What and Why?
Many teachers are now drawing on other parts of the school curriculum and beyond to give content to the language lessons. In addition to learning the grammar and vocabulary of the language, pupils can use knowledge and skills from other lessons in the English lesson. One advantage of this is that pupils who may find English more difficult can draw on their expertise from other areas, and this increases their motivation. The other advantage is that this makes links across the curriculum and deepens pupils' understanding of, and involvement in, the topic, particularly when they are doing project work. It also broadens the vocabulary base of the pupils.
All levels of Primary Colours have touched on other areas of the curriculum and in Primary Colours 4 these links have been increased, particularly in the Know it all! sections (section D).
Practical ideas
- Take time to look at the pupils' textbooks from other subject areas so that you have an idea of what they may already know. It may be possible for some of the project work and portfolio work to combine English with one or more other subjects.
- While preparing the unit, ask other colleagues if they have taught the topic so that you have an idea of what else the pupils may already know.
- Ask other colleagues if they have information which you can borrow - perhaps some pictures or maps or references which you and the pupils can use for additional material or project work.
- The language lesson can provide a springboard for a new topic which pupils can study in more depth later in MT in another subject lesson or it can consolidate topics already studied in other subject lessons.
- Try to find appropriate websites for the pupils to refer to.
- Look around the local area for museums and exhibitions which may be interesting for the pupils to visit or which may lend you materials for the topic.
- Find out if any of the parents are specialists in the topic area and if they would like to come and talk to the pupils in more detail.
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