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L

Learning ESOL

through gardening

Here is the overview with teaching notes and activity ideas to complement these resources. Please read this first. The slides are designed to be used in Slideshow mode.

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There are many different ways to learn English……..

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Match what the people are saying to the pictures on Slide 2.

For me, the only way to learn is by reading.

I love meeting new people and talking to them. It’s the best way to learn!

I learned English by watching Peppa Pig with my daughter!

Google is the best tool for learning English!

I can’t learn if I don’t write everything down.

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What about these…….?

Click here for a word matching activity

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Match what the people are saying in the pictures on Slide 4.

I joined a gardening group because I like growing flowers. I have met lots of new people and I speak English with them all the time.

I go to a drama group once a week because I love acting and singing!

I play football twice a week with a group of people. I love it!

I’ve started inviting my neighbours over for dinner. Sharing food and stories is the best way to learn about other places and cultures.

I volunteer in a kitchen and cook with other people. It’s a lot of fun and I feel like I’m helping.

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Click here for the Wider Opps webquest example.

Now try this activity out.

Wider Opportunities Webquest Activity

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Sunflower ESOL is a gardening and ESOL group that meets once a week in Leeds. Watch this video about it…..

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Now answer these questions about Clare’s interview (up to 2:30)….

What is Clare’s surname?
Where is Sunflower ESOL, the gardening group that Clare runs?
How long has she been an ESOL teacher for?
What job did Clare do before she became an ESOL teacher?
Why did Clare want to teach ESOL through gardening?
What question does Clare ask Cecilia?
What’s been eating their courgettes?
Who can join the gardening group?
What are some activities they did with basil?
What do they do at the end of each session?

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Clare talked about an activity the group did while growing basil. Choose the basil from the pictures below, and click on it for Clare’s worksheet:

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Here are some things they are growing. Do you know what they are?

sweetcorn

chillies

peppers

cabbages

nasturtiums

cucumbers

Click here for a matching activity

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My name is _________.

I came to the UK ____ years ago.

My husband was a __________.

________ is my teacher.

Meet an ESOL learner at Sunflower ESOL!

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My daughter invited me to come.

I came to the UK 12 years ago.

My father was a businessman and he taught me about business.

I learned about farming from my husband.

I was born in Cameroon.

I went to the Refugee Centre.

I started to come to Sunflower ESOL.

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Ordering activity: Put the events from Cecilia’s life (Slide 8) in order on the timeline. Click here for the activity sheet

Start

Now

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Ordering activity Answers: Cecilia’s life event in order on the timeline.

Start

Now

I started to come to Sunflower ESOL.

I went to the Refugee Centre.

I learned about farming from my husband.

I was born in Cameroon.

My father was a businessman and he taught me about business.

I came to the UK 12 years ago.

My daughter invited me to come.

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I’m teaching them English, but they’re teaching me about the ___________.

It’s a really lovely swap, you know, _________ of skills.

The sessions have a basic ________, but they _____ from week to week.

We’ll walk through the ___________, we’ll see what other people are growing.

We’ll ____ ____ different jobs that need doing and then we’ll make a ______.

Click here for a key words list.

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If you are interested in learning English through gardening, find out more about Sunflower ESOL here. Or you can email Clare on: clare@sunfloweresol.co.uk

You can also search for anything that you are interested in learning by visiting the LEYH website: www.learningenglish.org.uk