UNIVERSITY OF CASTILLA- LA MANCHA

Faculty of Education in Albacete

Subject: Education and Society
Lecturer: Antonio Cebrin Martnez and M del Carmen Snchez Prez
Academic year: 2015/2016

RESEARCH PROJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING

IN PRIMARY EDUCATION IN SPAIN AND POLAND

Students: Mara Lizn, Andrea Martnez,

MDolores Ortega, Paola Garca,
Beniamin towski
Grade of Primary Education in Albacete
2nd level group B

INDEX

1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................
1.1. Topic selection and statement of the problem...............................................................
1.2. Context and territory......................................................................................................
2. MAIN PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES...............................................................................
3. METHODS AND RESEARCH TECHNIQUES.................................................................
3.1. Population and sample...................................................................................................
3.2. Methodology..................................................................................................................
3.3. Techniques.....................................................................................................................
a. Questionnaire for English language teachers...................................................................
b. Questionnaire for English language students...................................................................
c. Interview with company's managers.
d. Planning
4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
4.1. Bilingual schools in Spain.
4.2.How teachers teach English
4.3. Problems of teaching English in Spain
4.4. Foreign languages in Spanish curriculum.
4.5. Foreign languages teaching in primary education in Poland.
5. ACTIVITIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT...
6. REFERENCES.

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Topic selection and statement of the problem
Increasing globalization, rapid transfer of information and developing media causes
that proficiency in one language is not enough nowadays. The phenomenon of
globalization facilitates communication of all nationalities, therefore English is the most
common language to use in communication in all over the world.
People who do not speak English can sometimes feel socially excluded, since this
language started to appears in everyday life, in every country in the world. Employers also
pay attention to foreign language fluency, and English is mostly essential. That is why the
teaching of English language in primary schools should be one of the most important
competence. Basic proficiency in English allows students to different kinds of exchanges
like Erasmus Plus Program, participation in international projects or even traveling.

1.2. Context and territory

We are a group of English teachers from different schools public, private and
bilingual, from Spain and Poland. We would like to discover in which country education
system is better and answer the question: why the level of language proficiency is different
between compared countries? Why do young people in Spain and Poland have problems
with communication in a foreign language, even if they learned it before in the school? We
are curious if is the fault of teachers, teaching methods, the education system or maybe
attitudes of students?

2. MAIN PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The main purpose of our project is improving English language teaching in
Primary schools in Spain and Poland. By comparing the methods and results of foreign
language teaching in primary education in our countries, we would like to find the reasons
of insufficient language proficiency.
Our main objectives are:

Objective

Methodology and technique

1. Being aware about the current English - Research about the current English
language education system in Primary language education system in Spain and
schools in Spain and Poland.

Poland - review of the literature, articles

and data
2. Comparison between education systems - Comparison of data and results
between Spain and Poland.

3. Discover which methodology in teaching - Collect information from the pupils and
English language is better and most teachers preferences about the methods
effective.

used

in

teaching

English

based

on

questionnaires and interviews with pupils

and teachers in schools.
4. Find out what may be the reasons of - Analysis of teaching methods based on
different language proficiency.

questionnaires filled out by students and

teachers

5. Consequences of studying languages in - Making interviews with big companys

the professional future of every child.

managers (one company from Spain and

one from Poland)

3. METHODS AND RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

3.1. Population and sample
We chose five groups of pupils from the five different schools from Spain and
Poland: public, private and bilingual, which have English language as an obligatory
subject. Each group has about 20 students.

3.2. Methodology
We are going to use mix methodologies quantitative and qualitative:
questionnaires given to the children, questionnaires given to the English teachers and
making interviews with companys managers.

