Simple English Classroom Phrases for Young Learners - Part 2

Hello and welcome to the second episode of our Simple English Classroom Phrases for Young Learners series! 👋

In our first post, we explored greetings and simple requests that children can start using from their very first English lessons.

Today, we're going to focus on everyday classroom routines: those simple phrases that we use every day to start the lesson, guide activities and end the class.

One of the best ways to help children learn English is to make it part of your daily classroom routine. When pupils hear the same expressions again and again in meaningful situations, they begin to understand them naturally and before long, they will simply respond in English. That's when English becomes a language they use, not just a subject they study. 

As they say: practice makes perfect!

REMEMBER! At the beginning, always support your language with flashcards, real objects (realia), gestures and facial expressions. Visual support makes the meaning clear and helps children connect English to real-life situations without relying on translation.

You can also display classroom posters around the room as visual reminders. Even if your Year 1 pupils are not confident readers yet, don't be afraid to include the written words alongside the pictures. Seeing the words every day while hearing and using them helps children become familiar with print and starts building word recognition naturally.

Now, let's look at some simple classroom phrases you can use throughout the day with your Year 1 and Year 2 pupils.

🌞 Beginning of the Lesson

Starting each lesson with the same routine helps children feel confident and ready to learn. Try using these expressions every day:

• Good morning!
• Sit down, please.
• Are you ready?
• Let's start!
• What's the date today?
• What's the weather like today?
• How are you today?

Listen to them here

💡 Teaching Tip: Don't worry if your pupils don't understand every word at first. Use gestures, point to the calendar or the weather chart, and repeat the same expressions every lesson. Repetition builds confidence!

🎨 During the Lesson

Keep English flowing naturally while children work, play and interact. Useful classroom phrases include:

•  Are you ready?
• Let's play!
• Let's sing!
• Let's listen!
• Let's practise!
• Your turn!
• My turn!
• One more time!
• Are you finished?
• Is everyone ready?

Listen to them here

These expressions soon become familiar, especially when they are always used in the same context. For example, instead of saying "Now it's your turn" in your first language, simply say: "Your turn!" Children quickly understand because the meaning is supported by the activity.

🌈 End of the Lesson

Ending every lesson with a familiar routine gives children a sense of achievement and closure. Try these phrases:

• Let's tidy up!
• Time to go!
• Good job!
• Well done!
• See you next time!
• Goodbye, everyone!

Listen to them here

Don't forget to celebrate your pupils' efforts. A simple "Well done!" or "Good job!" can make a big difference and encourages children to keep trying to use English.

🎵 Turn Your Routines into Games and Songs!

As you know, young learners learn best when English is active, meaningful and fun. Instead of simply repeating classroom phrases, turn them into games and songs that children will look forward to every lesson.

🎶 Use songs to reinforce routines

Songs are a fantastic way to introduce classroom language while exposing children to natural pronunciation, rhythm and intonation.

For example:

• 🧹 Tidy Up Song – Play this song whenever it's time to clean up. Soon, children will associate the music with the routine and begin joining in automatically while revising classroom vocabulary.
• 🧼 Wash Your Hands Song – A perfect choice before snack time or lunch. It reinforces daily routines while introducing useful action verbs and encouraging good hygiene habits.
• 🙋 Songs about asking for permission are another fun way to practise expressions such as:
  • Can I go to the toilet, please?
  • Can I have a pencil, please?
  • Can you help me, please?

By hearing these expressions in songs, children become familiar with authentic pronunciation and are much more likely to use them spontaneously. Children love music...but don't forget to sing along!

🎲 Play Simon Says

Once children know the classroom actions, it's time to get them moving! Use flashcards showing the target actions and play a game of Simon Says. Some useful action cards include:

• 
  Play
• Listen
• Sing
• Read
• Write
• Cut
• Colour
• Glue
• Draw
• Stand up
• Sit down
• Hand out the worksheets
• Open your book
• Close your book

Hold up a flashcard and say: "Simon says... write!" Children perform the action only if they hear "Simon says" first. It's a simple game that develops listening skills, reinforces classroom vocabulary and gets everyone involved.

