Primary News - Block 4

The more languages you speak, the more you understand about yourself.

This last block being a theme of Languages, there were many activities, projects and performances that celebrated internationalism and cultural diversity:

The Early Years enjoyed a variety of stories during their TraditionalTales topic, including learning about the Kurent - a carnival figure that will be celebrated throughout Slovenia during the upcoming Pust festival. Year 4 students practiced Cha Cha Cha moves and learned instructions and steps in French during their dance sessions, while Year 3 students vowed their audience with a Fashion Show as part of the French project on clothing. The Y5 students studied the importance of using persuasive language in writing political speeches, while Year 2 worked collaboratively to create their very own documentary for their topic Living Things.

Our young students from Year 1 expanded on their scientific vocabulary, thanks to the Secondary Science Department preparing some fantastic experiments for them to take part in within the science laboratory. To keep up with the fast advancing computer language skills, the Year 4 students learned about coding at the interactive Lego Robotics course and designed their own motor powered vehicle.

Students explored how music helps us to learn and communicate. Students from all year groups performed songs during a Primary Assembly on topics about animals and nature, teaching some grammar skills through the rap song I use a Comma, transported their audience to Russia and Scotland with the songs Kalinka, Loch Lomond, and an old traditional folk song Auld Lang Syne.

During the Student Appreciation Day celebrations, students took the lead in organising various activities, including teaching their teachers new languages and collaborating in mixed-group activities to support their peers in practicing their communication skills in the local Slovene language.

We concluded the block, with the Parents Appreciation Breakfast on Friday 14th February. Parents were invited to read the thank you cards, notes and posters created by students. This was a wonderful event and we would like to thank all parents for their continued support in making BISL a colourful and happy place for our students to enjoy.

We hope you have a wonderful winter break and look forward to seeing you back on Monday 24th February.

Best wishes,

Katarina Železinger

Head of Primary

Over the past two weeks, Early Years students have been participating in book presentations. In connection with our Traditional Tales and Stories Topic, they have been bringing their favourite traditional tales from home and presenting them to their classmates and teachers. As it is Language Block, the students were encouraged to read or present in the language of their choice. We heard traditional tales from Slovenia, Venezuela, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, Japan, France, England, Romania, Poland, Korea, Ukraine, Denmark and more! The students showed such confidence, pride and enthusiasm as well as a love of books throughout the presentations. Well done Early Years!

Mrs O’Hara

Year 1 are enjoying their new GIGANTIC bean bags, which we will use to create a relaxing new reading corner next block!

Mr Hughes

This week in English we wrote our fairytale stories based around the story of 'The Enchantress of the Singing Sands', which we will publish as a class book and in Topic, we studied the impact of famous historical persons of Slovenia on the world today. It was a very enjoyable week, as was the rest of the block. We are looking forward to the next one already!

Mr Mulcahy

Y3 Slovene basic group finished the Language block with writing the cards for Parents appreciation day in Slovene. They had to complete two sentences: My mummy is beautiful because ... and My dad is funny because ... Are you curious about what they wrote? Well, you will have to wait for your card.

Mrs Kotnik

The Year 3 students concluded their Clothes and Description topic by organising a French Fashion Show. They wrote invitation cards for their family and put on their most favourite outfit to then describe it during a catwalk. After that, they had time to showcase their work and progress to their families.

Mrs Poulet

The PTA will be selling small doughnuts (krofi) for Pust on 25 February 2020 after lunch. The cost will be 1 euro per doughnut and children are encouraged to bring exact change.

We would like to show our deepest gratitude to Mr. Blease, who will be leaving BISL at the end of February, to follow his journey in education as a primary school teacher trainer. Mr. Blease has been at this school since its first day and has had the privilege of teaching many students during the last twelve years. In March, he will be travelling to Bangladesh to work for the Ministry of Education and The British Council in order to help raise the standard of primary education in the country.

We wish Mr. Blease all the best in his new adventure and hope that he will visit BISL in the future to share his new experiences with us.