3.3. Techniques
a. Questionnaire for English language teachers

CUESTIONARIO PARA PROFESORES

Nombre: ..........................
Centro:
Curso escolar: .
Atencin: Esta encuesta servir solamente para de uso acadmico y, por lo tanto, para
mejorar dicho centro.
Marque en cada casilla con una X la opcin que ms se adece a su opinin. Las
respuestas a cada pregunta van numeradas del 1 al 5, siendo 1 lo ms insatisfecho
posible/nada y 5 lo mximo/totalmente.
PREGUNTAS
1
Le gusta el Sistema Educativo actual?
Sigue con normalidad las guas del libro?
Suele dar todos los contenidos estipulados por la LOMCE?
Est satisfecho con las horas que se imparten para esta
asignatura?
Se siente cmodo con el resto de compaeros de su mencin?
Se siente satisfecho con el nivel de sus alumnos?
Piensa que debera mejorar su nivel de ingls?
Por lo tanto, piensa que sus alumnos podran mejorar sus niveles?
Considera que manda una cantidad adecuada de deberes a sus
alumnos?
Considera que su metodologa es la adecuada para impartir esta
asignatura?
Se siente satisfecho con los materiales que el colegio le
proporciona?
Cree que el gobierno pone demasiado empeo en el nivel del
profesorado?
En comparacin con otros pases en cuanto al ingls, piensa que

la educacin est siendo correcta?

Considera que ensea demasiada gramtica?
Le dedica tiempo a preparar sus clases?
Suele realizar pruebas por escrito?
Suele realizar pruebas orales?
COMENTARIOS

b. Questionnaire for English language students

CUESTIONARIO PARA ALUMNOS

Nombre:..
Centro:
Curso escolar:.
Atencin: Esta encuesta servir solamente para de uso acadmico y, por lo tanto, para
mejorar dicho centro.
Marque en cada casilla con una X la opcin que ms se adece a su opinin. Las
respuestas a cada pregunta van numeradas del 1 al 5, siendo 1 lo ms insatisfecho
posible/nada y 5 lo mximo/totalmente.
PREGUNTAS
En clase, Prefieres hablar en ingls con tus
compaeros o hacer los ejercicios del libro?
Entiendes cuanto tu profesora te explica la
gramtica y ortografa?
Qu parte de la asignatura practicas ms?
(listening, writing, grammar and vocabulary,
reading or speaking)

Te aburres en clase de ingls?

Te gustara seguir aprendiendo idiomas?
Sueles tener muchos deberes para hacer en casa?
Sueles hacer habitualmente los ejercicios de la
asignatura sin problemas?
Haces en clase actividades con el resto de
compaeros, o las haces individualmente?

c. Interview with companys managers.

Questions to companys managers:
1.
2.
3.
4.

At the time to choose one candidate in which aspect do you emphasize more?
Does the level of English of this person influences in your decision?
Which level of English do you require at list?
Which is the most important skill that a candidate must have in English for working

5.
6.
7.
8.

in your company?
Which is the most careful skill that Spanish (Polish) candidates present?
And the best?
How often does your company use English in daily work?
Does your company stablish relationships with countries that cant speak English

fluently?
9. Does your company stablish relationships with countries that speak only English?
10. If you had to mark the grade of importance that has speaking English for working
in your company in a scale 1-10, how important would it be?

PLANNING

1. 1 April 2016 Research about the current English language education system in Spain
and Poland review of the literature, articles and data (1 month)
2. 15 April 2016 The social and historical studies of these countries (2 weeks)
3. 2 May 2016 Comparison of materials and datas (2 weeks)
4. 16 May 2016 Collect information from the pupils and teachers preferences about the
methods used in teaching English. Doing questionnaires and interviews with pupils and
teachers in schools. (1 week)
- Contact with the schools
- Meetings
5. 16 May 2016 Making interviews with companys managers (one company from Spain
and one from Poland) (1 week)
- Contact with companies
- Meetings

6. 23 May 2016 Checking questionnaires and making conclusions about the whole
project (1 week)
7. 27 May 2016 End of the project

4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
4.1. Bilingual Schools in Spain.
Organization
Bilingual schools or European sections.

The trend is to put stable template much more better English teachers. To be able to

impart the DLL in the best possible way.

Areas that teach English: 1 h more than English per week. Social and natural, artistic,

music, EF. But language and math are taught in Spanish.

