the qualification can be found here and the Future Ready website but the main feature of the qualification is that, following their own in-depth study, students are asked to produce a project with ONE of the following outcomes:

•         A dissertation
•         An investigation or a field study
•        A performance
•        An artefact

The work submitted for assessment must be produced in English but-and this is VERY important for language teachers-the research and supporting notes can be in ANY language, which would naturally occur by listening, speaking, reading and note-taking in the language.

If the project is used to complement A Level teaching and learning, the topics can be inspired by some of the A Level work, provided it does not replicate their Independent Research Project (IRP).

The project can also allow students to explore their cultural heritage or the cultural heritage of other people in the community as well as offer them an opportunity to pursue an interest outside of the curriculum. This could be of particular interest for EAL students, as a way to celebrate their cultural heritage, enhance their literacy in English as well as gain a recognised Level 3 qualification. 

Examples of projects for MFL could include:

Has French cinema been a major influence on the world stage? (dissertation-extension from A Level film study)

Is Colombian Spanish a better dialect than other forms? (dissertation)

What trends can be seen in the use of slang words by modern day German teenagers? (investigation/field study)

Interpretation/Performance of a play

Short film in the style of a specific director (artefact)

Self-published book of new translations of poems (artefact)

If you would like to register your interest in the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or find out more information about MFL-focused titles, click here.  

And there is more…. 

The EPQ is also available for KS4 pupils as a Higher Project Qualification (HPQ, Level 2 qualification) and a Foundation Project Qualification (FPQ, Level 1 qualification). Like the EPQ these qualifications aim to develop learner’s transferable skills and preparing them to the world of work by making them more organised and independent.  More details here. 

Ofqual Consultation: Suggested Changes for the Assessment of A Levels and GCSEs in Modern Foreign Languages in 2021

Ofqual is currently conducting a very important consultation including proposals tomodify the assessment requirements for some GCSEs, AS and A levels in response to disruption to education caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In the face of “lost” teaching time during lockdown, the proposals aim to free up teaching time and, in some instances, reduce what needs to be taught and take account of any public health restrictions relating to coronavirus (COVID19) that might be in place during the next academic year.

A “recovery” curriculum?

There have been lots of discussions about how current Year 10 and Year 12 pupils have been affected by the pandemic in the preparation for next year’s exams as they have had limited access to face-to-face teaching since the end of March. In particular, the debate has been around the need of a possible “recovery” curriculum or at the very least a “responsive” curriculum to deal with the knowledge gaps that may have developed and that could hinder students’ further progress. This has highlighted the differences between school settings and the pressure on some schools to narrow the curriculum for some pupils to ensure standards in Maths and English were not put at risk.

Consultation about assessment NOT Curriculum review

What this consultation is not, is some kind of a statement about the importance of subjects and their respective content and skills. However, you would be forgiven for believing this was the case, reading some of the online debates it has created.

Suggestions for Languages A Level and GCSE 2021 exams

Whereas no modifications have been put forward for A Level, the proposals for Modern Languages GCSEs are quite controversial : the Speaking examination would be replaced by a teacher “endorsement” for Speaking but it would not actually count in the exam, with the overall grade only taking Listening, Reading and Writing into account.

Although there is no denying that cancelling speaking exams would result in gained teaching time, this proposal also causes a number of issues:

Students do usually well in speaking even though it can be stressful for some ;

There would be a noticeable imbalance in the overall grade between the productive and receptive skills ;

Although speaking would still be taught, it may lose its priority in the face of further time constraints and the pressure of imposed subject targets ;

The class focus moving away from speaking would particularly affect pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have opportunities for further practice ;

The decision would most likely impact on A Level recruitment for 2021-22 as the perceived success in speaking the language is key for motivation and enjoyment. However, given that the basis for the decision to carry on with languages for many students is still “success” measured by exam outcomes, ensuring a fair exam and best outcomes might be just as important for A Level recruitment ;

There is also a worry that dropping the speaking exam could have a negative impact on attitudes towards speaking and languages in general in the future.

