UNIVERZA V MARIBORU FILOZOFSKA FAKULTETA ODDELEK ZA ANGLISTIKO DIPLOMSKO DELO Simona Eder Maribor, 2015

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1 UNIVERZA V MARIBORU FILOZOFSKA FAKULTETA ODDELEK ZA ANGLISTIKO DIPLOMSKO DELO Simona Eder Maribor, 2015

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3 UNIVERZA V MARIBORU FILOZOFSKA FAKULTETA ODDELEK ZA ANGLISTIKO Diploma thesis Learning and Using Foreign Languages at a Didactic Farm Diplomsko delo Učenje in raba tujih jezikov na didaktični kmetiji Mentorica: doc.dr. Klementina Jurančič Petek Kandidatka: Simona Eder Somentorica: asist. dr. Melita Kukovec Maribor, 2015

4 Lektorica povzetka v slovenskem jeziku: Mag. Anita Ekert

5 ZAHVALA Posebna zahvala gre mentorici doc. dr. Klementini Jurančič Petek za potrpljenje in svetovanje pri opravljanju diplomske naloge. Prav tako gre posebna zahvala somentorici asist. dr. Meliti Kukovec, za praktično in stilsko usmerjanje, predvsem pa pripravljenost in vsestransko pomoč ob nastajanju diplomske naloge. Zahvalila bi se za vso podporo in spodbudo, ki sem jo potrebovala, tako staršema skozi čas študija, kot sedanji družini za potrpljenje pri nastajanju te naloge.

6 IZJAVA Podpisana Simona Eder, rojena v Mariboru, študentka Filozofske Fakultete Univerze v Mariboru, smer angleški jezik s književnostjo in nemški jezik s književnostjo, izjavljam, da je diplomska naloga z naslovom» Learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm - Učenje in raba tujih jezikov na didaktični kmetiji«pri mentorici doc. dr. Klementini Jurančič Petek in somentorici asist. dr. Meliti Kukovec, avtorsko delo. Uporabljeni viri in literatura v diplomski nalogi so korektno navedeni, teksti niso prepisani brez navedbe avtorjev. (podpis študentke) Gačnik, junij 2015

7 ABSTRACT Learning and using foreign languages in a natural environment, in real-life situations at the didactic farm (at the Eder farm) is the theme of this diploma thesis. Nowadays primary schools are more and more aware of teaching different real-life skills outside the school s own four walls. They do not expect their pupils to learn just for good grades, they want them to learn and prepare for possible situations in their future life. The first part of the thesis presents the history of teaching and learning outside the classroom, defines the meaning of the term "didactic farm" and presents the Eder didactic farm, its history, ethnological collection, offers, target groups, possible types of visits and topics. On the basis of four possible foreign language courses during the visits to the didactic farm the results, advantages and disadvantages of teaching foreign language at the didactic farm, responses of children, teachers opinions and possibilities of further developments are presented. The hypotheses have all been confirmed, with the remark, that the children have fewer difficulties coping with new ways of FL learning and use then teachers. The primary aim of the thesis was to find possible improvements for the integration of didactic farms and schools in the local or wider school district. Another goal was to invite them to learn and use foreign languages at a didactic farm that provides appropriate offers, attractive and diverse themes and contributes to a greater prevalence of such foreign language learning in a natural environment. KEYWORDS: learning and using foreign languages, real life skills, didactic farm, kindergarten and school children, natural environment

8 POVZETEK Tema diplomskega dela je učenje in raba tujih jezikov v naravnem okolju, v realnem življenju na didaktični kmetiji, natančneje na kmetiji Eder. V zadnjih letih se osnovne šole vse bolj zavedajo pomembnosti poučevanja spretnosti, ki jih bodo učenci potrebovali v vsakdanjem življenju. Šole ne želijo, da bi se učenci učili samo za dobre ocene, ampak da bi izkusili učenje tudi v resničnih situacijah, zunaj šolskih zidov. Naloga vsebuje pregled zgodovine poučevanja zunaj razreda, definicijo termina didaktična kmetija ter predstavitev didaktične kmetije Eder, njene zgodovine, etnološke zbirke, ponudbe, ciljne skupine, tipov obiskovalcev in tem poučevanja. Na osnovi predstavitve štirih učnih sklopov so predstavljeni rezultati, torej prednosti in slabosti učenja in rabe tujega jezika na didaktični kmetiji, odzivi otrok iz vrtcev in učencev, mnenja učiteljev ter možnosti nadaljnjega razvoja. Vse predpostavke so bile potrjene s pripombo, da se novemu načinu dela lažje prilagodijo učenci kot njihovi učitelji. Cilj diplomske naloge je bil najti možne izboljšave povezovanja didaktične kmetije s šolami v ožjem in širšem šolskem okolišu, jih s primerno ponudbo in aktualno tematiko pritegniti k učenju tujega jezika na didaktični kmetiji ter prispevati k večji razširjenosti učenja tujega jezika na didaktičnih kmetijah ali zunaj razreda nasploh. KLJUČNE BESEDE: učenje in raba tujih jezikov, spretnosti za resnično življenje, didaktična kmetija, otroci iz vrtcev in učenci OŠ, naravno okolje

