People learn a second language for many reasons. For Quebecers, learning English is a necessity, given the geographical location of Quebec, the growing presence of English media, and the tendency to travel more and meet people of other cultures.

Through the study of a second language, apart from acquiring language skills as such, students also develop the ability to listen and read with a critical mind and to analyze and re-use what they know in new situations. In this way, they broaden their horizons and discover another language and culture while gaining a new appreciation of the richness of their own language and culture.

The elementary-level English as a Second Language (ESL)program follows in the footsteps of the previous program in terms of the priority given to communication. It also incorporates the latest developments in second-language learning, the communicative approach, cognitive psychology and social constructivism. The past decade of literature and research on the communicative approach shows that when students are made aware of the semantic and syntactical structure of the target language, the speed at which they become skilled communicators is greatly accelerated. The ESL program takes this additional refinement of the communicative approach into account.

ESL learning therefore requires that students be put in a rich and stimulating linguistic and cultural environment where English is the language of communication, right from the beginning of the program, i. e. in Elementary 3. The study program is thus centered on the students and on the construction of their knowledge. It aims at developing the competencies deemed essential for students in Québec schools in the 21^st century: namely, the ability to interact orally in English, to reinvest their understanding of oral and written texts, and to write texts.

Subject-Specific Learnings

Competency 1

To interact orally in English

Expectations Related to the Competency

Elementary students acquire the ability to express themselves in English in any given classroom situation (routines, any special needs that might arise, interaction with peers and with the teacher, working in whole class and small group settings). In developing this competency, students will find themselves spontaneously using functional language (compensatory expressions, useful expressions, vocabulary)to carry out the tasks required of them. These tasks must be meaningful to students and adapted to their cognitive and socio-affective development. Because we learn to interact by being in contact with other people, cooperation and teamwork are key tools for developing this competency.

To function continuously in English during class time, students benefit from these conditions: development of positive attitudes and a rich linguistic environment. French is used only during brief pauses controlled by the teacher for the following purposes: corrective feedback and reflection on learning. From the very beginning of the program, students are immersed in the dynamics of oral interaction (transmission ↔reception, action ↔reaction)as a way of learning how to understand and express themselves in English. The student listens attentively to the message and takes into account the other person ’s non-verbal reactions as well as the context. The student reacts verbally and non-verbally with appropriate responses. To help them interact in this context, the use of strategies will raise their risk-taking ability, develop their autonomy and enhance their ability to succeed and their desire to persevere. In addition, the duration and frequency of students ’exposure to functional language greatly determines the degree to which they will acquire English. In this respect, abundant visual support is a key accelerator since students can refer to it whenever they want, rather than having to rely only on memory. The development of this competency takes place in a context where students benefit from the support of their peers and from the teacher ’s frequent and spontaneous input as a model and compensator.

Competency 2

To reinvest understanding of oral and written texts

Expectations Related to the Competency

This competency enables elementary students to demonstrate their understanding of spoken and written texts. Students explore various types of texts —narrative, informative, current, academic, expressive, visual —and learn to understand the overall meaning and key elements such as: event, facts, setting, person, character, plot, storyline, and sequence of events. Various media are used including books, brochures, magazines, videos, audiocassettes, CD-ROMs and software. All this is done in a context where students are prepared to approach and explore the material in a dynamic way. As a result, they reinvest their understanding in a meaningful task that calls on their creativity, initiative, imagination and ability to participate in a cooperative effort. In addition, this competency allows students to discover English-language culture by familiarizing them with various cultural products (songs, stories, legends, biographical sketches of famous people, magazines, interactive CD-ROMs, Internet sites, etc. ). In this way, they can find the information they need as well as sources of fun and entertainment to explore outside the classroom. Development of this competency enables students to appreciate how much a new culture can add to their own vision of the world and their personal identity.