So, what is the way forward?

Look at the coverage of topics? The teaching of the Social Issues topic is usually kept at the end of the course and maybe could be scrapped to make up for lost curriculum time during the pandemic.

Go the “Welsh way”? Keep the assessment standards in all 4 skills and at the same level but make amendments such as streamlining the coverage of some of the topics or skills assessed. For instance, no translation in the reading paper or no Role-Play and Photocard in the speaking exam. I would still be against using dictionaries in any of the exams as I feel this could be very distracting for students.

We will all agree that students must not have their qualification devalued and it is important that the standards remain the same even if some aspects of the assessment are simplified. For this reason, I believe that the overall standard of GCSEs in modern languages cannot be maintained without any speaking being counted at all in the overall mark.  

Want to share your own views? Have your say and respond to the consultation before 16July at 11.45pm

Now is the time to join ALL, the Association for Language Learning, our subject association, to make sure our voice is heard.  

ALL is also organising a consultation webinar on Friday 10 July for all language teachers. To register, please click here.

Lessons from Lockdown

Lockdown is continuing to be very hectic and intense for teachers. I have asked my online teacher network about what lockdown has meant for them and this is what I was told…

Lockdown has highlighted the importance of students’ intrinsic motivation and home support and the large impact they have on students’ achievements. It has also shown that teaching needs to facilitate independence. For instance, some of the quietest students have been seen to produce amazing work that they would never have produced in class for fear of drawing attention to themselves.

However, lockdown has also sparked creativity in many teachers, parents and pupils and in some case made parents realise what teaching really is about.

It has also created many opportunities for teachers to upskill, learn about blended learning, online learning and reflect on our practice.

Pedagogy and new tools-A few pointers

Focusing on fewer aspects of the language and guiding students’ practice to ensure complete mastery and success has come out as the biggest priority

Acknowledging the need for more repetition, practice and pace when learning vocabulary.

Understanding what it looks like from a learner’s perspective, keeping things simple and along a linear organisation allowing the teacher to reduce undue technical difficulties for pupils.

Developing a principled approach like the one adopted by @BarriMoc : retrieval, short video presentation, practice tasks (dictation, translation, gap-fill based on the content), reading task and a writing or speaking task using Flipgrid . Everything is then put in one document with any resources hyperlinked to avoid needing to open and flick between multiple tabs including Textivate  or Quizziz .

Exploring the use of Bitmojis and sharing on the Bitmoji Craze for Educator FaceBook group 

Taking time to test new tools, like Genial.ly 

Turning a book-based IGCSE SoW into a skill-driven one so that learning objectives and assessment align

Twitter conversations

Lockdown and teaching remotely have highlighted …

The importance of high impact, low stakes testing for informing planning as well as improving student retrieval and retention.

That the children love to be able to “pause” the teacher on Loom  so pace of explanations during direct instruction may need to be adapted.

That learners benefit from creating sentences and actively applying vocab and grammar rules along with their own creativity. This gives all they/we are doing a sense of value, purpose and meaning. It creates a bond and link of learning trust between us even though we are remote.

That in online lessons, it is a good idea to include table of language chunks that pupils can use as a writing scaffold. Pupils can add in suggestions too. Extension vocabulary and structures need to be labelled explicitly. A simple example of an activity is to get pupils to read out their Target Language phrase. Teacher highlights (on zoom) . Another pupil translates. Creative follow-up is then offered for further practice.

That your instructions are never clear enough! It has confirmed more than ever the importance of quality instruction, explanations, and modelling with a lot of comprehensible input and chunks instead of single words. Voice record pro  is great for making own listening.

Finally, the CPD…

There have been so many opportunities for all teachers and especially language teachers to upskill themselves to deliver effective language lessons remotely. I have collated many of them in a Wakelet here, with the most prolific sources of CPD being ALL, the Association for Language Learning , Linguascope, Joe Dale’s MFL Twitterati group (#mfltwitterati on Twitter) and the Global Innovative Language TeacherFacebook group  created by Gianfranco Conti  and Dylan Viñales.