9 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction Theoretical part Learning and using languages integrated in a non-language subjects or outside the classroom Garden-Based Learning (GBL) Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) The didactic farm Eder The history of the Eder farm The ethnological collection What is a didactic farm? Offers on the farm Target groups and possible types of visits The purpose of teaching foreign languages at a didactic farm Topics of learning and using a foreign language Hypotheses Methodology Four possible foreign languages (FL) courses of the visits at the didactic farm FL course during the visit of the didactic farm - AUTUMN FL course during the visit of the didactic farm WINTER FL course during the visit of the didactic farm SPRING FL course during the visit of the didactic farm SUMMER Results Advantages and disadvantages of teaching foreign languages at the didactic farm Responses from children and teachers opinions Options for further development and integration Conclusion Bibliography... 41

10 TABLE OF PICTURES Picture 1: Learning and using languages in the natural environment...6 Picture 2: How our grandmothers made the "Flancati (fried pastry)..8 Picture 3: The Eder farm area Picture 4: The farm main-house, renovated in Picture 5: An older version of the farm main-house Picture 6: The exhibition area Picture 7: Children love stories dough-kneading container for sleighing in the winter FUNNY! Picture 8: Gardening tools for the entire group Picture 9: The intersection of highways is visible from the hilltop over the Eder farm Picture 10: Wonderful colours of the nature Picture 11: Leaves raking can be fun too! Picture 12: Enjoying the piles of fallen leaves AUTUMN Picture 13: How to use old stone corn grinder (žrmlje) WINTER. 27 Picture 14: On the farm there are numerous painting motives to find SPRING Picture 15: Sports day- old way high rope swing SUMMER Picture 16: The face, full of happiness, during cuddling little kittens 38 Picture 17: Time to go back to school

11 1. Introduction Nowadays primary schools are more and more aware of teaching different real-life skills outside the school s own four walls. They do not expect their pupils to learn just for good grades, but want their pupils to learn and prepare for possible situations in their future life. Modern schools want children to learn as they use and use as they learn as opposed to an older version of the teaching methods from the previous century which advocated to learn now for use later. The same applies to the primary schools in the local and wider school district and to the kindergartens, of course. Their curriculum and teaching methods include various ECO or BIO- friendly projects; they try to ensure that school children acquire the awareness of the ecological behaviour in their own home environment. One of the projects is called ECO SCHOOL (Eko šola). The schools included in the project began to use food produced in the nearby environment and without unnecessary chemical additives; consequently, one of their projects is TRADITIONAL SLOVENE BREAKFAST (Tradicionalni slovenski zajtrk). Some schools encourage the intergeneration links so that children can learn from their parents or grandparents experiences. The children even visit the old people s homes to spend some time with the elderly and help them with creative workshops. Primary schools try to integrate with neighbouring schools when they organize Sports days, Nature days or some special events together. Some are partnered in a project named Popestrimo šolo (Liven up the school), where children of both schools can be involved in different projects or classes for a week. They could do such projects also at the Eder didactic farm. Since school teachers want children to learn and use foreign languages also in a natural environment and in real-life situations, some of the 1

12 schools decided to take part in the Comenius I. project. This enables those schools to provide some great opportunities for their school children to talk to a native speaker or children from foreign schools, or even to travel to foreign countries themselves. One of the methods of foreign languages teaching is the Slovene primary school project named Poučevanje nejezikovnih predmetov v tujem jeziku (Teaching non-language subjects through a foreign language). Dr. Čagran (2000) wrote the project had positive effects on the pupils linguistic and subject-matter knowledge, on the development of their personality and verbal skills, also on the dimensions of instruction itself. In this way a content and language integrated learning project in the Slovene primary school education proved to be fully justified (p. 419). Learning and using foreign languages in a natural environment, in real-life situations at the didactic farm is the theme of this diploma thesis. This diploma paper is divided into two parts; the theoretical and the practical part. The theoretical part will present the history of teaching and learning outside the classroom, define the meaning of the term "didactic farm" and present the Eder didactic farm. The fundamental research problem will be finding an answer to the question of how to improve the integration of learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm connected to schools in the local and wider school districts. In the practical part of the diploma, activities on the farm and teaching topics will be presented. The advantages and disadvantages of teaching foreign language at the didactic farm will be identified. Four possible foreign language courses of the visits to the didactic farm and respective responses of the guests will also be presented. At the end the possibilities for further development and possible solutions for a better integration of the didactic farm and schools in the local and wider school district will be suggested. 2

13 2. Theoretical part History books teach us that we can follow learning other languages next to the first languages to the ancient times when they first learned Greek as a second language. From the late 19 th century on the focus of foreign language learning was on practical purposes of communication with those who speak this language as their first language. But in the modern history, scientists discovered that learning foreign languages encourages the development of intellectual abilities. It can lead to better results also in other areas, increase a creative imagination and foster abstract thinking, activate thinking processes and make them flexible. Learners develop empathy for others and a curiosity for different cultures and ideas (Brumen, 2009). In other words, learning and using foreign languages is very important in people s everyday lives, not only it makes them to expand their horizons, but it also enables them to find a better job, establish new connections outside their own borders, or just to watch a great movie in an original (untranslated) version. Nowadays, more and more children are being raised in the way to hear, use or learn foreign languages on a daily basis in their own home environment. They can imitate new sounds and words at a very young age, they learn through play-like activities, without any embarrassment. That is why many of them are able to think in a foreign language by the time they start school and that is one of the greatest achievements for the children. 3