In Castile - the spot there are 7 schools that have an agreement with the British council,
in addition to bilingual and this means that 50% of lesson time is taught in English,
there are two teachers of English from child support, since child teacher taught the

lesson in Spanish.
The methodology used is similar to the English methodology, works for project
including all subjects, add topics about culture, geography,... English, added an hour

more of English, we have an English reader (helps teachers to practice the English)
Specific courses for teachers of schools of this type.
As we have more resources, they can unfold classes, do workshops, to work with fewer
numbers of students.
There is a British curriculum specific to work in these schools.
Earlier meetings between teachers and students in different schools of this type were
made.
We have a consultant who is the coordinates and brings together all projects at all levels.

A tutor function.
All tutors have level B2 or higher English, therefore within his tutoring taught social,
natural, inglesa (que se integra en el proyecto), artistic language and math session.
Example: Social, the Roman House, studying history of the Romans, they study the
past in English, make a mosaic drawing, learn vocabulary, in mathematics you calculate
the tesserae of a mosaic.

The Advisory indicates where to get each course, coordinating the concepts and the
English grammar level in different courses.

4.2. How teachers teach English

Teachers today are often asked to address the difficulty of satisfying the diversity of
need within one classroom. They have to find the way to capture the interest of pupils. We
cant assume that English will be the favourite subject of every child, so we should aim to
draw on their different skills and interests by bringing knowledge from other subject areas
into English classroom. In doing this, we will be catering for everyone and, at the same
time, fostering positive attitudes in class. In addition, English takes on more meaning
when the pupils realise that they can use it to learn about other subjects and that it is not
just a separate subject on its own. Cross-curricular teaching (they transfer different areas of
the curriculum) motivates those who struggle to see the relevance of English to their own
lives.
Apart from this, every child uses a class book to work on it in class and also at home,
so its very important that teachers use these books correctly and choose the best ones.
From the very beginning, every book (it doesnt mind the editorial of it) has some
characters and some stories, so that its more interesting for children.
In every unit, these characters meet one character more, so children have to look at
the flashcards of all the contacts and guessing who the new friend will be. With this, the
teacher uses the flashcards to present the vocabulary related to the central topic of the unit.
This means that the presentation of the topic and the vocabulary connected with it are very
enjoyable. The last unit has a different topic, so the pupils visit a web page in which they
discover things about the real world.
Finally, the pupils make their own story book and revise the unit. They personalise
what they have studied and revise the vocabulary and the structures they have learnt.
On one hand, they practise the listening and speaking. They practise it through active
listening, vocabulary building and phonemic awareness activities. At first, the focus is on
recognition and assimilation of key language, and on its pronunciation. Following this,
they are quickly encouraged to actually use the language spontaneously through short

dialogues and games, activities which are designed to make them feel more and more selfconfident in their use of English.
On the other hand, they also practise reading and writing. The reading activities are
carefully structured and carefully planned because as far as possible the pupils tend to be
thinking of beginning to prepare their reading level of ESO. The books also gives pupils
strategies which help them to learn independently and to prepare themselves for the work
that awaits them in secondary education. Also books provides a great variety of writing
activities which should reinforce the language taught and give the pupils the maximum of
self-confidence in themselves as learners. Books offer guided writing activities, as well as
personalised activities which let the pupils be more spontaneous. All the activities are
carefully thought out and presented and as with the reading activities, they are carefully
structured so that pupils can do them with a minimum of errors.
But also, at the end of each unit or even at the end of two or three (depending on the
interests of the teacher) there is an evaluation. Evaluation in Primary should be an integral
part of the teaching and learning process, and, above all, formative. Evaluation material is
therefore provided in almost all books in the Evaluation and Competences Booklet on the
Teachers Resource CD-ROM. The Teachers Resource contains various tools of observing
and measuring progress, including a test for each unit, each term and a test for the end of
the school year.
In a European context, books are now moving towards the use of the Portfolio. To
that end the course also suggests activities to evaluate each pupils on-going learning,
strengthening the idea that we should not only evaluate by testing. Self-evaluation plays an
important part, and it is seen as a key motivating factor.
In conclusion, nowadays the methodology of teaching English has changed a lot and,
of course, each teacher has a different way of teaching, but they have a lot of good options
to ensure good teaching and with the best quality. One is working on the books, but they
dont have to use them as the only option, there are infinite options to use and, all the
options together, will make the level of children better and they will feel self-confident
about another language (not talking about the mother language).

