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By júlia verdaguer, on desembre 15th, 2011% Regina Carmeli is a school from the district of Horta in Barcelona. They have two conversation assistants this year: Tom and Alex. They have both sent us an e-mail explaining their experience so far. Thanks, guys!
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Here’s what Tom has to say!
Hi,
My name is Tom and I am working at Colegi Regina Carmeli in Horta. The Horta district is a great place to live and work, it is 20 minutes from the city centre on the tube. It is a very safe suburban area with a very safe, family feel and lots of things to do, bars, restaurants and a great gym!
The school is great, I am very lucky to have another English assistant here with me who I get on amazingly well with. Here most nursery, primary and secondary schools are combined, so I teach 2-16 year olds which gives me a great range of experience! The teachers are lovely, very helpful and accomodating to our needs. Knowing that both of us did Sport Science degrees they have given us PE lessons to run in our timetable which is great fun and will be amazing in the hot summer months! The English lessons are good, I enjoy teaching the 11-16 year olds most because they are able to more, so the lessons are more varied. I also love helping out with the 2-5 year olds because they have so much energy and are always excited to see me!! Most of the children are very well behaved, although with all schools there are some little (and not so little) monsters!! As the only English people in the school we are treated a little like celebrities with children shouting are names even 3 months into the programme!!
I am changing families every term, so will have 3 familiesl. Currently I am with the nicest family in Spain, probably because they are Argentinian!! Luckily for me my adopted parents are both incredible cooks, so I eat like a King! They have a 5 year old son who is adorable and a little genius!! I couldn´t have asked for a better family and will be very sad to leave them next week. But luckily for me my next family are friends with my current family and are also really nice, great cooks and have a cute 5 year old son, so I have landed on my feet out here!!
I came out here with a Spanish A level, although I hadn´t spoken consistently for a while. I fell like my Spanish has improved massively and I know don´t have to think in English when I talk in Spanish. There is still plenty of room for improvement over the next 6 months though!
Barcelona is a pretty amazing city to live in, there are so many things to do and see, the only major problem is the expense of the city especially considered the low pay I am receiving! But then again a ticket to go and see the greatest football team in the world is only 19 Euros!!
Hasta Luego
Tom
 Tom & Alex
Now it’s Alex’s turn:
My experience so far in Barcelona has been a positive and productive one. The major factor that tempted me into this position was to experience the culture first hand and to learn a new language. Although at first I was slightly overwhelmed by the speed and the amount of the language I didn´t understand, my Spanish has now slowly started to improved.
The Spanish culture in the main really suits me. Although I don´t often get the chance I love a good “siesta” and the general relaxed feeling around the city is great. I am not a big fan of the food but the weather more than makes up for that!
The school is ideal. It is relatively small, which means I can get to know both the children and the staff. I have been pleasantly surprised by how nice and well behaved the majority of children are. Just like the rest of Barcelona the school has a very relaxed feel to it. I am enjoying the variation of teaching the different age groups, being able to go out on school trips and the fact that every day is different. Most days I am picking up new games, activities and teaching techniques, which is what I was hoping for. The teachers have been extremely helpful and understanding in particular the tutors looking after me.
I was place with a single mother of two young children and I have found it challenging. The main reason being that I can see how hard it is to look after two young children and with me there I think it has been too much. I am more than happy to help out but she is very independent and likes things done in a certain way. The language barrier has also been a big problem my limited Spanish and her limited English has made it difficult to converse and talk about problems and solutions. But I get on really well with the children and next term I will be changing to a family who live a lot closer to the school.
Overall I am loving the experience and I am looking forward to coming back after Christmas.
Alexander Filleul
By júlia verdaguer, on novembre 30th, 2011% We have received our first submission for the PAC News 2011-2012! Coming from Escola Sant Lluís Gonçaga, in La Garriga. It is their 2nd year in the PAC (Conversation Assistant Program)!
We thank them & their Conversation Assistant, Michele!
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Michele is here since October, our students like working with her.
Some of them say:
“I like speaking English with Michele”
“We practice a lot of English and she helps us”
“We play some games with Michele and also learn English”
“I can improve my speaking, I like it”
“It’s great! We have fun while learning English”
“With Michele we can spek English with an English person in Catalonia”
Michele has explained us some things about her life in la Garriga:
Hello!
