Interactive English Language learning in the 21 Century

Before I tell you about Grandma’s Stories, I want to congratulate researchers at The British Council. I am not sure how they found out about us. Our new series of books for children based on pan European pre history has not been launched yet!

I think this proves that The British Council is truly at the cutting edge, boldly seeking out the very latest English Language Learning Programmes: Seeking new and exciting ways for children to learn, understand and remember what they have learned.

When my children were teenagers we had a French exchange student. His English sounded perfect but one day I asked him – what did it mean? He was panic stricken. He could read the words and fool everyone into thinking that his English was excellent. But he did not understand what he was reading.
Without understanding and ensuring that what is learned is remembered, all we are doing is teaching children to learn parrot fashion.

My stories are designed for children who have learned the basics and are now ready to move on to more challenging subject matter and the educational programme ensures that children remember what they have learnt.

The fragmentation of families, all over the world, means that there are millions of children growing up without realising that the older generation can be a wonderful source of fun and knowledge. A once natural part of the extended family is becoming out of reach, if not totally unavailable.

I had two grandmothers. One I met for high days and holidays. I loved her but never had the close relationship with her that I had with my granny who lived round the corner. She was a never-ending source of fun and adventure. We would laugh and talk about anything and everything. She held my hand as I watched a lamb being born. She took me blackberry picking, as I later took my grandchildren to pick blackberries. She showed me how to cook, we worked together in her garden and she told stories: folk stories and fairy stories and stories about people who had lived long, long ago. She kindled an interest in ancient history that has lasted all my life.

I want to recreate that magic for the millions of children who do not have a granny living round the corner.

I knew I could write stories that would interest, amuse and, hopefully, encourage children to learn more but I wanted to do more. I wanted children to experience the story: As they did so the period in history would come alive and they never forget it.

My friend and neighbour, Carroll Nunnerley and I have taken four years to refine and developed the concept. My stories, and the unique educational programme we have devised, will enable children to understand, by experience, the lives of our ancestors and their relevance to life today.

We have done this within the framework of an English language programme.

Carroll is a granny too with a BA in history and education and another degree in the Rudolf Steiner Method of Education. She specialised in education for children with both high and low learning capabilities

We are now preparing to launch a series of books based on pan European history and culture starting in the Ice Age and, 13 stories later, arriving at the Roman Empire. All the stories have been thoroughly researched and are firmly based on fact, backed up by archaeology. All end with a unique educational programme – Learn with Grandma.

Our new concept is actually very simple. We will offer the written word, in any language; our books are designed to be printed in any language and also in dual languages.

The spoken word – The stories will be recorded and put on CD so that children can hear the story told by a native English speaker. The best way to hear English pronunciation is from a native speaker.

The visual image. Later we will to replace the audio CD with a DVD. Then children will be able to see the places where history happened. See the animals our ancestors farmed and watch the goods they used being made.

We cannot include the visual image in our launch package because filming is costly but we are making progress towards this ideal.

This first series of 13 stories are based on pan European prehistory progressing from The Ice Age to the Roman Empire. The first book – The Ice Journey – is being prepared for publication. We plan to publish a new book every two or three months to give children time to read, learn and complete the educational programme before the next book is published. The first story, set in south-western France, asks the question did a few people really make an incredible journey across the Atlantic Ocean 17,000 years ago? The story reveals the evidence like a detective story and, at the end of the story, children are encouraged to become detectives to find out more.

We have recruited a team of talented artists and a great deal of factual information is portrayed in the illustrations.

At the end of every book a Cartoon granny helps make learning fun in the four pages of Learn with Grandma.

Education is communication and Learn with Grandma gives teachers and parents communication suggestions.

Topics for discussion offer suggestions of things to talk about from the story. As children become more confident with their spoken English, these discussions could become a forum for practicing their use of the English language.

We suggest lots of activities based on the story. These could be visiting museums, nature reserves and farms, historical sites, craftspeople and local manufacturers, even supermarkets. Most are fun while also reinforcing the learning programme. Our holistic educational approach is also suitable for schools, after school clubs and home use.
There are many opportunities to involve the family.

There are words to look up in a dictionary and word games.
We have even added a board game.

For The Ice Journey it is called “Seeking the Solutreans”.
The cartoon Granny sets off from Wales and travels down though France, with lots of things to see and do on route, until she finds evidence of these ancient Hunter Gatherers and sees cave paintings which give her the idea for the next story The Artist who lived in a Cave.

Geography is included.
Drama – acting out the story makes it memorable and fun.
Cooking the food our ancestors ate – teaches where food comes from and encourages better diet.
Art - Children can send their pictures to us and we can show them on Grandma’s Art Gallery on our website. They will see their very own pictures on the World Wide Web.

We want to encourage children to use the internet. Grandma will write regular e-newsletters, send e-cards and there will be a FREE educational download for each story.

Through modern technology we will show that Grandparents can be a source of information, foster respect for older people and encourage children to become good and better informed citizens.

Our website will develop and respond to requests and suggestions from children, teachers and parents. Later we hope to encourage cross border interaction – linking schools and encouraging school twinning.

Grandma’s Stories are so much more than just well researched, stories. As children learn the English language they will learn of European history & culture and how that history & culture affects our lives today.

The first book will be published shortly in The Lebanon in both English and in Arabic and we are seeking publishing partners or distributors throughout Europe. I would like the stories to be published in as many countries as possible so that children everywhere can read them and, while learning English, also learn of our pan European history and culture.

We will also seek to build a team of educators; broadcasters and publishers throughout Europe because what I really, really want is film the stories.

My original concept was, and still is, to have the written word; the spoken word and the visual image.

It may seem like a pipe dream to talk of filming when the first book in not printed but filming is an attainable ambition. We plan to film, to broadcast standard, in a very cost effective way, which will enable us to offer very low cost television programming, that can also be put on DVD to be marketed with the books.

When we can add the visual image, we will have a revolutionary educational tool. Filming would bring the stories to life and illustrate them in a truly memorable way.

One tends to think of film as being less permanent than books but E.T was made in 1982 and many films have lasted much longer than that. Filming is decidedly more permanent and sustainable than Exhibitions and many Exhibitions have received EU funding.

In 1991 there was an Exhibition ‘The Celts, The Origins of Europe’ at The Palazzo Grassi in Venice. Over 800,000 people saw it and I am sure that most of them remember it.

However film can be broadcast to millions; on DVD it can be seen again and again year after year. I believe we can present a good case for the sustainability of filming.

Grandma’s Stories is based within the Objective One area for European funding. We applied for funding and told that we nearly got the money - and we were invited to reapply.
Before doing so we must strengthen our case. That is why we want to build a pan European team and why we are making a start by producing the books – which we would need to do before we could film anyway.

As we envisage filming - each episode will start in Wales.
We will see my village in the Brecon Beacons National Park then settle down, by a real fire, to listen to the story and look at pictures in the book. When the story tells of a place where history happened we would go and see it. We would see ancient breeds of cattle – watch a potter working – see how our ancestors made cheese, and the modern methods that have evolved.

We are seeking partners to work with us on an Objective One application. We want to film at the places all over Europe, and beyond, where history happened.

As we build the team we will add strength to an application and prove to funders that this is truly a pan European project.
This concept is simple. It is attainable. It is not even vastly expensive.

Two Grannies living in a rural hill village in Wales really could bring the written word; the spoken word and the visual image to help our children read, speak and understand English and, at the same time, learn of their common European history and culture.

Valerie Wood-Gaiger MBE at Sorrento Conference March 2005 Abridged Version