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...

Lateral Thinking Stories for the ESL Class

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Lateral Thinking Stories for the ESL Class: What is lateral thinking?  In 1973 Edward De Bono developed the term “ Lateral Thinking ”. Lateral thinking involves looking at a situati...





In ESL, Lateral Thinking Puzzles are a great resource for thinking, speaking and writing because they are often strange situations which require an explanation.

Teaching English Creatively

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Teaching English Creatively: 10 creative ways to teach English that deliver outstanding results is an article that Anna Warren published in The Guardian ...

As a ferver defender of project working and open curriculums, I really like the idea of teaching Language through arts: through painting, music composition, a film project, in role drama or sculpture, always having a real purpose in mind. I was happy to find such a clear article like this because some of the approaches are right now in my teaching portfolio.

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!

Mind Mapping for Helping Natural Language: Tools

I have been fascinated with mind mapping since I first read  Tony Buzan's   book on this topic many years ago.  

This is a strategy that helps students quickly relate a central word or concept. The mind forms associations almost instantaneously and 'mapping' allows them to write their ideas quicker, using only words or phrases.


Read more about at Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Mind Mapping for Helping Natural Language

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?:

Thinking Global, Being Global

"By introducing children early on to concepts of globalization, we stand a greater chance of the next generation utilizing technology and creativity to create a healthier and happier world"

Have you ever visited the pyramids? Do you like sushi? Can you say “hello” in Swahili? Discover what it means to be global in this sweet and lighthearted book and iPad app.

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Thinking Global, Being Global:

Some Ideas for the ESL class (or for any class!)

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Some Ideas for the ESL class (or for any class!):

ESL Ideas is a Pinterest Board, compiled by Amanda Avens with lots and lots of resources, tips and ideas for the teaching of English as a Second Language


I will try them in my class this school year, for sure!

GETTING TO KNOW YOU:Classroom Activities for Starting off the School Year

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: GETTING TO KNOW YOU:

As a new school year begins, teachers and students renew relationships after the long summer break, see new faces, and establish their routines for the year.

The importance of a personalised English room

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: 

The importance of a personalised English room

From time to time The Guardian Teacher Network prepares a list of the best Top Ten Resources for any purpose related to school and teaching...

Back to school ideas for primary and ICT

Today I hurry off to school, to work and learn and play. I'm in a brand new grade this year. What a happy day!     

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Back to school ideas for primary and ICT

My City, Project Based Learning or Content Based Learning in the ESL class

One of the most important topics in the Primary Social Science Curriculum at Cicle Mitjà and Cicle Superior is the city, the town or the village where the students live.

The city landscape of Vitebsk

Knowing the city is a way to know many aspects of the social, cultural and civic around us. But it is also a way to know about museums, interesting places, monuments, history, famous people, unique buildings and curiosities of the town.

In this project, students will conduct a research on one or more aspects of their city (or another one, if we consider it more appropriate). The main aim is to develop a graphic support with varied information to orally show in front of the class and to make a display in the school corridors.


These are just some examples of outputs produced within the project. Power Points and scaled models are probably the most used resources among primary students, but they also used Prezi, Glogster or Issuu.

My city project from Enric Calvet

And this is the complete Unit Plan.

Unit plan my city from Enric Calvet

If you want to know something else about this project, the proposal, the basic skills it covers, or to download a Rubric for the assessment of communication, a peer assessment or a self assessment grid, please visit ARC (Aplicació de Recursos al Currículum). The project is fully published in this link: My City.

This project has been developed by TLEinC. ICE UAB Teacher trainers group work, 2013. Authors: Núria Biosca Perich, Enric Calvet Tomàs, Ana M. Esteban Nieto, M. Emília Masdeu Chimeno, Manuela Moledo Nores, M. Carmen Pérez Martin, Antonio Orihuela Lechuga.

Summer Homework? A suggestion...

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Summer Homework? A suggestion...

What can we do about English? Is there any way we can help our child? “I do not know much English but, I would like to help my children maintaining  the language learnt in the school...”

These, and other worries, are typical among parents when Summer is coming and they have to face a “long leisure time” with not much homework to do.

What can you do with clothes?

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: What can you do with clothes?: Today I like to share with you all some activities I use when I am introducing and practicing the topic “ Clothes ” to my elementary ESL students.

Fashion show in primary esl class from Enric Calvet

 Read more about at Cockroaches and Ladybugs: What can you do with clothes?

Happy Saint George Day!

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Happy Saint George Day!:

Saint George's Day in Catalonia 

As Saint George is also the Saint Patron of England we benefit of this in the ESL class by talking about castles, legends, knights, kings and princesses, reading books or just listening for fun and enjoyment.

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”.

Three Kingdoms, a good example of how to use a blog in the ESL class

Three Kingdoms is a primary ESL blog full of challenging proposals to students, involvement and cooperative work, it is to say, the main features a school blog has to have.

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Three Kingdoms, a good example of how to use a blog in the ESL class

Get the most of videos in the ESL Class

Cockroaches and Ladybugs: Get the most of videos in the ESL Class

There are many things we can do with videos in the ESL class to actively involve children into the language learning.