4.3. Problems of teaching English in Spain

1. The problem is a set of factors whose main appearance is in the oral aspect. Are
very few used to watch English movies or watch TV in this language. Also when it
is taught English begins by grammar when in fact one should begin by the oral
part.
2.

The lack of adequate level of some teachers and teachers of English. This tends to
be very common in primary-school teachers. Isn't that teachers do not have the
knowledge necessary to teach the class in you inflate, what is that after years of
giving the same content just unchanged, the teacher loses oral fluency necessary to
promote language immersion

3.

Not possible to teach a language with guarantees in classes with more than 30-35
students. We should learn from European countries where the language classes are
generally up to with an average of 20 students or less.

4.

An increase in the number of hours devoted to the homeworks of English does not
increase scores in any of the evaluated (controlling for hours dedicated to math)
skills, but rather quite the opposite. Also a greater number of English a week at the
Center seems not to affect performance. This evidence, in some way against
intuitive, suggests the need to make a greater effort to understand the dynamics of
work and learning of the English language in Spain.

In my opinion in Spain they do lack English teachers that motivate children, not only
to teach them in a monotonous way contents (learn the grammar and vocabulary by
heart...) I also believe that teachers of English and bilingual should be professionally
prepared to teach their classes in a correct way.
I think that a very serious fault is the increase of the ratio of the classrooms, because
in addition to cause distractions in students, it makes that the professor has less opportunity
to interact with students orally, and that they learn as well.

4.4. Foreign languages in Spanish curriculum.

The goal is that the student acquires the communicative competence in the language
chosen. It is intend, essentially, the student to learn how to use the language rather than
learning contents.
For that, is necessary stablish sub-competences:
Grammatical (capacity to use the rules of functioning of the languages system)
Discursive (capacity for using different types of speech and organizing according with
the situation.)
sociolinguistic (capacity for ad equating the phrases in a determined context)
strategic (capacity for defining and correcting during the communicative situation)
sociocultural (understood as a familiar level with the social and cultural context where a
language is used).
Unless this is the final target, it has several shades depending on the grade and
educative level.
4.4.1. Primary Education.
In this stage the child is introduced in the use of a new code and communication tool,
that improves his/her relationships with the environment. The communication could appear
in different contexts, but normally, it is reduced to the classroom context.
Previously, the students have had a first contact with the language, so the function of
this stage is to develop the most important characters. Also, introducing the students in the
culture of the language chosen is one of the targets.
In the objectives of Primary is gave a great importance to the oral than the written
language. That doesnt mean that the children cannot differentiate between the two codes,
because they have learnt it in their mother tongue.
Also it is potentiated capacities related with the reflexion about the language, for
improving it:

 using knowledge and experiences in other languages

recognising aspect related with the language such as rhythm, intonation
All must be stablished in normal situations and procuring the progressive
development of autonomous strategies.
The minimum contents refer to three aspects (oral communication, written
communication, sociocultural aspects), that are worked conceptually, procedimentally and
actitudinal. This three contents at fist form the same thing, but by the end of Primary they
are totally differenciated. Generally, these contents include aspects that can be applied in
various situations because of their high communicational level, for achieving that a
minimum of contents cover a minimum of speaking situations.

4.5. Foreign languages teaching in primary education in Poland

a. The beginning of teaching foreign languages and potential problems

Increasing globalization and integration processes in Europe, contributed to the
communication needs of the members of the European Community. Uniting Europe
promotes multilingualism and multicultural, because its only one way to save diversity of
languages and cultures of Europe.
At a meeting of the leaders of the European Community in March 2002 achieved an
agreement on early learning at least two foreign languages. In Poland, the age of the
students who begin learning a first foreign language, since then gradually lowered.
However, the implementation of a foreign language, usually English, to first grades of
primary schools while reducing the obligatory age of pupils to six is a very big challenge
for the education system. This requires the analysis of some potential problems:

improvement of preparation language-teachers

verification of programs and teaching materials and improve ways of working with a

child
create a learning environment which encourage language learning
ensuring the continuity of learning foreign language1

