The magic teacher
Learning a foreign language at nursery school – results from the project

Traute Taeschner

Children are immediately enchanted by the Dinocrocs characters and stories, and teachers are quick to see their appeal. However, behind the attractive presentation is something even more impressive: a body of thinking and research of crucial significance to anyone who wants to see young children successfully learning another language.

The Hocus and Lotus model of language learning seeks the answers to questions of vital importance to teachers and trainers, planners and policymakers throughout the world:

• How do we get young children to communicate in a language which neither they nor their teachers speak well?
• How can we tap into children's natural ability to acquire languages?

Professor Taeschner explains how she has translated key principles from child psychology and language-acquisition theory into practical language-learning activities, along with partners in Italy and across Europe.

The magic teacher explains the thinking behind the Hocus and Lotus model and offers an understanding of how its achievements and insights can be applied to other contexts.

Contents

Foreword. Teresa Tinsley | The project. Traute Taeschner | Teachers evaluate the training. Traute Taeschner, Giorgia di Matteo, Roberta Bertogna | Do the adults learn? Traute Taeschner, Bianca Caredda, Simona Fedi | The children learn a new language. Traute Taeschner, Maria Angela Calenda, Alfia Arcidiacono | The magic teacher. Traute Taeschner, Patrizia Testa, Marco Cacioppo

2005 | 226pp | ISBN-13: 978-1-904243-46-5 | ISBN-10: 1-904243-46-0 | £18 | Order this title online

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