Creative DialoguesComenius Project

112381-CP-1-2003-1-DE-COMENIUS-C21

2003-2006

Transnational dialogue on the Storyline Approach

• as a learner oriented method for the teaching of a foreign language

• as a method to solve the problematic transition from Primary- to Secondary language classes

Questions teachers should ask themselves.

• Do I activate and build upon learners‘ prior knowledge?

• Do I encourage students to test their hypotheses by questioning and research?

• Do I use a wide range of learning activities?

• Do I challenge learners with differentiated tasks?

• Do I foster a postitive learning atmosphere?

The Storyline Approach…..• fits easily into the spiral curriculum

• is child-centered

• is an active method and provides authentic language use

• links basic skills to the real world

• provides a high degree of motivation (ownership-identification)

• supports learners of all abilities and of all learning types

• helps developing working techniques and learning strategies

• provides a powerful structure

• gives relevance to the use of up-to-date technology

• builds up a respectful relationship between teacher and pupil

Structure of a Storyline:

HinführungHinführungIntroductionIntroduction

(letter,song,game…)(letter,song,game…)

PersonenPersonenCharactersCharacters

(family,friends,jobs..)(family,friends,jobs..)

OrtOrtPlacePlace

(circus, shops, hotel, (circus, shops, hotel, school, at home…) school, at home…)

EreignisseEreignisseIncidentsIncidents

(birthday, wedding, (birthday, wedding, accident, burglary..)accident, burglary..)

1st step: Introduction:

Key impulse:

• music

• looking at pictures

• choosing a picture

• guessing the new topic

• talking about the pictures

Teaching aims:• relaxe

• picture-word-connection(revision / new words)

• talking to the pictures usingvocabulary and structures

Time for:• Exercises

• Differentiated work

• Developing individual competences

Wordbank

Do you know your new words?

1. camera 2. towel3. passport4. tickets5. umbrella6. suitcase7. rucksack8. ……………..

Start working on a mind map:

journey

Mind map:

passport sandals

documents

shoes boots

journey

jeans

clothes

socks

Learners find more “interesting” words for their mind map:

sandals passport

boots ticket document maps

shoes clothes journey

more chocolate

jacket jeans games

umbrella chewing gum

socks

pyjamas

cards

camera comics

2nd step: characters

Key question:• Do you know somebody who• went on a journey?• Do you know somebody • who is planning a journey?

Key impulse: puppet• This lady here…………

Teaching aims: • Working on a dialogue• Creating characters (names, family, characteristics…..• Making the characters (puppets…)• Describing the characters• Writing me posters / poems• Presenting the characters to the class• Role play (taking over the character‘s identity)

Time for :• Individual learning• Asking classmates, teacher, dictionaries for help• Searching the internet• Developing all skills

Get to know:_______________First name:………………………...............................

Family name:……………………………………..

Age:…………..

Job:……………………………………………………

Address:………………………………………………..

----------------------------------------------------------

Looks:• ………………………….

• …………………………

Hobbies:• .......................................

• …………………………..

I don‘t like:……………………………………………………………

I would like to travel to:……………………………………………….

I pack my suitcase:

Writing a text

• Plan it - do it - check it!

• Collect ideas

• Collect words (mind mapping)

• Collect structures

• Decide for a text structure

• Look at a model text

• Choose the best sentence beginnings, connectives, decribing adjectives…..

• Discuss the draft,

• Use your dictionary, ask classmates, ask teacher…

3rd step: Place

Key question:Where would you like to go?

mapsinternetcatalogues

Teaching aims:• Find a destination (countries)

• Tell why it is your favourite (adjectives,sights…)

• Describe your destination (Poster)

• Flyer, brochure

• Planning the journey

• Means of transport

• Booking the journey / selling tickets

• Role play

• Bying luggage

• Reading a time table

• Writing a time table / using the interne

Differentiated tasks for all skillsExercises: vocabulary, structures

Where do they want to go?

4th step: Incidents

Key impulse:Eric wins a journey for

4 persons!

Mrs. Parker misses her

train.

Mr.Winter …………

……………………….

Teaching aims:

• Creative speaking• Writing letters /

postcards

• Creating (writing) comics / picture stories

• Role play

• Working out a tour

Could the learners improve their skills?

Listening

Reading

Speaking

Writing