Time to join the conversation!  

Translation for all!-Linguascope Webinar, Thursday 16 April 2020

I had a great time doing this Zoom seminar for Linguascope.com on Thursday 16 April. Thanks for having me!

We had attendees from Austria, Canada, Czechia, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, the UK, and the US.

As highlighted in the title, the session was on one of my favourite language activity, translation.

Are translation exam questions ‘real’ translation tasks? What about online translators? Can translation activities be used to motivate pupils?

Yes! I believe Translation can be used effectively and creatively in and out of the classroom to get pupils to understand idioms better and the culture from Target Language countries.
Amongst other things, the session presented a wide range of translation activities to develop pupils’ knowledge of syntax, the complexity and accuracy of their sentence-building as well as their cultural awareness. (KS2 to KS5)

Watch the recording – Download the presentation

Creative Grammar: Developing Learners' Independence

Linguascope2018 from Isabelle Jones

Teach Languages Conference, 10 February 2018

Teach Languages 2018

Teach Languages is a conference and exhibition for language teachers organised by Linguascope. The 2018 edition will take place on Saturday 10th February 2018.

Programme

The focus for the 2018 edition will be the teaching of grammar. Speakers include Sue Cave, Juliet Park, Isabelle Jones and Judith Rifeser. To view a printable version of the full programme, click here.

Venue

Teach Languages is taking place at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation in East London. Rich Mix is conveniently located just outside Shoreditch High Street station (Overground) and within walking distance of Liverpool Street station. There is also plenty of free parking spaces around the venue at the weekend. To help you find your way, we’ve produced a printable map for you to download. For travel details, check out the Rich Mix website

A day pass gives you access to any sessions and the exhibition area for the whole day. It also includes your delegate pack, refreshments and lunch.

The cost of a day pass is:
• £60 (£50 + VAT)
• £48 (£40 + VAT) if booked and paid online
• FREE* for Linguascope subscribers

*You will find your redemption code in the Staffroom section of the Linguascope website, under "Training Events"). Note that free tickets are subject to a £10 deposit (fully refundable if you attend on the day) to ensure that no place is wasted.

Sessions:

Creative Grammar: Developing Language Learner's independence • Isabelle Jones

With the new GCSE in sight and the need to produce writing in exam conditions, teaching and learning grammar has never been so important. This session will aim to introduce delegates to a range of strategies to develop the learning of grammar creatively from key stage 2 in order to produce independent and successful language learners ready for GCSE and beyond.

Grammar Moves • Sue Cave

Activities for developing grammatical understanding will be demonstrated. They have been tried and tested in Key Stage 2, however, they could equally be suitable for other age groups. Each activity will relate to the KS2 targets of the MFL Programme of Study. The emphasis will be on progression from word to sentence level both orally and written. Most of the activities include either movement or a kinaesthetic element and are designed to engage learners actively and creatively. All the examples will be in French but can be adapted for most languages.

The Final Countdown: Revision Revisited • Juliet Park

This session will focus on the lead up to the new exam, how we can help our students prepare for the new exam-style questions and be ready to apply grammar and vocabulary independently and spontaneously. This session will show effective ways to build exam-style practise into your lessons and ensure that students are getting sufficient exposure and practise both in the classroom and independently to help maximise their performance.

Grammar|in|con|text: Teaching grammar through film and other authentic resources in the TL • Judith Rifeser

The teaching of grammar, the use of cultural resources as well as the teaching in the target language are all key elements of the MFL agenda. But how can we make our teaching ARPS: authentic, relevant, purposeful and stimulating, whilst still ensuring students are getting to grips with complex grammatical structures and rules? In this session, we’ll explore examples of good practice, in particular through film, to teach grammar in context, focussing on developing their grammatical awareness and explicit grammar knowledge in the target language, whilst still allowing students to improve all their skills and learn grammar in a fun and motivating way.

