Primary language resources
Ashcombe School Modern Foreign Language Department
http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/Curriculum/modlang/
A superb website for free online resources. It has a nursery, primary and Chinese ‘Treasure Chest’ of resources. It offers a wealth of materials on European awareness, including photos of Spain, France and Germany. It also contains a list of useful web links for primary schools.
A Tantôt
A wealth of interactive games, songs and resources for KS1 and KS2, ideal for the interactive whiteboard.
Aux Petitesmains
http://auxpetitesmains.free.fr/
An authentic French site which is excellent for cross curricular links particularly with art and design and cookery. It offers guidance on how to make cards, gifts and displays for all the key celebrations and events in France. For example there are ideas for Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Easter, Mardi Gras, Christmas, Halloween and birthdays. The layout is particularly impressive as it has catergorised activities according to age groups (A partir de 2 ans, a partir de 3 ans, a partir de 4 ans etc).
BBC Primary French
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/french/
Video streams enable pupils to hear language used by real French children . The video clips are ideal for stimulating role play. The site also offers songs, games and printable resources.
BBC Primary Spanish
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primarylanguages/spanish/
This site has a different layout to the French website from the BBC. It has a section on cultural awareness, a section on holidays, a section on classroom language and one on Christmas and New Year. It is ideal for use on the interactive whiteboard but also has activities which could encourage individual and pair work.
Blinde Kuh
An authentic German website intended for primary children in Germany. Everything is written in the target language but there are plenty of pictures to offer guidance for the non-specialist. It contains games, music, films, childrens’ stories (age 6+) and much more.
Chez Mimi/Hennings Haus
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/c4modernlanguages/index.asp
Collaboration between Channel 4 and the Scottish Government to support the learning and teaching of French and German in Scotland.
Comptines
Downloadable sheet music, some with sound files.
Early Start French Pack
Starter Pack 1 and 2 cost £64 (video option) or £75 (DVD edition). The focus is on speaking, listening and cultural knowledge . although there is a teacher’s manual, which gives lots of guidance on language teaching and methodology, there is no scheme of work as yet.
French Resource File KS2
LCP has produced a range of French resources and lesson plans that can be ordered from this site (£109.95). A major strength is the wealth of ready-made resources and teacher support as well as cross-curricular activities that this course offers.
Kidsweb
An authentic German website for German children. It has many downloadable resources including games, quizzes and seasonal activities. A colourful and carefully designed website which children would find very appealing.
La Jolie Ronde
Two files can be ordered from this site, one for Years 3 and 4 and the other for Years 5 and 6 (£175+VAT). Spanish and German equivalents will be ready in January 2007. The inclusion of songs and ICT activities to accompany the scheme is a bonus for busy teachers. Quite a lot of input required from the teacher in some of the lessons.
Language Investigator
http://www.language-investigator.co.uk
The Language Investigator Website is aimed at primary school teachers but could also be used in KS3. The site, developed in Coventry, supports teachers who wish to introduce a multillingual dimension into their lessons. The site provides a number of opportunities for investigating languages together with links to multilingual materials which support the teacher in developing them. Enhances literacy, promotes cultural cohesion and develops thinking skills. Well worth a visit.
Lexique
Excellent for introducing new vocabulary in French and for testing memory and pronunciation, ideal for the interactive whiteboard. Many topics are covered including parts of the body, the time, numbers, family members, countries and much more
Linguaprime (French)
http://www.linguaprime.com/default.htm
£39.99 for annual site subscription.
Momes.net
An authentic French site intended for French children. It has information on cinema, television, books, music, shows, debates, stories, songs and poems. Very easy to navigate.
Northumberland
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/languages/
Ideas for using storytelling in primary language teaching. The story of Goldilocks is available in French, Spanish and German, with Big Book versions available. It also has activities related to the Euro which could be used in numeracy or to increase intercultural awareness. Finally there is a section devoted to Spanish SMART Notebook resources.
Pbskids
http://www.pbskids.org/caillou
Games, stories, music and colouring activities.
Primary French
http://www.primaryfrench.co.uk
Free online resources on a wealth of topics, ranging from animals and numbers to weather and clothes.
Primary French Starter Pack
http://www.CollinsEducation.com
This set of lesson plans and resources have been produced in collaboration with a DfES/CILT good practice project. As well as the KS2 framework it draws on the National Literacy Strategy by encouraging learners to compare grammar and structures to their own language. This resource is easy to use and has good cross-curricular links and teaching and learning strategies but little in the way of authentic materials.
Rigolo
An interactive whiteboard is a must for this course (£260). The resource pack extends the course beyond the whiteboard with big books and puppets (£250). Non-specialist teachers have have access to a range of support with video case studies showing examples of implementation in the classroom and a “virtual teacher tool”. A fun and motivating course but quite expensive if all of the resources are purchased.
Tout le Monde
http://www.tout-le-monde.co.uk
This set of resources can be accessed via a CD option or online subscription (approximately £100 per year). Heinemann has produced a range of stimulus material such as an electronic big book and a set of interactive pupil activities for independent learning. The intercultural strand is demonstrated through videos and presentations between a French and an English Primary School. Assessment tasks are included which are matched to the Languages Ladder. Excellent resources, activities, cultural references and opportunities for independent learning and assessment. Online subscription is expensive.
Voyage
http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/home
An authentic German site intended for primary pupils in Germany but made in alliance with British teachers. The site is available in English and German and contains quizzes, games, stories, current affairs and much more.