14 2.1. Learning and using languages integrated in a nonlanguage subjects or outside the classroom The idea of taking children outdoors to learn in the nature is not new. After all, people have been living and learning new things from the nature and in the nature first. In the words of Pestalozzi: Students observe first all of the objects in the classroom, observing and naming everything. When this is exhausted, they are taken into the garden, into the fields, and woods where they are led to notice objects in greater detail, their permanent and changeable qualities, the qualities that are general and those that are peculiar to them, their influence, their function, their destiny. (Desmond, Grieshop and Subramaniam, 2004, p. 26) Pestalozzi suggested that learning and using languages inside the classroom is the first and learning (and using languages) outside the classroom is the next logical step. Learning and using languages at the didactic farm is a great opportunity for children to use different senses, get motivated, and be successful in terms of achieving good results without any pressure of marks. The results, reached by this kind of education are real life experiences, e.g. they can grow vegetables and eat them later, getting more relaxed in using a foreign language. Many different methods can be applied for learning and using foreign languages either integrated in non-language subjects or even outside the classroom, Garden Based Learning (GBL), Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Teaching Non-Language Subjects through a Foreign Language are just a few of them. Learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm is a special combination of different methods, adjusted to the farm and especially to the school children of the nearby primary schools. 4

15 2.2. Garden-Based Learning (GBL) The first school gardens were developed in Prussia in the 19 th Century. Garden-based learning (GBL) is an instructional strategy where garden is a teaching tool, a foundation for integrated learning across curriculums, through active real-life experiences. It contributes to all aspects of basic education, including life skills, academic skills, personal development, social and moral development etc. (Garden-based learning, b. d.) Desmond, Grieshop and Subramaniam (2004) wrote Revisiting gardenbased learning in basic education. There, on the page 26, they listed some thoughts on garden-based learning from authors that are very well known in educational circles and beyond. Comenius: [For every school] there should be a garden attached where they [students] may feast their eyes on trees, flowers, and plants... where they always hope to hear and see something new. Since the senses are the most trusty servants of the memory, this method [gardens] of sensuous perception will lead to the permanent retention of knowledge. Rousseau:... since everything that enters into human understanding comes through the senses, the first reason of man is a reason of the senses. Our first masters of knowledge are our feet, our hands, and our eyes. In the same book, Priscilla Logan, educational consultant and permaculture instructor from Santa Fe, New Mexico, listed four reasons for using gardens as a teaching method 1. High retention rate. When children work in gardens, 90 percent of their experience is classified as hands-on. A study conducted by Bethel Learning Institute documented different student retention rates based on teaching method, with 11 percent retention for 5

16 lectures, 75 percent for learning by doing, and 90 percent when students teach other students. 2. Empowerment. A connection to the earth gives students a sense of achievement and motivation. 3. Academics. Science, math, social studies, art, language, and many other subjects can be taught using nature as the learning laboratory, making these concepts more meaningful. 4. Teamwork. Facilitating cooperation and communication in a real world setting makes learning teamwork possible; the class goal of a successful garden becomes more important than individual achievement. (Desmond, Grieshop and Subramanium, 2004, p ) GBL has a positive focus, it involves everyone and has many benefits, such as providing fresh food, increasing nutrition and health awareness (exercise), fostering environmental awareness, creating pleasing landscapes, improving life skills, leading to higher academic achievements and bringing people together, through multi-generational and life-long learning. 6 Picture 1: Learning and using languages in the natural environment

17 2.3. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) The first person who used the term Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) was David Marsh in According to Coyle, Hood and Marsh (2010, p. 1) Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language. That is, in the teaching and learning process, there is a focus not only on content, and not only on language. CLIL can be used by the language teacher using cross-curricular links between different subjects like geography, history, music, science, gym etc. or by the subject or class teacher using English language (not as the first language or Mother tongue) in other lessons. Fabiani (2014) in her article explains her experience with CLIL as extremely positive, since it: builds inter-cultural knowledge and understanding; develops inter-cultural communication abilities; improves language competence and oral skills of the children; develops multi-language interests and relations; allows children more contact with the target language; does not require additional lessons; complements other subjects without competition; changes methods and forms of classroom practice; increases children s motivation during the process of learning and repeating; In my diploma thesis I will mostly refer to Fabiani s positive aspects of CLIL and try to find the connection between them and the nature of work at the didactic farm. 7

18 CLIL is a great and unique possibility for learning and acquiring the subject s curriculum and a foreign language at the same time in a completely natural way. Therefore, I see the didactic farm as an excellent and simple example of an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, since the students who join or visit the program on the didactic farm work and explore the farm life while using a foreign language. Picture 2: How our grandmothers made the "Flancati (fried pastry) 8