More Information and online booking:  http://www.teachlang.com/  See you there!

NALA Conference, Stratford-Upon-Avon, 8 July 2017

More than words nala from Isabelle Jones

Language World 2017-Literature for ALL

I had a great today at Language World with like-minded colleagues.
As promised here are the slides I used for My session "Literature for ALL"

Literature for ALL LW2017 Nottingham-March 2017 from Isabelle Jones

Parallel Reading with the Parallel Books app-A Way into Literature and Translation?

Matt Thomas contacted me a while ago to trial his Parallel Books app. The principle is simple, you get a text that is in the public domain, you get a good translation and you use the app the read both texts side-by-side.

Easy? Well... Thank you to Matt for telling us about the story behind the development of this great app that is just fantastic to get our higher ability pupils to dare reading in a foreign language just as literature and translation have re-appeared in the new GCSE specifications. The books are well known classics so although the texts are complex, it gives pupils a sense of confidence as it is known territory.

 

"I started making Parallel Books a couple of years ago, although it was only released in December last year. I've done it at the same time as been the main care giver for 2 toddlers, so it's been lots of nights programming from their bedtimes till midnight!

You were asking about the reason I started. I was wanting to challenge myself to make a high quality app, so I was looking for ideas.

I spent my whole adult life as a professional musician with a popular band in NZ. When touring Europe one time, I met my wife, who was the singer in another band on the same circuit.

We both ended up leaving our bands and working together playing music. I moved to Switzerland, and found that I needed to learn some new languages!

I have a number of English speaking friends here, and one day one of them told me how he was reading Roger Federer's biography, and that he had bought it in both English and German to read at the same time.

That's when the lightbulb went off in my head, that I could make an app that makes this process easier. It's a great method to practice a new language, but keeping the two books in sync is a bit of a pain, and I realised that I could make this part of it easier within an app.

It turns out that it is actually quite complicated to program this, and there is a lot going on behind the scene to make it appear so simple and user friendly on the surface.

Currently all books in Parallel Books are free. This means that I can only use either texts that are public domain (copyright free) or that I acquire permission to use.

 

If you know of any good Spanish texts I could include, do let me know! Essentially the author AND the translator have to have been dead for 70 years in order for them to be out of copyright.

I'm also interested in finding very beginner level texts I can use, which have also proven allusive."

 

Anything else you need to know about "Parallel Books"? Oh yes... It is free :)

App store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/parallel-books/id1045596664?mt=8
Facebook page (includes screen shots and demo video): http://www.facebook.com/parallelbooksapp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/parallelbooks
Website: http://www.parallelbooks.com

Translation is Back! 20 Ideas for Teaching Translation

Last month, I was delighted to publish a translation resource on the fabulous Teachit site.

The resource is not language-specific and the ideas can be adapted to many languages.

I hope it is of use!

The resource can be downloaded as a free pdf at
http://www.teachitlanguages.co.uk/searchresults?resource=26267

Guide to New GCSE in Modern Foreign Languages

If you want to be reminded of the differences between the new GCSE specifications in Modern Foreign Languages for teaching from September 2016, the following document should be useful to you.

http://www6.scholastic.co.uk/3dissue//mgm/2016-17/GCSEGuide/

Language World 2016, 12th March 2016: Lost in Translation?

Language World is the annual language conference organised by ALL, the Association for Language Learning. As always this was a great opportunity to meet like-minded colleagues and the atmosphere was as supportive and friendly as ever... If you are not yet an ALL member, join now!
 

Isabelle jones-lost in translation from Isabelle Jones

Technology In Language Teaching SANAKO Conference, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, 22nd October 2015

I had a lovely morning today at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys with fellow language teachers and the SANAKO team.
As promised, here are  the slides I used for the session...
 