Here you can find the rules of this game  and another way to use it, if you are teaching phonics.

💛 Little by Little...

Remember, you don't need to introduce every phrase at once.

Choose a few expressions, use them consistently and let them become part of your classroom language.

Little routines create big language learning! ✨

What If Inquiry Started at the Classroom Window? From Mario Lodi to the PYP: The Roots of Inquiry-Based and Transdisciplinary Learning

A recent job interview left me thinking.

We were discussing the length of the school day, and I pointed out that, in many schools, lessons often extend well beyond the attention span of primary-aged children. One of the few contexts where I could genuinely justify longer learning periods was the IB PYP.

Why?

Because true Inquiry-Based Learning takes time.

Real inquiry isn't about completing a worksheet or finding the "right" answer. It requires children to observe, wonder, discuss, revisit their thinking, make connections, and sometimes change their minds. That process simply cannot be rushed.

Later in the conversation, we talked about learning beyond the classroom. I shared how essential outdoor experiences are if we want to nurture children who genuinely care about their communities and the environment around them.

And suddenly my mind travelled back to Trondheim, 2007.

Munkholmen island, Trondheim

During my stay there, I found myself taking a photo every day from exactly the same spot, of exactly the same view. It became a playful little project that I jokingly called Maybe it's not raining in Trondheim. At first, I thought I was simply documenting the weather. Looking back, I realise I was actually documenting change, patterns, light, seasons, and learning to notice what most people walk past.

That's when Mario Lodi came to mind.

Lodi, one of the greatest advocates of Freinet pedagogy in Italy, believed that careful observation of the world should be at the heart of children's learning. His classroom was a place where children's experiences, questions and discoveries became the starting point for authentic learning.

Mario Lodi with his pupils in the classroom, archival photo

In his educational diaries, C'è speranza se questo accade al Vho (1963) and Il paese sbagliato (1970), Lodi documents the everyday life of his classroom and explains his practical methodology.

A particularly fascinating example can be found in the chapter "La storia del cielo è fatta di numeri" (The History of the Sky is Made of Numbers) from Il paese sbagliato.

Through their daily observations from the classroom window, children began to record the changing sky: the days of rain, sunshine and clouds. What started as a simple act of noticing the world around them gradually became a way of organising and interpreting information.

They did not simply collect data; they also started to ask questions and make hypotheses. For example, they wondered whether a period of bad weather might be approaching because the swallows had already left. Their observations of nature became clues to interpret phenomena and build possible explanations (does it ring a bell? This is very close to what the IB describes through the Approaches to Learning: children developing thinking and research skills).

At first, they represented their observations using Cuisenaire rods, creating visual patterns and making comparisons. Only later did they move towards numerical recording, transforming their concrete experiences into data that could be analysed and discussed.

The story of the sky became a story of numbers: children discovered that mathematics was not an abstract exercise, but a tool to understand real phenomena. Through observation, classification, representation and reasoning, they explored connections between science, mathematics and their everyday lives.

If I remember correctly — and I say this because this time last year I borrowed all of Lodi's books from the library in Como and read them one after another — another fascinating window observation activity involved children making drawings at regular intervals to record the position of the sun above a precise reference point on the village rooftops.

Day after day, the children created a visual record of the sun's movement, transforming a simple view from the classroom window into a study of time, change and natural patterns.

These observations were never confined to one subject area. They became opportunities for mathematics, language, art, music, geography and science. A single authentic experience opened doors to multiple areas of knowledge. 

One of the most beautiful examples of this approach is Cipì, Mario Lodi's most famous book. The story was born from the children's own observations, conversations and imagination, and was developed collectively in the classroom with their teacher.

The little bird Cipì was inspired by the real world the children observed from their classroom window: the movements of birds, the changing seasons, the landscape around them and the relationships they noticed in nature. 

And this is where I see a beautiful connection with the PYP.