19 3. The didactic farm Eder At the beginning of the last century a lot of people (made their living only with farming) could survive just on farming. Small farms were providing big families with crops, fruits, vegetables and wood etc. But in the second half of the century, in the years of political development, the resources from a small farm became insufficient. Bigger farms made the prices sink and that is why a few members of a farmer s family had to find their work in the city and did farming in their afternoons, but their wives usually stayed at home, providing the children and selling their farm produce at the city market. One generation later, families became smaller but their material appetite became bigger. So the adults (all of them) went to work in the city. Everything could be OK with this story, if the economic and political status did not change and many people did not lose their jobs. That is also the reason they began to think about combining work and farming Picture 3: The Eder farm area 9

20 The key combination on this farm was farming, work and education. Since the local school is only a 15 minute-walk away from the farm and their children have already been visiting this farm for decades for extra curriculum activities, the owners of the farm were thinking about making or rebuilding the farm into a didactic farm where students could acquire some curriculum topics in a friendly environment. Children love outdoor learning, they interact with others in different situations outside school where they can apply different skills, learnt in real life. For years the farm has been welcoming children from various schools and kindergartens who come to learn about ancient traditions and farm work. In 2012, the farm has also officially obtained the status of a didactic farm, thus becoming an educational farm. The Eder didactic farm also cooperates with other didactic farms and publishes occasional tourist brochures. Picture 4: The farm main-house, renovated in

21 3.1. The history of the Eder farm It is a small farm, built in the 17th century. Above the front door of the family home, the year of renovation is entered and that was in the year It was once a Mayor s home with a prison cell in the basement. The farm has always had enough water in the well and if there was truly a great drought, even the neighbours could get water from it. This farm was much larger in those days than it is today, so the ancestors had to work with many more farm animals and had more farming to do. To survive, they sold the animals and all their agricultural crops at the marketplace. Through the years and many generations, the farm has changed and it got divided into a smaller farm area. Today, the farm is too small to make a living from, so Eder family members have to work in the city, as many others, who live on similar farms. Four generations share the same yard and live together now. 200 years after the renovation year, written above the front door, the mainhouse was renovated in Picture 5: An older version of the farm main-house 11

22 3.2. The ethnological collection To the Eder family, a well-kept landscape, natural and cultural heritage have always meant a lot. For years Zdravko Eder has been collecting old artefacts and specimens, old tools, equipment, utensils, old furniture, decorations and books. The Eder didactic farm has an ethnological collection of nearly 1000 different items from the context of the life and work in the countryside in the Slovenske gorice area: various agricultural tools, old farm vehicles, equipment for harvesting, old furniture, old family s porcelain and more than 2,100 books. The ethnological collection can be seen inside and outside in the exhibition area. Since some of their neighbours have no place for many old objects, the collection is getting bigger. That is the reason why many collected objects are waiting to be exhibited in a new showroom, which is under construction. Picture 6: The exhibition area 12

23 3.3. What is a didactic farm? A didactic farm is another name for an educational farm or a learning farm. The educational or didactic farm has a possibility to present its agricultural activities and products in the form of training. This is a classroom in the great outdoors. The visitors can get some experience with all the agricultural activities on the farm. All the senses always come into play in the world of rural development; the production of various flavours, aromas, sounds, visual images of flora and fauna distinct seasons, as also the contact and the actual work. The work can also be very funny, because the farmer always has a story about customs and traditions, heritage and cultural identity in stock. (Marinič and Gabrijan, 2011, p.7) Children learn through personal discovery and find new connections to culture, cultural heritage, real life situations, farming, nature and much more. The didactic farm is about learning, experiencing and enjoying. Picture 7: Children love stories dough-kneading container for sleighing in the winter FUNNY! 13

24 3.4. Offers on the farm The whole Eder family values their own roots and believes in a great future, so they want to preserve the cultural goods and old objects and maintain respect for tradition, way of life, the revival of folk customs, old kitchen, customs and traditions. The Eder didactic farm offers a variety of activities that cover almost all aspects of life in the past on the farm like: From grains - to freshly baked bread or fried pastry called»flancati «and tasting of the products. From seeding - preparing the field - to the harvest Maintaining old traditions, such as the processing of fields and gardens with old tools; Helping with farm chores in the garden or field with traditional tools (hoes, hay forks and rakes). Walking along the didactic path in the large orchard, through the forest, mushrooms gathering and wild fruits to herb- and vegetable garden; Meeting the farm animals (chickens, ducks, sheep, a Vietnamese pig, cats and a dog), taking care and feeding them. The importance of water for all of us, how valuable it is also for the farm animals and plants, what we can do to preserve the clean waters. Collecting the treasures and organizing the collections that show the daily life and work of past generations in rural areas; Distinguishing between dishes prepared according to old recipes and traditional methods; Making decorations from natural materials; Providing a venue for a variety of educational or cultural events or workshops; 14

25 Enjoying sports and having fun on the farm, fenced grass field for soccer and volleyball, and in winter the opportunity for skiing, sledding and other winter fun; The fun way of learning foreign languages on the farm. Visitors can enjoy the enticing surroundings of the farm forests, orchards of old varieties and trellises surrounded by the vine tree, a descendant of the oldest vine (450 years old) in the world of Lent in Maribor. They can walk along the promenade with benches to rest and admire Slovenske gorice hills and Pohorje. Picture 8: Gardening tools for the entire group 15

