Developing oral skills in a Bilingual School: The Show & Tell

Abstract

Study focused on how teachers come together to increase Oral Skills in their students in the context of a bilingual state school, developing different techniques and strategies, with special emphasis on the Oral Presentation works at the final stage of the Primary Education. In the last ten years of this programme, a great systematization has taken place to help new teachers who might join this innovative project. It involves a special philosophy in teachers, which is based on consultation and collaboration. Teachers are open to use new methodologies and to consider theories such as the cognitive apprenticeship or the importance of learning in a social context. Results have shown a sufficient evidence of a significant change in children who benefit from a bilingual education with a very distinct approach from the traditional focus of learning English as a second language. Likewise, the enrolment demand of the school has increased considerably in the past ten years due to its attainments in a bilingual education in the referred school, aspect considered to be very positive by the parents.