"green immersion" the concept of bilingual environmental education kristin kersten...
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"Green Immersion""Green Immersion"
The concept of bilingual The concept of bilingual environmental educationenvironmental education
Kristin KerstenKristin KerstenOtto-von-Guericke Universität MagdeburgOtto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg
ELIAS
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
StructureStructure
1. Background
2. The EU-Project ELIASGoals
Structure
3. Green ImmersionWhat it is
How it works
4. The Bilingual Zoo-Preschool in Magdeburg(Suzanne Akerman & Shannon Thomas)
Setting and Conceptual Design
Zoo Education
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
BackgroundBackground
Zoos and aquariums enable people to develop appreciation, wonder, respect, understanding, care and concern about nature.
WAZA 2005: Building a Future for Wildlife – The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy (WZACS); Chapter 5: Education and Training
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Background: WZACSBackground: WZACS
Education and Training• education as a central role for all zoos and aquariums• develop strategic plan for education and environmental
sustainability (a "green" ethos), incorporating conservation issues
• collaboration with a variety of educational institutions, universities and teacher training institutes to link educational programmes to curricula developments
• lifelong learning: students from pre-school to university• evidence to evaluate impact and effectiveness of education
programs
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Background: EUBackground: EU
'Mother tongue plus two other languages': Making an Early StartLanguage competencies are part of the core of skills that every citizen needs for training, employment, cultural exchange and personal fulfilment … It is a priority for Member States to ensure that language learning in kindergarten and primary school is effective, for it is here that key attitudes towards other languages and cultures are formed, and the foundations for later language learning are laid, … in particular by teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age.European Commission: Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity: An Action Plan 2004 – 2006, p. 7
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
BackgroundBackground
Bilingual education / Immersion teaching (e.g. Wode 1995)
• most effective method of teaching foreign languages• content-based integrating contents such as science & nature topics with foreign
language teaching
Early start 3+ formula (Wode 2001)
1. bilingual / immersion preschools2. bilingual / immersion primary schools3. bilingual education in high schools
Hello!
Salut!
Hallo!
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
The EU-ProjectThe EU-Project
ELIAS (Early Language & Intercultural Acquisition Studies)
Project Goals
• Monitoring of bilingual preschools
• Enhancement of second language learning, intercultural competence, and bilingual environmental education for preschoolers
• scientific documentation
• evaluation of conceptual designs
• recommendations and dissemination
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
The EU-ProjectThe EU-Project
Network• 16 partners from 4 European Countries
(Germany, Belgium, England, Sweden)• Cooperation partners from Italy and the Netherlands• 9 Universities• Zoological Garden Magdeburg• 7 bilingual preschools with English as second language, e.g. the
Zoo-Preschool in Magdeburg
CoordinationProf. Dr. Holger Kersten, Kristin Kersten(Magdeburg University)
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
The StudyThe Study
1. Preschools
Longitudinal Study
2. Cultural Studies
Intercultural Competence
3. Linguistics
Second Language Acquisition
4. Speech Therapy
First Language Acquisition
5. Biology-Didactics
6. Zoological Garden MD
Zoo Education
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
The EU-ProjectThe EU-Project
Participant Observation (Spradley 1980)
• qualitative research methods
• observers take part in daily preschool routines
integrated in the preschool system
• avoiding "test situations"
emotional stability for the children
• field notes and questionnaires
• language assessment
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Bilingual EducationBilingual Education
Immersion method (Genesee 1987, Wode1995, Zydatiß 2000)
to be "immersed" in the second language (L2)
• the second language as medium of communication, not as focus
of grammatical learning
all content matter is taught in the second language
• in bilingual preschools: all daily routines and activities
• in immersion schools: as classroom language
more than 50% of the school subjects are taught in L2
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Green ImmersionGreen Immersion
Combining the factors
"Green Immersion": immersion language education based on nature-related ("green") topics
(Kersten & Perret 2008)
• zoo education• environmental education• conservation
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Immersion TeachingImmersion Teaching
(Lorenz & Met 1989)
Comprehensible input"Understanding occurs when input ... is comprehensible, and input
becomes comprehensible when it is supported by concrete experiences, visuals, realia, and nonverbal communication that assist in conveying meaning." (p. 37)
Contextualization of content body language, gestures, facial expressions pictures / visual aids, concrete materials, realia repetitions, paraphrases, intonation, extensions
("caretaker speech / motherese")
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Immersion TeachingImmersion Teaching
Results of Canadian Immersion studies(e.g. Wesche 2002)
• the content knowledge is not negatively affected• the development of the first language does not suffer• attainment in second language is much higher than in
traditional foreign language teaching• more positive socio-psychological attitudes• suited both for strong and weak learners
enhancement of language and general cognitive skills without negative effects for content knowledge and first language
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Immersion TeachingImmersion Teaching
One Person – One Language Principle (Döpke 1992)
native speakers of English as educators
Experiences from bilingual preschools• the children are enthusiastic and very proud of their second
language skills• within a few weeks they understand the daily routines in English• comprehension of the second language precedes production
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Immersion TeachingImmersion Teaching
Examples
Researcher: Show me the mouth!