26 3.5. Target groups and possible types of visits Target groups of potential visitors at the didactic farms are: Groups of children from kindergartens; Groups of pupils from primary schools; Groups of students from secondary schools; Unemployed persons, who want to practise languages; Anybody who wishes to expand their knowledge of English, German or Croatian language Possible types of visits are: Half day / Full day visits The children can find out about the farm life; learn to bake bread or traditional cakes, see the farm animals, see the ethnological collection, participate in farm chores in the garden or field with traditional tools, while learning foreign languages in just 1-3 or 4-6 hours. Visits throughout the year Schools or kindergartens are offered to use a part of the garden or the field and plant it by themselves. Children can name their garden with their own name. They can get a possibility to participate in the whole process from seeding to harvesting and organize or determine the whole process themselves. They can come every day, throughout the year to see their garden or field, plant it, clean it, etc. Students of all levels can gain self-experience with agriculture. They can learn about natural cycles; it is interesting to see they are very surprised that the whole process from planting to harvesting of different crops takes "sooooo looooong". 16

27 4. The purpose of teaching foreign languages at a didactic farm At the Eder didactic farm learning and using foreign languages try to increase children's motivation for further learning without any pressure. The purpose of teaching foreign languages at a didactic farm is that children learn and use of foreign language outside the classroom in the natural environment, in the real-life situations and without any pressure. The general idea is that children understand the content. The possibility of responding in their mother tongue is allowed, but trying to respond in a foreign language is better. The most important issue is oral communication and children should be aware that grammatical or pronunciation mistakes during this communication are irrelevant. They could be corrected but without any pressure of marking with lower grades. Confucius made a great connection between farming and teaching in the following words. If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; If in terms of ten years, plant trees; If in terms of 100 years, teach the people. 17 Picture 9: The intersection of highways is visible from the hilltop over the Eder farm

28 4.1. Topics of learning and using a foreign language Learning and using a foreign language on the farm can be based on a variety of topics. It does not focus on learning grammar, but on expanding vocabulary, listening skills and oral communication. Children can expand their vocabulary on a variety of topics like: how to present oneself, family, colours, numbers, interests, animals on the farm, caring and feeding the animals, in the orchard; fruits and vegetables (gathering), food, nutrition, preparing of bread, in the field; farming circle, agricultural tools, machinery, farm objects, nature, ecology, seasons, sports, health and more. They can listen to the farm stories in the foreign language and also determine which local Slovene words come from or are similar to foreign words. On the farm, it is taken care of the actuality, popularity, attractiveness and effectiveness of topics and tasks while learning and using foreign languages. Picture 10: Wonderful colours of the nature 18

29 5. Hypotheses There is a variety of hypotheses, connected to the diploma theme, but only a few will be listed: Children like experiencing new things and do not care what language we use during the process. The older primary school children have some difficulties not to think about grammar while using a foreign language. Language teachers want their pupils to be able to respond in a foreign language in practice, not worrying too much if they speak correctly or not. Most of the farm guests are enthusiastic about the work on the farm and would like the offer to be expanded; The satisfaction of the guests is affected by the attitude and friendliness of the staff on the farm and the neatness of the farm itself. There are opportunities for changes, completion and improvements, which could further increase the satisfaction of the guests. 19

30 6. Methodology During the entire process of creating and writing of the diploma the descriptive method was applied. The study was based on personal observations and the data that were the results of past projects and events at the Eder farm. The thesis tried to obtain the findings on the basis of a survey of domestic and foreign literature, personal experience, response of visitors and teachers opinions. Visitors were groups of children from the nearby kindergartens and school children from nearby elementary schools. Picture 11: Leaves raking can be fun too! 20

31 7. Four possible foreign languages (FL) courses of the visits at the didactic farm Since there is an opportunity of having a foreign language teacher on the farm, an idea of four possible FL courses has emerged. Before formalizing the ideas, we had to keep in mind the following aspects: the age of the children; the children s level of language knowledge; the school s open-mindedness to new approaches; the logistic organization and cooperation between the school and the farm; the knowledge of the school s curriculum; the cooperation between the class teachers and the teachers on the farm; the teacher s linguistic competence Following are four possible FL courses for the visits at the didactic farm. The presentation of differences, advantages, disadvantages of learning and using foreign languages and responses will result from these four courses. 21

32 7.1. FL course during the visit of the didactic farm - AUTUMN COURSE No 1: Colourful fun in the forest WHO: Younger school children WHEN: Autumn WHERE: Eder farm with nearby surroundings HOW LONG: 2-4 hours INTERACTIONS frontal, individual, group work METHODS Listening, explanation, demonstration, observation, presentation, discussion, group work and their own creation (learning by touching) CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS Science, Biology, Housekeeping, Environmental Education, History, P.E. VOCABULARY In the forest, colours, animals, on the farm, ecology, nutrition and health GENERAL OPERATIONAL AIMS Children: identify the characteristics of the forest; - learn about the way of preserving the forest as it was in the old days and how it was useful for the farm-life; - find out the diversity of colours, hiding in the forest; - discover what trees, flowers or even animals they get to see in the forest; - revise the importance of proper nutrition and exercise for health; - remember the importance of keeping the nature clean (without waste) from the ecological point of view; - rake some leaves into piles and come up with a fun game; - practice their swinging skills on a big swing. 22

