VALENCIA PARENT GUIDE 2012-2013
YOUNG LEARNERS PRIMARY 路 JUNIOR 路 SENIOR
INDEX
3 4 5 8 9 11 14 15 18 19
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WELCOME TO THE BRITISH COUNCIL PHILOSOPHY OUR COURSES EVALUATION SUPPORT AT HOME UN AMBIENTE SEGURO PARA NUESTROS ALUMNOS COMMUNICATION OTHER SERVICES WHO IS WHO? CONTACT DETAILS
WELCOME TO THE BRITISH COUNCIL
We are delighted that you have chosen a British Council Young Learner course and we would like to extend a very warm welcome to you. The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation, promoting education and British culture worldwide. We are internationally recognised as one of the leading institutions for English teaching. We have 13 centres throughout Spain where we put into practice all the knowledge and experience we have gained in over 70 years of teaching in Spain. Our experience has enabled us to cultivate a strong understanding of the needs and concerns of parents. We are committed to making your child’s learning a successful, enjoyable and positive experience. At the same time, we would like to build a warm and beneficial relationship with you. We strongly believe that children’s learning is even more effective when parents and teachers work together. We have designed this Parent Guide in response to parent input and our own reflection. It outlines our goals and approaches, and gives you information designed to help you get the best value from our services and facilities. If you find that we have failed to address something of concern to you, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact information is at the back of this guide. We hope that you and your child enjoy your experience at the British Council. Tony Hubbard Teaching Centre Manager
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PHILOSOPHY
The British Council is committed to providing all our students with a structured English language learning career that will give each child the opportunity to reach their full potential in a rewarding, stimulating and safe environment
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OUR COURSES
Levels - Common European Framework (CEF) Our course objectives and assessments are based on the Council of Europe’s CEF (Common European Framework). This system is used as an assessment tool to ensure that if a learner is B1 level in Spain, it means the same thing as a B1 student in the rest of Europe. It is an objective scale based on the ability and skills needed to function in an authentic situation. CEF Table PRIMARY (5- 10)
JUNIOR (11-14)
SENIOR (15-17)
EXAMS
CEF
PRIMARY 0_5
A0
PRIMARY 0_6
A0
PRIMARY 0_7,8
A0
PRIMARY 1
A0
PRIMARY 2
Starters
A0
PRIMARY 3
Movers
A1.1
JUNIOR 0
A1
JUNIOR 1
A2.1
JUNIOR 2
SENIOR 2
JUNIOR 3
SENIOR 3
JUNIOR 4
SENIOR 4
KET for schools/Flyers PET for schools
SENIOR 5 SENIOR FCE
EXAMS
0 PRE-ELEMENTARY 1 ELEMENTARY
A2.2
2 PRE-INTERMEDIATE
KET
B1.1
3 INTERMEDIATE I
PET
B1.2
4 INTERMEDIATE II
B2.1 FCE for schools
SENIOR 6 SENIOR CAE
ADULTS (18+)
CAE
B2.2
5 UPPER-INTERMEDIATE
C1.1
6 PRE-ADVANCED
FCE
C1.2
7 ADVANCED
CAE
C2.0
8 PROFICIENCY
CPE
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OUR COURSES
Approach
Overall Objectives
Our courses are based around a syllabus designed to promote skills and activate knowledge and have been specially developed by the British Council for Spanish students. As a result, the teacher may use a course book in the lesson, or may not. We recognise that it is important to teach the child, not teach a book so we provide a variety of carefully planned tasks and fun activities that involve speaking, listening, reading and writing, which aim to challenge and maintain a high level of interest. Our approach is about the all round development of young learners, enhancing many other skills in addition to language, so a course book is only one resource of a course at the British Council.
Communicate clearly and confidently in English Our courses are designed for learners to have every available opportunity to interact and participate fully in lessons which are interesting, and help them to use meaningful language in meaningful activities.
Many materials are written in-house to match the needs of Spanish students. Typically our lessons include group and pair work. This involves children working together in pairs or groups of four or five. It provides more opportunities in class for individuals to speak and to participate actively. Working in groups develops the skills of listening, cooperating and taking turns. It also offers less confident children a chance to participate without the fear of having to ‘perform’ in front of a whole class. While children are engaged in group work, the teacher monitors and evaluates progress and can give help. Our teachers recognise that individuals have different learning styles and preferences. They also know that effective lessons need a change of pace and focus to maintain interest and so they balance group work with individual and whole class activities.
