DIDACTIC PROGRAMME OF THE SUBJECT

0.- INTRODUCTION

1.- SOCIO-ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL CONTEXT.

1.1. Setting.

1.2. School level.

1.3 Stage. Year.

1.4. Students.

1.5. Organization of Space and Time.

2.- OBJECTIVES.

2.1. Global aim of the subject in the programme.

2.2. Attainment Objectives for the ESO Stage in the official curriculum.

2.2.1. General Aims.

2.2.2. Specific Aims.

2.2.3. Programme Objectives. Connections with Official Curriculum.

2.3. Foundation.

3.- COMPETENCES.

4.- CONTENTS.

4.1. Contents of the subjects in the official curriculum.

4.2. Contents of the programme.

4.3. Foundation.

4.4. Cross-curricular Themes

5.- DIDACTIC RESOURCES.

5.1.Methodological.

5.2.Material.

1
6.- ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY.

6.1.Attention to diversity as a principle.

6.2.General measures of attention to diversity.

6.3.The attention to students with specific educational needs.

6.4. Foreseen methodological difficulties

7.- ASSESSMENT.

7.1.Principles, techniques e instruments.

7.2.Assessment criteria of the subject in the official curriculum. Connections.

7.3.Foundation.

7.4.Marking referents and indicators.

8.- BIBLIOGRAPHY.

9.- ANNEXES

2
0.- INTRODUCTION

Our world is changing. It is getting smaller.It was unthinkable for us, teenagers in the nineties,

that one day we would be able to play online with an indian boy from our own house; it was

unconceivable that you could buy, sell, share and even fall in love with whomever, wherever in

the earth, through internet. But that day has arrived; it is the era of globalization, it is the time

our students are named to inherit. And we need to give them skills to fit in this world, that is:

communication.

The learning of a foreign language like English, meant to be the lingua franca in most of the

Eropean Union, (whether if Great Britain belongs to it or not), provides our students of an

essencial tool in order to deal with new technologies and keep cross-cultural relations due to

professional, learning and working reasons.

But the learning and teaching of a foreign language will also contribute to the personal

development of the students, as it will give them a deeper knowledge of other cultures, and it

will grant the access to bigger sources of information. In this way, the Secondary Compulsory

Education will help the students to understand the diversity and tolerate the cultural and social

differences.

We have chosen the Four year of Compulsory / Obligatory Secondary Education (CSE

henceforth) or ’ESO’’ Stage,because of the following reasons:

- Students are completly adapted to secondary school at that age, they feel settled, more

mature and can engage activities demanding a higher abstract thought capacity.This fact allows

us to set more demanding and creative tasks to perform.

- They already possess a good level of communicative competence and a clearer

understanding of the teaching and learning process; they have learned enough of the language

in order to manage in everyday situations.

3
- Although each case is different, on the whole, they are more disciplined than younger

students.

In ‘CSE’’, EL learning will boost the three main aims of learning a FL in Secondary Education:

A. Instrumental tool: as a way of communicating

B. Personal improvement: as a way to achieve intellectual progress

C. Enjoyment and personal enrichment: as a way to discover a different culture.

The definition of programmes will be very useful for the teaching work we are to overcome, as it

will bring an outline of work that summarises most of specific tasks and purposes. It implies

understanding our job as integrated in a socio-educational dimension, which is its foundation

and principal aim. In the written presentation of the Programme, we shall start from the

identification of some contextualising data so as to construct a work hypothesis. Later on we

shall show the purposes of the Programme, from a global and analytical perspective. The same

way will be followed in the identification of contents. The didactic resources deserve special

attention with an approximation to the alternatives and techniques used to cater for diversity. We

shall end up dealing with the aspects related to the assessment of teaching and learning

processes.

4
1.- SOCIO-ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL CONTEXT.

1.1 School Setting.

We have decided to place our proyect in a humble district, whose population is

heterogeneous and has to deal with different issues.

We will find one third of the families with a low socio-cultural level of education, facing problems

like unemployment or hard working conditions. On the other hand, we will also find one third of

immigrant population, who mainly come from South and Central America. The last third is made

up by reasonably comfortable middle-class spanish families, whose parents feel their children

could have better learning enviroment if circumstances were different...

As for economic resources and facilities, it is a standard school, comprising 67 teachers and

640 students approximately.

The school has three different buildings, where the different stages are distributed (1º y 2º ESO

in the first biulding, 3º and 4º in the second building and 1º and 2º Bachillerato, as well as the

canteen, the secretary and the indoor gym in the third building)

1.2. School level

Secondary school. Stages of Compulsory Secondary Education and Bachillerato.

1.3. Stage. Year.

Compulsory Secondary Education. 4º ESO.

1.4. Students.

Our target groups possess an acceptable proficiency regarding the contents and skills; but our

experience reveals big differences between those students whose families show a particular

interest in English and those whose families are not concerned about it.

As a rule of thumb, students show a tendency to “concrete” work with vocabulary and grammar

(organizing lists, learning vocabulary …) than to any other task that requires abstraction or

5
creativity; this is why, whereas some students always like learning as they play or practice a

leisure activity, some others, (almost half of the class), reject these kind of activities, don´t show

any interest in the subject and they are always reluctant to work in groups.

Even some of them, which is more worrying, are not able to express correctly in Spanish and

show difficulties when reading in the class. It is not an easy work, but someone has got to do it.

1.5. Organization of Space and Time.

Students will attend three 55 minutes English lessons every week. Ideally, at this stage students

should be prepared to organise themselves in the class,but our experience tells us this could be

a source of conflict and would hinder the integration of all students. If this case is given, they will

be grouped in alphabetic order, though distribution of students will be flexible, according to the

kind of activity, students’ level of proficiency... There is an English corner where students can

exhibit their projects, e-friend letters, and find miscellaneous resources: magazines,

dictionaries, comic pictures, posters, communicative games, a bank of supplementary

activities...

The 12 teaching units have been designed to be dealt with in the following manner:

- First term (1st assessment period): units 1-4

- Second term (2nd assessment period): units 5-8

- Third term (3rd assessment period): units 9-12

In addition, students will read one book every term, corresponding to units 13, 14 and 15.

The foreseen timing for each unit is about 5/6 sessions, as well as taking into account certain

time for each unit in the Computer Room and time to devise and present a project or a final task

on the topic we have worked on.

