Gabriela Cakanyova, English teacher at the Junior Language School Lupáčova, tells us about one day project focussing on language learning.
The teachers from our school decided to organize a project day on September 26th,the European Day of Languages, to support the language learning and to make the best of so far acquired knowledge of our pupils.
In September 2005, we launched a project called "Healthy Body to Healthy Mind", together with our partner schools from Northern Ireland, Denmark and Spain. That is why we decided to use this topic as the main motto for our project day. Our decision has also been influenced by the fact that September 25th was proclaimed the World Heart Day, stressing the importance of the healthy heart and motivating to healthy eating and way of life.
The older pupils were working on various topics on food: national cuisine of different countries, healthy and unhealthy eating habits, the influence of religion on eating habits, fast food restaurants, etc. The projects were carried out in the four foreign languages taught in our school: English, German, Spanish and French, but also in the mother tongue. The pupils compared the national food of these countries with the habits in the Czech Republic.
The younger pupils voted for one country which became the main topic for their project. Then, they were searching for the information on the way of life, customs and habits in these countries, geographical information, and significant historical events. During the whole day the pupils were free to use the Internet, encyclopaedias, dictionaries and interactive boards.
The project day ended with a musical performance, where all the pupils sang songs in foreign languages. Then, they decorated the school with their creations, such as posters and booklets to share the information they collected during the day.
The main goal of our project day was to celebrate The Day of the Languages, and to make use of some alternative ways of teaching. Last but not least, the project aimed to improve the knowledge of the pupils, especially such skills as the ability of searching and applying the information. The whole day was appreciated by both the pupils and the members of the staff. We are definitely going to organize similar events in the future!
In September 2005, we launched a project called "Healthy Body to Healthy Mind", together with our partner schools from Northern Ireland, Denmark and Spain. That is why we decided to use this topic as the main motto for our project day. Our decision has also been influenced by the fact that September 25th was proclaimed the World Heart Day, stressing the importance of the healthy heart and motivating to healthy eating and way of life.
The younger pupils voted for one country which became the main topic for their project. Then, they were searching for the information on the way of life, customs and habits in these countries, geographical information, and significant historical events. During the whole day the pupils were free to use the Internet, encyclopaedias, dictionaries and interactive boards.