My name is Michele and i am an English conversation assistant in Escola Sant Lluís Gonçaga in la Garriga, Barcelona. I came to Spain 7 weeks ago and i am here for 9month from October till June 2012. I did not know what to expect and couldn’t speak a word of Spanish or Catalan so as you can imagine i was very nervous! But from the minute i arrived i was greeted with wonderful people who made me fell very welcome. I now know a few words and phrases in Spanish but the hardest part is finding the time to learn the language!
I live with a family in la Garriga only a 15minute walk away from the school, their son Pau is in 1st Primary at this school. I am staying with the same family for the entire 9month. I practice English everynight with Pau and i am pleased with how well his progress is coming along everyday he is learning new words and building short sentences. He understands me a lot more than he did just 7 weeks ago! I would love to be able to have a conversation with him by the end of the programme, for me this would be a great achievement.
I work in the school everyday Mon-Fri and help the students practice their English speaking. I work with all ages from as young as P3 up untill 4th of ESO (3-16 years). The level of English varies from each individual, with the ESO students i have grouped them together according to their level, i take small groups of 4-5 students and we do alot of speaking and listening activities in the lessons and we play some fun games. I also like to practice role plays with them as they seem to enjoy this and it gets them talking in a fun way. I try to keep it as interesting as possible so that it gets everyone involved even the shy ones!
With the primary children it’s slightly different as i work along side the teacher in the classroom and we work from the activity book. Sometimes i prepare games for the children related to what they are doing in class and take a few students at a time into a separate room where we can practice speaking. We tend to read stories and then act them out, the younger students can get very excited and enthusiastic about this! Most of the students are very enthusiastic about speaking with me in English, and all the teachers have been very friendly, they are also happy to help me with my Spanish.
I also do some extra lessons with students after school. This is a good way of making some extra money and I find a lot of parents are waiting to give their children the opportunity of speaking with a native English person.
In my free time i often spend time with the family, a very big family! Sundays are usually family orientated days where we visit the grandparents and they prepare a big meal for everyone. I also go to nearby towns such as Sabadell and Granollers, these towns are beautiful with many shops, bars, restaurants etc… Barcelona is about 40minute train jouney from la Garriga.
My favourite thing about being in Spain are the people, everyone is so friendly and cheerful they make you feel very welcome and it is a privilege to be staying in Catalunya.
I have learnt alot from the 7weeks i have been and look forward to learning alot more within the coming months. So far it has been a wonderful experience and i would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this type of work.
Michele.
By júlia verdaguer, on octubre 6th, 2011% Des del dissabte, 1 d’octubre, els Auxiliars de Conversa ja són a casa de les famílies catalanes que els acolliran durant els 9 mesos de la seva estada, i el passat dilluns van començar la seva activitat com a Auxiliars de Conversa a les escoles. Ens han dit que estan molt bé i que poc a poc van coneixent tots els mestres, professors, alumnes i personal de les escoles i adaptant-se als costums i als horaris de les noves famílies que els han obert les portes de casa seva.
Els Auxiliars, però, van aterrar a Barcelona el divendres 30. Carregats amb equipatges de mida considerable, un a un van anar arribant i van ser traslladats per torns a la Residència Salesiana Martí Codolar, on van conèixer-se una mica més entre ells (molts ja s’havien posat en contacte a través del fòrum que l’organització ha creat a aquest efecte, i també a través de Facebook), van sopar i van passar la nit.
 Els auxiliars acabats d'arribar el dia 30 El dissabte 1 al matí, ben aviat, van esmorzar tots junts al menjador de la residència. Entre el grup es respirava nerviosisme, però també molta il·lusió i ganes de fer una bona tasca de suport a les escoles i passar-ho el millor possible amb les famílies acollidores.
 8:00 - Esmorzar a Martí Codolar A dos quarts de deu, els Auxiliars van assistir a la primera sessió de formació del matí, a càrrec de Juanjo Fernández i Júlia Verdaguer, sobre el sistema educatiu català, les nostres escoles i la importància de la seva tasca com a Auxiliars de Conversa per motivar l’alumnat i professorat en l’aprenentatge i ensenyament de l’anglès.