What we call transdisciplinary learning today — the idea that meaningful contexts allow children to build understanding across different disciplines — was already deeply present in Lodi's approach decades ago.

Isn't that exactly what we try to achieve in the PYP?

We encourage children to slow down, to observe before they conclude, to ask meaningful questions, to connect with their surroundings, and to become caring, reflective members of their communities.

Sometimes educational ideas that feel innovative today have deep roots in the work of extraordinary educators who understood, long before us, that authentic learning begins with curiosity.

Perhaps Inquiry-Based Learning and Mario Lodi have more in common than we think, and apparently, in Italy, some of these ideas were already being cultivated decades ago, before they became part of today's international educational conversations.

📚 References:

• Lodi, M. (1963). C'è speranza se questo accade al Vho. Torino: Einaudi.
• Lodi, M. (1970). Il paese sbagliato. Diario di un'esperienza didattica. Torino: Einaudi.

A final note:
This educational vision was not unique to Italy. In Spain, Freinet's philosophy also spread widely, especially during the years of the Second Republic, inspiring teachers who believed in active learning, cooperation, creativity and connecting school with real life.

👉A beautiful glimpse of this approach can be found in the 2023 film El maestro que prometió el mar (The Teacher Who Promised the Sea), directed by Patricia Font and based on the true story of Catalan teacher Antoni Benaiges.

👉Today, this educational tradition continues in Italy through the Movimento di Cooperazione Educativa (MCE), an organisation that keeps alive many of these principles: cooperative learning, research-based teaching, children's active participation, attention to the surrounding environment and the idea that knowledge is built through experience and dialogue.

Why the Library Matters in the IB PYP

I love books. I truly believe that books open minds, help us travel the world without leaving the room, and inspire children to see things from a different perspective.

Whenever I can, I start a lesson with a picture book or a story. Sometimes it introduces a new concept, sometimes it sparks a discussion, and sometimes it simply helps my students make connections they hadn't thought about before. I've often found that one well-chosen book can launch an inquiry better than a worksheet ever could.

That's one of the reasons why the library plays such an important role in the IB Primary Years Programme. In an IB school, the library isn't just a place to borrow books—it's an essential part of learning. Librarians work closely with teachers to select books that support the current Unit of Inquiry, encourage students to ask questions, explore different perspectives and deepen their understanding of the central idea.

Even if your school doesn't have a dedicated library, a thoughtfully curated classroom library can become the heart of inquiry. The right books, available at the right time, invite children to wonder, investigate and make meaningful connections across subjects.

One of my favourite classroom activities was our weekly Book Club. Children introduced the book they had just finished—without giving away the ending!—and tried to convince their classmates to read it. If someone borrowed the book because of their recommendation, they earned points towards an end-of-year prize. It was always wonderful to see books being passed from one enthusiastic reader to another.

Books also created countless opportunities for reflection. It wasn't unusual for us to discuss a character's actions and relate them to the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. Was this character a Risk-taker? How did they show they were Caring? Were they Reflective? These conversations helped the children understand that the Learner Profile isn't just a poster on the wall—it's something we can recognise in ourselves and in the stories we read.

And inquiry doesn't stop with literacy. A non-fiction book about the water cycle can become the starting point for children to write The Adventures of a Water Droplet. A story about migration can lead to rich discussions about identity and belonging. The possibilities are endless when the right book finds its way into the hands of a curious learner.

Choosing books that are age-appropriate, engaging and connected to your Units of Inquiry takes time, and I know how challenging that can be. That's why I created a small virtual library called The Inquiry Book Club—a collection of book recommendations that I hope will inspire PYP teachers around the world and help them find the perfect title for their next inquiry.

If you're looking for new books to enrich your classroom library, I'd love you to take a look at The Inquiry Book Club. I hope you discover a few new favourites!

Simple English Classroom Phrases for Young Learners - Part 1

 Hello, everyone! 👋

Today we'll focus on teaching English to children in Year 1 and Year 2 which doesn’t require using complicated language. Simple, everyday phrases are a wonderful way to help young learners feel confident and start using English naturally in the classroom.