Competency 3

To write texts

Expectations Related to the Competency

The purpose of this competency is to have elementary students start expressing themselves in written English while paying attention to the quality of their writing, i. e. spelling, some syntax and punctuation rules with the help of resources (explicit model, open-ended model, checklist, dictionary, self-correction grid, etc. ). The aim is not to have students systematically learn grammar or memorize syntax and punctuation rules, but to apply these rules to the composition of texts that are meaningful to students and tap on their imagination and creativity. Initiation to composition teaches students to work on their texts throughout the writing process. In addition, students benefit from teamwork and teacher assistance throughout the process in order to improve the content and presentation of their texts. The purpose of writing is to be read. Depending on the task, the composition could be a sentence, a series of sentences, or a few short paragraphs. The teacher must have realistic expectations and plan the task accordingly. Writing words or expressions, transcribing information and taking notes are tools rather than composition tasks as such. They are simply visual aids so that students do not have to memorize everything in order to do write a text.

Competencies in English as a Second Language

Competency 1

To interact orally in English

Key Features of the Competency

· The student reacts non-verbally to messages using strategies

· The student transmits an oral message using strategies

· The student maintains oral interaction using strategies

Competency 2

To reinvest understanding of oral and written texts

Key Features of the Competency

· The student prepares to listen to and read a text using strategies

· The student understands an oral and written text using strategies

· The student carries out a meaningful task using strategies

Competency 3

To write texts

Key Features of the Competency

· The student prepares to write using strategies

· The student composes a text using strategies

· The student revises his/her text using strategies

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Links Between the Competencies

The three competencies are developed in synergy. They are worked on in an integrated and constant manner to allow students to acquire the most meaningful learning possible, since language learning is more than the sum of its parts. Oral interaction is at the heart of ESL learning: it is a constant concern, even when the other competencies are being worked on. The key features, characteristics, subject content and context specific to oral interaction are the backdrop for tasks aimed at developing the other two competencies (“To reinvest understanding of oral and written texts ”and “To write texts ”).

Scheme 7

Three synergetic competencies

Relative Importance of the Competencies

The competency “To interact orally ”is the backdrop for ESL learning in elementary school. It is constantly present in the classroom, where English is the language students use to communicate with the teacher and each other. This competency is the key to developing the students ’knowledge of English, and therefore has priority over the other two.

The second competency, “To reinvest understanding of oral and written texts, ”will nonetheless be present early on, even though it is of less importance than oral interaction. Students explore a variety of texts and discover English culture, which leads to numerous opportunities for oral interaction. Once the students have understood and interpreted the text, they can perform tasks where they reinvest what they learned by making use of the other two competencies and their own creativity.

The third competency, “To write texts, ”plays a less important role in ESL learning. However, it involves tasks in which students must express themselves in written English and deliver a personalized product (e. g. write out a party invitation, make a poster, compose a little story, etc. ).

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Competency 1

To interact orally in English

Outcomes

Cycle Two

Students who begin learning English have the benefit of their experience with learning French, a language basically organized along similar lines. The communication strategies learned in Elementary Cycle One (focusing attention, using non-verbal language, actively listening to peers, etc. )can be used to interact in English as well. By this time, students have acquired not only personal experience but also academic experience. Learning English, to them, means learning to speak the language. The teacher will therefore encourage them to interact in English right from the first class of Elementary 3.

During Cycle Two, students become capable of expressing themselves in English for all classroom-related interaction and for all needs related to the completion of tasks. In a classroom where all communication is in English (routines, instructions, teaching and learning activities, use of themes, etc. ), students learn from the beginning to make maximum use of their limited knowledge of the language. To interact effectively, students develop strategies that promote communication and they benefit from a variety of resources (visual support, sample interactions, banks of expressions and words, etc. )as well as help from peers and the teacher at all stages of a task. The teacher intervenes spontaneously and naturally as needed. Students enjoy interacting in English and develop confidence in their ability to express themselves.

By the end of Cycle Two, students are using the functional language (compensatory expressions, useful expressions, vocabulary)they have acquired in order to initiate and sustain brief exchanges with peers and the teacher. They have access to visual and linguistic resources as well as the support received during their progress (peers and teacher). The exchanges stem from classroom oral interaction activity or the carrying out of meaningful tasks. The exchanges can be spontaneous or may be initiated by the teacher. Students are able to correctly employ the functional language used in class, and their pronunciation can be understood by an English speaker.

