Infonews n°339 from 14/09/2008

A la une this week, discover resources (interactive, video, audio, cartoon, rap song, etc.)about the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the particle accelerator built at CERN; then find suggestions for the European Day of Languages, on September 26th, including several games, a list of links to sites of resources for primary school, a very nice song level A1+ about colors and mood, and for secondary school links about pronunciation, the American elections, brands and lifestyle, and geothermal energy. At the end, find podcasts about social issues for advanced students, information about 2 congresses that took place this summer, puis des annales du CRPE et les dernières infos de l’APLV.

Bonne semaine à tous!

Christine Reymond

Note : I lost my hard disk so I am working on a new software. I hope the addresses in this Infonews are active. If not, copy and paste them...and I'll try to do better next time! ;)

Sommaire

A la une : the Large Haldron Collider (LHC)

A picture
Short and clear information
how it works
Game
Audio
Video
Lesson plan
Rap song
Cartoon
Articles and special reports

European Day of languages : Sept 26th

Information
What can you do ?
Documents
Games
Collaborative project

Resources for Primary School

Links

Resources for secondary school

*** Colors by Kira Willey
Phonetics and pronunciation
American Elections
Branding American
How geothermal energy works

Resources for advanced students

Podcasts from the IPRR

Teaching Practice

Annales de CRPE
Le congrès de l'AILA
Cyber-langues 2008
Supression de l’épreuve orale au bac STG


A la une : the Large Haldron Collider (LHC)

The LHC started working last Thursday. Most people agree that it is a great scientific step forward, but some people are afraid, and it also raises the issue of creationism. So here are some documents to discover it and deal with it in class.

A picture

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/hadron-collider-lede-0607.jpg

Short and clear information

A site from the CERN with simple explanation including E=MC2, how an accelerator works, and a clear diagram of the project. For scientists level A2.
http://athome.web.cern.ch/athome/LHC/lhc.html

How it works

How stuff works features several pages with videos to explain everything.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/large-hadron-collider1.htm

Game

An interactive game from the CREN in four languages.
http://microcosm.web.cern.ch/microcosm/LHCGame/LHCGame.html

Audio

On the BBC, you can hear the audio report of the Today reporter who was there, and read the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7604293.stm

Video

Here is a long (10mn) but very good video from Videoscpan (with Spanish subtitles). Not too scientific so easier to understand. And opens on anti-matter and primordial matter, string theory and time travel…and finally the interest of research. Well made and informative, for science students level A2+ minimum. (and you can capture it with downloadhelper : 24K)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgLdIly2Xtw

Lesson plan

On BBC Learning English, the BBc provides us with a ready to use lesson, with the lesson plan, the audio file and the transcript, plus some vocabulary explained in English.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/09/080910_cern.shtml

Rap song

For advanced science students, here is the Large Hadron rap. It is a bit long, there is no transcript and it is difficult to understand if you’re not familiar with this technology..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM

Cartoon

A cartoon by Peter Brookes for Times Online (how to start/end life)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00396/CARTOON385_396523a.jpg

Articles and special reports

CNN and Time magazine are much more on the alarmist side :
see CNN’s “LHC fired up in “God” particle hunt
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/10/lhc.collider/index.html
and Time mag’s “Collider triggers end-of-world fears”
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1838947,00.html

European Day of languages : Sept 26th

Information

On the official site of the European Day of Languages and on the site of the European Commission, you can find logos, posters and brochures to download, and also many ideas of activities in several languages, including a “how to start” guide.
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/awareness/day_en.html

What can you do ?

First, remember that several languages must be included in your project, which means not only English, German and Spanish, but also languages that then students don’t know at all like Swedish, Finnish, Romanian, Polish, etc.
If you school has a relation with other countries, in a Comenius for example, put the emphasis on the presentation of the partners, encourage the students to organize an exhibition with the flags, the maps, information sheets and a few basic words and phrases in the foreign language.
You can decorate your room and the school with flags and posters, plan an international meal with dishes from several countries (Greek salad, paella, crumble…) and study the recipe in class, encourage your students to prepare presentations of different countries and show them to other classes, etc.