In this post, you’ll find some easy English phrases that you can start using right away, plus a fun little game to encourage your pupils to speak!

🏆 Let’s get them talking!

One of my favourite ways to encourage children to use English is to turn it into a team game!

At the beginning of the lesson, divide the class into two or more teams. Then introduce the English phrases of the day.

👉 With Year 1, I recommend introducing no more than two phrases at a time. Since children are not yet confident readers, introduce the phrases orally, using gestures, repetition and lots of modelling.

👉 With Year 2, you can introduce up to three phrases and write them on the board. Keep them there throughout the lesson so children can look at them whenever they need some help.

Now comes the fun part!

Every time a child uses one of the target phrases naturally, their team gets one point. ⭐ The important thing is that children are encouraged to use the phrases for a real reason, rather than simply repeating them after the teacher.

For example, if today's phrases are:

Can I have a pencil, please?
Can you help me, please?

When a child needs a pencil and remembers to ask in English:

🎉 One point for the team!

This creates a fun reason to speak English and, before long, children start listening carefully for opportunities to use the phrases.

But which phrases are useful and easy to learn at the same time?

👋 1. Greetings

Starting every lesson with simple greetings can quickly become a fun and reassuring routine.

A great way to introduce this language, especially with younger children, is through a song! 

Here are 3 different ones you can choose from according to your class' mood of the day ;)

🎵 Hello! | Kids Greeting Song and Feelings Song – Super Simple Songs

Watch the song on YouTube

🎵 The Greeting Song – Maple Leaf Learning

Watch the song on YouTube

🎵 Hello Song for Kids | Greeting Song for Kids – The Singing Walrus

Watch the song on YouTube

Use them at the beginning of the lesson, sing them together (modelling) and encourage children to join in with gestures and actions. After the song, you can start using some of the same expressions in your classroom:

• Hello!
• Good morning!
• Hi, everyone!
• How are you today?
• Are you ready?
• Let’s start!
• Goodbye!
• See you next time!

👉Listen how to pronounce them here 

For Year 1, I would focus on just one or two expressions at a time and let children learn them through listening, repetition and movement.

For Year 2, you can choose two or three expressions and write them on the board so children can use them independently during the lesson.

✨ Tip: Make the song part of your regular classroom routine. After a few lessons, you may find that children automatically know that when the song starts, it’s time to switch to English!

And remember: the more fun it is, the more they will want to join in! 🎶

🙋 2. Simple Requests

Young learners can also learn a few useful phrases to ask for something, ask for help or communicate their needs in English.

Here are some great ones to start with:

• Can I go to the toilet, please?
• Can I have a pencil, please?
• Can you help me, please?
• Can you say it again, please?
• I don’t understand.
• Can I have a turn, please?
• I’m finished!

👉Listen how to pronounce them here

Don’t introduce all of them at once., but choose two or three phrases, depending on the age of your pupils, and use them regularly. The more children hear and use these expressions, the more naturally they will become part of their classroom English.

🌟 Keep it simple!

With young learners, repetition is your best friend. Choose a couple of phrases, practise them through real classroom situations and give your pupils a reason to use them. And remember:

Little phrases, big progress! 🌈

Happy teaching, and… let’s get them talking! 💛

🌟 ¡Learning English doesn’t simply mean filling in the blanks! 🇬🇧✨

Many English as a Second Language (ESL) activities rely solely on “fill-in-the-blank” exercises ✏️… but the real goal should be to help children speak, understand, and use English naturally. 🗣️💬

🎨 Learning by doing makes it much easier, more fun, and more motivating!

