10 IDEAS for the PRIMARY CLASSROOM

1. Make a poster /brochure/ advert incorporating some target language (TL), to attract visitors to your school or town.
2. Ask pupils / parents, whose mother-tongue is not English, to teach other pupils a few words in their native language.
3. Language-taster sessions in a variety of languages. Don’t forget sign language! Ask teachers to take the register, pupils have a foreign name for the day and answer in a different language.
4. Serve special breakfasts / snacks / lunches in the canteen. Pupils make menus labelling food in another language and then order in that language.
5. Organise an assembly putting on songs / displays / dances/ poetry in other languages.
6. Learn a traditional sport / dance / song / poem from another country.
7. Play games like “Bingo” and “Simon Says” in a different language.
8. Select excerpts from recognisable songs in different languages and guess which language they think the song is in.
9. Learn adjectives/adverbs in other languages using “Mr. Men” characters, where the name of a particular ‘Mr Man’ is called out, e.g. Mr Slow, Mr Rush, Mr Bounce. Children then move around in the manner of that ‘Mr Man’.
10. Make a video or animation on the i-pad of pupils saying hello in different languages.

Visit the European Centre for Modern Languages website for language-related facts, games and fun!

Why not watch the 'HELLO' video below by the European Centre for Modern Languages?

10 IDEAS for the POST-PRIMARY CLASSROOM

1. Research a lesser-known EU language and make an interactive poster on it using Glogster.
2. Make a mock European ID card or Facebook page in another language.
3. Organise a Treasure Hunt around the school in a different language.
4. Widespread use of other languages throughout the school for 1 week– pupils vote for the member of staff who makes the best attempt in another language.
5. Use a recipe in target language to prepare a food dish at home or in the HE room.
6. Make up 10 homework challenges such as- learn a tongue-twister, a poem, say your name and age, a short prayer- all in another language.
7. With the help of a Language Assistant or new-comer pupils, pupils learn a traditional sport, dance, song, rap or poem from another country.
8. Have a European quiz involving another school in your area. Questions on EU flags, capital cities, general knowledge etc. Take a look at our Opportunity Europe Euro Quiz archives here. 
9. Put on a special EDL assembly with contributions from teachers and pupils such as opening remarks, blessings, prayers, poems, hymns, songs or drama in another language.
10. Go online and use BBC Quick Fix to learn basic phrases in different European languages.‌