Cycle Three

Building on the learning in Cycle Two, students further develop their ability to interact orally in English. Throughout Cycle Three, students broaden their functional language so as to participate more actively and effectively in classroom oral interaction situations. They use their imaginations to find ways to re-use functional language in various situations (e. g. to greet someone, ask a question for clarification, express an idea or complete a team project). In addition, students begin to manage the human and material resources at their disposal and are becoming more effective in their use of strategies. This enables them to take more risks when expressing themselves in English.

By the end of Cycle Three, students have more confidence and autonomy. They participate actively and more coherently in exchanges (both spontaneous and initiated by the teacher), making creative use of the functional language acquired. They are able to communicate more personal messages: ideas, opinions, brief exchanges on topics that fall within their personal interests. They correctly employ the functional language frequently used in class, with a pronunciation that can be understood by an English speaker. They are in a period of discovery and experimentation with language; it is therefore normal for them to make mistakes when they take risks to express themselves.

Cycles

Competency 1 Teaching, Learning and Evaluation Context 23

To interact orally in English – With peers and teacher

· In situations related to

· the classroom life and the themes explored

· the carrying out of tasks

· students ’ own interests

· With assistance

· spontaneous help from peers and teacher

· help from peers and teacher on request

· With abundant visual support (posters, word banks, etc. )

· Using appropriate resources as needed (texts, visual dictionaries, checklists, Internet sites, etc. )

· Using functional language (vocabulary, compensatory and useful expressions)

· Producing personalized messages

Evaluation Criteria

· Use of strategies

· Appropriate non-verbal reactions to the interaction situation

· Use of appropriate functional language

· Active participation in oral interaction situations

· Creation of personalized messages appropriate to the situation

· Correct use of functional language frequently employed in class, with proper pronunciation

Cycles

Key Features of the Competency Characteristics 23

1. The student reacts non-verbally to messages

using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Listens attentively to message

· Takes the other person ’s non-verbal reactions into account

· Accepts not being able to understand everything

· Uses pertinent reactions

2. The student transmit an oral message using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Listens actively to the person speaking

· Uses vocabulary, compensatory and useful expressions to:

· ask questions

· answer questions

· respond to an instruction, comment, etc.

· express courtesy

· ask for help

· express agreement/disagreement

· request permission

· give an instruction

· identify a person, object, place, etc.

· Produces personalized messages

· Takes risks

· Perseveres in efforts to communicate in English

3. The student maintains oral interaction using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Is attentive to the other person

· Uses functional language to initiate and sustain oral interaction

· Fuels interaction by:

· Expressing his/her own thoughts (ideas, feelings, interests, opinions)

· Describing elements related to immediate environment and themes proposed

· sharing personal experiences

· sharing results of his/her research

· Produces personalized messages

· Applies targeted syntax rules to carry out a task

· Enjoys interacting in English

· Takes risks

· Perseveres in efforts to communicate in English

Subject Content

(brackets): suggestions

Cycles

Compensatory strategies and expressions

· Stall for time (Wait a minute, I ’m not ready, I ’m not sure, etc. )

· Ask for help (Can you help me? I need your help, etc. )

· Ask for clarification (I don ’t understand, Can you repeat? How do you say? What do you mean? What ’s …? , etc)

· Circumlocution (Give me the big object, You know, that red thing, etc. )

Learning strategies

· Attention (Am I concentrating on the right things? )

· Inferencing (intelligent guesses)

· Accepting not being able to understand everything (tolerance to ambiguity)

· Self-evaluation (reflection on what has been learned)

· Practice (repeating, regrouping, integrating, assimilating key functional language expressions)

· Use of resources: word banks, posters, checklists, quick references, etc.