Due to the aforementioned characteristics of students, all of the contents of this course should

serve as a link to develop the subject of Spanish Language.

Shared facilities and their use are organised according to the general timetables set by the

school Governing Board, so that they can be employed coordinately with other Departments.

6
According to current regulations, the staff belonging to the English Department will meet at least

once a week.

2.- OBJECTIVES.

2.1. Global aim of the subject in the programme.

The main objective of our program, in addition to the accurate degree of proficency in the

linguistic competence of English, is closely linked to the ultimate purpose of Secondary

Education as a whole: to provide students with an education that includes basic cultural notions,

developing study habits and training needed to assume their obligations, know and exercise

their rights and become complete and developed human beings.

In the fourht year of ESO, the subject “Foreign Languages: English” presents the students the

most relevant characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon social and cultural context, allows them to be

sensitive to other ways of understanding reality and enriches their cultural world, favouring the

development of an attitude of acceptance of plurality, relativization and tolerance, impulsing the

development of social-cultural competence.

The orientation of the subject generally includes the student to approach other forms of life, to

accept and understand them in an empathetic way, and the teacher to increase his/her channels

of information and to prepare him/her for the aforementioned process of globalization in which

he will be involved.

2.2. Attainment objectives for the CSE/ESO stage in the official curriculum

2.2.1. GENERAL

According to the LOE the main aims of this stage are the following:

2.2.1.1. To provide the students with an integral, overall education, both intellectual and human,

as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their social and laboral functions in a

competent, responsible way. It will also help them to access the higher degrees in Vocational

Training, Further Education and University studies

7
2.2.1.2. To help our students to develop the following capacities/habilities/skills:

a) To consolidate a responsable good-citizen’s sensibility and civil consciousness inspired in the

values of democratic societies and human rights.

b) To consolidate personal initiative, together with reading, study and discipline, as necessary

conditions to benefit from learning, and as a means of personal development.

c) To be aware of our contemporary world’s reality, its historic antecedents and the main factors

of its evolution, from a perspective both universal and plural

d) To master the basic skills which are relevant to the ‘CSE/’ESO’’ modality chosen.

e) To work in a systematic, discerning way upon their own and others’ criteria, as well as on

different sources of information, pursuing the goal to explain and solve adequately the fields of

knowledge and experience

f) To understand the fundamental elements and procedures of research, and also the scientific

methods of each discipline.

g) To know and be able to use, both orally and in writing, the wealth and expressive possibilities

of the Spanish language, and if that be the case, the co-official language of his

Region/Autonomous Community, as well as the literature, reading and analysis of the most

representative literary works.

h) To express themselves fluently in one or more FLs.

i) To deepen in the knowledge and habitual use of ICT and their role in learning.

j) To strengthen their enterprising spirit with attitudes of creativity, flexibility, initiative, self-

confidence, critical sense, team work and innovative spirit.

k) To develop an artistic sensibility and an aesthetic criterion, as sources of educational

progress and cultural enrichment.

l) To strengthen sport practice.

m) To know and value critically the contribution of Science and Technology to the changing in

8
life conditions, as well as consolidate the sensibility and respect towards the environment.

n) To develop a sensibility towards the different forms of voluntary work which help to a

betterment of the social environment.

2.2.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE AREA OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES in CSE

As determined by the LOE, exclusively related to the field of Modern Languages, the main goals

pursued in this stage are, as stated by the said norms:

2.2.2.1. To use the FL orally and in writing, in order to communicate fluently and correctly by

means of the appropriate strategies.

2.2.2.2. To understand and interpret critically oral, written and visual texts delivered in everyday

communications and in the media.

2.2.2.3. To read autonomously general texts, or texts in which they are interested, understand

their essential elements and grasp their discursive function and organization

2.2.2.4. To make use of comprehension strategies to infer unknown lexical meanings from

context, their own knowledge of the world and linguistic aspects such as word formation,

prefixes and suffixes, synonyms and antonyms, etc.

2.2.2.5. To reflect upon how the FL operates in communication, aiming at improving their own

output and understand others’, in increasingly varied and unforeseen contexts.

2.2.2.6. To reflect on their own learning processes, by means of autonomous resources based

on observation, correction and assessment and evaluation, in order to continue the study of the

FL in the future.

2.2.2.7. To become aware of the fundamental aspects of the FL sociocultural milieu, in order to

enhance communication, the understanding and interpretation of cultures other than theirs.

2.2.2.8. To appreciate the FL as a means to access another knowledge and culture, and

recognize its important for a better comprehension of their own language and culture, and as a

means of international communication and understanding in a multicultural world.

9
2.2.2.9. To assess critically other ways to organize experience and to structure personal

relations, attending to the relative value of cultural conventions and regulations.

2.2.3. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS WITH THE OFFICIAL

CURRICULUM.

2.2.3.1. Understand the general sense of the information of brief oral messages in English,

adapted to the student’s level of linguistic development, in situations which are appropriate to

the student’s vital context, by means of the use of communication strategies: questions relate to

the information, repetition of part of the message to demand a repetition, paraphrasing, use of

contextual references. (Objectives 1, 2, 9)

2.2.3.2. Read in a comprehensive way brief, simple texts, with redundant visual support in most

of the cases, and understand the structure of the textual information: recognize lexical markers

that indicate the sequence of information, re-using them progressively in their own productions.

(Objectives 1, 2, 3)

2.2.3.3. Organise the new contents acquired (grammatical and lexical, mainly) autonomously,

using the techniques of intellectual work which are adapted to the age of the student.