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Think creatively and imaginatively in different situations The use of context, real-life situations and functional language helps learners to practise language through stimulating and challenging activities. Learners have the chance to work in pairs and in groups, which helps prepare them for real-life communication. Activate their knowledge and become more fluent Learners are encouraged to speak as much English as possible, to activate the knowledge that they have already acquired and ensure that they are able to use all of their English as fluently as possible. Develop their communicative competencies Listening, speaking, reading and writing are integrated with grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation to help learners develop the skills to communicate effectively. All of these are important and need to be developed in a balanced course. Learn independently Our lessons facilitate the development of learner independence and self-reliance. A variety of media (visual, audio, computer based) is used to make lessons motivating and interesting, as well as to encourage autonomy.
OUR COURSES
Enjoy their learning It is very important that the learners enjoy their lessons and build their confidence in a stress free environment. Teachers are positive, and mistakes are accepted as a natural part of learning. Activities DVD or Video Video is exciting and motivating. It can illuminate a story or bring the real world into the classroom. We select authentic videos related to the lesson theme or topic and usually show short sequences of a few minutes. Before a video clip is shown, children are given a specific task that focuses their attention on a particular language aspect. Computer Assisted Learning (CALL) We have a number of specially designed language programmes to help learners with their English. Computers are a very powerful tool, involving sight, sound and touch, to support all learning styles (visual, auditory and kinaesthetic). Drama This element of learning can help shyer students to develop their confidence, or more confident students to really shine. Role-plays and dialogues are a regular feature of a British Council classroom.
Stories A story provides an enjoyable starting point and a rich context for developing listening, concentration, speaking, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary. Stories are memorable and we select them carefully. We look for literature that offers authentic examples of English. This allows links to be made with other subjects in the curriculum in order to build on children’s general knowledge and to reinforce concepts. Creative Activities Making things, a model, a magazine or a poster can be fun. The learning points behind such activities are always linked to language. These practical activities involve listening for instructions, comprehension and asking questions. Songs, rhymes and chants Children live in a rhythmic world, the combination of words with the beat of a song or chant is a powerful way to help children learn the rhythm and pronunciation of English. Project work For young learners, project work develops research skills and an opportunity to focus on the organisation of their work. This gives them, with guidance, a degree of learner independence. games projects coursebook
Games Games are fun and immediately engaging. Whether they are quizzes, board games or physical activities, the real purpose of such games is to provide an enjoyable and meaningful context in which to practice using specific language or a particular skill. Games also develop teamwork, turn taking and cooperation.
computers v video
drama groupwork stories
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EVALUATION
Ongoing classroom assessment forms the backbone of our student evaluation policy. Each of our programmes is designed to develop certain competencies and these are reflected in your child’s progress reports together with an overall grade (Sobresaliente, notable, bien, suficiente, insuficiente). Teachers gather and integrate information about your child’s progress from a variety of sources, including class work, homework, language quizzes, informal tasks and classroom observation. We believe that this process of continuing assessment maximises your child’s language development and reduces the pressure associated with test only assessment. We understand that a ranking system based only on one area is not good for confidence building and that confidence and communicative competencies cannot be measured. We understand and appreciate that there are different learning styles, speeds of learning, strengths and weaknesses. Students are placed together according to general level but there will be mixed abilities in every classroom, which enables learners to learn from one another.
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We have developed specific objectives for each of our courses. These are available in a separate document that you will receive at the time of registration. All our assessment is related to these objectives.
SUPPORT AT HOME
Homework
What can I do to help with homework?
We believe that homework can have many » benefits for young learners. It can improve understanding of work done in class. It can help students acquire study skills. It » can foster positive character traits such as independence and responsibility. Homework can teach children how to manage time and » that learning can take place anywhere, not just in the classroom. So it’s important that homework is completed properly and on time. We are aware that your child may have lots of school homework to complete each day and we certainly would not wish to overload anyone. However, a variety of homework tasks will be set. The frequency of homework will depend on the type of class your child is attending but in general, we believe that little and often is a guideline for setting homework. Homework tasks should not take more than 30-40 minutes to complete. If you would like to give extra support to your child then there are a number of reading and listening resources that are appropriate for you child’s age and level.
