Page 10 - Ace TB1 Cubierta.indd

Introduction 9

Revision

Because of the higher level language load in Ace! 1, paramount importance is placed on recycling and review of language throughout the course. Systematic recycling of all core language takes place in every unit. In Ace! 1, all the core vocabulary and grammar of the unit is revised in each Lesson 10. Monty and Lola present the review material in an entertaining way with a maze activity and a board game, both designed to elicit all the unit language from the children.

The language review in the Activity Book is accompanied by a self-evaluation My Work section.

Following each sequence of three units, there is also a more extensive revision section. The revision sections are each based around a story in the Class Book featuring Monty and Lola. Two pages of follow-up exercises per story appear in the Activity Book. These revision story lessons review all the core and secondary vocabulary and grammar from each term. Details can be found in the Revision stories section of the Teacher’s Book.

Optional lessons

Each unit includes two optional lessons, details of which can be found in the Optional lessons using the DVD section and in the lesson notes which follow. The first optional lesson comes after Lesson 3 and reviews the main vocabulary from the unit and provides reinforcement of the main grammar point presented in the previous lesson. This is also the suggested point for showing the animated version of the story on the DVD. The second optional lesson follows Lesson 6. It gives ideas for extending cross-curricular content and language taught in the cross-curricular lesson, and for a project based on the cross-curricular topic. This is also the suggested point for showing the real world film clips from the DVD.

Testing and evaluation

Children’s progress can be evaluated through formal testing, ongoing assessment and self-assessment. For formal testing, there are nine unit tests, three term tests and one end-of-year test on the Teacher’s Resource CD-ROM, which together cover the target language from the course. All these tests are available as printable or editable documents so you can choose to adapt the material to suit your class.

For ongoing and self-assessment, there are evaluation grids and portfolio material on the Teacher’s Resource CD-ROM, which allow you to continuously assess your pupil’s progress and provide them and their parents with feedback. You will also find practice papers for the Trinity and Cambridge English: Young Learners, Cambridge English: Key for schools (KET), and Cambridge English: Preliminary for schools (PET) examinations on the External Exams Practice CD-ROM.

Multimedia

Ace! has a fresh, innovative and fully integrated approach to multimedia in the classroom, allowing teachers to create a tailored digital solution to best suit them and their school facilities. The Ace! digital tools include the iPack, Teacher’s Resource CD-ROM, DVD and Oxford Online Learning Zone website. Details of these features are provided in the Ace! Digital and Optional lessons using the DVD sections of the Teacher’s Book.

Key Competences

The inclusion of the Key Competences in the curriculum is designed to integrate the formal learning specific to each subject area with less formal learning. This helps pupils to see the relationship between different subjects and use skills learned in one area in different contexts. The Key Competences encourage the activation of resources that the learner already has. Foreign language learning contributes directly to the development of competence in linguistic communication as it increases, enriches and complements a pupil’s communicative capacity. When language learning is based on the development of the four communicative skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing), it helps to develop this Key Competence in the same way as the study of a native language. A more detailed explanation of how learning a foreign language can develop the other Key Competences can be found on the Teacher’s Resource CD-ROM, along with ideas and worksheets for further exploitation of each Key Competence.

The materials in Ace! 1 offer many opportunities for the development of the Key Competences. These are clearly highlighted and explained throughout the teacher’s notes.

Parental involvement

Learning involves a co-operative relationship between home and school, and it is important to establish clear communication with parents to encourage home support. Suggested ways of doing this are:

• Keep parents informed about what their children are learning and their progress. School blogs can be an effective way to keep parents up-to-date, as well as highly motivating for children. Please make sure, however, that the children in your classes are protected at all times when they are online. Ensure that the school blog has a password, so that it is only available for the people for whom it is intended. In addition, teach children about internet security. Screen what they plan to post before they post it and make sure that they don’t reveal too much personal information, especially not telephone numbers, addresses or personal emails.

• Set children homework to tell their parents the unit story, sing them a song in English or tell them about life in the UK, for example. Children can also take their cut-out games home to demonstrate and play with their families.

• Encourage parents to play the Songs CD, at home or in the car, to motivate their children.

• Inform parents of the values their children are learning, and ask them to encourage their children to employ them at home too.