Hello!
I intend to write about Kid’s English
zone. There are certainly many of you who already know about it, but I think
it's worth a post anyway. Kid’s English zone is 26 television programs that
contain brief scenes of everyday life for children and contain cartoon
characters and skits.
It is BBC who produced the programs, which are for children between 6-9 years. Themes that appear in the programs are close to the student and therefore easier to grasp. For example can the programs focus on the body and food. The children also face common phrases, colors, and more.
I have noticed that the students like to sing along and do the movements that are present in the programs. There is a teacher's guide, and to each program there is information on what will be discussed and tips on activities that can be done in the classroom after the program.
It is BBC who produced the programs, which are for children between 6-9 years. Themes that appear in the programs are close to the student and therefore easier to grasp. For example can the programs focus on the body and food. The children also face common phrases, colors, and more.
I have noticed that the students like to sing along and do the movements that are present in the programs. There is a teacher's guide, and to each program there is information on what will be discussed and tips on activities that can be done in the classroom after the program.
At this level the introducing to English
should give a pleasure and a positive feeling for the language. Which I think Kid’s
English zone conveys. Of course this is a supplement to other learning, but a
quite good one, I think.
A disadvantage may be that some songs are a little difficult for children in this age, who just start to learn English. I have not experienced any major problems with it, and I have noticed that students have had a positive attitude and made good attempt to sing along.
Thank you for reading.
A disadvantage may be that some songs are a little difficult for children in this age, who just start to learn English. I have not experienced any major problems with it, and I have noticed that students have had a positive attitude and made good attempt to sing along.
Thank you for reading.
/Helena
Thank you for writing about ‘Kids English Zone’. I really like the program and I often show them to my pupils. I like that the episodes contain songs and dramatisations. I agree that most of the pupils really enjoy singing along and dance to the music. The songs are a great way to memorize new words. I have not experienced that the episodes are too difficult for the pupils, I think it is good that the pupils do not know all the words before watching the episode. In that way, you will get an interesting conversation about the new words in the classroom after the episode.
ReplyDeleteI have not worked with the teacher’s guide yet, but when I read it, it gave me some great ideas that I am going to use in the English teaching.
I really think these episodes are a joyful and fun way of introducing the English language to the pupils. I also like that many episodes repeats words and themes from previous episodes.
/Paulina
Your blog post caught my attention, because I work in a group of pupils that love watching film episodes. Therefore, I took the chance to learn more about Kids English zone. It is interesting to read about that the programs enable the children to sing along and to be active. I agree that this type of learning English at this level gives a pleasure and a positive feeling for the English language. You describe well how the programs is about common and familiar situations and topics, also described in the National curriculum of English. I got a good picture what the programs are about, but I lack information and explanation of how the teacher can use the programs in education. But as you write there is a teacher's guide, and to each program there is information on what will be discussed and tips on activities that can be done in the classroom after the program. A negative thing, with the program series, is that it is pretty old. That can, but not necessarily, affect the children´s attention and interest. Thank you for the presentation of Kids English zone. I will definitely try to use it in my teaching.
ReplyDeleteJoanna Waller
Hi!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog post. I have heard about Kids English Zone before but I have never tried it myself. It really sounds like that the episodes are about things that we are supposed to teach, according to the syllabus LGR 11. My pupils like to watch short videos and to sing along so I think Kids English Zone will be perfect for my class. I guess that you do not have to watch the episodes in correct order, am I right? But would you say that there is any advantage seeing them in correct order? In my class we have been watching another English TV show, The Game, in wich the episodes will be continued in the next episode. Is it the same with Kids English Zone?
Another thought is that some schools might not have a license at www.sli.se. My school has it and I am working with it a lot and it is a great ICT resource. But I know teachers in other schools that do not have access to it. Do you know if English Kids Zone can be found somewhere else?
I like that there is a teacher’s guide for the program. I really have to read it and watch some episodes so I can use it in my teaching soon.
Hi!
DeleteYou are right about that you do not have to watch the episodes in correct order. I will try English TV show The Game that that you wrote about.
When it comes to the license, you can also find it in Ur skola.