· Cooperation (helping each other)

· Risk-taking

Useful expressions for effective functioning in class, in large or small groups 1

· Instructions and routines (Open your binder, Let ’s write the date, etc. )

· Identification (What ’s this? This is …, It ’s …, My name is …, Who is it? I am/I ’m …, There is /there ’s …)

· Capabilities (I can …, I can ’t …, I ’m good at …, I ’m not good at …, Can you …? , etc. )

· Requests for information (Where …? Who …? What …? Do you have …? )

· Agreement, disagreement, opinions (That ’s right, Maybe, Do you agree? I think …, etc. )

· Permission (May I go …? Can I …? May I have …? , etc. )

· Offers of assistance, needs (Can I help you? May I …? Can I …? I need …, Can you …? , etc. )

· Warnings (Careful! Look out! Watch out! Stop!, etc. )

· Feelings, interests, tastes, preferences (I ’m happy, I ’m sad, I ’m excited, I like …, I love …, Do you like …? What ’s your favourite …? I like … the best, , I prefer …, etc. )

· Expressions of courtesy, social conventions and gestures: greetings, introducing, leave-taking, thanking, apologizing (Hi! Good morning! So long!, etc. )

· Suggestions, invitations (Do you want to be my partner? Let ’s …, Come to my party, Do you want to work with me? , etc. )

· Expressions to sustain an interaction (It ’s your turn, What about you? What do you think? Repeat what you said, etc. )

· Expressions promoting harmonious exchanges and teamwork (That ’s a good idea! You ’re a good partner! Well done! Wow! Smart! You ’re a genius! Way to go team! Let ’s go, gang! Great teamwork! Not too loud, There are five minutes left, Do we have our pencils? , etc. )

1 The choice of expressions in each category is determined by needs related to classroom activities, topics covered

and tasks to be carried out.

Subject Content (cont. )

(brackets): suggestions

Vocabulary 2

· Vocabulary related to action words frequently used in class

· Vocabulary related to the immediate environment (classroom, premises, school staff, identification and description of self and others)

· Theme-related vocabulary (sports, recreation, pastimes, food, animals, clothing, special events, etc. )

· Personal pronouns

· Alphabet

· Cardinal numbers

· Ordinal numbers: 1 st to 31 st , last

· Colours and shapes

· Prepositions and location words (left, right, in, on, under, behind, in front of, beside, between, etc. )

· Expressions of time (years, months, weeks, days of the week, number of minutes, hours, seasons)

· Question words (who, what, when, where, why, how many, etc. )

· Yes/no questions (Do you have …? Do you want …? Do you like …? Are you ready? Are you finished? etc. )

Syntax 2

· Word order:

· simple sentence

· position of adjective (red book, big cat )

· Regular plurals (book – books))

· Articles

· Verb tenses (imperative, present progressive, present indicative, past, future)

Phonology

· Intonation and pronunciation for the functional language frequently used in class

2 The choice of elements in each vocabulary and syntax category is determined by needs related to classroom activities, topics covered and tasks to be carried out.

Competency 2

To reinvest understanding of spoken and written messages

Outcomes

Cycle Two

Students starting to learn English as a second language in Cycle Two have already learned to read a variety of texts adapted to their cognitive and linguistic development in French class. They have also developed comprehension strategies such as skimming, anticipating content and consulting reference material (visual dictionary, word bank)that will help them understand English texts.

Throughout the cycle, students discover English culture (stories, songs, games, interactive CD-ROMs, etc. ). They learn to listen to and read a variety of texts (narrative, informative, current, academic, expressive, visual)adapted to their cognitive development and interests. To do this, they try different strategies, prepare to listen to and read texts, and demonstrate their understanding of the key elements (people, characters, animals, objects, places and settings). They then reinvest their understanding in the carrying out of a task that calls on their creativity, initiative and active participation.