(Objectives 4, 5, 6, 7)

2.2.3.4. Make himself/herself understood orally in a simple and adequate way in communicative

exchanges in the classroom respecting the conventions that are proper to oral exchanges (turn

talking, repetitions…) and taking the initiative to propose or change topics. (Obj 1)

2.2.3.5. Acquire verbal and non-verbal instruments by means of practice in oral exchanges so

as to keep a fluent communication: use of “fillers”, set phrases, expressions of hesitation…

(Objectives 1,2 )

2.2.3.6. Express in a written form, simple messages with a functional character, using

adequately the conventions that are proper to written English: use of capital letters, order of

sentence elements, and format of messages… (Objectives 1, 4, 6, 7)

10
2.2.3.7. Understand adequately and intend to reproduce as close to the original as possible the

elements of pronunciation, intonation and rhythm of the foreign language. (Objectives 1,2,4)

2.2.3.8. Acquire habits of autonomous use of the English language in classroom activities: pair

and small group work. (Objectives 1, 2, 4, 6)

2.2.3.9. Identify and use in a more and more autonomous way didactic resources (dictionaries,

reference books, multimedia material) appropriate for the solving of different communication and

learning situations, re-using such knowledge autonomously in new productions. (Objectives 4,

6,5 )

2.2.3.10. Participate in pair or group activities respecting the opinions and productions of other

students, accepting error as a proper element of every learning situation and having a

constructive attitude regarding their own learning and that of other peers. (Objectives 1, 2, 8, 9)

2.2.3.11. Determine similarities and differences between the culture of the countries where

English is used and their own, using press, radio, TV, cinema, theater, etc, as sources of this

information, respecting and valuing the aspects that define each of these cultures. (Objectives

6,8, 9 )

2.2.3.12. Evaluate in their own, with a constructive aim, their main achievements and difficulties

while learning English. (Objectives 4, 7, 8)

2.3. Foundation:

These objectives that we have listed and we have set as a primary goal, articulating the

discourse of our programm, are aimed to implement the fundamental objectives of the

curriculum of teaching FL in CSE. Our desire is to create a course syllabus to develop the

communicative competence of the students, enabling them to understand and express

themselves in a foreign league and have access to other cultures. On the other hand, we

believe that the development of strategies of personal work for each student, allowing them to

be increasingly autonomous when it comes to study and strengthen their study habits, reading

and discipline, is especially important. In this way, the development is not only intellectual but

11
also personal. This focus responds to the growing concern of families and schools due to the

lack of commitment that a large number of students has. In order to do this, it will be especially

helpful the interest of the teacher for the particular interests of the students, as well as a

participatory approach to learning, enabling them to appreciate the value of the foreign

language as a means of communication with people belonging to a different culture as an

element that favors social and interpersonal relationships.

3.- COMPETENCES.

The development of the basic competences is one of the main aims in the subject of English, as

it is specified in current curriculum. The following aspects are considered the most relevant to

be worked on in this school year:

3.1. Linguistic competence- The material itself implies the need to communicate. To develop this

competition will use all kinds of activities , such as writing emails , create websites , and of

course creative writing at a basic level . Learning a foreign language also invites us to compare

it to our mother tongue , so that the process of reflection on communication extends to both

languages.

3.2. Competence in maths- from learning a foreign language can help strengthen some

concepts related to mathematics such as numbers , logical thinking , analyzing grammar rules...

3.3. Competences in the knowledge about and interacting with the environment- readings on

which our students work are , of course, a way to address the knowledge of their environment

and the socio-cultural aspects of the countries that are linked to learning English

3.4. Digital and information processing competence- the extensive use made of the computer

room contributes to the development of this competence: using computers to do activities,

searching information, contributing to the creation of websites, using electronic mail.

3.5.Social and civic competence- this one is dealt with either with topics covered in different

reading and listening texts or through the establishment and following of classroom rules.

12
3.6.Competence and attitudes to continue learning in an autonomous way- t is vitalfor our

students to find their own resources for the study of the subject . Everyone can decide which

strategy is more useful , perhaps a vocabulary list or perhaps the internet search , perhaps the

groupware or perhaps work alone, although our tendency as teachers will encourage all

possible methodologies.

3.7.Competence in personal autonomy and initiative, as well as in entrepreneurship- through

project work, which is linked to evaluation criteria, students are trained to show initiative for the

most efficient work in class and at home.

4.- CONTENTS.

4.1. Contents of the subject in the official curriculum.

4.4.1.COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS

- To understand both oral and written texts in a global and in a specific way and they should

identify the main ideas within the texts to do the given tasks: information transfer, understanding

ideas, etc

- To predict and deduce information from different types of texts.

- To understand oral texts with different accents.

- To know the different cohesive devices such as reference words and transitional words.

- To describe and talk about personal experiences or personal ideas.

- To write different types of texts (narrative, descriptive, letters) both formal and informal but

always keeping the proper structure of the texts.

- To summarize ideas when writing reviews, summaries, short forms, etc.

- To write a text coherently using the language devices such as connectors, reference words,

conjunctions, etc.

13
- To speak having planned previously about what they want to talk about or the information that

they want to obtain taking care at the same time of the coherence and accuracy of the

message.

- To express hypothesis about the communicative expectations, interests and attitudes to whom

the message is intended.

- To read by themselves texts which are related to their personal and future professional

interests.

- To solve problems with the help of others and they should take decisions considering the

opinion of the group.

- To compare and contrast information about the same subject published by different

communication media such as newspapers, radio, TV programs, etc.

- To participate actively in debates and discussions about any subject using argumentative

devices both in oral and writing form in order to solve problems or take decisions about an

specific issue in a group work.

- To participate in project works such as the writing of a newspaper, an interview, etc using all

the skills properly.

4.4.2.LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE AWARENESS

- Grammar Functions.

Describing the physical appearance, health, attitudes, tastes and interests. Comparing,

contrasting and differentiating between opinions and facts. Expressing preferences. Present

simple and progressive. Like/love/enjoy/don’t like/hate/prefer + gerund or infinitive. Want +

noun/pronoun Want + to + infinitive. Verbs which can not use the progressive form: believe,

know, seem, etc. Adjectives. Phrasal verbs. Prepositional phrases: adjective + preposition (good

at / keen of / fond of) Relative pronouns.

- Talking about experiences and habits in the past. Past simple and continuous. Present Perfect

+ just/yet/already. Past Perfect. Passive Voice. Would/used to + infinitive. Could/was able to +

14
infinitive. Be/get used to +ing. Liked/loved/enjoyed/didn’t like / hated+ gerund (-ing). The use of

the gerund after verbs, prepositions and as a subject. Adverbs.

- Expressing plans. Having an appointment. Predictions. Present continuous. Will. Be going to +

infinitive. When/as soon as/before/after + present simple. When/as soon as/before/after … +

past perfect. Future continuous and Future Perfect.

- Expressing obligation and necessity must, have to, need. Lack of necessity didn’t

need/needn’t have. Prohibition and permission can, can’t Asking for permission and giving

permission. Can/could/may.

