EIL Intercultural Learning

Rosetta Reilly, a primary teacher from County Meath has written to Anton updating him to how she's getting on with volunteering on a project in Argentina.

Hi Anton,
Rosetta here from a rather hot La Rioja! Happy to say that all is going really well, the project itself is very well received by all the teachers and Im healthy, happy and enjoying the whole experience. I'm working hard preparing workshops for teachers once a week and then visiting their classes where I try to put into practice what I preach! The English classes here seem to be all very text based and therefore not very interesting or stimulating for the children. What I am trying to do is to show the teachers ways to make the language come to life in the class and to have the children speaking the language because they are enjoying the activities and not just filling pages in a workbook. So far it has all been very well received and the children in the classes have proven my point with their response to the activities I do with them. Because they have very little resources here I have bought quite a lot of toys and games for the teachers to use and the children are really so happy to see the puppets etc that they are soon trying to speak to the puppets who only speak and understand English. I have over 500 euros on toys and will leave them all to the schools when I leave. I am working with 9 different schools. I am also putting "teaching packs" together for each of the teachers who have been attending my workshops - including some of the things I used most, puppets, toy animals, giant letters etc. I have asked my family for some money and they are happy to help

I am really enjoying the home stay part too. The family I am with are great and seen to have birthday parties every week- and they go on very late!!

Now I would like to go to volunteer in Ecuador in January and I hope you can arrange a similar placement there.

Hope you're well and look forward to a reply,

Rosetta Reilly