By the end of the cycle, students are able to demonstrate —orally, non-verbally and in writing —their understanding of the key elements in a variety of texts. Throughout the process, they have access to assistance from peers and the teacher as well as to appropriate visual, linguistic and media support. Students carry out tasks by reinvesting their understanding of texts alone and in teams

Cycle Three

Building on the learning in Cycle Two, students further develop their ability to reinvest their understanding of oral and written texts. Throughout Cycle Three, students continue to discover English cultural products by listening to and reading a variety of texts (current, expressive, informative, narrative, academic, visual, )related to the areas of lifelong learning. The level of complexity is adjusted according to their cognitive and linguistic development. In addition, they take the initiative to listen to and read other English material (biographical sketches, poems, magazines, films, Internet sites, etc. )to meet their need for information and entertainment. By the end of Cycle Three, students are able to demonstrate —orally, non-verbally and in writing –their understanding of the overall meaning and key elements in a variety of texts. They have access to assistance from peers and the teacher as well as to appropriate visual, linguistic and media support. They are able to appreciate the reality presented in a text and compare it with their own; in this way, they can appreciate how English material contributes to their personal culture. Students perform tasks, alone or in teams, to deliver a personalized product while reinvesting their understanding of oral and written texts.

Cycles

Competency 2 Teaching, Learning and Evaluation Context 23

To reinvest understanding of oral and written texts

· With help from peers and teacher throughout the process (preparation, understanding, carrying out of task)

· In listening, reading or combined listening/reading situations

· For texts that are:

· simple, varied, extensively illustrated, and containing redundant elements

· varied, illustrated, containing redundant elements, and of appropriate complexity

· on interesting topics

· On topics that:

· are familiar

· meet the students ’need for information and entertainment

· With visual, linguistic and media support

· By choosing the resources and cultural products that are likely to help them carry out a task

· Individually and with peers and teacher

Evaluation Criteria

· Use of strategies

· Oral, non-verbal, and written demonstration of understanding of:

· key elements

· overall meaning

· Oral and written appreciation of the text and of English cultural products

· Presentation of a personalized final product that follows the instructions for carrying out the task

Cycles

Key Features of the Competency Characteristics 23

1. The student prepares to listen to and read a text using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Identifies intention to listen to and read

· Recalls information on the topic

· Anticipates content

Cycles

Competency 2 Teaching, Learning and Evaluation Context 23

2. The student understands an oral and written text using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Identifies key elements

· Makes links between key elements

· Describes key elements

· Grasps overall meaning

· Compares reality presented in text with his/her own reality

· Discovers English cultural products (songs, stories, magazines, TV shows, films, interactive CD-ROMs, Internet sites, etc. )

· Appreciates the text

· Perseveres in efforts to understand

3. The student carries out a meaningful task using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Follows instructions

· Plans task

· Selects information

· Uses resources to develop ideas and expand range of words and expressions

· Organizes information

· Summarizes information

· Finds information in various sources

· Checks accuracy of information

· Expresses ideas, feelings, interests and opinions

· Carries out a task while personalizing the final product and using creativity

· Is perseverant in carrying out the task

Subject Content

(brackets): suggestions

Cycles

Learning strategies

· Anticipation (What can I guess by reading the title, looking at the pictures, glancing through the text, etc. ? What will happen? Why am I reading/watching/listening to this? )

· Attention (Am I concentrating on the right things? )

· Self-evaluation (reflection on what has been learned)

· Inferencing (intelligent guessing based on titles, known words, visual support, intonation, cognates)

· Accepting not being able to understand everything (tolerance to ambiguity)

· Skimming and scanning (e. g. key words)

· Use of resources (poster, word bank, book, information technology, visual dictionary, glossary, checklist, semantic map)

· Planning (What am I supposed to do? In what order? What resources do I need? )

· Cooperation (helping each other)

· Risk-taking

Vocabulary 1

· Theme-related vocabulary (sports, recreation, pastimes, food, animals, clothing, special events, etc. )

· Idiomatic expressions (She ’s on cloud nine; It ’s raining cats and dogs; Break a leg; The cat ’s got her tongue; That rings a bell, etc. )

Text components 1

· Connecting words (once upon a time, first, next, finally, and they lived happily ever after, two years later, on my way home, and, but, if, etc. )

· Text organization markers: titles, subtitles, paragraphs, key phrases, illustrations, etc.