- Real, unreal and past conditional sentences. Expressing real possibilities and hypothesis.

- Reported Speech: asking, ordering, suggesting and statements. Introducing verbs: ask,

declare, apologise, explain, invite, offer, say, suggest, tell, ect.

- Expressing certainty and possibility must, can’t, could, might, should have + participle

- Expressing purpose, result and cause. Connectives: because, since, so as, as a result,

consequently, etc. Causative verb have/get something done.

- Vocabulary: Personal experiences, family and friends relations, personality, physical

appearance, news, entertainment (sports, holidays, travelling), health, food, places, new

technologies, science and art, etc

- Phonetics: Pronouncing difficult vowels, consonants and diphthongs: silent phonemes, semi

vowels, semi consonants, etc. Pronouncing weak forms: was / were / been, etc. Pronunciation

of contracted forms: mustn’t / can’t, etc. Stress, rhythm and intonation

4.4.3. SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS

- To interpret the cultural features where the foreign language is spoken and they should know

historical, geographical, literary and artistic issues.

- To understand their own culture much better through the comparison with the second language

culture seeing the differences in a positive light.

15
- To develop some interest in valuing positively the use of the foreign language as a source of

international communication and for the understanding among cultures taking into account also

its presence in the new technologies.

- To understand the social and cultural diversity when using the second language, and at the

same time, to see the differences and similarities that their native culture have with the foreign

one.

- To analyse through realia the cultural and sociolinguistic features of the foreign culture.

- To identify kinetic, gestures, and behaviour forms, etc which are different from their native

culture and from different sociocultural background.

- To use the second language, bearing in mind the correct register in particular social

circumstances.

4.2. Contents of the programme.

In order to include the content of the curriculum discussed above , we have developed a

teaching programm composed of 15 teaching units. All units will have the same general

objectives:

4.2.1.To develop communicative competence.

4.2.2.To raise language awareness.

4.2.3.To internalize grammatical patterns used to express the specific exponents put forward in

the respective units.

4.2.4.To improve their general understanding of oral and written texts.

4.2.5.To widen their vocabulary.

4.2.6.To improve / practise pronunciation, stress, rhythm and intonation, as well as other

phonetic relevant features.

4.2.7.To develop reading/writing habits.

4.2.8.To enlarge students’ creative ability through expression.

4.2.9.To raise consciousness of the different values in different cultures.

16
4.2.10.To select, organize, present/transmit information in a logical/understandable way.

4.2.11.To learn how to find information autonomously.

4.2.12.To interact with other people or their classmates in real communicative situations.

Now we intruduce the units that make up this didactic programme in ANNEX I. For a better

understanding of the contents to be treated, we show them related with the rest of the elements

of every unit: objectives, cross-curricular themes, interdisciplinarity, attention to diversity and

evaluation.

4.3. Foundation:

We firmly believe that we have proposed units that are related to those issues, interests and

concerns that make up the always enigmatic imaginary of a teenager at this stage.

We tried to create motivational, attractive, appropriate and relevant content, which could also

pose a challenge. In our experience, comfort is the enemy of learning, so we must make an

effort to bring their minds and hearts to places they would not go independently, guiding them to

define their position on aspects of life that may be the disturbing and mysterious for them.

The selected contents are ordered in 15 didactic units. As a general rule, it is advisable to check

up the previous knowledge in the first days of the course. It is good practice to revise some

grammatical structures that have usually not been completely understood in their Compulsory

Secondary Education, such as conditional and reported speech subordinate sentences and the

like, for which we will make use of the appropriate reference and grammar practice books which

should be available in the English Department and English Classroom library.

Accordingly, the contents put forward above will be sequenced, organized and distributed

along the following schedule:

1st term: Units 1-4 + literary unit 13

2nd term: Units 5-8 + Literary Unit 14

3rd term: Units 9-12 + Literary Unit 15

17
Units 4, 8 & 12 are sociocultural units related to an event taking place in the corresponding

term. The last three units (13-15) are integrated in each academic term so as to be tackled as

the course proceeds according to the available time. In every unit there is a revision of the

contents already exploited. In this revision section, we will proceed to check the acquisition of

the essential elements developed in the lessons. The treatment of the contexts is based in the

capacities that are proper to the Stage and also promotes the development of cognitive, socio-

affective and moral capacities.

As we underestand the learning proscess as a whole, we tend to establish connections with

other subjects: History, History of Art, Music History, Economy, Geography, Spanish Language

and Literature. Combining the inter-curricular and the intra-curricular perspective (in the very

didactic units), we shall carry a relevant contribution to the progress in the evolution of the

socio-affective and moral dimension and will facilitate a more complete and profound treatment

of such contents as: the meaning of the information and communication revolution, the

connections between science and technology, the impact of technology in daily ways of living.,

the models of present-day societies, influence of religion in a global world, the great movements

of population, the demographic growth.

4.4. Cross-curricular Themes

The cross-curricular themes are educational integrated (interdisciplinary) themes focused on

pupils' personal and social evolvement. These themes are transversal, aiming to go beyond the

borders of the traditional school objects and offer competence and/or fundamental values

formation in the daily life. To be successfully implemented in school, the cross-curricular themes

need diverse learning experiences and the testing of learning acquisitions in contexts.

The ‘cross-curricular themes' content can fit one of the following interrelated categories:

4.4.1.Cross-curricular themes that are mainly interested in promoting positive behaviours,

values and attitudes (personal evolvement, social integration, cultural diversity, health, etc.).

18
These themes aim to answer crucially important social needs that cannot be satisfactorily

approached by one single discipline or by a group of individual not interrelated disciplines.

4.4.2.Cross-curricular themes addressing particular problems that cannot be adapted to the

structure of a particular object. These problems are very complex and came along with some

challenges the contemporary society poses to education. They include the environment, mass-

media education, conflict negotiation and conciliation, life standards...

4.4.3.Cross-curricular themes aiming to form basic competencies like communication, problem

solving, learning to learn. These competencies don't "belong" to a particular object; but they

have a great transfer potential concerning both the curriculum and the concrete life contexts.

5.- DIDACTIC RESOURCES. .

5.1. Methodological.

The Royal Decree is specified by means of the framework of curricular development.

In this set of regulations we can also find the didactic principles of a constructivist approach.