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Help your child with time management. Establish a set time each day for homework. Be positive about homework. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires. When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets tough, then someone else will do the work. Reward progress in homework. If your child has been successful in completing homework celebrate that success with praise to reinforce the positive effort.
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SUPPORT AT HOME
What can I do to support my child’s learning? »
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Make it very clear to your child that they must speak as much English as they can in classes: our methodology is based around the learner communicating as much as possible. If they do not, then they will not make progress. Read stories together in English or encourage them to read for pleasure. If you need tips on selecting books we will be happy to advise you. Log on to the British Council Portal or access Learn English Kids and try one of the English language computer programs together. Check your child’s books regularly and encourage your child to talk about their lesson. For example ask: ‘What was the best/funniest/most exciting thing you did in class today?’ Attend parent meetings and workshops and talk to the teacher if you have concerns or want to know how your child is progressing. Learning a language is a slow process so have realistic expectations about their progress. Be patient as the learner negotiates with the language. Never compare your child to a classmate. Every child has their own strengths and weaknesses. Learning a language is not a competitive sport and putting that pressure on a child is counterproductive. Most importantly, be positive and encouraging, and have fun with English!
SAFETY
Absences
Before and after class
Your child needs to attend regularly to get full benefit from classes, however we need to be vigilant about health issues. Please do not send your child to class if she or he feels unwell or has a fever. We would appreciate a call from you to inform us of absence due to sickness or other reasons.
Students should not arrive more than 10 minutes before the start of class, and should leave the centre within 10 minutes of the end of class. This is so that our monitor can supervise them properly.
If your child misses two classes, we will contact you to find out when he or she will be back in class. Your child’s teacher will be happy to give extra support and copies of material that have been missed.
Students between 5 and 10 years old are not allowed to go home on their own. Students between 11 and 17 can go home on their own, but only if the authorisation slip has been signed when registering for the course.They are also not allowed to leave the building during the break. Students should make sure that they take all their belongings with them after their class.
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SAFETY
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What is a behaviour policy?
Why have a behaviour policy?
We believe that a child’s behaviour at the British Council is an agreement between the child, the teacher and the parents. This sheet is designed to help you, the parent, understand how we encourage responsible behaviour. It will also show you how we monitor and offer feedback about your child’s behaviour.
A behaviour policy minimises inconsistencies in dealing with incorrect behaviour, and ensures that everyone knows what incorrect behaviour is, and what action is taken to encourage responsible behaviour.
SAFETY
What is incorrect behaviour? We can divide incorrect behaviour into two categories: undesirable and unacceptable. Examples of Undesirable Behaviour
Examples of Unacceptable Behaviour
Coming to class late
Fighting
Failing to do homework
Bullying
Speaking Spanish in class
Disrupting the class
Eating or drinking in class
Being disrespectful to others
Using a mobile phone in class
Disrespecting school property e.g. graffiti
What will happen if my child misbehaves? Reflecting the seriousness of the situation, the chart below shows the course of action we recommend a teacher to take to encourage responsible behaviour. However, if a teacher judges a situation serious enough, they will ask to see the parents straight away. In addition, if a student has caused damage to the school or British Council property they may have to repair the damage themselves or pay repair costs. Undesirable Behaviour
Action
Unacceptable Behaviour
After 2 instances
Telephone call to parents informing them of the situation
After a further instance
A letter will be sent detailing the problem, followed by a telephone call to discuss the situation
After 1 instance
After a further instance
A letter will be sent and the parents will be asked to come into the school to talk with the teacher and Senior Teacher
After a further instance
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COMMUNICATION
At the end of 1st term and at the end of the course we organize parent evenings where you will be able to talk personally with teacher about your child progress. We will let you know in advance when to make an appointment. In addition, if you would like to speak to a teacher during the course please do not hesitate to contact us. The teacher will be in touch with you if any immediate issues arise during the course.
Change of address or contact number It is important that we can contact you easily so that we can keep you informed of coming events or in case there is an emergency. We would appreciate it if you could inform our customer service staff of any change of address, contact number or email address.