· Key elements:

· Person, character, animal, object, place, setting

· Facts, plot, storyline, sequence of events,

· Overall meaning

1 The choice of elements in each vocabulary, text components and culture category is determined by needs related to the topics covered and tasks to be carried out.

Subject Content (cont. )

(brackets): suggestions

Cycles

Culture 1

· Cultural products (stories, songs, books, biographical sketches, films, games, magazines, poems, interactive CD-ROMs, TV shows, Internet sites, etc. )

· Famous people (writers, actors, astronauts, singers, athletes, artists, heroes, inventors, scientists, etc. )

· Traditions related to celebrations and special occasions (birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, Earth Day, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick ’s Day, etc. )

Syntax, phonology and spelling

Depending on the type of task, refer to the content of Competencies 1 and 3

1 The choice of elements in each vocabulary, text components, and culture category is determined by needs related to the topics covered and tasks to be carried out.

Competency 3

To write texts

Outcomes

Cycle Two

Students starting to study English as a second language in Cycle Two have already been introduced to a writing process in Cycle One French classes. The process for learning to write in English is very similar.

Throughout the cycle, students learn to recognize and apply strategies that are useful in the writing process. They develop their competency in situations were there is an authentic purpose to write in English. They re-use vocabulary related to their immediate environment and to the themes proposed, as well as a few syntax and punctuation rules. They have access to assistance from peers and the teacher and to a variety of resources (explicit model, posters, word bank, visual dictionary, checklist).

By the end of Cycle Two, students are able to write short, well-structured texts (invitations, greeting cards, posters, bookmarks, mini-books, etc. )following an explicit model as well as using their own imagination and creativity.

Cycle Three

Building on the learning in Cycle Two, students further develop their ability to write in English. Students express themselves in written English in a spirit of creativity, more independent management of resources and concern for the quality of the product. They further assimilate a writing process by producing different types of texts (brochures, instructions, stories, brief descriptions, etc. )alone and with peers. They continue to use writing strategies and they make personal use of the words, expressions and functional language learned. They have constant support in the form of access to appropriate resources (open-ended model, checklist, bank of words and expressions, self-correction grid, etc. )and assistance from peers and the teacher throughout the process.

By the end of Cycle Three, students are able to use an open-ended model to write a variety of well-structured texts in a context that is meaningful to them. It must be remembered that they are still discovering how to write in a language that is not their own; they are taking risks and must not be penalized for their creative efforts.

Competency 3 Teaching, Learning and Evaluation Context

The student writes texts –

· Short and well-structured

· Varied and well-structured

· In meaningful situations

· With help from peers and teacher throughout the process

· Alone and with peers

· Using a variety of resources:

· explicit model

· open-ended model

· checklist, word bank, poster, visual dictionary, etc.

· self-correction grid Managing the resources at their disposal:

· open-ended model, self-correction grid, bank of words and expressions, computer, etc.

Evaluation Criteria

· Use of strategies

· Coherent message that is pertinent to the topic and the instructions given

· Personalized message that is pertinent to the topic and the instructions given

· Words spelled correctly as found in:

· -explicit models and resources targeted to aid the carrying out of task

· -open-ended models and resources targeted to aid the carrying out task

· Application of the syntax and punctuation rules targeted for the task

· Final product that takes into account the intended audience

Key features of Competency Characteristics

1. The student prepares to write using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Follows instructions

· Notes ideas

· Organizes ideas

2. The student composes a text using strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Uses a model to produce a first draft

· Follows instructions

· Takes risks

· Is perseverant in producing a first draft

· Asks for help when experiencing difficulty

3. The student revises his/her own textusing strategies

· Uses appropriate strategies

· Checks the first draft by:

· Reviewing task instructions

· Using a self-correction grid

· Applies the syntax rules targeted for the task

· Observes correct spelling as found in models and banks of words and expressions

· Submits text to peer editing

· Makes corrections

· Produces a clean and well-presented text, taking into account the intended audience

· Checks overall final text

· Is perseverant in producing a quality text

Subject Content

(brackets): suggestions

Learning strategies

· Planning (What am I supposed to do? What could I write? How will I write it and in what order? , etc. )

· Self-monitoring (verification and adjustment during performance of a task)

· Use of resources: poster, checklist, visual dictionary, etc.