And you’ll be surprised at how quickly children can start achieving real results. 🌈🚀

📚 If you’re looking for creative and engaging activities to make English learning more dynamic, check out my online store! 🛍️💕

👉 ESL Children's Worksheets

✨ Learn, play, speak, and grow! ❤️

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

From Mind Maps to Ecological Fairy Tales: A Cooperative Learning Project for #SharingThePlanet

Hi all! 👋

I've just found some pictures about a collaborative project I had the pleasure of planning and... I couldn't resist sharing them with you! ✨

That day our classroom was buzzing with collaboration! 🌍💚

Working in teams, my students created mind maps to explore the environmental issues and sources of pollution affecting the ecosystems they had been assigned: the sea, the meadow, the woods and the desert. Through discussion, questioning, and sharing ideas, they realized that every ecosystem faces many challenges—and that every voice matters.

This learning experience goes far beyond Science. It is deeply transdisciplinary, as students draw on everything they have learned during our #UnitOfInquiry – Sharing the Planet, entirely in English. Along the way, they are also developing their #GreenComp competencies, strengthening their communication and teamwork skills, and becoming more confident, independent learners.

Of course, meaningful writing doesn't happen by chance. Before beginning this project, we explored the key elements of a fairy tale and had lots of fun creating stories together by playing a game inspired by Story Box: Create Your Own Fairy Tales. These playful experiences gave students the confidence and narrative tools they needed to become creative storytellers.

And now comes the exciting part! ✨

These mind maps will become the foundation for each group's own #EcologicalFairytale, where the environmental challenge at the heart of the story will come directly from the ideas they explored together. Through storytelling, imagination, and empathy, children learn that even the biggest challenges can inspire action and positive change.

💡 A final teaching tip: If time allows, don't stop at the writing stage! Invite your students to bring their ecological fairy tales to life by performing them as a Chinese shadow puppet theatre. It's a magical way to integrate drama, art, speaking and listening skills, while giving every child the chance to become part of the story.

Because when children collaborate, think critically, create, and perform with purpose, they don't just learn about the world—they begin to imagine how they can change it. 💚🌎

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

English from the First Hello: Creating a Safe and Playful Classroom

 

in this picture a fun activity to review Qs&As

Hi there! How is your summer going?

Is your mind already busy thinking about next year English classes? 

As I anticipated in my previous post, here in Italy the new guidelines for primary and middle school state that "a teacher should enter the classroom speaking English" creating an immersive environment from the very beginning, where students are encouraged to express themselves using the language.

For many children, however, speaking a foreign language can initially cause shyness, hesitation, or fear of making mistakes. Also, we must remember the well known 'silent period' which is that natural phase that occurs during the language acquisition process: children need time to listen, observe and process the new sounds and structures before they build confidence and feel ready to speak (Krashen, 1982). Of course, this doesn't mean that children are not learning; during this phase, in fact, they are actively building their understanding of the language and it's important not to force them to translate or produce language before they are ready as I wrote about in my book 'I bambini alle prese con l'inglese' .

But how can we make our pupils feel comfortable and at the same time make sure they are learning? 

With games, of course!

Play, as we all know, is not merely a recreational activity: it is a fundamental and powerful teaching tool. Through games, songs, movement, routines and cooperative learning, children gradually feel more relaxed and confident. When they are not afraid of making mistakes or being judged, they are much more willing to listen, participate and use English naturally. In other words, these activities help lower the affective filter (Krashen, 1982), creating the emotional conditions that support language acquisition.

Keep in mind:

🎲 Games → allow children to participate using nonverbal responses or simple words, while respecting each child’s individual pace. Take a peek here

📚 Storytelling → Provides a rich linguistic input without the pressure of having to speak right away. Check this books out!

🎵 Songs and chants → Help children become familiar with sounds and structures through repetition. Check my lesson plans around the blog, they always come with a song related to the topic

🤝 Cooperative Learning → Creates opportunities for gradual and safe interaction. Get Some ideas right here!

It's important to remember that for the first month, at least, the goal is not to speak perfectly from day one, but to create a relaxed environment where every attempt at communication is welcomed and valued.

This is where true language immersion can begin!

