Educational software to enhance English language teaching in primary school

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Reis ◽  
Paula Escudeiro
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Educational Software ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching

scholarly journals A Plurilingual Approach to ELT in Primary School: Towards an Ecological Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-106
Author(s):  
Alicia Chabert
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
English Teaching ◽  
Ecological Understanding ◽  
Attitude And Motivation ◽  
Initial Results

Summary This paper aims to demonstrate that using a plurilingual and ecological approach to English language teaching can achieve better results in primary school independently of the mother tongue of the student. This article is based on the initial results of our international research carried out in three very different countries (Norway, China and Spain). While the author´s research project involves 328 participants, we will present the results of the first phase of the experiment, including 133 students. In this paper, we propose a plurilingual communicative approach to English teaching as a foreign language, making a distinction between languages for communication and languages for identification. This research examines the current teaching policies in the participating countries, and analyses cross-cultural and cross-linguistic perspectives in English language teaching while promoting the positive use of the mother tongue as a connecting tool in the students’ communication system. The subjects of this study were divided in control and experimental groups, in which they received traditional and plurilingual approach respectively. After the classes they completed a test and were then supplied with a Likert scale questionnaire focused on understanding their attitude and motivation towards mother tongue and English language learning. Based on observation and results obtained, we can conclude that a plurilingual approach that uses L1 as a tool in English teaching improves English learning, as well as develops an ecological understanding of languages.

scholarly journals Revisiting Primary English Teachers’ Critical Reflections on Coursebook Usage

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 662-674
Author(s):  
Senem Sahin
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Materials ◽  
School Teaching ◽  
Designed Materials ◽  
Critical Reflections

AbstractThis study of 30 primary teachers of English in Germany used questionnaires to explore their critical reflections on coursebook usage in classrooms. The research questions were: What are primary school teachers’ perceptions of English language teaching materials? What materials are used by primary school English language teachers? What are their reasons for using certain materials? What characteristics define good language teaching materials for primary school English teachers? The participants mostly prefer implementing their own self-designed materials in combination with coursebooks. Given that preparing personal primary school teaching materials is quite time-consuming, the teachers’ arguments for their choice should be explored further to optimize English language teaching. Some argued that self-designed materials are more adjustable to the needs of their students and more authentic. The paper proposes some strategies for striking a balance between teaching English with and without a coursebook, such as making coursebook learning activities more interactive and raising awareness of effective coursebook selection. Different stakeholders can thus collect useful ideas for improvement, including teacher trainers, teachers, student teachers, school administrators, and publishers. 

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