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Teaching Esperanto

On this page we shall post up-to-date news and information about Esperanto teaching in Britain that is going on today within our educational system. As more content is added this page will expand over a series of related pages - updates will be advertised on the homepage. If you want to know about residential courses for adults click here. If you would like to know if there is a local club or group in your area that offers courses, lessons or conversation classes please contact our office.

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Primary level education

As we are all aware there is a policy of introducing an entitlement to language learning for Key Stage 2 pupils (Primary School) by 2010. Esperanto is an ideal language to introduce to children at this level.

FLIP Pilot Scheme
A Primary School in Gloucestershire is set to use Esperanto in the pilot of FLIP (Foreign Language Induction Programme) as from January 2004. Elizabeth Stanley presented an Inset session to the staff early in the term, and is acting as advisor.

"It was only the first Thursday of the January term, but already the Christmas holidays seemed a long time ago. I’d been invited to talk to all the staff at a meeting after school – so I made up my mind to keep my session to an hour. This proved popular! ...". For more information, download the report here. Further reports and information materials, prepared by Elizabeth Stanley, will gradually be made available here for teachers interested in knowing more about the FLIP.

One-day FLIP INSET course
In order to help address the need for modern foreign language training and resources within the classroom EAB and AsLAN Education and Training Ltd are working together to provide one-day FLIP Inset courses for primary school language co-ordinators. The course will be suitable for KS2 teachers who have no previous experience of foreign language teaching. The first is scheduled for 2005. Details to follow.

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Secondary level education

Esperanto Club at Sir Thomas Rich's School, Gloucester - run by Elizabeth Stanley
Our 'Esperanto Klubo' has eleven members of whom five are new this term. Ages range between 12-17 but most are around 14-15.  The club meets Thursday lunchtimes, officially for half an hour but we usually overrun! We did have a "Saturday Morning" - our school has a Saturday morning detention for persistent ne'er-do-wells, but we put ourselves in and spent two hours watching the Mazi video and generally playing games and having fun. So far as I know this is the first time in the school's 300 year history that the boys have asked to come in on Saturday for extra tuition! Special credit to our Headmaster, Ian Kellie, for his support, and to Jackie Hewett, our language college co-coordinator, for hers. Have a look at our web-site.

Esperanto Club at Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton - run by Malcolm Jones
The Esperanto Club has around 9 members between the ages of 13-18 and meets once weekly for 20 minutes. The boys learn using a variety of methods: the Free Postal Course, correspondence, magazine articles etc. Six were present at the official opening of Esperanto-House in 2002 where they planted a tree in the name of the youth section of EAB, and three of these went to their first World Congress, held in Sweden in 2003. The others are new this term, two of whom are learning Esperanto by using the internet.

Taster sessions in Oxford - run by Dr. Marjorie Boulton
At the end of September Dr. Marjorie Boulton was invited to give five classes in a prestigious Oxford school a 'taster' lesson in Esperanto. The lessons were very well received by the pupils, aged between 13 and 18 years. Dr Boulton commented: "Ili tre aprobis la ideon de lingvo, kiu ne havas malregulajn verbojn." - "They greatly approved the idea of a language that has no irregular verbs!".

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Further education

Buchanan Prize for Esperanto - University of Liverpool
The award of the John Buchanan Prize in Esperanto is open to matriculated students and graduates of the University of Liverpool and of any approved University of the British Commonwealth and to all persons who have been engaged in teaching for not less than one year in any recognised school in the United Kingdom.

Candidates are required to present an original essay in Esperanto of at least 1000 words on a given subject and to translate into Esperanto a passage (of not less than 500 words) chosen by the candidate taken from a leader, or a general article, in one of the following newspapers: "Daily Telegraph", "Guardian", "Times" or "Independent", or from a technical journal of national standing. (The candidate must attach a copy of the source document to the translation). The value of the prize is £150, which is to be used for the purpose of travel abroad for the study of Esperanto. The prize may not be awarded more than once to the same competitor. Click here for information regarding past winners.

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Information for teachers

EAB Esperanto Education Update
Teachers of Esperanto in Britain, whether qualified teachers or otherwise, and all those interested in Esperanto teaching have the opportunity to keep abreast of Esperanto education in Britain by receiving free the occasional EAB Esperanto Education Update, either by post or by email. You may download the latest issue here.

The International Teachers' Association
If you are also interested in the wider international sphere, you should consider joining Internacia Ligo de Esperantistaj Instruistoj. ILEI is the main international organisation for teachers and educationalists with sub-sections operating in more than 30, and with members in more than 45 different countries. It publishes a quarterly magazine Internacia Pedagogia Revuo entirely in Esperanto with news and views from the international educational scene. Information and application form are available here. You should consider joining if:

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Teacher resources

Correspondence partners.
If you are searching for a friend with whom to correspond, then have a look here. Groups, classes and individuals all catered for.

Postcards now available!
In spite of the ease and speed of e-mails, people appreciate a hand-written card now and then. Send your friends and acquaintances a colourful postcard, new from EAB, depicting 'Esperanto in Britain'. The pictures show our office, Esperanto House at Barlaston; Wedgwood Memorial College, home to our residential courses; our Esperanto sculpture; the Butler library; and Esperantists enjoying a walk during the Summer School.

Cards can be ordered from our office and cost: 35p each, 10 cards for £3.00 or 20 cards for £5.00 (plus p&p).

"Write a fairy-tale" Competition
The Päätalo-institute in northern Finland, a cultural and literary centre named after the celebrated author, Kalle Päätalo (1919-2000) has been running a ''Write a Fairy Tale" competition for Finnish children since 1993 which is well known for being the most prestigious competition of its kind in Finland. Since the year 2000 the institute has been running the competition in Esperanto as well. There are three categories: for children aged 8 and below, 9-10 years and 11-13 years. The entries must be original stories in Esperanto, but can be written by individuals or school classes and groups. Click here for more information.

Subtekste
Subtekste by Paul Gubbins is available for hire to any UK Esperanto group. A collection of extracts from the international magazine Monato, each text is followed by thought provoking exercises and role plays, specially written by Paul Gubbins to enhance vocabulary and broaden language use. For £8.00 (£5.00 refundable deposit + £3.00 Postage) your group can use the book to study for three months. More information is available here and you can download the application form from here.