🌟 ¡Learning English doesn’t simply mean filling in the blanks! 🇬🇧✨

Many English as a Second Language (ESL) activities rely solely on “fill-in-the-blank” exercises ✏️… but the real goal should be to help children speak, understand, and use English naturally. 🗣️💬

🎨 Learning by doing makes it much easier, more fun, and more motivating!

And you’ll be surprised at how quickly children can start achieving real results. 🌈🚀

📚 If you’re looking for creative and engaging activities to make English learning more dynamic, check out my online store! 🛍️💕

👉 ESL Children's Worksheets

✨ Learn, play, speak, and grow! ❤️

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

✨ What Makes the Perfect Lesson? (Spoiler: It’s Not Just About English!)

image created with AI

 Hi there! 

Are you already planning for the next school year? If your answer is yes, I might have something for you right here ;) 

Have you ever asked yourself if there is such a thing as the perfect lesson? 🤔

I think the answer is... a recipe for creating lessons where children feel involved, motivated and excited to learn.

And the best part? This isn't just for English lessons... it's a structure that can work across any subject.

One of the first things I have always taken into account while planning is my students' attention spans. Every age group is different, and that's something we absolutely need to respect, but respecting children's attention span doesn't mean staying within their limits forever: one of our goals is definitely to gently stretch them. How? By keeping our pupils engaged with a variety of meaningful activities that naturally flow from one to the next.

After sharing many different lesson plans over the past few years, for this post I stopped to analyze what a typical lesson at Miss Lucy's Teaching Fun looks like, so that you can use it as a framework to fill up with your own materials and strategies:

🎵 1. Connect
We begin with songs, routines and a quick review. Children activate prior knowledge, build confidence and get into "learning mode."

📚 2. Explore
A picture book, flashcards, a game or a real object introduces the new topic. But the real magic happens through questions. I encourage children to make predictions, recall previous learning and actively participate instead of simply listening silently.

✂️ 3. Create
Arts and crafts, colouring and cutting, modelling with plasticine or other hands-on activities allow children to process what they've learned in a meaningful way. Learning becomes something they do, not just something they hear.

🌟 4. Reflect
Before the lesson ends, we revisit the learning of the day with a few simple questions and celebrate everyone's effort with a little reward (a sticker, a stamp, a candy). It's a small moment that helps consolidate learning and leaves children feeling successful. 

As you can see, every stage of the lesson is planned with a clear purpose. Learning needs structure, and my planning is strongly inspired by Bloom's Taxonomy. Of course, there's always room for flexibility, but the structure is what makes meaningful learning possible.

We start by remembering previous learning, then move on to understanding new concepts through stories and discussion. Children apply what they've learned during practical activities, while the questions we ask encourage them to analyse, make connections and explain their thinking. Even the simplest craft can become an opportunity to create something personal using new language or new knowledge.

I believe a great lesson isn't about filling an hour with activities, but it's about designing a journey where every step has a purpose.

When children are engaged, thinking, moving, creating and reflecting, learning becomes deeper, more meaningful... and much more fun. 💛

Now I'd love to hear from you!

What are your essential ingredients for the perfect lesson?

Do you consciously plan around Bloom's Taxonomy, or do you have another framework that guides your teaching?

Let's share ideas in the comments! 👇✨

🌟 ¡Learning English doesn’t simply mean filling in the blanks! 🇬🇧✨

Many English as a Second Language (ESL) activities rely solely on “fill-in-the-blank” exercises ✏️… but the real goal should be to help children speak, understand, and use English naturally. 🗣️💬

🎨 Learning by doing makes it much easier, more fun, and more motivating!

And you’ll be surprised at how quickly children can start achieving real results. 🌈🚀

📚 If you’re looking for creative and engaging activities to make English learning more dynamic, check out my online store! 🛍️💕

👉 ESL Children's Worksheets

✨ Learn, play, speak, and grow! ❤️

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

NEW COUNTRY... NEW ADVENTURES!

ChatGPT doesn't know where Macerata is (LOL)

Hello, everyone!

Wow!!!! it really has been a long time, hasn't it?

