Fresh from our second DLD (Deep Learning Day), I feel great!
It was a truly great day. Europe was the theme this time, looking first at the UK through video clips and my own personal perspective. Being Welsh, I had a lot to offer, even if the students weren’t that interested in sheep!
We then moved onto the EU – the amount of material that you can get from them for free is amazing! I had enough material for a week of learning and activity!
One of the best resources was the ‘EU Passport’; a small booklet with a double page for each member country. Stickers at the back allowed students to match up currency with countries, as well as famous landmarks. There was also a map where the flag stickers had to be correctly positioned; a truly great resource!
The students wrote a postcard home from a country of their choice, and then did a small project investigating its culture and history. The day finished with a sing-a-long to a Disney cartoon naming all the countries to a rapidly speeding-up tune!
Well I have to admit that the last part what chaotic; my own OCD was severely tested then, I can assure you!
I also managed to get some of our Year 10 students involved in the session, to play a card game devised as part of a young enterprise project by one of our feeder primary schools. It was hugely powerful stuff!
Peer support, working with languages, using a resource developed and marketed by children themselves – what a great day!
These DLDs are really great opportunities for students with additional needs. Hard work, but massively beneficial!
Time for another glass of red now I think! I’m sure I deserve it…