Lets Daltonize English in China

I gave the workshop on Innovative program to teach English in Dalton Schools:

 "Let's Daltonize English".

The program is currently being implemented in the Chinese Xinhua Dalton School.

Let's Daltonize English

Veerle and Ruben took part in an experimental transferring program into praxis, according to their type of intelligence.

They enjoyed this innovative lesson.

New initiative: Dalton Culture Corner.

It includes topics on British and American culture, based on the traditional elements of  'The Dalton Laboratory Plan'. This innovative program is directed to children in primary education aged 8-11.
The basic pillars of the program: daily, weekly and monthly ASSIGNMENTS evaluated in a form of a 'CONFERENCE'- the equivalent of the present Reflection element.
During CONFERENCE students elaborate in a Laboratory.  This can be a special corner in the classroom equiped with basic materials to create culture ASSIGNMENT. Program consists of five cultural topics. The program includes ready- to- implement materials for children and lesson descriptions for teachers.


Helen Parkhurst on an assignment: "Ït is not much to say that the Dalton Laboratory Plan hinges upon the assignment; for on the degree of skill and understanding with which it is compiled, the successful application of the new plan will largely depend..."


Helen Parkhurst on a CONFERENCE (nowadays the term is often used as a reflection): "If, for example, a particularly interesting theme is assigned as a problem in science or in history, the  teacher should find in it good material for an essay, debate, or for an oral conference...which will result in cooperation in this development"














H. Parkhurst, Education on the Dalton Plan,  E.P. Dutton and Company, New York 1994.

Susan F. Semel recalling Howard Gardner's statement on necesssity to focus on child's individual interests:
"The child-centered strand of progressive education that Dalton represented, helped to create a school climate that was particularly tolerant of individual differences....progressive teachers created assignements, and classroom environments that nurtureed, what Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner terms "multiple intelligence" ....."In sum, Dalton became a place where individual differences- physical as well as cognitive- were considered to be part of living, for Dalton attempted to be in Deweyan terms "an embryonic community"


(Susan F. Samel, The Dalton School, Peter Lang Publishing, New York 1992, p. 102).

From 16 untill 22 March 2018 I participate in the training of teachers 

at the  'Shenzhen Xinhua Dalton School' - China.

My concentric level around the 'Golden Circle' published in "Dalton Inspiration" magazine

Child-centered education is already 100 years a huge step into the future. But now actual as ever. It is important not only what, how and why we teach. These issues have been illustrated in the scheme of Simon Sinek, who introduced the concept of "golden circle". This "Golden Circle" is being implemented in the Dutch Dalton pedagogy of the 21st century. However, in my opinion, we must not forget that the starting point of education should be a child, since it is the pupil that is the most important ! Therefore, I decided to enrich the well-known scheme of the golden circle of Simon Sinek. Above all, the issue of who we teach plays a significant role. The diagram below has been enriched with the aspect of "who", and consequently placing each pupil as the subject of the entire educational process. It is derived from the Dalton philosophy itself, based most of all on a respect to every child. Like once Helen Parkhurst stated: “The Dalton Plan should primarily be regarded as a way of school living. It is way wherein each young individual soul can find opportunity for the use and the expression of the best in him lies. Only so can personality reach its highest development and learning become pregnant with purpose”[1]

 A link to the magazine with my full article: https://issuu.com/yeystudio/docs/inspiracje-daltonskie-nr-1



The above diagram emphasizes the importance of the pupil in a holistic perspective, taking into account integral development, but most of all respect.

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[1] H. Parkhurst, An explanation of the Dalton Laboratory Plan, Dalton Association, Cornwall Gardens, London 1926.

Today I visited 'Daltonschool de Leeuwerik' in Leiderdorp.

This school is the Dutch pilot school in my research about Early English Teaching.

I could speak with some teachers about our cooperation and planning for the near future.

NEW WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS IN KINDERGARTEN

Teaching English language on the level of Kindergarten is not completely new, but in my workshop I combine the English language teaching with Multiple Intelligences.

After a short theoretical part and some exercises, many practical examples how to train skills are available for the participants.

Write me an Email for more information

 

During the Dalton conference in Lublin, organized by the Polish Dalton Association,

I introduced my research project :

Dalton Plan pedagogy in English Language Education in Kindergartens

with the use of Multiple Intelligences.