Coordination of Bilingualism

BRITISH COUNCIL SECOND TEACHER TRAINING SESSION

2012-02-02T12:36:00.000-06:00

ASPAEN and the British Council are promoting teacher training sessions in order English and CLIL teachers to improve their practices in the CIE bilingual curriculum at ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua.

In this sense, English and CLIL teachers had their second training session on the CLIL methodology with professor Maya Briggs, from the British Council. The training was from the 16^th to the 20^th of January, 2012. The sessions were focused on CLIL lesson planning, language demands and accompanying tasks, teaching vocabulary, choosing tasks, adapting and selecting written material, adapting and selecting videos, integrating technology and classroom language. English and CLIL teachers were highly satisfied with this opportunity and assured that their teaching knowledge increased and will be put into practice with their students, who will be benefited from all of this.

MOVERS AND PET CAMBRIDGE TESTS WERE A SUCCESS AT ASPAEN GIMNASIO LA FRAGUA

2011-11-09T08:29:00.000-06:00

By: Wilson Burgos Aroca, Coordinator of Bilingualism.

Students from fifth grade took the MOVERS Cambridge Test in the “Fernando Escallón Azcuénaga” Auditorium at ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua on October 28^th, 2011. This test is at level A1, according to the Common European Framework. Students feel comfortable taking the exam and anxious to know the results, which will be available in January, 2012. Test takers were trained by teacher Jhon Edison Devia, their English teacher with the collaboration of other colleagues.

On the other side, students from tenth grade took the PET Cambridge test on November 4^th and 5^th, 2011. This test is at level B1, according to the Common European Framework. Students were glad to take it and the results will be available online on December 9^th, 2011. Hard copies of the certifications will be at school by January, 2012. The Coordination of Bilingualism designed a training course for the exam and all English teachers supported it by training the students every Wednesday from 12:00 m. to 2:00 p.m.

ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua wishes the best for these test takers in their exams!

XIII SPELLING BEE CONTEST

2011-10-31T10:21:00.000-06:00

By: Wilson Burgos Aroca, Coordinator of Bilingualism

This year, ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua held the XIII Spelling Bee Contest on October 20^th and 21^st. The event took place at Chicalá Hotel with the participation of more than seventy private and public schools from Neiva and Huila.

Contestants had a great challenge when spelling the words from the contest. However, the advanced spelling level was widely observed from the students. Participants were divided into two categories:

Category A: contestants from third to sixth grade.

Category B: contestants from seventh to eleventh grade.

Category A spellers learnt 150 words for the contest. On the other hand, category B students had 200 words. The contest was carried out in two modalities: (1) the judge pronounced the word and the contestant spelled it, and (2) the judge spelled the word and students pronounced it.

After a high competition, the judge selected six winners: three from category A and three from category B. These were the winners:

Category A

Champion: Isabella García Vargas – ASPAEN Gimnasio Yumaná.

Second place: Sergio Andrés Montenegro – Colegio Empresarial de los Andes.

Third place: Nicolás Rodríguez García – Gimnasio Los Robles.

Category B

Champion:Julián Esteban Pérez Sotelo – Colegio San Juan de Laboyos, Pitalito.

Second place: Tania Alexandra López – Institución Educativa Santa Librada.

Third place: María Camila Suárez Vargas – ASPAEN Gimnasio Yumaná.

Best contestant from a public school (category B)

Winner: Tania Alexandra López – Institución Educativa Santa Librada.

ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua gave the following prices:

Category A:

Champion: A laptop, a trophy, a scholarship to study English and a scholar package.

Second place: A trophy and a scholarship to study English and a scholar package.

Third place: a trophy and a scholar package.

Category B:

Champion: A laptop, a trophy, a scholarship to study English and a scholar package.

Second place: A trophy and a scholarship to study English and a scholar package.

Third place: a trophy and a scholar package.

ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua 2011 Spelling Bee organizers also gave a laptop to the student from a public school who got further in the contest in category B.

We hope that all interested spellers take part into in the contest next year! You can contact M.A. Wilson Burgos at bilinguismo@lafragua.edu for further information.

English teacher Jesús Hermosa; Isabella García Vargas, winner of category A; Sergio Andrés Montenegro, second place; Nicolás Rodríguez García, third place; Fitzroy Kennedy, judge of the contest; and Wilson Burgos Aroca, Coordinator of Bilingualism.

English teacher Jesús Hermosa; Julián Esteban Pérez Sotelo, winner of Category B; Tania Alexandra López, second place and best contestant from a public school; Fitzroy Kennedy, judge of the contest; María Camila Suárez Vargas, third place; and Wilson Burgos Aroca, Coordinator of Bilingualism.

More pictures: www.lafragua.edu.co

ASPAEN GIMNASIO LA FRAGUA STARTED THE SATURDAY ENGLISH CLUB

2011-08-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

ASPAEN Gimnasio La Fragua students and English teachers started the Saturday English Club on August 13^th, 2011. Sixty learners from elementary, middle and high school took part of this marvelous project. The main objective of this initiative is to involve school pupils in a variety of tasks which help them to be more motivated towards language learning and to improve their English level.