English is taught in English Our Philosophy Learning a new language is a challenging task that requires both a great amount of time and a large amount of different input both from the learners and from the people interacting with them. There are no magic ways of learning a language. In order to raise their level of comprehension, an individual must be exposed directly and consistently to the targeted language for a long period of time. The best way to learn English is to speak it. Too often, second language learners spend their time studying grammar or memorizing lists of words rather than speaking the language and trying to learn from their mistakes while interacting with their peers. Learning must be fun, dynamic and interactive Sometimes, maximizing the use of English on an English Camp can be quite difficult. This proves to be even truer when it comes to teaching young children that have barely been exposed to the language before reaching grade 1. One of the main objectives of teaching English to young learners is to help them develop an interest toward the language so as to make sure that they enjoy their L2 learning experience. Although younger students don t know how to read or to write, there are a variety of activities that can be done to introduce the language and make the classroom and efficient proactive learning environment (e.g. miming games, singing songs, reading books and e-books, storytelling, watching short movies, puppet shows, etc.) where kids will really be exposed to the target language. Interacting with a live person while enjoying a cup of coffee is something pleasurable which facilitates the acquisition of new vocabulary as one of the two speakers is struggling and using compensatory strategies (e.g. mimes, gestures, showing images, describing the object using other words, etc.) to convey his message to the other one. When it comes to making sure that younger learners are progressing, it is by playing, cooperating and having fun through role playing games and interactive games that kids learn best. Here at St-Sacrement, this is our philosophy. We are making sure that kids are having fun while interacting in a dynamic English speaking environment at all time. Therefore, our campers will be much more motivated about learning the language and will develop the necessary skills to interact orally in English, to make demands and requests as well as to express their feelings and their needs to a native English-speaker.
The Method Although our English camps are 2-week stays, the method was built so as to be able to cover themes and topics on a 4-week schedule to avoid repetition if kids were to come back for another 2-week stay. Although repetition is a key feature of learning for young learners, it is best to review these notions while keeping on progressing and talking about similar things, thus helping the child enrich his vocabulary and feel that he is doing something new. 7-8 Years Old s Method Week 1 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Thematic Functional Language Colours & Shapes Numbers 0-30 + tens Body Parts Wrap-up Week 2 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Thematic Animals & Insects Sports & Actions Clothes & Seasons Wrap-up English Academy Week 3 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Thematic Functional Language Family Members Numbers 0-30 + tens Days & Seasons Wrap-up Week 4 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20 Thematic City Places Feelings & Emotions Clothes & Weather Wrap-up English Academy
Day 1 Functional Language Vocabulary Week 1 My name is I am years old Can I go drink please? Can I eat please? Is it snack time? Please Thanks/Thank you Hello/Hi Goodbye/Bye bye Yes/No Washroom please Stand up/sit Down Hands up/raise your hand Look/Listen Line up Day 2 Colours & Shapes Vocabulary Red Grey Yellow Green Blue Purple Pink Orange Brown Black White My favourite colour is I like/i don t like What colour is it? It s Circle Square Rectangle Triangle Oval Diamond What is it? It s a Day 3 Numbers 0-30 + tens Vocabulary One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-one Twenty-two Twenty-three Twenty-four Twenty-five Twenty-six Twenty-seven Twenty-eight Twenty-nine Thirty Forty Fifty Sixty Seventy Eighty Ninety One hundred Let s count! What number? It s number
Day 4 Body Parts Vocabulary Head Shoulder Knee Toe Eye Ear Mouth Nose Hand Foot/Feet Fingers Belly Hands up Hands down Stand up Sit down Touch your Day 5 Wrap-up Vocabulary Revision of everything seen since day 1. Day 6 Animals & Insects Vocabulary Week 2 Butterfly Ant Worm Snake Beaver What is that? It s a Cat Dog Squirrel Lizard Bird What is your favourite? Do you have a pet? Fish Moose Bear Fox Rabbit I like I don t like I have a Day 7 Sports & Actions Vocabulary Basketball Football Soccer Hockey Baseball Skiing Swimming Skating Biking Jump Dance Catch Throw Run Walk Kick Swim Sit Stand Referee Team Catch the ball Pass me the please Make me a pass I win I lost
Let s play Various sports equipment Day 8 Clothes & Seasons Vocabulary Fall Winter Spring Summer Tuque Shoes Sweater Scarf Cap Hat Boots Skirt Dress Shirt Pants Swimming suit Sunglasses Sunscreen Sandals Hot Cold Sunny Cloudy Windy Rainy I have one I wear a It s my It s a (colour) Day 9 Wrap-up Revision of everything seen since day 1. Day 10 English Academy Words related to the song chosen for your group. Week 3 Day 11 Functional Language Vocabulary My name is I am years old Can I go drink please? Can I eat please? Is it snack time? Please Thanks/Thank you Hello/Hi Goodbye/Bye bye Yes/No Washroom please Stand up/sit Down Hands up/raise your hand Look/Listen Line up
Day 12 Family Members Vocabulary Me Pets Mother Father Sister Brother Grandparents Parents Grandfather Grandmother Aunt Uncle Do you have a? My (family member) is called (name) Who is this? I have a Day 13 Numbers 0-30 + tens Vocabulary One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-one Twenty-two Twenty-three Twenty-four Twenty-five Twenty-six Twenty-seven Twenty-eight Twenty-nine Thirty Forty Fifty Sixty Seventy Eighty Ninety One hundred Let s count! What number? It s number Day 14 Days & Seasons Vocabulary Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week Weekend Winter Summer Spring Fall We are in Today is Tomorrow is Good weekend Day 15 Wrap-up Revision of everything seen since day 1.
Week 4 Day 16 City Places & Prepositions Vocabulary School Mall Bank Restaurant Hospital Grocery store Fire station Police station Park Tree Left Right In On Under Let s go to It is the What is this? Take me to Day 17 Feelings & Emotions Vocabulary Happy Hungry Sad Angry Tired Sleepy Sick Thirsty Hurt In love I feel I am How are you? How do you feel? Okay Dizzy Hot Cold Problem Help Are you okay? What s wrong? Scared Day 18 Clothes & Weather (see Day 8) Vocabulary Tuque Shoes Sweater Scarf Cap Hat Boots Skirt Dress Shirt Pants Swimming suit Sunglasses Sunscreen Sandals Umbrella Coat Day 19 Wrap-up Revision of everything seen since day 1. Day 20 English Academy Words related to the song chosen for your group.