 Juanjo Fernández parlant als Auxiliars sobre el sistema educatiu català Després, Carme Santiago –professora de l’escola Padre Damián Sagrats Cors- va parlar-los sobre com ser el/la millor Auxiliar de Conversa a les escoles, i Sonia Jalle –cap del Dept. Multilingüe i professora d’anglès de l’escola Jesus Maria de St. Andreu- sobre com ser el millor hoste possible a casa de les famílies acollidores.
 Sonia Jalle durant la xerrada  Carme Santiago explica com ser el millor Auxiliar de Conversa a les escoles Un cop acabades les sessions de formació, es va lliurar als Auxiliars de Conversa un kit de benvinguda amb documentació legal, informació turística, els materials del curs a distància de llengua castellana que seguiran aquests mesos i uns magnífics diccionaris de català-anglès i castellà-anglès per gentilesa de Cambridge University Press i Oxford University Press, que contribueixen així a l’adaptació i formació dels Auxiliars de Conversa que es repartiran per més de 90 escoles cristianes de tot Catalunya, i també amb ajuden amb la comunicació entre els auxiliars i les més de 100 famílies acollidores.
 Diccionaris per gentilesa de Cambridge University Press i Oxford University Press  Els Auxiliars recollint els llibres del curs de castellà i els diccionaris Després, sota un sol esplèndid, van anar-se produint les trobades amb les famílies d’acollida, que van arribar segons l’horari previst (excepte les famílies gironines que es van veure atrapades en un monumental embús a l’autopista, i no van deixar de patir perquè arribaven amb retard!). Moltes de les famílies venien acompanyades de representants de les escoles, per facilitar el primer contacte amb els auxiliars: nervis, presentacions, encaixades de mans, petons i abraçades de benvinguda!
 Un Auxiliar es presenta a la seva família acollidora  Foto de família Després, un a un i carregats amb equipatges voluminosos (i curiosos, com un saxo o un taula de surf!), els Auxiliars van anar marxant amb les seves famílies d’acollida.
Tot plegat, doncs, va concloure molt satisfactòriament, gràcies a la tasca conjunta de Home to Home i Fundació Escola Cristiana de Catalunya, que tornen a tirar endavant aquesta iniciativa pionera a tot l’Estat, i que segueix el seu procés de consolidació i creixement, esperant poder arribar a aconseguir que els 250.000 alumnes de les escoles cristianes puguin viure i conviure l’anglès a les escoles.
En aquest enllaç trobareu totes les fotografies de l’arribada dels Auxiliars.
By júlia verdaguer, on setembre 22nd, 2011% 
Per als qui no heu pogut assistir a les sessions informatives -o als que sí que hi heu pogut assistir i voleu tenir els materials- us facilitem els nous materials:
– Temes pràctics que hauríeu de tractar amb l’auxiliar de conversa: document bilingüe en català i anglès, amb una sèrie de preguntes sobre temes bàsics de convivència i exemples de respostes en els dos idiomes.
> Cliqueu aquí per descarregar-vos el document.
– Presentació de Powerpoint “Ser família acollidora d’un auxiliar de conversa”.
> Cliqueu aquí per descarregar-vos la presentació.
Us recordem que a la pestanya Information for Schools hi trobareu la Guia per a les Famílies Acollidores i la Guia per als tutors i tutores de l’Auxiliar de Conversa.
By júlia verdaguer, on setembre 21st, 2011% Els Auxiliars de Conversa són a punt d’arribar a Catalunya, a les vostres escoles i les vostres cases.
La data oficial de la trobada amb les famílies d’acollida és el dissabte, 28 de setembre.
QUAN? Dissabte, 28 de setembre al migdia. Si us plau, consulteu l’horari exacte amb la persona de contacte de la vostra escola.
QUI? Ha de venir a recollir l’auxiliar la família acollidora (no cal que sigui sencera!) i algun representant de l’escola.
ON? Residència Salesiana Martí Codolar. Av. Cardenal Vidal i Barraquer, 15. Barcelona.
Cliqueu aquí per accedir al mapa de Google Maps i cerqueu el recorregut des de casa vostra.
By júlia verdaguer, on setembre 14th, 2011%
S’acosta l’arribada dels auxiliars de conversa a les escoles que participen al Programa Auxiliars de Conversa (PAC) i a les cases de les famílies que, generosament, s’han ofert a acollir-los.
