The Focus Group has been running for about a year and a half, so we have lots of ideas that we have discussed. In this post I shall try to note down the main ideas from some of our meetings.

The website www.languagesresources.co.uk has also been created, with resources for KS3, 4 and even A Level  for Spanish, French and German. Some resource contributed by the group members.

4th October 2006 – First Meeting

•  PPFOCER – Key to help GCSE students remember what to include: Past, Present, Future, Opinions, Connectives, Extended Sentences, Reasons
• TOWEL – more parent friendly version of PPFOCER: Tenses, Opinions, Why, Extended Sentences, Linking Words
• DOCTOR CLIFT to remember the difference between Ser & Estar
• Using a squidgy fake eye to help with pronunciation of the Spanish word hay
• Midi Files – search for Midi files to get the ‘background’ tune for a class song
• Team Points – develop a PowerPoint which focuses on a country, each team goes across the map as a measure of the team competition. As they reach a town they can then look at the place via a web link

8th November 2006 - Incorporating Content Language in KS4 Routines

• Use pictures and ask the question in TL “What can you see?”/I spy…. This works for all abilities as lower ability students will be able to say things like the objects they see, or the colours, whereas more able students will be able to develop this further.
• Using a ‘character’ that appears on the OHT/PowerPoint, such as Juan the Teddy, when something grammatical needs to be noticed
• Beat the Teacher Game: Read a text out loud, if Ps don’t hear the mistake (either grammatical or for content) then T gets point, can then be done in pairs
• Do ‘general conversation’ oral questions regularly in lessons as a routine
• Bet points on what they will do that lesson (can lose points if they are wrong)
• Show objectives: Two are right, two are wrong, Ps guess the objectives
• Ps can make own flashcards

17th January – Vocabulary

• Magic House – Ps place vocabulary in different parts of a ‘house’ in categories as an end activity.
• Use MindMapping Software on the IW to group vocabulary
• Use the idea of the drinking game “21s” with vocabulary: Ps must stand, individually Ps must spell out a complete word, but know one knows who will say the next letter. If two (or more!) Ps say a letter at once they must sit down and are out
• Use Audacity to record voice clips, and to change the voice (slow it down, speed it up etc)

2nd May 2007 -Worksheets

• It is useful to put the lines in for the gaps where words should be
• Maths Sentences: create a grid, numbering and writing vocabulary in each square. Underneath, make up some ’sums’ to make sentences.
• Use PowerPoint slides to create a worksheet by just printing off one slide

General Nuggets

• The phrase “To infinity and beyond” (Buzz Light Year, Toy Story) helps students to remember that the infinitive goes beyond the verb.
• Mini Jenga is a great tool: write vocab on the blocks and use to create sentences.
• Using Triggers in PowerPoint so that when you click on a box the word/object appears and you are not dependent on the animation order
• Use the Dissolve in Animation set at about 40seconds and the object should dissolve in very slowly, encouraging students to guess the item before it completely appears
• Use the projector remote control to ‘freeze’ the board before the animation completes
• Voice changer – bought from any good toy shop
• Using Voki’s as listening exercises