Technology in Language Teaching from Isabelle Jones

Motivating Tools for Reading and Writing in the EAL and MFL Classroom, Practical Pedagogies, International School of Toulouse, 16th October 2015

I had a fantastic time at  #pracped15, the Practical Pedagogies conference organised by @russeltarr at the International School of Toulouse. It was great to meet new people and finally meet people I have interacted with online for a very long time. Last but not least, it was fabulous to learn so much from them in such a great location-but I would say that, wouldn't I? ;)

Here are the slides I used for my session:

 

Tools for Reading and Writing in EAL and MFL from Isabelle Jones

Practical Pedagogies Conference, International School of Toulouse (IST), 15-16th October 2015

I am very excited to be joining the 60+ teachers from all subject areas who will be presenting at the Practical Pedagogies conference organised by @russeltarr at The International School of Toulouse next October.

What is the Practical Pedagogies Conference?
-A high-impact training conference for teachers, from NQT to senior teachers, run by and for primary and secondary school teachers ;
-A not-for-profit event hosted at the International School of Toulouse, October ;
-Workshops and networking activities around the theme: "Creativity, Internationalism and Innovation in the classroom" ;
-Two days of inspiring keynotes, 70+ workshops and networking activities delivered by experienced primary and secondary teachers ; 15-16th October 2015-that's just before half term for some of us in the UK.

How much does it cost?€150 : This price includes a delegate pack, lunches and refreshments, and access to all the workshops, keynotes and other events on offer.

How to find out more / register your placeFull details about the conference, including how to register and the full workshop programme, can be found on the Practical Pedagogies Website. Other queries can be sent here.

The Venue
The conference will take place at the International School of Toulouse, a co-educational day school for children aged 3 to 18, situated in the South of France close to Toulouse Blagnac Airport [directions/map].

 

My workshop

Pinterest and Twitter? Motivating tools to develop reading and writing skills in EAL and MFL

Explore the potential of tools such as Pinterest and Twitter to motivate all pupils to develop reading and writing skills in EAL and MFL. Increase your pupils' independence as language learners and understanding of linguistic structures. Support the development of all your pupils' language skills and their linguistic creativity.

Led by Isabelle Jones (@icpjones), languages consultant and Head of Languages in Cheshire, England. 

Other MFL workshops include

 

Collaborative learning strategies for the effective teaching of mixed ability classes in MFL

This workshop will present collaborative learning strategies in MFL which engage whole classes to talk / write simultaneously therefore maximising class time. Delegates will go way with a much deeper understanding of the benefits of collaborative learning and will have a bank of ready-made resources (F/G/Sp) to use immediately on their return to school.

Led by Suzi Bewell (@suzibewell), Course Leader for MFL PGCE University of York

 

Using Quizlet to create interactive resourcesThis workshop is designed to help mainly modern languages teachers who want to teach students easy ways to revise grammar rules, verb conjugation and new vocabulary with Quizlet. This US software allows students to be more independent leaners and give them an opportunity to be more responsible for their own learning.

Led by J. Cavalli, Curriculum Leader for French at IST

 

Using Kahoot! to engage students in knowledge acquisitionKahoot! is a free tool to assess your students' knowledge (from FS2 to Y13 and beyond - you can even use it at home to test friends and family!) in any subjects, on any topics, in a fun, interactive and competitive way. Kahoot! just turns your classroom into a game show (with a very catchy musical theme). In this session, you will get to : play a Kahoot game (to see what it is like) and maybe win a Kahoot! Prize / see examples of what can be assessed through Kahoot! in different subjects in both Primary and Secondary / create your own Kahoot short quiz. Led by A. Braud, Modern Foreign Languages Teacher at IST

 

Using the “Accelerated Integrated Method”  to teach French as a foreign languageOriginally from Canada, this way of teaching has been very successful in various countries, with the help of gestures for each word, the use of the mother tongue is limited to an extreme minimum. The children learn French through stories told in gestures. After the workshop participants should have a good idea about what this didactic approach is, and be able to 'tell in gestures' some of the content of stories. Led by Dico Krommenhoek (@dico_kr), French teacher and teacher educator in Rotterdam

