Welcome
Springboard... to languages is a flexible, one- to four-year programme which offers a unique
introduction to foreign languages through the simple, regular, international language Esperanto.
It's an ideal preparation for learning other languages and helps transition to
KS3; it lends itself to cross-curricular activities and to
KS2 Literacy and Numeracy work, and is particularly
suitable for the non-specialist teacher of foreign languages in primary schools.
or get in touch with us.
Springboard: a unique introduction to foreign languages
Springboard is a unique introduction to foreign languages for all pupils at Key Stage 2.
By using the international language Esperanto as a springboard, the project aims to:
- increase a pupil's awareness of language structure generally:
For example: all nouns end in o, all adverbs end in e, all infinitives end in i, and other grammatical forms are marked by similarly clear endings.
Estas bone iri al la urbo piede.
It's good to go to town on foot.
- highlight the links between languages:
Topic five - the body: piedo (foot).
French has pied; Italian has piede; Spanish has pie; English has pedestrian.
- stimulate a love of, and interest in, language-learning through creative manipulation of the language:
Maljunulo = an old person (noun)
the prefix mal means 'opposite';
the word-root jun means 'young';
the suffix ul means 'a person'.
- encourage a positive self-image in each pupil as a successful language learner:
"I can do this!"
Why Esperanto?
Many schools used to teach children the recorder, not to produce a nation of recorder players, but as a preparation for learning other instruments.
Springboard uses Esperanto, not to produce a nation of Esperanto-speakers, but as a preparation for learning other languages.
The strategy and benefits of this approach are summarised on the page Springboard and the National Languages Strategy.
^ Go to top of pageInternational contacts - different cultures and lifestyles
Esperanto is used in some 90 countries around the world and is perfect for learning about other cultures and lifestyles.
Esperanto is uniquely placed in the world of languages, having speakers and contacts around the globe. The links can provide contacts with classes and schools from many different countries.
Because Esperanto is easier to learn than national languages, students can start to use it sooner for real dialogue and correspondence.
And - because Esperanto doesn't belong to any one nation or country - the speakers on each side of the dialogue will see each other as equals.
^ Go to top of pagePilot Schools - a new approach
All Pilot Schools will be provided with free teaching packs. An introductory pack includes:
- A sample pupil's workbook
- A teacher's guide with supplementary worksheets and word-lists linking words to other foreign languages
- CDs with songs and dialogues
- Related worksheets for differentiation and support
- A set of 20 picture flashcards
- Stickers to encourage each of the four learning skills
- A sample copy of First Thousand Words in Esperanto and activity cards
- An Esperanto version of the multicultural book 'United Nations. Come along with me!'
- A small pocket dictionary suitable for beginners 'Mini-D'
- A sample copy of an information pamphlet for children 'Look at Esperanto'
^ Go to top of page
It's been done before! - previous experiments
It's been done before! Esperanto has been successfully used as a springboard to other languages for more than 80 years.
"Numerous studies since the 1920s have confirmed that learning Esperanto improves the motivation of learners (because of their relatively rapid progress in the language) and improves subsequent learning of other languages. The first documented experiment was in England - Bishop Auckland, 1918-21; later studies, each concentrating on different aspects of the question, but coming to broadly similar conclusions, have been conducted in New Zealand (1924), New York (1931), Manchester (1948-'65), Sheffield (1951), Finland (1963), Hungary (1970), Germany (1980), 5 European countries (1990), Italy (1993) and Australia (2000). The 1931 work was by a team led by the eminent educational psychologist, Edward Thorndike of Columbia University. The plain facts are that young people enjoy learning Esperanto; they learn it up to 5 times more quickly than other languages and the skills learned are readily transferable."
David Kelso - a former HM Chief Inspector of Schools,
Trustee and Director for Education of Esperanto-UK
You can download a short paper summarising these studies, and read the report of a previous study in Australia.
Teaching Guidelines - introducing Springboard
Detailed Teaching Guidelines are now being prepared. These will include suggestions on using and implementing Springboard and on raising language awareness. More documents will be added to the list below as they become available.
- Teacher's Pack: overview and contents [1 page, 80 KB]
- Summary guide to material introduced in Term One [2 pages, 87 KB]
- Guidelines for introducing a new topic [1 page, 48 KB]
- General guidelines for raising language awareness [5 pages, 147 KB] includes specific guidelines for Topics 1 and 2, respect for other people and languages and recommended additional materials for classroom and library
- General learning objectives [1 page, 188 KB]
- Comparisons with other languages - example sentences [1 page, 100 KB]
- Flashcards - list relating to Springboard topics 1-6 [1 page, 121 KB]
^ Go to top of page
Posters
Here are several posters about Springboard2Languages. They are available in A1 size. Please get in touch if you would be interested in having one in your classroom.
- Eight good reasons to choose Springboard! [1 page, 280 KB]
- General information about Esperanto [1 page, 112 KB]
- Language Cousins – not so far removed! [1 page, 172 KB]
- Respect for other people and languages [1 page, 596 KB]