Training
the early bird to catch the worm: wishful thinking or reality?
Elena
Sofroniadou1 and Marina Mattheoudakis2
3rd Model Experimental Primary School of
Evosmos, Thessaloniki1
School of English, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki2
The recent introduction of foreign language instruction to the early
grades of primary school in Greece is in tune with the widespread tendency in
Europe for an earlier start in L2 learning (PEAP, 2010). The 3rd Model
Experimental Primary School of Evosmos, Thessaloniki, was the first state
school in Greece which introduced English language teaching to first graders in
2008. Following the latest research in early foreign language education (Edelenbos,
Johnstone & Kubanek, 2006), the syllabus and methodology adopted at school
take into consideration and build upon young learners’ needs, skills and
abilities. In particular, the L2 instruction at school (a) places emphasis on
the development of oracy, (b) takes into consideration young learners’ learning
styles and kinaesthetic characteristics, and (c) provides them with rich L2
input both in class but also in extra-curricular activities. In this
experimental school, language classes are held 5 hours a week but further L2
input is provided through the CLIL method in Physical Education and Arts
classes. The particular school has adopted and implemented a different L2
curriculum from that promoted in the rest of the Greek state schools and our
presentation aims to analyse the rationale of our choices and their practical
implementations in class.
Bios:
Elena Sofroniadou teaches English at primary schools but she has been
working as an English teacher ever since she was an undergraduate. She holds an
M.A. in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics from the Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki and the Cambridge RSA Diploma for Overseas Teachers of English
(DOTE). From very early, she became a TESOL Macedonia-Thrace, Northern Greece
member and later she was elected on the Board as a PR officer (1999-2001) and
as a Chair in the years 2001-2003. She participated as a teacher trainer in
several seminars in Northern Greece. She is very keen on doing research for the
teaching of English in the primary schools in Greece. Her main interests lie in
teaching young learners, in using literature and drama in the EFL classroom and
in doing project work. She’s been an English teacher at the 3rd Experimental
School of Evosmos for 6 years.
Marina Mattheoudakis is an Associate Professor
at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, School of English,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She holds an M.A. in TEFL from the
University of Birmingham, U.K. and a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She teaches courses in second language acquisition
and language teaching methodology at both the undergraduate and graduate
levels. She participated for two years in a European project aiming at the
social and educational inclusion of immigrants in Europe
(2001-2003) and she was also the coordinator of a European Research Project for
teachers of modern languages (2003-2007). She is currently participating in
four European projects on issues related to foreign language learning and
teaching. She is one of the designers and compilers of the Greek International
Corpus of Learner English (GRICLE, University
of Louvain, Belgium).
Her main research interests lie in the areas of second language learning and
teaching, corpora and their applications. She has presented her research work
at several national and international conferences and has published in
international journals, books and conference proceedings.
Contact details:
Marina Mattheoudakis,
Associate Professor
Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics
School of English
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
541 24 THESSALONIKI,
GREECE
tel. no.: +302310997455
fax no: +302310997432
Elena Sofroniadou
3rd Model Experimental Primary School of Evosmos
26, Karaoli & Dimitriou Str.
56224 EVOSMOS, THESSALONIKI
GREECE
tel. no.: +306976177374
fax. no.: +302310703980