33 Course plan: Teacher Children Introduction - motivation Asks the children what they know about farms, farm-life and what is being done in the autumn time. Presentation and listening activity Presents the way farmers were working in the forest in the times of our greatgrandparents for the needs of the farm. Describes the machines and tools in the ethnological collection. Group activity Gives children the instructions and provides the rakes and other tools for leaves raking and collecting. Takes children for a walk around the farm and into the forest. Engage in a conversation about farm-life. Practice vocabulary on farming and farm animals. Observe and listen to the presentation and learn about the items in the ethnological collection. Carefully follow the instructions and take the tools with them. Take a walk in the forest during which they find out what trees, flowers or even animals they get to see in the forest. Practice vocabulary on the forest life and colours. Time for fun Together they rake leaves into piles and encourages the children to come up with some ideas for fun in the forest. Shows them another way of fun, the rope swing. They use their imagination to come up with some ideas for fun. They find out that things are much more appreciated, if one does them by oneself or at least helps doing them. They practice their motor abilities at the high rope swing from the tree or play hide and 23

34 Conclusion Invites the children to take a walk back to the farm. On the way they talk about the importance of proper nutrition and exercise for health. Reminds them of the importance of keeping the nature clean (without waste) from the ecological point of view. seek. Take a walk back, talk about proper nutrition and exercise for health, practise on ecology, nutrition and health vocabulary. Explain how they can help to keep the nature healthy and clean. Ends the course with the thought that the children had and still can have a lot of fun in the nature, too. Children are satisfied and say goodbye Picture 12: Enjoying the piles of fallen leaves AUTUMN 24

35 7.2. FL course during the visit of the didactic farm WINTER COURSE No.2: From grains to delicious fried pastry called flancati WHO: Kindergarten children WHERE: Eder farm with nearby surroundings HOW LONG: 2-4 hours WHEN: Winter (possible all year in bad weather conditions) INTERACTIONS frontal, individual, group work METHODS Listening, explanation, demonstration, observation, presentation, discussion, group work and their own creation (learning by touching) CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS Science, Biology, Housekeeping, Environmental Education, History, P.E. VOCABULARY On the farm, machines and tools, pets and farm animals, food preparation GENERAL OPERATIONAL AIMS Children: - identify the characteristics of small farms; - learn about the way of obtaining flour from grain, using old stone corn grinder (called žrmlje) as it was acquired in the old days; - revise the rules of keeping clean in the kitchen chores; - knead dough for flancati (fried pastry); - list the pets and farm animals that they get to see; - learn the importance of proper nutrition and exercise for health; - walk around the farm to the forest, where they can also develop their skills on the big swing. 25

36 Course plan: Teacher Children Introduction - motivation Asks the children what they know about small farms, what the characteristics are, what is being done there and who lives there. Presentation Presents the way farmers were milling flour from grains by using an old stone corn grinder (žrmlje) (Picture 13) in the times of our great-grandparents for the needs of the farmers in an interesting way. Aural activity Describes the machines and tools in the ethnological collection. Engage in a conversation about small farms. Practice vocabulary on the farm life. Carefully follow the presentation. Children can also try it out and find out that was not an easy job to do. Carefully follow the presentation and observe. Practice vocabulary on machines and tools. Group activity Gives children the instructions and they prepare the flancati (fried pastry) together. They find out together what pets children have at home and what animals live on the farm. Go for a walk around the farm, into the woods together, where they have fun on the swing. Carefully follow the instructions and assist in the preparation and practice food preparation vocabulary. List the pets and farm animals. Walk to meet the animals on the farm. Take a walk in the woods and train motor abilities at the high swing from the tree. 26

37 Time for dessert Gives fried flancati to children. Activity after the dessert Together they find out that things are much more appreciated, if one does them by himself or at least help. Ends the course with the thought that the children could try to do things with their parents or grandparents in the old ways, just for fun. They eat the warm aromatic flancati. Children find flancati (fried pastry) great because they helped to prepare them. Children are satisfied and say goodbye... Picture 13: How to use old stone corn grinder (žrmlje) WINTER 27

38 7.3. FL course during the visit of the didactic farm SPRING COURSE No.3: Let s paint! WHO: School children WHEN: Spring WHERE: Eder farm with nearby surroundings HOW LONG: 3-5 hours INTERACTIONS frontal, individual, group work METHODS Listening, explanation, demonstration, observation, presentation, discussion, group work and their own creation (learning by touching) CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS Art, Environmental Education, Biology, History, P.E. VOCABULARY in the nature, opposites, on the farm, colours, how to present yourself and your work of art GENERAL OPERATIONAL AIMS Children: - learn about the works of art from the old days on the farm and why were they important for the farm-life; - find out what the main theme on the works of art on the farm was in the past; - identify the characteristics of the painting; - find out the diversity of colours, hiding in the nature; - discover which different themes for painting they could find on the farm; - practice the presentation of the works of art and themselves. 28