Des de l’organtizació del PAC hem convocat tres sessions informa-tives obertes a tothom: famílies acollidores, famílies interessades, direccions i mestres d’escola, etc. En aquestes reunions parlarem de què suposa acollir un auxiliar de conversa a casa, com podem facilitar la seva integració a la família i al nostre país i, és clar, donarem resposta a totes les preguntes que pugueu plantejar-nos.
- Demarcació de Lleida – Dimarts, 20 de setembre, 18:00h
Lloc: Escola Lestonnac L’Ensenyança. Av. Prat de la Riba, 38. Lleida
- Demarcació de Girona – Dimecres, 21 de setembre, 18:00h
Lloc: Escola Vedruna Girona. Carrer Barcelona, 21. Girona.
- Demarcació de Barcelona – Dijous, 22 de setembre – 18:00h
Lloc. Escola Pia Balmes. Carrer Balmes, 208. Barcelona
Podeu descarregar-vos un model de circular i un cartell per a promocionar les sessions en els següents enllaços:
> Model circular PDF
> Model circular word
> Cartell PDF
> Cartell word
Si us plau, en cas que vingueu a alguna de les sessions, confirmeu la vostra assistència al correu pac@escolacristiana.org, indicant a quina de les tres sessions assistireu, i quantes persones vindreu.
By júlia verdaguer, on juny 8th, 2011%  La segona edició del Programa Auxiliars de Conversa és a punt d’acabar. A final de curs, els més de 50 nois i noies de parla anglesa que han estat durant tot l’any a més de 60 escoles de tot Catalunya, tornen a casa seva. El període de sol·licitud d’Auxiliar de Conversa per al curs vinent ja s’ha tancat, amb un total de 110 sol·licituds de 90 escoles de tot Catalunya!
Per poder valorar i millorar el Programa, hem elaborat una enquesta online per a les escoles i les famílies acollidores dels Auxiliars de Conversa que hem fet arribar directament a les escoles participants. Podeu veure el contingut de les enquestes en aquests enllaços:
Enquesta per a les escoles
Enquesta per a les famílies acollidores
Si us plau, si formeu part de les escoles participants al PAC 2010-2011 i per algun motiu no us han arribat les enquestes, escriviu-nos a pac@escolacristiana.org i us farem arribar els enllaços per a que pugueu respondre-les.
Les respostes, sumades a les experiències d’aquest curs, seran molt útils per a la millora constant del Programa Auxiliars de Conversa, que volem que sigui una proposta fonamental i accessible per a totes les Escoles Cristianes que vulguin donar una empenta de qualitat al seu Projecte d’Escola Multilingüe.
By júlia verdaguer, on maig 31st, 2011% Now that the end of the school year is coming, it will be time for the Conversation Assistants to say goodbye to their schools and their host families. Without all these generous volunteer host families that open their homes and their lives to the Conversation Assistants, this Program would not be possible, so we want to thank all of them.
It is never easy at first to live with a stranger in one’s house. But the willingness to integrate the Conversation Assistant into the family has made it easy for most of the host families and Assistants. Host families are eager to learn about a new culture and improve their English, while trying to be the best possible hosts and make the Conversation Assistant feel at home and get used to our culture and way of life.
You can read the small Guide for Host Families that we have written to get an idea of what hosting a Conversation Assistant implies.
Here’s a text written by a host family of Escola Infant Jesús, in Barcelona, extracted from the school’s magazine Clar i Net. With a 3-year-old child and a toddler, they decided to become a host family for Molly, the Irish Conversation Assistant in their children’s school. After reading the text, it is clear that they are sure it was a great decision to make!
 Click on the image to read the text!
By júlia verdaguer, on maig 6th, 2011% 
Next monday, May 9th, is Europe Day, a celebration of the coming together of European nations. Do you know why it is celebrated on May 9th? You can find out clicking here, and explain it to your students.
It is also a good day to ask your students how much they know about Europe. You can use this European Test, and then work together and find out more information on the correct answers.
By júlia verdaguer, on abril 15th, 2011% If you go back home for the Easter Holidays, try to take photos of the Easter Egg Hunt and bring them to your school when you return, to show them to your students. The colorful egg hunt is an unknown tradition here and they will surely enjoy your explanation!
 Happy Easter Holidays!
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