Ref: 447/07 27 November 2007
Improving Understanding via the Dragon's Den
Since accession to the EU in 2004, many families from Poland have come to the UK and Cheshire has seen a large increase in the number of Polish children in our schools.
Members of Cheshire County Council Children’s Services and the Faculty of Education & Children’s Services at the University of Chester have been working together to produce a teaching pack with a Polish dimension for schools - “ Krakow: Around the Dragon’s Den”.
The pack aims to meet the needs of Polish children in UK schools in terms of learning English as an additional language and to celebrate aspects of Polish life and culture. It also aims to introduce Poland to all children, through a contrasting locality study focusing on a family living in the historic city of Krakow
The pack’s author, Tony Pickford, a senior lecturer at the University explained how the pack is strongly geography based but with an emphasis on bi-lingual Polish and English with the dual role of helping Polish children to learn English while helping English children and adults to learn of the similarities and differences between the two nation’s lifestyles and cultures.
The material is centred on a Polish child living in the city and discusses, using both Polish and English text, their daily lifestyle such as the journey to school, shopping, and using public transport.
The pack contains quality images of Krakow, with additional images, videos and PowerPoint presentations on CDROM. The Teachers Book provides guidance on teaching English as an additional language in mainstream classrooms alongside background information about Krakow and detailed planning for units of teaching and learning.
A significant feature of the pack is a literacy unit focusing on a traditional story from Krakow – the legend of the dragon that used to live under Krakow’s Wawel Hill. The unit is enhanced by specially commissioned illustrations, audio versions (in English and Polish) and links to the Primary Framework for Literacy.
Explained Linda Walker, Manager of Minorities Support in Cheshire Schools:
“In the interests of community cohesion it is important that all children are aware of other cultures and that diversity should be acknowledged in all schools whatever the make-up of the school population. This can best be done through embedding awareness through the school curriculum.”
The new pack “ Krakow: Around the Dragon’s Den” will be launched on Wednesday 28 November and will benefit children newly arrived in the UK from Poland, and also their new found English school friends, wanting to learn something of their culture and lifestyle.
It will then be on general sale, costing £30 + P & P available from Cheshire Traveller Education & Minorities Support, Woodford Lodge Professional Centre, Woodford Lane West, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 4EH Tel. 01606 274331
ENDS
Note to Editors: further details from Cheshire County Council’s Manager for Traveller Education & Minorities Support, Linda Walker, Tel 01606 814330 and/or University of Chester Senior Lecturer Tony Pickford Tel 01244 220425
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