These principles have been gradually developed by such authors as PIAGET, BRUNER,

AUSUBEL, NORMAN, FEUERSTEIN, and VYGOTSKY, among many others.

The introduction of the constructivist approach in the FL teaching process provides the following

features:

5.1.1. A FL Programme cannot be centred in isolated language aspects: communicative

functions, structures or linguistic skills. Learning and language use must emphasize an

integrative development of language, skills and contents.

The didactic units of this programme favour a global methodology, through integrative activities.

5.1.2.Contents are related to issues of personal identity, today’s world, and historical and

cultural aspects of the past. Students can make connections between the foreign language and

a range of other subjects: Music, Geography, History, Natural Science...

19
5.1.3. Our Programme recognizes the essential role of communicative competence in a FL

programme, considering the following components:

5.1.3.1.Linguistic competence: capacity to put into practice the elements and rules of the

language system.

5.1.3.2.Discourse competence: capacity to understand and produce different text types.

5.1.3.3.Socio-linguistic competence: capacity to use language in specific contexts.

5.1.3.4.Socio-cultural competence: capacity to use appropriate language (in terms of form

and content) for different communicative situations.

5.1.3.5.Strategic competence: capacity to use communicative strategies to perform

communicative acts.

5.1.4. Student’s competence is developed through exposure to a wide range of situations,

contexts and texts. Students must be provided with activities that allow them to work either

individually or in groups with their partners (in pairs or small groups) creating a more authentic

communicative context.

5.1.5. Students will follow a double process: learning and acquisition.

Learning refers to the conscious, formal and explicit study of the FL: learning grammar rules

and word lists, practising pronunciation...

Acquisition, refers to the subconscious process of language use for meaningful communication,

without paying attention to the formal aspects of language.

We will take into account both processes in our didactic units.

5.1.6 This Programme promotes an active participation on the part of students, which requires

them to be motivated towards the tasks they are going to undertake. They are familiarized with

the topic, since it has been introduced in previous grades, or it connects with their previous

knowledge in a cyclical way and allows grading objectives. Thus, it is a learner-centred

approach. This requires paying attention to certain learning aspects, to transmit to students the

learning strategies to develop their autonomy.

20
These strategies will be developed in an explicit and implicit way. The aim of some activities is

to show students how to learn (learn to learn), review; check their progress and how to develop

appropriate strategies to use effectively the linguistic skills.

5.1.7. This Programme follows an active methodology which allows students interact with their

classmates in pairs and small groups, stimulating their relationship with other people, adopting

free and tolerant attitudes, without inhibitions and prejudices. Through group activities, the

student will appreciate the value of exchanging ideas and learning with the help of other

students. (Co-operative learning)

5.1.8. These are the main strategies and techniques we will use in order to achieve our

objectives: techniques for the identification of previous knowledge and techniques for the

development-treatment of new contents.

5.1.8.1.Among the techniques for the identification of previous knowledge we point out:

Written questionnaires. Dialogues, cognitive maps, improvised artistic or dramatic

creations…

5.1.8.2.Among the techniques for the acquisition of new contents we may mention: Text

commentaries and commentaries of works of art. Oral exposition, debate and colloquium,

collective interview, content maps, circle diagrams, bibliographical research…

Last, but not least, these techniques will allow the performance of activities related to varied

types of content. We shall also mention the value of the techniques selected to deal with the

common elements in the curriculum.

5.2. Materials

This year, each group of students is assigned a particular classroom with movable individual

chairs and tables. There is a varied source of resources. These range from:

5.2.1.Multimedia Computer Room and Information and Communication Technologies, since we

have a broad band connection to the internet, as well as microphones, headphones, voice

recorders.... The use of this type of technologies will also enable the student to have access to

21
multiple resources of computer-based material like webquests, elaboration of web pages with

students-generated materials…

5.2.2.Audiovisual material. Video sets are permanently installed in some classrooms. They can

be used to watch series or films, especially in DVD format where the selection of languages and

the variety of subtitles can be a great help, music CD’s and cassettes, …

5.2.3.Bibliographic materials: monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, grammar and

pronunciation books, graded reading collections, English magazines (Times and Newsweek)...

5.2.4.The environment outside the school shall be considered a useful resource (libraries,

cinemas where to watch films in the FL, theatres where they can participate in dramatizations in

English, adapted to the students of this stage and level, etc.)

5.2.5.The English department will encourage and take part in as many extracurricular and

complementary activities as possible, pursuing the final goal of helping achieve the sense of

integration and togetherness with the whole educational community, as well as being involved in

activities that interest and are attractive to our students.

5.3. Some examples of printed material:

5.3.1.Vocabulary (vocabulary builders)

McCARTHY, M. & O’DELL, F.(1994) English Vocabulary in Use. C.U.P. Cambridge

WATCYN-JONES, P. (1985) Start Testing your Vocabulary. Penguin. Harmondsworth.

WATCYN-JONES, P.(1980) Test your Vocabulary 1 2 & 3. Penguin. Harmondsworth.

THOMAS, B.J. (1990) Elementary- Intermediate Vocabulary. Nelson. Surrey

5.3.2.Dictionaries

Collins English COBUILD Dictionary of the English Language. Collins. Glasgow. 1992.

HILL, J. & LEWIS, M. (Ed) (1999) LTP Dictionary of Selected Collocations. LTP. Hove.

RCHARDS, J.C.; PLATT, H. (1992) Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied

WELLS, J. C. (1990) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Longman. Harlow

22
5.3.3.Linguistics.

Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary. Encyclopaedic Edition. O.U.P. Oxford.1992

Longman Dictionary of Common Errors. Longman. Harlow. 1990

5.3.4.Grammar of the English Language.

Prepare, Student’s Book, Cambridge University Language Assessment.(2015)

Speakout, Damian Williams. Pearson.(2011)

Spencer, D. Top Team 1. Macmillan. Heinemann. Oxford. (2000)

Norman W. New Thumbs Up 1. OUP. Oxford. (2002)

Oxenden, C. (et al) English File 1. OUP. Oxford. (2003)

Grammars for classroom use: explanations and exercises.

HEATON,B. (1995) Practise Your Phrasal Verbs. Longman. London.

MURPHY, R. (1990) English Grammar in Use. C.U.P. Cambridge.

UR,P. (1998) Grammar Practice Activities. C.U.P. Cambridge.

