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Hocus and Lotus resources
This innovative learning material for young children is the result of a European research project involving child development and language specialists from across Europe. It is now being made available to teachers in the UK, through an agreement between CILT and the project co-ordinators at the University of Rome.
This material is designed to introduce a new language to very young children (from age 3), but it also very suitable for use with pupils in Key Stage 2. It is effective both as a method in its own right and as a supplement to enrich schemes of work.
The Dinocrocs material uses a narrative approach based on the adventures of two cartoon characters, Hocus and Lotus. Using songs, drama and stories which are acted out in the classroom, it is designed to appeal to young children’s desire to hear the same story over and over again. The texts and scripts have been carefully developed to assist the process of language acquisition through repetition and through visual clues which support understanding. Teachers who themselves have only limited knowledge of the new language will find the method enjoyable and easy to use. The videos and CDs provide an invaluable model of authentic pronunciation.
Teacher’s kitThis provides the text of six simple stories which recount the adventures of Hocus and his friend Lotus. It also provides a guide to actions, mimes and facial expressions to support pupils’ understanding. The accompanying Teacher’s guide explains ideas behind the 'narrative-format approach' and there is also a DVD exemplifying good practice in five languages (including English) and a T-shirt in its own special bag. 2004 | Teacher's guide + DVD + T-shirt +bag | £45 (inc VAT) | Order this kit online: |
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T-shirts and bagsThe idea behind the Hocus and Lotus stories is that the pupils and teacher enter a magic world together, where only the new language is spoken. To assist this process, the developers of the material recommend that teacher and pupils wear a special ‘magic’ T-shirt. The adult’s T-shirt comes as an integral part of the Teacher’s kit. Children’s T-shirts may be ordered separately, each with its own special bag. |
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DVD and VideoThese cartoon stories have been produced in high TV-quality format – the English versions have been broadcast to large audiences on Italian TV. They can be either be used in class, or made available to parents for children to view at home to reinforce their learning. Experience shows that children quickly identify with the cartoon characters and the magic world they inhabit, and are eager to see each episode over and over again. This repetition underlies the success of the method. Each DVD contains 6 episodes of The Hocus and Lotus series in five languages: French, Spanish, German, Italian and English. DVDs 2007 (level 1) / 2008 (levels 2 to 5) | 35 mins per language | £12 (inc VAT) |
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Order Hocus and Lotus DVDs online: VHS video 2004 | 35 mins | £11 (inc VAT) | Order these videos online: |
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Singalong CD and bookletEach CD contains six songs which repeat the stories in musical form, with lyrics contained in an accompanying booklet. Once again, these may be used either in the classroom, or afterwards as ‘homework’. The songs, like the cartoons, have been specially written for maximum appeal to young children, so they will be eager to learn the songs and join in performing them. These materials have been developed with the support of the European Commission and the University of Rome, La Sapienza. |
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2004 | 30 mins
+ 32pp | £7.50 (inc.VAT) | Order CDs online: |
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The
magic teacher
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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:
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. 2005 | 226pp | ISBN-13: 978-1-904243-46-5 | ISBN-10: 1-904243-46-0 | £15 | Order this title online |
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