 

Using technology in the Primary Foreign Language classroomWhy and how can we use technology to enhance learning in the primary language classroom? Ideas for teachers and learners, beginners and those with more experience; some online, some apps but mostly free :) Covering 'the four skills' - listening speaking reading and writing as well as phonics and grammar, we'll consider how technology can help with assessment as well as managing transition, and how it can open windows and doors for you and your learners. Led by Lisa Stevens (@lisibo), Primary Languages and International Coordinator, Whitehouse Common Primary and Welford Primary, Birmingham

 

Boosting language acquisition for lower and upper primary through a FUN Reading Program. Developing comprehension and expression for upper primary (intermediate levels) through a Reading Program.

Led by P. Burgaud and J. Allcock, Primary Years Teachers at IST

 

The conference has its own Twitter Practical Pedagogies feed. We will be using the hashtag #pracped15 to allow delegates to share the ideas and resources they are being presented with and discuss the conference outcomes.

 

Would love to see you there!

Review: Think Bilingual-The First Language Immersion App?

Interact and Immerse, an iPad application development company that specializes in immersive language learning for children and adults, announced recently the launch of its new game, Think Bilingual! The game is now available for iTunes download and it is currently free for early users and educators. The current version includes Spanish, French and English.

 

Think Bilingual! Is like in an adventure game, where the user is challenged to navigate through different situations. In the storyline, the user helps a family of Aliens make their way on earth: cooking in the kitchen, driving a car, cleaning the house and even babysitting. In each situation, the user plays the game by listening to the target language. For instance, to learn directions, you drive a car in the game, with the aim to encourage learners to think in the target language rather than just translate it.

 

As the app aims to provide immersion rather than translation, I was particularly interested in finding out how productive skills could be developed using it.

 

Chris Loux, Interact and Immerse co-founder, provided me with more details about how the app can boost this crucial element of language learning.

 

Writing: “This is something that we have thought a lot about and have specific goals in trying to avoid writing and try to lead the user to react to the native blocks of language at normal speed. Our philosophy is based on the direct method, and we are seeking to build a very fast connection between "listen" and "do" to encourage users to process the narrations in the target language. That being said :), there is an interesting way for users to practice writing in the app:

1. turn off sound

2. tap the "write" tool on the right side

3. read, and do the action

-or, for writing-

1. listen to the narration

2. write out the sentence as listened

3. tap the "write" tool to check writing

4. do the action

The latter is interesting as it ties listening, writing, reading and comprehension together.” 

 

Speaking: “Speaking is on the roadmap for version 3.0 of the app, and will include the ability to record speech and turn it in to a teacher. The speech will be responding to questions about the stage just done. For example, in "ID stage" (stage 7) the app will ask, "What languages do you speak?" And user will answer as per the completed stage. This will be recorded and stored for teachers/parents. There will also be real-time functionality allowing a teacher and student to see the same screen and follow each other's speech in the target language by doing the actions in the interface.” 

I would say that this product works best for KS2-KS4. But adults can use it too, especially adults who are "trapped" at basic level, knowing a lot of vocabulary, but who don't have the confidence to respond whenever someone speaks to them in the language. 

For a casual learner, especially one with issues around listening, the current version should work great as a more fun and light-hearted-though linguistically sound-way to revise the basics.

Specifications of Think Bilingual!:

• The current version has 44 levels covering people, directions, house, greetings, cooking.
• New episodes will appear monthly
• The level is basic/intermediate
• Think Bilingual! is best for ages 8-16, but also adults at basic level
• English, Spanish and French are in the current version. Chinese, Portuguese and Japanese are scheduled for development.
• Group-enabled version to be released for educators to use in classroom situation.

What next?

Be part of the development of this app by trying it and giving feedback to

http://www.interactandimmerse.com/feedback/