If you're still here after all these years, thank you! And if you've just discovered Miss Lucy's Teaching Fun, welcome aboard! Either way, I'm sooooo happy to be writing here again.

But... where have I been?

Well, life happened. Or, to be more precise... teaching happened!

For the past five years, I've been teaching in a couple of international schools. They were amazing experiences that helped me grow professionally, meet wonderful people, and challenge myself every single day. But let's be honest... international schools can be incredibly demanding. They require a huge amount of energy, creativity, flexibility... and time! By the end of the day, the last thing I could think about was sitting down to write a blog post.

Now, a new chapter has begun.

After spending four wonderful years on the beautiful Lake Como, I've moved on to a completely different adventure: teaching in an Italian state primary school.

And, as you can imagine, I've been observing... a lot.

New colleagues, new routines, new challenges, new opportunities... and plenty of ideas! I've filled pages with notes, reflections, little classroom victories, and, of course, a few funny stories along the way.

So yes... new blog posts are definitely coming!

This is actually a fascinating time to be teaching English in Italian primary schools. The new national guidelines are encouraging a much more communicative approach, giving greater importance to listening and speaking from the very first years of school. Music to my ears! 

We'll explore together how these changes can become meaningful classroom practice, with practical activities, games, storytelling, movement, songs... and all the fun that learning English should include.

And finally, there's one more piece of exciting news.

After years of writing every single post in multiple languages (yes... that took forever!), I'm officially retiring from my job as my own translator!

Artificial Intelligence has completely changed the game. Most of you can now translate blog posts instantly on your phones, tablets, or computers. That means I can spend less time translating and much more time doing what I enjoy the most: creating new ideas, sharing classroom experiences, and designing fun resources for teachers and children around the world.

So today we say a grateful goodbye to mihijohablainglés.com and open the door to this brand-new adventure.

I'm excited and, honestly, I can't wait to share everything that's coming next.

Thank you for being here.

Let's make English teaching fun... again!

Love,

Miss Lucy

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

Connecting the Dots: From Transdisciplinary Themes to Meaningful Inquiry

One of the things I love most about the PYP is how a single Central Idea can open the door to endless learning possibilities.

In my previous posts, I talked about transdisciplinary learning, the role of the Transdisciplinary Themes, and why they are at the heart of the IB Primary Years Programme. Today, I'd like to take you behind the scenes and share a real Unit of Inquiry (UOI) I designed during my Master's course in Methodology of International Education.

For this unit, I chose the transdisciplinary theme:

🌍 How We Organize Ourselves – an inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and their impact on the environment.

The target age group was Grade 6.

The next step? Creating a meaningful Central Idea.

The Central Idea is much more than a statement. It's the heart of the inquiry. It provides a conceptual framework that guides teaching while giving students the opportunity to build on their prior knowledge, personal experiences, and cultural perspectives. This is where authentic student agency begins.

The Central Idea I developed was:

"Living things have adapted to their unique environments, while also shaping and modifying those environments to meet their survival needs."

From there, the inquiry naturally unfolded into three Lines of Inquiry:

🏡 Form: How people live – exploring human habitats around the world.

🌱 Causation: How the environment influences human choices about where and how they live.

🌎 Responsibility: The impact of human living solutions on the environment.

What I find fascinating is how flexible this framework is.

Although I chose to focus on human habitats, the very same Central Idea could easily lead students to investigate ecosystems, animal adaptations, evolution, sustainability, or even technological innovation. The possibilities are endless.

This is the beauty of inquiry-based learning: the curriculum isn't reduced to isolated subjects. Instead, it becomes a connected journey where concepts, skills, and student curiosity drive learning together.

Every Unit of Inquiry evolves as students ask questions, make connections, and contribute their own ideas. That's what makes each inquiry unique—and that's what makes teaching in the PYP so rewarding.

✨ Have you ever designed or experienced a Unit of Inquiry that took an unexpected direction because of students' questions? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments!

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.

Exploring the Magic of the IB Transdisciplinary Themes

Hi there! Welcome back! 