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OTHER SERVICES
Library We have a library both at the German School and at out main centre in Avenida Cataluña. Students can borrow books, magazines and DVDs. The library at the German School has specialised materials for young learners. Timetable German School » Monday to Thursday: 18:30 – 20:00h » Saturdays: 10:30 – 12:30h
University of Cambridge English Exams The British Council is an official centre for the University of Cambridge English Exams. We offer preparation courses for students taking these exams. For further information please visit: www.britishcouncil.org/es/spain-exams.htm www.cambridgeesol.org/students/index.htm www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/yle.htm
«The Reading Challenge» Encouraging Reading - Primary The Reading Challenge is a project which helps the youngest children to enjoy reading English regularly. Six groups take part in this activity each term. We bring a selection of books to classrooms every week. Students make drawings of the books they have read and get little prizes such as stickers. We exhibit the drawings in the library and at the end of term we give out certificates and medals to everyone who has completed the activity.
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OTHER SERVICES
Portal Web The British Council has developed a website, the Portal, where your child can practise English at home, where, at the end of each term, you will have access to your child’s school reports and where you can find information about the British Council: https://spainportal.britishcouncil.org/
Portal instructions How to register (parents) 1. Go to http://bit.ly/bcportal 2.
3.
4. 5. 6.
Introduce your child’s username (student number). The number is printed on the student card.
1. 2.
Introduce the password that has been given to your child in class. If you do not have it, please ask the teacher. Select “Valencia”
How to change your password 1. Go to https://spainportal.britishcouncil.org 2. Click on Profile
Introduce your e-mail. You will receive a password by email that enables you to login to the portal.
How to create a new password if you forgot it 1. Go to https://spainportal.britishcouncil.org 2. Clic on “I forgot my password” 3. You will receive an email from info@spainportal.com
How to log in after registering (parents) 1. Go to https://spainportal.britishcouncil.org 2. 3.
4.
How to log in as a student Students do not need to register.
Introduce your username: your e-mail address. Introduce your password: the one you have received by email when registering for the first (not your child’s password). If you have previously used the Portal your password is still the same. Centre: Valencia.
Username: student number Password: the one given out in class
From: info@spainportal.com Subject: Reset your BC password Reset password click here Para cambiar tu password pincha aquí 4.
Write your new password in the field Your new password and write it again in the field Repeat password. The password has to contain at least one
letter in upper case, one in lower case and one number. And it must be 8 characters long.
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OTHER SERVICES
Useful websites Learn English is a British Council web for parents and Young Learners with more than 80,000 visits per month http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/
Learn English Kids, specially designed for the youngest, you will find information about helping your child to learn English http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/
Learn English Teens, designed for teenagers http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org
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WHO IS WHO?
British Council - Valencia YL
British Council - Valencia Adults
German School
Avda. Cataluña
Senior Teacher Young Learners Deborah Bullock
Director Tony Hubbard
Young Learners coordinator Lucy Mayhew, Toslima Khanom
Directora de estudios adjunta (ADOS) Anne Fairfield
Monitora Fina García
Senior Teacher Adults Tom Stutter
Library Sol Palop
Customer Services Manager - Teaching Centre Majo Ruano Customer Services - Exams Beatriz Robledano, Jonathan Bustos, Víctor Serrano Information and registration Emma Martínez, Laura Cebellan, Ximo Aparisi Library Sol Palop, Trevor Corfield, Sampa Ruíz Teachers Deborah Bullock, Clare Allistone, Nelson Arditto, Fiona Baldwin, Susan Barry, Sarah Bradley, Gary Clark, Nick Dann, Jennifer Davies, Rich Dolphin, Fiona Hamill, Jon Iveson, David James, Toslima Khanom, Jacqui Littleales, Dee Lloyd, Lucy Mayhew, Marie McArdle, John O’Sullivan, Minal Patel, Martin Peters, Emma Porrit, Claire Porter, Michéle Sanniti, Lottie Stubbins, Laura Thackerey, Janice Thompson, Sham Ulla
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CONTACT DETAILS
Customer Services – Avda. Cataluña, 9 Monday to Thursday 10.00 - 14.00h. 16.00 - 19.30h.
British Council - Valencia Adults Avda. Cataluña,9 46020 Valencia British Council - Valencia YL German School Jaime Roig, 14 46010 Valencia
Email: valencia@britishcouncil.es Email exams: examenes.valencia@britishcouncil.es Telephone: 96 339 29 80 www.britishcouncil.es
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VALENCIA PARENT GUIDE 2012 - 2013
YOUNG LEARNERS PRIMARY 路 JUNIOR 路 SENIOR