What do your bilingual kids (english & whatever) do during their english lessons?

[canella]

we're in Germany - only been here 18 months. dd (9) is totally bilingual german/english and in the last school year started havign english lessons in her timetable. Obviously this is at too basic a level for her (they were counting to 20 this week).

Last year the teacher said she was best off just reading a book or doing her homework but this year the teacher has changed and she insists dd takes part in the class.

we're not happy with this and we've spoken to the head today (phoned to speak to the teacher but she wasnt there and it was the head who answered the phone!didnt plan to take it to the head at the mo!!) - she hadnt thought what dd should do (even tho she knew dd was bilingual!!) but said her and the teacher would have a think about it! but i have 2 other dc who will also go thro the school and another bilingual family have 4 dc so the school need to make a plan for all these kids! (we obviously live in the sticks - i imagine bigger cities would have more bilingual families!)

so what do the rest of your dc do in their english lessons - is it worth me trying to buy some workbooks from the UK for her to do during the lessons?

any advice welcome!

lol at heppy and petrick. My DD says "ze" instead of "the" like a true German.

Portofino
I stuck to French pronunciation for the first two school years then introduced English this year. They have started learning German in school so she is getting that too. She seems to be coping.

She does correct the way I say "e" every time though.

DS had me repeating French sentences after him recently, and when I had done it to his satisfaction said, "Goooood, Mama". Slightly frustrating, having a 6yo teach me to speak French. :)

My DD does hand gestures too, with her phonics, though not the same ones from the sound of it!

Actually, since she can already read in English, she is learning to read in French very fast and finds that all the gestures slow her down terribly. But the teacher says that most of the children will have given up needing the gestures by the end of term.

No, I think it just a "memory/learning" tool. My Dsis who has studied these things, thinks that would work really well with certain kids whose brains are more "visual"

Bucharest - DSS1 uses Insight at his (very reputable) lycée.

Ooooh yes - my dd is just starting on the gestures. A is like a policeman saying stop.

"Children stop thinking for yourselves and do as I say!!!"

Frakkin - I often have the same problem too. Have you tried to get people going through the French education system to discuss a concept and report back or work in a group to reach a decision? I dare you to try putting these learning methods into your lesson plans next week just to see how impossible they find it!

Canella - Of course ideally your dd should not be involved in the lesson. All I can suggest is having a meeting with the head of languages and keep going up until you get what you want. Perhaps suggesting that she works towards a certificate (that the school would get credit for) would help?

Bonsoir -

Hello, T42. Haven't seen you about for ages. How are you doing? How's the puppy?

Thanks Bonsoir, will have a looky!

Tea - I'm sending you a bill for therapy. Half an hour spare because the people doing the presentations didn't turn up + some evil fairy reminding me of this thread = proof positive that they've all been brainwashed.

MmeLindt - hello you!!! Eccles is a 100% lovebug! How's Daphne doing?

Eccles is a cheeky little thief and has made a sort of robber's den under our bed. She keeps everything she has stolen under there and spends a lot of time smuggly sitting amongst her steals and rearranging them all again and again.

Bucharest - have you had a look at Amazon? I was in Carrefour last night and noticed there are quite a few guides for the different bacs. I would imagine that Hachette publish one.

Regarding the English - dd is 13 and has had the same English teacher for the previous 2 years in college. He lets her read a book in the lessons, and she has been reading one of the compulsory books for French. However, her spelling isn't good, so we think she would be better working, but she's a bit cocky and thinks she doesn't need to.

The teacher has a superb accent, very slightly south shields which reminds me of my auntie Flo who a rather deep voice for a woman. He prefers to speak in English to us at parents' evenings to get more practice. He retrained to teach English when there was a shortage, and has never set foot there which makes his fluency all the more surprising.

I'm in France with a tolerant headmistress. I give my children workbooks to do which I correct or I ask them to write stories. Sometimes the English teacher asks them to join in to show the others how to pronounce etc.