Cockroaches and Ladybugs: A New Architecture of Project Based Learning?

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: A New Architecture of Project Based Learning?:



During this school year I have been developing a new architecture roadmap to implement project working in my esl classes. Some thing...

Teaching Maths Through English or English Through Maths: A CLIL approach

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Teaching Maths Through English or English Through ...:



Are you thinking in doing some CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) next year? Is Maths your favourite subject to do it but the staff of your school thinks that this is a too tough for to be taught in English? Need some good reasons to convince parents and teachers? Or, are you not sure about some "language" issues when teaching maths...?

Here you are some good "references" may help you!

Is that CLIL or what?

I have received some comments and questions about what’s CLIL and what’s not and, especially about the definition of "language showers"...  it seems to me that this is an aspect not clearn enough!

Is teaching a subject in a foreign language CLIL? Are immersion programmesCLIL? Are “language showers” CLIL? Are “workshops” or modulesCLIL?

Have a look at the following article and decide by yourself if you are doing CLIL or not!

Cockroaches and Ladybugs Blog

Web 2.0 tools... How to choose the right one?

Start working with Web 2.0 tools in the classroom can be a hard and painful process that can lead to throw in the towel, before getting some...

How to build our “Web 2.0 Tool Kit”? You won't want to teach a lesson with a technology part if you don't feel confident using technology.

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Web 2.0 tools... How to choose the right one?:

6+1 Action Tips for Project Working

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: 6+1 Action Tips for Project Working:

I remember many years ago, my students turned our English classroom into a TV studio. In groups they decided the different TV programmes they wanted to perform: the weather forecast, News, some advertisements, an interview, and a cooking programme. Then, they did all of the research, decided what information was important to share, wrote the scripts, and practiced after school.


They decided together how to decorate the classroom and how to set the furniture. They invited a TV professional camera to videotape the “performances”. And after that, they showed to the younger in the school and to parents. The video was also viewed in a local TV.

The students still mention it to me when I see them. They are in college now.



Project based learning is learning in its truest form!

Why CLIL?

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Why CLIL?:

If your school is planning to start a CLIL project next school year or you are trying to find reasons to convince your school staff to....

‘Our educational systems were conceived and designed in the intellectual culture of the Enlightenment and the economic circumstances of the Industrial Revolution...’ (Sir Ken Robinson) So if we do not use wigs, if we do not ride horses as the main mean of transport and if we do not use candles to allow us to see things; why do we have to use so old educational systems?'

Developing a Classroom Culture that Prioritises Communication

Theories about English Language Teaching have been prioritising different skills through the years, in order to find the best way to teach English as a second language ...

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Developing a Classroom Culture that Prioritises Communication:

Who said that we cannot do PBL in ESL teaching?

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Who said that we cannot do PBL in ESL teaching?:

Today, a group of secondary school teachers have questioned the fact that elementary students cannot learn proper English grammar through project work...

How to develop CBLT units

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: How to develop CBLT units:

According to the theory of language learning, " CBLT is based on function and interaction of language, what means that language is taught taking into account the social context and the communicative needs of students".

When talking about the objectives and the syllabus that are going to be implemented in a course, CBLT focuses on competencies.

Doing More than Teaching English Language

Teachers of English as a second language to young children must impart English skills at the same time that they foster socialization; heighten an awareness of the self, the immediate classroom community, and the community beyond the school; introduce content concepts; and expose students to art, drama, literature, and music.     

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Doing More than Teaching English Language

Do you Understand the Size of the Universe?

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Do you Understand the Size of the Universe?

Several weeks ago, I was surfing the net looking for some resources to explain the size of the Universe. This is a really tough topic, specially when the learners are above 10 and you need some "interactive help" to answer this difficult question in English as a Second Language!

Film English: innovative and creative use of moving images in language learning

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Film English: innovative and creative use of moving images in language learning:

Today I want to suggest an essential resource for English classes: Film English , the website of the English teacher Kieran Donaghy.

Do not miss it!

Effective Spontaneous English Speaking Activities

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Effective Spontaneous English Speaking Activities:
Speaking is probably the most important skill in learning English as a second language and it is the most difficult one that primary English...

A spontaneous speaking activity is not synonymous to “speak whatever you want”. "Spontaneous speaking means that students have the chance to use the language resources they consider to be necessary or useful to achieve the task”.

The power of music when Teaching English to Very Young Learners.

How can ELT be made enjoyable and effective in Kindergarten?

Song, a combination of music and lyrics, possesses many intrinsic merits, such as a kaleidoscope of culture, expressiveness, recitability and therapeutic functions, which render it an invaluable source for language teaching.

Read more about at Cockroaches and Ladybugs blog.