Child: Die Maus is nich da.
[The mouse is not there.]
Researcher: Look at the ducks over there!
Child: Das ist doch kein Dachs!
[That's not a badger!]
Child: Eric is red, Paul is dead – and Tini is fat!
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
www.elias.bilikita.orgwww.elias.bilikita.org
The WebsiteThe Website
The ELIAS project is funded with support from the European Commission and Lotto Toto Sachsen-Anhalt.
This product reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Thank you for
your attention!
"Green Immersion""Green Immersion"
Suzanne AkermanSuzanne AkermanShannon ThomasShannon Thomas
Magdeburg’s Magdeburg’s
Bilingual Bilingual
Zoo-KindergartenZoo-Kindergarten
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Zoo Kindergarten Children’s House e.V. Magdeburg
• August 2008
Vogelgesang Park
EZE 2009 Köln
The preschoolThe preschool
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Director: Jaklin IsenseeGerman speaking educators: Kathleen Schladitz
• immersion teaching in France Viola Krebs
• intercultural experience
English speaking educators: Diana Lawrence
• immersion teaching in China Suzanne Akerman
• zoo education experience
ELIAS Project participants: Lydia Gerlich (no photo)
• student research assistant Shannon Thomas
• immersion teaching in South Korea
The teamThe team
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Zoologischer Garten Magdeburg:
The zooThe zoo
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
“To experience the zoo with children means to learn with the mind, heart and hand. Animals can wake up emotions and improve cognitive and communicative abilities of the children – who as a consequence – are stimulated to communicate their ideas and feelings with open-hearted enthusiasm.” Jaklin Isensee
“Let’s be honest you, me, our generation, we are a hopeless case that can’t be helped any more. But with today’s children, we can still achieve something. Here the preservers of our environment are born!” Dr. Kai Perret
Our missionOur mission
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Fostering environmental awareness in young children
Setting the foundation for bilingual abilities
Increasing young children’s intercultural awareness
Our goalsOur goals
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Teaching in the classroom
Reinforcing the morning circle lesson in the zoo
Morning Circle• song time• new English vocabulary• new environmental concept• in-class reinforcement through either crafts or games
“Behavioral enrichments”
A lesson from conception to completion
Our goals in actionOur goals in action
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Materials we use for greater understanding
crafts
weekly zoo visits video clips
flash cards
Our goals in actionOur goals in action
real photos
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Facilitating children’s comprehension
Teaching environmental concepts in the first language vs
Teaching environmental concepts in the second language
Teach the basics first, then the concept
Our planning motto:
Our goals in actionOur goals in action
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Another difference between we what do at the zoo kindergarten and zoo education in general is that our target audience falls within a very specific age range. Many environmental topics are very complex, requiring mental scaffolding.
Our age group requires the basic building blocks to become the foundation for environmental learning. To construct this foundation we base our lessons on the cognitive development and abilities of children ages 5 and below.
Our older children are already capable of linguistic taxonomy in their first language. Where as the younger children have yet to develop that ability.. To maximize the learning potential of each group we create 2 sequences of lessons based on the same environmental theme.
Our goals in actionOur goals in action
ELIAS
EZE, Cologne (Feb. 28, 2009) Magdeburg Zoo-PreschoolGreen ImmersionGreen Immersion
Tail end
Give us a hand
Go ahead
The endThe end