Documents

On this site, students can see a map of all the countries in the EU, with their flags and a short information sheet about each country that they can read in French, English and the local language. Even students level A1 can work on these pages on their own.
http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/index_en.htm
On the list InterLangues, our colleague Françoise Varillon recommends those resources that you can download in 22 languages. The students can explore the booklets online in their native language, and then read it in English or another foreign language and take notes to share the content with the class or to write a report.
- What we do : this section of “panorama of the EU” features short simple and clear sections that can answer questions like : what countries use the Euro? What do we do for the environment? Etc. (level A2+)
http://europa.eu/abc/panorama/whatdoes/index_en.htm
- 12 lessons to discover Europe (level B1). For example in section 9 : “a citizens’ Europe” they can read about the various EU programmes (Comenius and so on). You can download the brochure or read the content online.
http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/index_en.htm
- *** There is also a nice online brochure giving figures and facts. Simple drawings fvor children, but the facts are short and clear : you can use it with students level A2.
http://europa.eu/abc/keyfigures/index_en.htm
- and the travelling section also offers useful resources to raise your students’ awareness of what to see and do in Europe. You find the usual sections about travel documents, the weather, things to do, money and pets, etc.
http://europa.eu/abc/travel/index_en.htm
- and don’t miss the last two sections : communicating, where you can hear a text read in the 23 official languages of the EU and the short “if things go wrong” section giving the international EU emergency number : 112
http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/languages/index_en.htm
http://europa.eu/abc/travel/things/index_en.htm

Games

- Europe Ensemble est le produit d’un Coménius : vous y trouverez de courtes sequences audio pour apprendre des phrases de base, niveau A1
http://www.europensemble.eu/
- Europa Go is a programme for beginners in 7 languages, offering several games.http://europa.eu.int/europago/index.htm
“You may choose from four different games: Coins and countries, the banknote puzzle, Dive and Count and the Euro quiz. One click away and you will be diving for hidden treasures, piecing together puzzles and seeing how much you know all at the same time!” I especially like the flag memory game which can enable students to memorise the european flags.
http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/netstartsearch/euro/kids/index_en.htm
You can also play the quiz. The questions are easy to understand, but the answers are difficult to find if you don’t know Europe. So go first in the “let’s explore Europe” section. You students can learn a lot from it!
http://europa.eu/europago/games/quiz/quiz.jsp
- Intercomprehension is more based on the oral, with videos and tips to make yourself understood and interesting ways to raise language awareness and explore the others’ culture through songs and stories.
http://www.eu-intercomprehension.eu/activities.html

Collaborative project

As they do every year, the CLEMI, centre de liaison entre l'enseignement et les médias d'information, invites secondary school students of all levels and from all countries to collaborate to publish an online multilingual magazine. You must register as soon as possible and send your productions in two languages between September 22nd and 26th.
http://www.clg-mignet.ac-aix-marseille.fr/cyberfax_jel/#env
http://www.clg-mignet.ac-aix-marseille.fr/cyberfax_jel/

Resources for Primary School

Links

On e-teach, Mireille Géraud shares with us those links to documents level A1 that she found on the list TICE-INSTITS:
http://abcteach.com/index.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
http://www.eslkidstuff.com/MembersMenu.htm
http://www.mes-english.com/
http://www.kizclub.com/
http://www.starfall.com/
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/kids/
http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.htm#
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-stories-little-kids.htm
http://www.educreuse23.ac-limoges.fr/elve/ress/sites_ang.htm
http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Teachers/
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/games

Resources for secondary school

Colors by Kira Willey

On e-teach, Sophie Leray recommends this song level A1+ to revise colours and rainbow. You can also go on to associating colours and mood. Here is the song and the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHsNGqyXIg&NR=1
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/k/kira_willey/colors.html
and Line Berthaud recommends this other version with the lyrics written on the picture and drawing showing the mood of the little girl.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=hDC-m_I4yRY&feature=related

Phonetics and pronunciation

Our colleague from Martinique, Laurence Bernard, has created a page of commented links about phonetics and pronunciation. You will find tables of phonetic symbols, tips for pronouncing, interactive pronunciation exercises for all levels, from the pronunciation of minimal pairs to limericks and a study of the Queen’s speech.
http://cms.ac-martinique.fr/discipline/anglais/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=9

American Elections

The electoral system in the USA is very complex. On e-teach, Sylvie Brod recommends this video : « Electing a US president in plain English”
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=ok_VQ8I7g6I
The system is explained simply and doesn’t go into the difference between primaries (secret ballot) and caucuses (the vote is public and can be by hand or walking to a part of a room), and the fact that in some states the voters vote only for a candidate from the party they are registered with (closed primaries). Those differences can be dealt with if you happen to have an assistant coming from the US, otherwise I find them too complex.
See here the voter registration form for New York state:
http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/pdf/forms/boe/voterreg/voterregenglish.pdf
Pour une explication en français, Josiane Laval vous recommande ce dossier de la documentation française. (info de eTeachNet)
http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr/dossiers/election-presidentielle-americaine-2008/procedure-electorale.shtml

