La Jolie Ronde Spanish Scheme of Work for Years 3 and 4

content and design

Design and navigation

The navigation and design of this Scheme are aspects that will ensure its popularity with teachers. It is well-organised and navigation of the software and print-based resources is simple and straightforward. It is easy to access the required resources for each lesson, especially as symbols within the teaching sequences show the teacher which disk and which resource on the disk to use. The Scheme itself, provided on CD-ROM and as a print-based resource, outlines the content and the key skills and activities lesson by lesson in a Scheme of Work Overview for each year group. The comprehensive lesson plans then detail teaching sequences and pupil activities. They also give Learning Outcomes, Framework Objectives for oracy and Literacy, core vocabulary and a list of resources needed for each lesson. In addition, the lesson plans explain the relevant Language Learning Strategies (LLS) and Knowledge about language (KAL) features.

Another teacher-friendly feature of the Scheme is the transcript of the sound files, with track details. I found it very useful, and a real time-saver, to be able to read through the vocabulary in advance of the lesson without having to access the disk. Similarly, the list of songs and poems on the audio disk and the transcripts of interactive whiteboard files and resource files are given in the print-based materials as well as in PDF format on the disk. This is a real labour-saving feature and a valuable part of the design.

The interactive whiteboard activities are easy to locate, access and use. My pupils had no difficulties in using these. I like the way the activities develop skills other than in Spanish, such as ICT skills.

The design of the whiteboard resources is exceptionally engaging. Text is clear and the font is friendly. The illustrations are also appealing to pupils and their teacher. For instance, the Year 4 section that provides activities to help the children learn the names of zoo animals is beautifully illustrated, and the appeal of the drawings seemed to motivate the children to remember the names.

Curriculum coverage

La Jolie Ronde Spanish Scheme of Work for Years 3 and 4 seeks to introduce the Spanish language to lower Key Stage 2, and it is very successful in this aim. As most pupils come to the subject with no prior knowledge, they have the same starting point and the content of each lesson allows for repetition and consolidation to ensure that less able pupils can achieve in the subject. Using strategies such as puppets (and suggestions are made on how to give the puppets “personalities”) and flash cards ensure that children with a variety of learning styles are kept engaged. I feel that the presentation of the lessons suits the age of the children.

This product is an ideal resource for the teaching of Spanish in Years 3 and 4. It is a perfect match for English National Curriculum objectives for the teaching of Modern Foreign Languages and also meets the aims of the non-statutory framework for modern foreign languages in the National Curriculum for Wales. It would also be ideal for an extra-curricular Spanish club.

The purpose of the product is thus clear and well-defined. It offers precisely what it claims – a comprehensive scheme of work for the teaching of Spanish to Years 3 and 4. Use of the resources also helps to develop the pupils’ skills in communication, co-operation, numeracy and ICT.

Planning

Teachers are sure to be impressed with the planning of this Scheme of Work. A few minutes are all it takes to access the software and become familiar with its use. It takes only moments to set up a unit ready for a lesson. The provision of yearly overviews for Year 3 and Year 4 are a boon in preparing planning documentation, as are the detailed lesson plans.

The Scheme takes teacher confidence into account as it allows for an initial half-term of familiarisation before starting the work with the children. This also allows the pupils to settle into Key Stage 2 before starting a new subject. As my Spanish is rather rusty, I took the time to review the resource carefully before using it with my pupils. In retrospect, though, the lessons are so well-designed that I would have been comfortable in learning along with the children.

One aspect that really aided my planning was the sound CD-ROM. It was of great benefit to me in practising pronunciation and listening skills prior to lessons. The enunciation is clear, which I found reassuring as my hearing is not as good as it was.

Another strength of the Scheme is the provision of lesson resources on disk. Flash cards, bingo cards, matching activity sheets, pelmanism resources, words for the songs, play scripts – all are available quickly and easily on disk to print off for each lesson. The Scheme of Work is a huge time-saver!