Villacorta, P. (et al) Teen Scenes 1. Grupo Anaya. Madrid. (2004)

UNDERHILL,N. (1987) Testing Spoken Language. C.U.P. Cambridge.

WEIR, C. (1990) Communicative Language Testing. Prentice Hall. Hemel Hempstead.

KRASHEN, S. (1987) Principles and Practice in 2LA. Prentice Hall. London.

KRASHEN, S. & TERREL T.D. (1988) The Natural Approach. Prentice Hall. London.

AITKEN, R. (1992) Teaching Tenses. Nelson. Surrey.

ARNOLD,J. (1999) Affect in Language Learning. C.U.P. Cambridge.

HYMES, D. (1972) On Communicative Competence. Penguin Books. Harmondsworth.

MORGAN, J. & RINVOLUCRI, M. (1983) Once Upon a Time. C.U.P. Cambridge.

TEELER, D. (2000) How to Use the Internet in ELT. Longman. Harlow.

Games and communicative activities.

CARRIER, M. (1980) Take 5. Nelson. London.

GRANGER, C. (1986) Play Games with English. Heinemann.

23
5.3.5.Assessment

Other didactic resources available in the internet

Vocabulary

The following Internet sites allow the work of vocabulary and on-line dictionaries.

http://www.vocabulary.com

http://www.lingolex.com/esoan.htm

http://www.dictionary.com

The sites mentioned below provide possibilities of navigation, acquisition of elaborated

materials…

http://www.englishlearner.com

http://www.bbb.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.htm

http://www.englishtown.com

http://www.eslnet.net

6. - ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY. . .

6.1. Attention to diversity as a principle.

Our students are diverse. Each person is the addition of a lot of believes, feelings, genetic

backgrounds and personal circumstances. Moreover, even summing up all of these points we

will not reach the deep complexity of the difference between us.

Even if we can establish a branch of common features and needings of students at that age, the

truth is that there are so many different interests, capacities, and motivations as students in our

classroom. Providing an educational answer appropriate to this reality will have to be an

essential foundation principle. The Royal Decree regulating attention to diversity, states among

the principles of the Educational System some aspects related to this:

6.1.1.The equity that guarantees an equality of opportunities of quality, for the full development

of personality through education.

24
6.1.2.The capacity to act as a compensatory element in personal and social inequalities.

6.1.3.The flexibility to adequate its structure and organization to the changes, necessities and

demands of the society and to the diverse aptitudes interests expectations and personalities of

the students.

For that reason, this Didactic Programming has selected different text types, videos, books,

activities, related to everyday situations regarding the plurarity of the students we are expected

to teach, as we explained in part 1 of this document. They also contain relatively complex

sentences and are about topics which are properly selected and graded linguistically, and also

appealing and interesting to students at this stage: news, reports, articles, short narratives,

biographies, essays, formal and informal letters, summaries, etc.

The respect for the diversity of opinions, beliefs and social, cultural and artistic manifestations

must be considered as an objective of the subject which will be specified in contents and

proposals of activity.

The identification of students’ previous knowledge at the beginning of the year, and the

application of a test, after this period of review, shall facilitate our knowledge of the factors and

levels of diversity that exist in the classroom. The continuous assessment of the experiences

and their subsequent learning shall allow the updating and confirmation of the progression of

such differences.

6.2. General measures of attention to diversity

Contrary to the first and second year of ESO, the current legislation does not contemplate the

possibility of curricular adaptation (except for sensorial or psychological impairments – see

below) or diversification. However, this does not mean that in 4º ESO there are no mixed-ability

classes, students with different abilities and capacities or degrees of motivation. In order to cater

all these variety, we could implement the following measures:

25
6.2.1. Organization of individual work for students or groups who finish before. It keeps

advance learners’ motivation and interest, and enables teachers to offer slower learners more

time and help.

6.2.2.Development of tasks with different levels of difficulty, designed to let students choose

those which best suit their likes, skills, interests and available time according to their level of

competence.

6.2.3.Carry out additional readings on specific matters for advance pupils.

6.2.4.Systematic presentation of review and extension activities, so that students can progress

on the basis of their achieved linguistic competence: communicative functions, skills, grammar,

vocabulary...

This guarantees that all students find suitable material to foster and enhance their learning

progress, thus encouraging active participation in the classroom.

Some of the activities are deliberately simple and easy to realize, which contributes to build self-

esteem and to a sense of achievement, specially in weak students.

6.3. The attention to students with specific educational needs.

In 4º ESO, the only curricular adaptations are contemplated in cases where students have

special difficulties to follow the normal pace of work in the class, due to several impairments.

Those special cases have to be detected and informed by the staff of the Department of

Counselling and Guidance of the High School, who will also decide how to deal with the specific

personal situations. In this regard, the Department of English will obviously cooperate with the

specialists, and will implement curricular adaptations for every case, taking into account the

following:

6.3.1. Motivation is always a key issue, mainly for students that have had previously learning

problems.

26
6.3.2. The teachers must encourage relations of acceptance, of mutual help, cooperation and

respect towards the differences, built above all in the cooperative activities context, in which

relationships of interdependence among the students are created.

6.3.3.There should be coordination measures among the teachers of a course and of a stage in

relation to the contents and follow-up of their programming.

6.3.4. Among the personal means, the High School should be provided with support teachers

specialising in the impairment (be it sensorial – hearing or visual - , motoric, speaking, or

general language problems), as well as specific programs for the training of teachers.

6.3.5. Classes must be adequately equipped for those students with special educational needs

and the subsequent individualized pedagogic attention.

In all cases, we believe that the English Department should be prepared to realize the

corresponding curricular adaptation, taking as a starting from the minimum contents established

as a general rule for all students, and adapting them to the individual cases, in such a way that

this impaired students learn the fundamentals of the Fourth year of ESO.

6.4. Foreseen methodological difficulties.

Students’ lack of motivation will be a remarkable handicap. Groups don’t have advance leaders

that stimulate others to work hard and imitate them. Besides, they are mixed-ability groups, with

clear social boundaries among students from different socio-cultural background. This will

involve situations of inhibition, lack of attention and unruly behaviour of our students.

7.- ASSESSMENT .

7.1. Principles, techniques and instruments.

The LOE determine the principles and character of assessment. Thus it is understood that it

must be systematic (planned in a rigorous way), continuous and differentiated according to the

different subjects of the curriculum.