· Note-taking

· Cooperation (helping each other)

Vocabulary 1

· Theme-related vocabulary (sports, recreation, pastimes, food, animals, clothing, special events, etc. )

Syntax 1

· Word order:

· • simple sentence

· • position of adjective

· Plurals

· Articles

· Verb tenses (imperative, present progressive, present indicative, past, future)

Punctuation

· Capital letter at the beginning of a sentence

· Period at the end of a sentence

· Question mark

· Commas between items in an enumeration

Spelling

· Spellings found in explicit models and resources targeted for carrying out a task

· Spellings found in open-ended models and resources targeted for carrying out a task

1 The choice of elements in each vocabulary and syntax category is determined by needs related to the topics covered and tasks to be carried out.

Suggestion

Use of information and communication technologies

Competency 1

· Use of computer with one or more partners to carry out various activities

· Use of interactive CD-ROMs, software and Internet sites to practise spoken English

· Use of a digital camera to film interviews, sketches and other activities

· Correspondence by voice e-mail

Competency 2

· Use of interactive stories, encyclopedias and visual dictionaries on CD-ROM and DVD

· Use of entertaining Internet sites: stories, songs, news about famous people, etc.

· Use of Internet sites for consultation, data-gathering and documentary research

· Following instructions and procedures on the computer to carry out activities

· Production of videos

· Use of CD-ROMs, interactive software and Internet sites to consolidate and enrich learning

Competency 3

· Use of word-processing, layout and publishing software

· Use of reference tools on CD-ROM, DVD and Internet

· Publication of information on Web pages

· Participation in discussion forums

· Correspondence by e-mail

Enrichment

Competency 1

-Explanation of rules of a game

-Participation in board games

-Discussions to solve enigmas

-Improvisation and creation of sketches, riddles and shows

-Participation in a visit to an English-speaking community, in meetings with English-speaking visitors to the school, in a twinning program with a group of English-speaking students, etc.

-Participation in special activities (English Day, English Club, etc. )

Competency 2

-Discovery of fun-filled activities: songs, stories, tongue-twisters, etc.

-Telling of short, simple stories

-Viewing of stories and short news reports

-Use of catalogues and advertising brochures in activities such as treasure hunts and rallies

-Membership in children ’s book clubs

-Collective creation of a story

Competency 3

-Production of banners and posters to enrich the class ’s bank of words and expressions

-Preparation of thematic bulletin boards related to topics covered in class

-Participation in the production of a class newspaper

-Creation of cartoon strips

-Creation of stories similar to those used in class

-Writing of a script for a sketch

Students ’ Individual Work

Competency 1

· Regular practice of vocabulary and functional language (role-playing the teacher, practising in front of a mirror, inventing dialogues, thinking up responses, etc. )

· Practising stories, songs, tongue-twisters, poems, sketches, etc.

· Reinvesting elements of functional language during a meal, a household chore, an outing, an activity, a cultural event, a sporting activity, a TV commercial, etc.

· Creating role-plays alone or with friends or family members

Competency 2

-Regular TV watching based on the school ’s suggestions

-Adoption of one or two TV shows that will develop understanding of English

-Listening to radio programs and songs in English

-Reading, watching and listening to a variety of materials through various media

-Creation of a personal bank of words and expressions, optionally accompanied by illustrations

-Re-creation of stories using banks of illustrations and statements to be linked together and placed in order

Competency 3

-Pursuit of activities started in class

-Composition of personal writing projects

-Preparation of short messages to be delivered in person or by e-mail: greeting cards, invitations, personal messages, etc. .