b. The current situation of foreign language teaching in Poland

The language proficiency level of 24 percent of Polish students is minus A1 which
is below the lowest level of knowledge in the six level scale of the Council of Europe.
According to the European Survey of Language Competence is one of the worst results in
the European Union. Better positions have Estonia, Slovenia, Spain and Portugal. Worse
are the French and the Belgians.
77 percent of Polish children learn a foreign language only at school or kindergarten. The
most common is English (90 percent) and German (30 percent). The other 23 percent learn
extra during tutorials or in private language schools.
The research has shown that parents trust the competencies of teacher. Almost half of
private coaches are exactly teachers from public schools. But it's not their fault that the
schools teach foreign languages in bad way its a fault of the education system which
doesnt allow for effective learning:

overcrowded classes
lack of proper grouping
poor access to the multimedia tools
boring lessons focused on learning grammar and vocabulary by heart2

In my opinion Polish pupils have no chance for real contact with foreign language.
Classes counting between 20-24 people are not divided into smaller groups. With such a
number of people within 45 minutes (it is a length of one lesson in Poland) only few
people have a chance to speak in a foreign language. This research shows learning a
foreign language only in school causes bad results of pupils on exams.
5. ACTIVITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT
INTRODUCTION
The next step after the finishing of our Research Project is creating 10 activities,
which aim to improve the quality of student learning and their outcomes. After collecting
information from the pupils and teachers preferences, based on questionnaires and

interviews with pupils and teachers in schools and finally analysis of data, we would like to
propose the following activities for all schools which took part in the research project:
1st. TUTORS CLASS.
Tutors class is the time that the teacher can use to mobilize their students. At the
beginning of our innovation project, we would like to organize a series of meetings that
will take place during the tutors class. These classes are aimed at students realize the
importance of learning foreign languages at that we also want to show them effective
teaching methods, some ideas for learning and tools to facilitate language learning for
instance computer programs, mobile applications and other ICTs tools. Otherwise, for
meetings we will invite students which took part in international exchanges (like for
example Erasmus+ program), which tell the students about the benefits of learning a
foreign language. We hope that these classes encourage students to take an interest in
learning foreign languages and prepare them to our other planned activities.

2ND ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR TEACHERS

Nowadays resources and methods of teaching are developing very quickly. That's
why we would like to offer English and bilingual teachers trainings, which would take
place once a month in every school. In these meeting, teachers will have opportunity to
learn how to work with pupils and also about the latest teaching methods and tools like
computer programs, applications, and other ICTS. Thanks to this kind of trainings, teachers
improve their own way of teaching and the level and quality of student learning. We
assume that teacher is the most important element in the class so must be adequately
prepared to work with students.
3rd CLASS. ENGLISH DAYS
This type of activity consists on meeting for students to improve their fluency in
English classes. These meetings will be after classes with native speakers because we think
that children have to practice their listening, writing, speaking with people of that country.
The essential thing for working with children is doing things in an enjoyable way, for this
reason we have to provide children different plays, for example in groups we can do a
vocabulary play like a competition and they have to say all the new words, the group

which say more words will win; other play can be to guess words or situations in pairs or
in groups, they have to explain it and the rest of the class have to guess it.
With these type of plays, the activity will be an exit because the children work with
native speakers, listen their accent and improve all the English skills in a fanny and quickly
way because children learnt a lot when they enjoy and keep the information for more time.
4th CINEMA PARTY
Cinema is something important in our life and for children is so good because is an
entertainment, learning and enjoyable way to focus their attention. For this reason, this
activity is focusing in cartoons and films, it consists on children can watch a film or canton
in English with subtitles because they are little for understanding all the information only
listening. This activity is volunteer because will be on Fridays afternoons and for some
parents could be impossible to assist.
With this initiative we pretend to improve their English in a dynamic way because
children love cartons and films and these things they focus their attention in the film and
dont realize that they are learning a new language and they are enjoying at the same time.
5th EMAILS WITH BRITAIN PUPILS
This activity consists on sending e-mail with other students of England. In our
schools, we are going to prepare an activity in which our pupils have to write an email
(about the topic that we are working and their opinions) and they have to send them to the
students that they have chosen. At the end, those British students will send them another
email and then they have the opportunity to have a free conversation (talking about what
they want).
With this activity, children get used to work ICTs and also they learn better English
because their receivers are English, so they practice more and more without taking into
account the little mistakes that they could have. So, another advantage is that they will feel
more confident by using another language that its not their mother tongue.
6th DRAMA PLAY
After the meeting in which they have discussed the topic of the drama, we are going
to prepare the scenario and the roles. After that, every student will choose a character and