39 Course plan: Teacher Children Introduction - motivation Welcomes children with a colourful artistic item, asks what they know about art on small farms and how farmers expressed themselves artistically. Engage in a conversation about art on small farms. Practise vocabulary-on the farm life.. Presentation Presents some photographs of the Eder family, some artistic objects and some artistic paintings from the times of our great-grandparents used by the farmers in an interesting way. Aural activity Describes one of the paintings from the ethnological collection. She asks the children what the main themes of the art on the farm in the old times wer. Carefully follow the presentation. Revise colours. Carefully follow the presentation and observe. Find out that the main theme was religion and nature. Group activity Gives children the instructions to look around the farmyard to find a good place to paint. Carefully follow the instructions and look for a good painting spot. Individual activity Gives painting accessories and instructs or helps with the painting. Gives children advice at painting when necessary. Practise vocabulary - in the nature, opposites, on the farm, colours Paint, paint, paint. 29

40 Time for the presentations Explains how to explain and present the work of art. Children present themselves and their artistic items. Ends the course with the thought that the children could find inspiration and art wherever they were. Children are satisfied and say goodbye... Picture 14: On the farm there are numerous painting motives to find SPRING 30

41 7.4. FL course during the visit of the didactic farm SUMMER COURSE No.4: Sports day - the old way WHO: Kindergarten and school children WHEN: Summer WHERE: Eder farm with nearby surroundings HOW LONG: 2-4 hours INTERACTIONS frontal, individual, group work METHODS Listening, explanation, demonstration, observation, presentation, discussion, group work and their own creation (learning by doing/touching) CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS P.E., History, Environmental Education VOCABULARY On the farm, health, sport activities, sports equipment and tools, having fun, old games, numbers. GENERAL OPERATIONAL AIMS Children: - identify the characteristics of small farms; - learn about sport activities on the farm and how farmers took care of their health in the past; - find out what way children had fun outdoors in the past; - compare present and past sport activities and having fun on the farm; - learn the importance of proper nutrition and exercise for health; - have fun with old outdoor games for children; - walk around the farm to the forest, where they can also practice their skills on the big swing; 31

42 Course plan: Teacher Children Introduction - motivation Welcomes children with a surprise bag, full of old games. Takes one item out of the bag and asks them if they recognize it. Presentation Presents the way farmers were taking care of their health and having fun in the times of our great-grandparents in an interesting way. Engage in a conversation about games, have fun. Practise vocabulary on leisure activities, old games. Carefully follow the explanation. Practise vocabulary on farm life, health, fun activities and old games. Brainstorming Asks them how they take care of their health in the present and how different it is from the past. Aural activity Presents some sports equipment and tools from the ethnological collection (e.g. old skis, sledges, horse sledges, bikes ). Shows them some old games, children played on the farm in the old days (e.g. throwing sticks, sack racing, marbles game, rolling hoops, throwing hoops, hide and seek, catch me if you can, high rope swing, etc.). Explain/describe how they take care of their health in the present and how different it is from the past. Carefully follow the presentation and observe. Practise vocabulary- sports equipment and tools, old games. 32

43 Time for fun games - Group activity Gives instructions for the old games and divides children into groups. Go for a walk around the farm, into the woods together, where they have fun on the swing. Ends the course with the thought that the children could find a way to exercise and have a lot of fun also in the old days. Take part in the old games. Practise vocabulary on sports activities, old games and numbers. Take a walk in the woods and train motor abilities at the high swing from the tree. Children are satisfied and say goodbye... Picture 15: Sports day- old way high rope swing SUMMER 33

44 8. Results 8.1. Advantages and disadvantages of teaching foreign languages at the didactic farm Before putting our ideas into practice, we had to keep in mind the following aspects: the age of the children; the children s level of language knowledge; the school s open-mindedness to new approaches; the logistic organization and cooperation between the school and the farm; the school s curriculum; the cooperation between the class teachers and the teachers on the farm; the teacher s language competence The aspects that were dealt with at the beginning have proven to be an unnecessary concern, since learning and using languages at the didactic farm does not have any restrictions and can be adjusted to any circumstances. The most important issue is communication before, during and if possible, after the visit. Strengths of learning and using foreign languages at the didactic farm are: the diversity of themes, a great natural environment, real-life situations, learning without any pressure for anyone and a variety of offers. The teachers and children cooperate in a relaxed way since they want to achieve the same goal (communicate in a foreign language without any stress or pressure). Children can use different senses and are concentrated on work, not on the language itself. They can respond in a foreign language and are allowed to respond in their mother tongue, if necessary. 34

45 Among many advantages of this particular didactic farm, there is one, particularly worth mentioning - a well-kept landscape. It is very accessible and strategically on a good location, since it is a 15 minute car drive from the centre of Maribor, or it takes only 7 minutes from the intersection of highways that lead in the directions towards Austria, Hungary or central Slovenia to get there. On the other hand, there is also a local road that ends at this farm, so there is practically no traffic past the farm, which is, due to the fact that the guests are mostly of young age, a very big advantage. There are football and volleyball courts available and in the forest the younger visitors prefer the swing. In winter the snow lovers are the happiest, since they can enjoy skiing, sledding or other winter delights. After doing some FL courses, some weaknesses were noticed. If the group was too big and there was not enough time (the time is always an issue, it seem always to be limited), we could not answer all of children s questions. The biggest weakness is that the teachers cannot bring children to the didactic farm more often because of the intensive curriculum. The school system is still a bit stiff, not yet ready or open for new, fresh, ideas. We should also mention one of the disadvantages being a poor WI-FI network in the building itself, since it is built of concrete. Language learning could also be supported by the internet on the farm. Children could have a videoconference for example or send their newly acquired data straight to school. 35