27
The referent will be the specific objectives and the knowledge acquired in every subject,

according to the assessment criteria established in the curriculum for every course.

Assessment and evaluation constitute an essential element of the educational process. It is,

therefore, a key element of the School Curriculum, and one of the factors that favour the

improvement of teaching practice quality.

In this way, assessment and evaluation will provide valuable information in three different

scopes:

1. Information to students, helping them to monitor their learning process.

2. Information to teachers on the efficiency of the methods used, and helping them in their

investigation tasks in the classroom.

3. Information about the efficacy of the curriculum and goals.

Evaluation must be a tool that allows revising the adequacy of the system to the context in

which it is going to be applied. Therefore, modifications will be periodically introduced.

The final goal of the evaluation unit must be clearly formative, to give information about the

learning process. The evaluation will be carried out along the whole process (process-oriented

approach). The teacher will encourage self-evaluation and co-evaluation in the students, so they

know what they are expected to learn, personal strategies and available resources, to regulate

their own process.

As in the stage, we must provide the means to ensure that our students pass their end of year

exams, and specially the ‘General Exams for Bachillerato’, which is the culmination of their

Secondary Education period. The materials elaborated for our Didactic Units provide a useful

tool both for the teacher and the student, in a far as it allows for re-adaptation of the syllabus

and didactic approach, after the data about the learning process have been collected and

analyzed.

The official educational guidelines establish continuous, integral assessment and evaluation.

The main questions here are:

28
7.1.1. When to assess/evaluate:

In principle, we must be assessing the learning process in every single class and throughout the

learning process and its timing:

7.1.1.1.Initial, at the beginning of each Didactic Unit, either formally or informally.

7.1.1.2.Formative, during and at the end of each Didactic Unit.

7.1.1.3.Formative and summative, at the end of each term and at the end of year.

7.1.2. What to evaluate:

We will evaluate the whole teaching and learning process, including the contents and its 3

blocks, as expressed in part four of this Didactic Programme, with special attention to:

7.1.2.1.Concepts, procedures and attitudes of communicative skills and capacities

7.1.2.2.Concepts, procedures and attitudes of language awareness, and relevant aspects

such as language functions, linguistic skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) and

subskills (vocabulary, grammar, phonetics), etc.

7.1.2.3.Concepts, procedures and attitudes regarding sociocultural contents

7.1.3. How to evaluate:

Taking into account that evaluation should be global, wide and continuous, it is logical to

conclude that it has to be flexible in techniques and instruments. Here are some examples:

7.1.3.1. Pupil’s Observation notebook.- the work that pupils carry out everyday in class

allows the teacher to observe them and assess their progress. We enclose an annexed

observation sheet here with: ANNEXE II. It is an example model to which more aspects can

be added.

7.1.3.2. Self-Evaluation Sheet. At the end of each unit, students review and reflect on what

they have learnt (self-evaluation).

7.1.3.3. Tests. At the beginning of unit 1 students will carry out a previously acquired

knowledge test, to check their previous knowledge. Students will pass through at least a test

29
 every term and a final test at the end of the year that will allow both teachers and students to

obtain additional information about their progress and possible learning gaps.

7.1.3.4. Final Task Evaluation Sheets. It is advisable that our students place the project work

on the English Corner board or on the class walls. Students observe and assess their mates’

works (peer-evaluation), by filling in the final task evaluation sheet ANNEX III.

7.2. Assessment criteria of the subject in the official curriculum. Connections

7.2.1. Communicative skills.

7.2.1.1. To extract global/specific information from different types of oral and written texts

related to the topic (living abroad, travelling, etc.) by using the adequate strategies to infer

and understand meaning and by selecting the relevant information, demonstrating their

comprehension with a specific task. We are assessing here the students’ capacity to select

information from varied sources, required to construct new elements of their knowledge.

7.2.1.2. To participate fluently in natural, authentic conversations and debates related to

curricular or sociocultural aspects of the English-speaking countries, and be able to use the

communication and discourse strategies which are appropriate to the situation. We will

assess here also the student’s capacity to interact in authentic settings, respond

comprehensibly to unpredicted situations and exchanges, negotiation of meaning, etc.

7.2.1.3. To read in an autonomous way different types of texts, related to current news,

literary works, the media, both as a source of information and for enjoyment; and, from that

reading, carry out specific tasks with the information provided. Through this criterion we are

assessing the students’ capacity to select non-literary texts with informative or literary aims,

and for enjoyment.

7.2.1.4.To write / produce complex texts from the information previously selected, related to

different communicative intentions, with special care for the conventions of written

communication - so that it may be comprehensible – as well as the principles of coherences,

cohesion and type of discourse/text . With that, we are evaluating the students’ capacity to

30
 express their ideas in texts of their own in a coherent manner, respecting the English

grammar rules and with a specific aim.

7.2.1.5.To be aware and capable of understanding and using the types language and

register which are appropriate to the real situation and communicative context:

formal/informal, etc. We are assessing now the students’ capacity to select the emotive

component embedded in the communicative discourse in order to use it adjusting to the

concrete context and situation.

7.2.2. Language and language awareness.

7.2.2.1. To use reflexively all possible linguistic, sociolinguistic, strategic and discursive

resources already acquired and apply rigorously the self-correction mechanisms to reinforce

their learning autonomy. By this we can assess the student’s’capacity to control their own

learning process, identifying their possible errors, in order to correct them and in this way

make progress in the mastery of English, with an increasing autonomy.

7.2.2.2. To spontaneously use the learning strategies already acquired and consult reference

materials such as dictionaries of different types, grammars, recordings and other sources, in

order to solve new problems that may come up in the communication process, or deepen

their knowledge of the linguistic and sociocultual system of the FL. This criterion will help us

measure the students’ capacity to use in an autonomous way the resources, information

sources and reference materials in all tasks in or outside their classroom.

7.2.2.3. To analyze and reflect on the different components of communicative competence

as elements that help achieve successful communication – we are assessing now the

students’ capacity to use and implement the adequate communication strategies, or, by

default, elaborating others that may replace them in certain communicative contexts.

7.2.2.4. To appreciate the effectiveness of rules learned through inductive-deductive

process, and show the capacity to modify them if necessary. With this we assess whether

31
 the student is able to reflect on the formal and functional aspects of the FL and apply the

result of that reflection to new linguistic contexts.