then we are going to practice it little by little. As the language will be English, they will
develop a better strategy to work this language and also they will be more fluently than
before.
Parents also can help their children with the drama play, so they will interact with the
school activity.
7th MONTH NEWSPAPER DURING THE WHOLE YEAR
Living in the information and globalization society makes important the fact of being
in communication. Also, giving children the opportunity of being creators, investigators,
journalists, narrators is a great point to make them responsible, and develop their
creativity and writing skills. In addition, making all the educative community get involved
in own and common project is a great way of attach school and entertainment while
developing English skills.
We are going to create a monthly newspaper of the school in English. The children
can create groups or make it individually. They are going to select the topic that they
prefer. Also they can make investigations and interviews. Also teachers and school staff
can participate. This newspaper is going to be online and the updates are going to be send
by email to the whole educative community to make everybody involved.

8th MEAL AND GYMKHANA IN LA PULGOSA

As we stated before, entertainment is the best way to attach family and students to
school. Also, children can learn while having fun.
This activity is going to be celebrated one Saturday. Families and students go to La
Pulgosa. A common meal is going to be made. English teachers and English speakers
monitors are going to create activities for everybody. There is going to be a special
Gymkhana only for students.
9th EXCHANGE OF 6th GRADE WITH THEIR CORRESPONDENCE MATES
Today it is better to keep active and different methods for pupils in schools.
Therefore, we have decided to do an Exchange following the previous activity of emails.
After having send and answer emails from students of other schools in English-speaking,

will proceed to prepare a trip with children of 6 th grade of both centers, allowing so to meet
and develop both language and different cultural environment that this offers.
10th COEXISTENCE
One of our goals is to achieve in children a motivation to learn English. To do this,
we will do a coexistence with the duration of a weekend, organized at a campsite near the
town. In this course, each student and his mates will coexist for two or three days attending
to small workshops and activities where they will speak exclusively in English. With this,
we will get to learn the language without effort and with lots of fun.

6. REFERENCES.
MOHAMED, S. (2013). Big Surprise! 6. Teachers Guide. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
MOHAMED, S. (2013). Big Surprise! 6. Class Book. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
MOHAMED, S. (2013). Big Surprise! 6. Activity Book. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
MORALES GLVEZ,C; ARRIMADAS GMEZ,I.; OTROS. La enseanza de lenguas
extranjeras en Espaa. Secretara General Tcnica. Subdireccin General de Informacin
y Publicaciones. Ministerio de Educacin, Cultura y Deporte.
ALBERTO LZAROQu hacemos mal al ensear ingls en Espaa?[Consulta
05/03/2016]
www.teinteresa.es/educa

JOSE LUIS ROMERO LACAL POR QU NUESTROS ALUMNOS NO HABLAN BIEN

INGLS[Consulta 05/03/2016]
http://www.csicsif.es/andalucia/modules/mod_ense/revista/pdf/Numero_41/JOSE_LUIS_ROMERO
%20LACAL_1.pdf
SARA DE LA RICA Las (deficientes) competencias en ingls de los alumnos espaoles
[Consulta 05/03/2016]

http://nadaesgratis.es/sara-de-la-rica/las-deficientes-competencias-en-ingles-de-losalumnos-espanoles-2
Currculum British para colegios acogidos al convenio MEC-British Council
Secciones Europeas y Colegios Bilinges en la Orden de Castilla-La Mancha
D. Sikora-Banasik, Wczesnoszkolne nauczanie jzykw obcych (Foreign language
teaching in early childhood education)
E. Cichocka, Gazeta Wyborcza dn. 13.05.2015 (Polish newspaper)