46 8.2. Responses from children and teachers opinions Most of the guests are between 4 and 14 years old, so we can talk about a very young age structure of the visitors. The majority of them are groups from kindergartens or primary schools from the surrounding areas. At the departures children are very excited about the visit at the didactic farm and happy to assert that they will come back. Of course, this is also reported to their parents, so they come back as a family. Children write their positive responses on the web, their school s e-pages or even privately to their friends. We can get the best feedback from the children s faces, which are all lit up with enthusiasm. They are always ready to learn and experience new things. For them, no farm work is too hard; they do it with a lot of enthusiasm. There are still children who admit to have cuddled a kitten for the first time on the farm. Such moments are the most important and precious ones for all inhabitants of the farm, and they hope that they will share many more such moments with the children in the future. However, for them a day on the farm seems to be as any other, but for the children it is a special day. Teachers are also quite satisfied with the offers, diversity, topicality, popularity, attractiveness and effectiveness of learning and using foreign languages. This applies especially class teachers, since they have a bit of a lack of language knowledge (they use mother tongue to explain some things) in comparison to a foreign language teacher at the farm. Their first and last task or even mission is to teach and prepare children for life and not only give them marks at school. That is the reason why they take children outside their classrooms in the first place. There are also some suggestions for improvement in the department of technological accessibility, and these suggestions are being considered. 36

47 8.3. Options for further development and integration The fundamental problem of the diploma paper was to determine how to improve the integration of learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm with the schools in the local and wider school district. The first step is to inform the teachers and even the headmasters from kindergartens and primary schools from the local and wider school district by sending information leaflets with some vital information about the Eder didactic farm, the offers and educational possibilities. Some examples of foreign languages courses could be included (four examples are given in the Sections ) and some children s and teachers responses. There are also some suggestions for the improvement in the department of technological accessibility (wi-fi) and these suggestions are being considered. The didactic farm staff should establish an internet page with vital information about the Eder didactic farm, the offers and educational possibilities. There should be some photos posted on that page so that teachers can get some evidence of previous courses and maybe read some responses of the children and their teachers. The didactic farm staff could cooperate in a variety of projects that are already active in primary schools, like intergenerational cooperation or touristic projects for example. Maybe, there could be a possibility of hosting a group of children in tents overnight, who knows. It is a challenge, but the future is bright The didactic farm staff could attend the introductory meeting at the beginning of the school year when teachers and their headmasters plan activity days and such a day or different days could be jointly planned or accepted by teachers... 37

48 Another possibility for teachers is to obtain marks in an alternative way, because the curriculum for English as FL for school children in classes 1-3 is quite open to such a mode of work, so the learners could also be assessed in the context of such a day. Teachers of higher grades would also be very pleased if they could give a mark at one of those days or based on project work in the E-assistant there is a section, named mark acquired in another way: E.g. children document their work with photos, later at school they have an exhibition and they present their work and get their marks. Alternatively, if from various reasons children could not come to the didactic farm, they could have an opportunity of having a videoconference with the didactic farm over the internet and this would contribute to lesson enrichment. Picture 16: The face, full of happiness, during cuddling little kittens 38

49 9. Conclusion Teaching methods of foreign language learning have evolved through the time, they have been changing with current values, educational and even political systems. The methods of FL learning in the present are based on communication, which means learning and using languages at the same time. That is why learning and using foreign languages at the didactic farm is a great opportunity for the kindergarten, school children and their teachers to put the knowledge they already possess into practice. It is just a step forward, since it all happens in the nature, outside their classrooms. The didactic farm could be very important for integrating agriculture into the school life of children, pupils, students and teachers while using a FL. Another benefit might be that the sense of responsibility and identity could be developed as they learn through direct experiences. In the modern history, the scientists discovered that learning foreign languages encourages the development of intellectual abilities. It can lead to better results also in other areas, increase creative imagination and abstract thinking, activate learner s thinking processes and make learners think flexible (Brumen, 2009). Learning and using foreign languages is very important in our everyday life, not only to expand our horizons, but they also enable us to find a better job, to establish new connections outside our own boarders, or just to watch a great movie in an original, untranslated/un-dubbed version. Learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm is a special combination of different methods, adjusted to the circumstances on the farm and especially to the school children of the nearby primary schools The didactic farm is an excellent and simple example of an interdisciplinary approach of teaching since the children, who join or visit the program on the didactic farm, work and explore the farm life while using a foreign language. 39

50 In my opinion, if we want to improve our national scores in general and language knowledge, we could follow the examples of the northern countries (e.g. Finland) school systems, where such methods of teaching are constantly present, regardless of the weather conditions, because their results in knowledge are so much better than ours. There should certainly be more opportunities when children could be closer to the contents of the matters which they just listen about at school or read about in books (especially children in the city). The aim of this diploma thesis has been to find a way of improving the integration of learning and using foreign languages at a didactic farm and schools in the local and wider school district. This has been done successfully in section 8.3. The hypotheses have all been confirmed, with the remark, that the children have much fewer difficulties coping with new ways of FL learning and using then teachers. Picture 17: Time to go back to school 40