7.2.3. Socio-cultural Aspects.

7.2.3.1. Analyze, understand, extract and interpret critically the implicit and explicit

sociocultural information contained in authentic texts. With this we will assess the students’

capacity to identify, analyze and interpret critically the sociocultural data transmitted by

English, from selected texts and materials.

7.2.3.2.Identify the different non-linguistic elements that define distinct groups in the L2

community: gestures, behaviours, and specific cultures. Through this we assess the degree

of learning of non-linguistic communication strategies which are characteristic of English.

7.2.3.3. To use adequate registers considering the communication context.

7.2.3.4. To appreciate and understand the information and values transmitted by the foreign

culture, which are characteristic of the English-speaking countries civilization and

international communication, from the standpoint of the student’s professional and future

development. This criterion with check the students’ capacity to appreciate the learning of

English as a tool for their future career and as a communication means to integrate in a

multicultural society.

All the above have been reflected an taken into account when selecting the assessment

material for the Didactic Units supplied.

7.3. Foundation.

According to what is established by the regulations about assessment these criteria are a

development of the specific stage objectives of the subject and the General Objectives of the

Stage common to every subject. Apart from this normative foundation, the formulation of our

criteria is justified by such reasons as the following:

32
7.3.1. Mastery of essential contents of the programme, for example:

Identification of socio-cultural features related to the texts and communication situations

worked with in the classroom.

Identification of the global and specific information in oral texts (conversations, brief

expositions and dialogues) about topics, which are familiar to the student and also in original

written texts, simple and with a limited extension.

Comparison between the social and cultural elements transmitted by the foreign language

and the ones of our culture and society.

7.3.2. Development of learning to learn strategies:

Participation in oral exchanges, related to well-known situations for the students.

Work Plans, actions of search of information in different English sources.

Personal Assessment of the processes followed and the results obtained.

7.3.3. Progress in the development of communicative strategies:

Analysis and appreciation of the information obtained through different sources.

Active and coherent participation in discussions and debates.

Elaboration of written documents systematic, rigorous and well based.

Oral exposition of studied ideas, arguments and topics.

7.4. Marking referents and indicators.

The development of evaluation criteria includes tests, oral and written class work and an

identification of the students’ overall attitude.

In each of the units there will be one test. Each test will be focused on demonstrating the

synthesis and application of the material concerned, thus reflecting the development of the

student with regards to conceptual, attitudinal and procedural development and should include

the following:

33
- Selection and memorisation of important information.

-The identification of basic concepts expressed in a coherent and correct manner. (Personalised

and standardised).

- Application of the studied material (via examples and contrasting the relationship between new

material and that which was previously dealt with, etc.)

- Analysis of subject content expressed through different mechanisms (highlighting, structuring

of texts, underlining).

- Synthesis of essential information through different techniques (outlines summaries...).

- Evaluation and value assignation of different types of information: truth of data, relevance and

meaning of arguments and clarity and ideological content.

- Creation of texts that imply a personal opinion and integration of previous material.

The test will be subject to the student’s own evaluation of their progress where they will receive

a series of specific guidelines for the self-evaluation of each task.

The marks and percentages will be as follows:

1. Final tasks: 15 %

2- Evaluation exams (at least 1 per term): 60 %

2. Students’ attitude, participation, cooperation and interest towards English learning: 10%

3. Homework: 15%

The marks / grades in tests and exams can be broken down like this:

The four skills (S, L, R, W) – they will share the same percentage in any test: 40 % of the global

mark (10 % each skill).

Linguistic elements: grammar – 20 %; phonetics – 15 %; vocabulary – 15 %; attitude – 5 %;

readers – 5 %

As corrective measures, the minimum mark obtained in each of the above sections should not

be inferior to 3 point on a 10 point scale. This guarantees a balanced learning process and

prevents some students from quitting any of the assessment and grading instruments.

34
Finally, the marks obtained in class will constitute between 20 % and 40 % of the global marks;

written tests and exams will be allocated between 40% and the 75% of the final mark; and a top

of 25 % for the rest.

All of the evaluation parameters will be made known to the students as well as their family

member. Finally, we must not forget that current regulations establish that parents should be

informed of the assessment process with regard to their children at least 3 times a year. We will

do this at the end of every term, after the corresponding evaluation sessions.

35
8.- BIBLIOGRAPHY.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

This programme is based in the Organic Law 2/2006 of May 3, ( LOE ) which establish the
minimum teaching requirements of each of the subjects that is, the basics features of its
objectives, competences, contents and assessment, in order to ensure a common academic
training for all the students in the territory of Spain.
This is specified in Royal Decree 1631/2006, of 29 December which establishes the minimum
educational Compulsory Secondary Education.
In addition to this, the LOE states that the competent education authorities will be responsible
for establishing the curriculum respecting the minimum teaching requirements. In our case,
Decree 23/2007, of 10 May, of the Consejo de Gobierno, establishes the curriculum of
Compulsory Secondary Education in the Comunidad de Madrid

OTHER SOURCES

GIMENO SACRISTÁN, J. (1989): Teoría de la enseñanza y desarrollo del Currículo. –

Salamanca. Anaya.

GIMENO SACRISTÁN y PÉREZ GÓMEZ (1985): la enseñanza: su teoría y su práctica. Madrid:

Akal.

REIGELUTH, CH.(2000) : Diseño de la instrucción. Madrid: Santillana (col. Aula XXI)

COLL, C. (1986): Psicología y currículum. Una aproximación psicopedagógica a la elaboración

del currículum escolar. Barcelona. Laia. . .

CARRETERO, M (1993) : Constructivismo y educación . Zaragoza: Luis Vives.

GARDNER (2001) La inteligencia reformulada. Las inteligencias múltiples en el siglo XXI.

Barcelona: Paidós

GIORDAN y DE VECCHI (1988) Los orígenes del saber, de las concepciones personales a los

conceptos científicos. Sevilla: Diada.

MONEREO, C. (2001) Referencia constructivista. Cuadernos de Pedagogía. Febrero.

POZO, J.I.(1989) Teorías cognitivas del aprendizaje. Madrid: Morata

VVAA (2001): Redes de aprendizaje. Barcelona. Gedisa.

36
37