Branding American

On e-teach, Florinda Fernandes signals this site about brands, advertisement and consumerism.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/features/branding/index.php
[The site features a clickable map of the US, with links to the most famous brands, how they started and what they represent. The “teaching ideas” and “resources” sections are interesting. See especially the links at the end of the resources page (additional resources), with links to sites explaining how to analyse and advertisement and a “how stuff works” site explaining how ad slogans work
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/features/branding/resources.html
In the same line, see those two articles level B1 from the women section of Times Online, about giant shopping malls (do we really need them) and the 50 things a British girl should have (British style presented by an American editor, with comments to discuss with your class of fashion orientated girls!)
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article4675974.ece
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/article4676771.ece

How geothermal energy works

This flash animation show how a geothermal system works. Excellent document for students interested in technology and renewable energies level B1
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/egs_animation.html
You can read the Scout Report article about the site
http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/2008/scout-080912-re.php#4

Resources for advanced students

Podcasts from the IPRR

The Scout Report recommends the podcasts from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPRR), commenting recent policy decisions and societal problems. Those documents can be very useful to make students level C1 work on their audio comprehension skill.
http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/2008/scout-080912-re.php#3

Teaching Practice

Annales de CRPE

Dans eTeachNet, Muriel Hostaléry nous indique cette page qui contient de nombreux textes pour l’expression orale à l’epreuve de langues du concours de professeur des ecoles. Ces textes niveau B2+ peuvent aussi être utiles en lycée ou pour l’entrainement à l’oral des classes de préparation aux grandes écoles.
http://www.crdp.ac-lyon.fr/a/ConcoursEdu/Sujets_CRPE_Lyon.html

Le congrès de l'AILA

Les enseignants, chercheurs et étudiants en linguistique appliquée se rencontrent tous les trois ans pour le congrès mondial de l’AILA (Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée) qui rassemble 1500 personnes pendant cinq jours. Cette année le 15éme congrès s’est déroulé à Essen (Allemagne) du 24 au 29 août.
Les participants ont pu assister à plus de mille présentations, conférences et ateliers autour du thème : Multilingualism, Challenges and Opportunities. Les domaines sont très variés, allant de l’acquisition d’une langue maternelle ou seconde et son enseignement à des publics divers, à la linguistique, la sociolinguistique, la traduction, le multilinguisme, le multiculturalisme, la communication interculturelle et l’apprentissage autonome.
http://www.cafepedagogique.net/lesdossiers/Pages/2008/15econgresmondialAILA.aspx

Cyber-langues 2008

I-pods, blogs, laboratoire de langues : l'association Cyber-Langues a réuni durant trois jours, du 26 au 28 août, à Dijon ses membres pour échanger sur les usages des Tice dans l'enseignement des langues. Trois journées très riches, et des pa rticipants enthousiastes. Et le prochain Cyber-langues se tiendra à Reims…
http://www.cyber-langues.asso.fr/

Supression de l’épreuve orale au bac STG

Le Journal Officiel n° 0204 du 2 septembre 2008 déclare que l’épreuve de langues vivantes 1 au bac STG sera une épreuve de compréhension écrite et expression écrite et une épreuve d’expression orale. L’épeuve de compréhension orale qui avait été testée pendant trois ans n’est finalement pas généralisée mais purement et simplement supprimée.
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=FE5F834B1E6619D3FCC4B882E25719E4.tpdjo17v_1?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000019414827&dateTexte=&oldAction=rechJO
L’APLV lance une pétition pour protester contre ce retrait et demander qu’une réflexion soit menée sur le sujet.
http://www.aplv-languesmodernes.org/spip.php?article1879
Lisez aussi la lettre du président de l’APLV annonçant les modifications prévues pour cette année, dont la réforme des concours de recrutement qui se passeront maintenant à BAC+5.
http://www.aplv-languesmodernes.org/spip.php?article1863
et bien d’autres informations sur le site de l’APLV, dont la parution des rapports de jury des concours 2008.
http://www.aplv-languesmodernes.org/


Ceci est un message de la LISTE INFONEWS
réalisé par Christine Reymond
lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France

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