Using stories to facilitate transition and skills based learning
The project focuses on developing skills for teachers for using stories in Year 7 – primary colleagues are very much the experts in this field and collaborative planning of what can be taught and achieved and how children learn is essential if these kinds of activities and resources are to succeed. Exploring opportunities to move from topic based to skills based learning as well as linking languages with intercultural learning.

Impact
Pupils in Year 7 were able to access story and enjoyed it. Use of mime, sequencing key words, repetition, drawing on prior knowledge helped them with comprehension and memorising. There was no fear of a long text. They made the link between their familiarity of Aladdin in their home culture and Aladdin in the German lesson. Familiarity and linking of different cultures also facilitates understanding of longer texts, fairy tales and myths. Enjoyment and motivation will help them with more complex texts in the future.

Pupils used dictionaries to look up words for their own 3 wishes and worked independently  to adapt the story. Looking up nouns as an easy way in to dictionary use.

Pupils worked in groups to prepare, rehearse and perform short plays. A short model play with a lot of repetition made it fun and easy to access. Pupils with some prior knowledge of German introduced elements that were not in the play for example adapting the wishes, Aladdin’s response, creating a role for a third person (Jinn, Aladdin and Mum or a friend) using language learnt before. Read more (doc, 59KB)

Resources produced during this project:

Scheme of work (doc, 29KB)
Aladdin story (doc, 22KB)
Aladdin flashcards (ppt, 225 KB)