As we discovered in our previous post, the IB framework introduces six big Transdisciplinary Themes that are at the heart of the PYP (Primary Years Programme). 

What makes these themes so special? Easy answer... Their incredible flexibility: they can be adapted to different ages, cultures, languages, and learning contexts.

But what is the real magic behind them? ✨

These themes are not simply “topics” to cover. They are like windows that open our students’ minds to the world. They help children make connections between subjects, ask meaningful questions, explore real-life situations, and understand that learning is not divided into separate boxes.

The Transdisciplinary Themes encourage our young learners to become curious thinkers, compassionate citizens, and active participants in their communities.

Let's take a closer look at them!

1. Encapsulation of Shared Commonalities 🌎

They connect us through our shared human experiences

The Transdisciplinary Themes focus on ideas that are meaningful for all human beings, regardless of where they live or which culture they belong to.  The big idea here is that, despite our differences,  as human beings we share many experiences, needs, hopes, and challenges and especially values.

💡 Practical example for your lesson:

Theme: Who We Are

Students can explore identity, relationships, health, and personal development.

Possible subject connections:

• Language: writing a personal biography, creating “All About Me” books, interviewing family members.
• Science: exploring the human body, nutrition, and healthy habits.
• Social Studies: comparing family traditions and celebrations from different cultures.
• Art: creating self-portraits representing personality, emotions, and identity.

Through this theme, children understand that knowing themselves also helps them understand others.

2. Indication of Complexity and Connectedness 🌱

They show students that the world is beautifully interconnected

Real-world problems are rarely simple. The themes encourage students to look beyond one perspective and discover how different elements influence each other.

Children learn that a scientific discovery can have social consequences, that our choices affect the environment, and that every action creates connections.

💡 Practical example for your lesson:

Theme: How We Organize Ourselves

Students investigate systems, communities, organizations, and how people work together.

Possible subject connections:

• Mathematics: collecting data about classroom routines, creating graphs, analysing budgets.
• Science: exploring how systems work in nature (ecosystems, food chains).
• Social Studies: understanding governments, communities, and different types of organizations.
• Language: creating advertisements, persuasive texts, or presentations about improving a community system.

Students begin to see that everything is connected!

3. Engagement in Real-World Dialogues 🌍💬

They invite children to become problem-solvers

The Transdisciplinary Themes encourage students to discuss authentic issues that matter in the world around them. They are not just learning about problems; they are encouraged to think about possible solutions.

💡 Practical example for your lesson:

Theme: Sharing the Planet

Students explore relationships between humans, animals, and the environment.

Possible subject connections:

• Science: investigating ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change, and conservation.
• Mathematics: analysing environmental data, measuring waste production, creating charts.
• Language: writing campaigns, creating posters, preparing speeches to raise awareness.
• Art: designing eco-friendly projects or recycled artwork.
• Physical Education: exploring outdoor activities and the importance of caring for natural spaces.

Students discover that even small actions can create a positive impact.

4. Authentic Embeddedness of Subject Areas 📚✨

They break down the walls between subjects

One of the most exciting aspects of the PYP is that subjects do not live separately. Instead of learning mathematics, science, language, and art as isolated areas, students use different skills together to understand bigger concepts.

💡 Practical example for your lesson:

Theme: How We Express Ourselves

Students explore creativity, communication, culture, and personal expression.

Possible subject connections:

• Language: writing stories, poems, scripts, or exploring different forms of communication.
• Art: studying artists, creating original artwork, experimenting with different techniques.
• Music: exploring rhythm, instruments, and cultural traditions.
• Drama: expressing ideas through role-play and performances.
• Technology: creating digital stories, podcasts, or presentations.

Students learn that creativity has many different languages!

5. Contribution to the Uniqueness of the PYP 🌟

They create globally minded learners

The Transdisciplinary Themes are what make the PYP approach truly unique. They move beyond traditional content-based learning and encourage children to become internationally minded, reflective, and responsible citizens.

💡 Practical example for your lesson:

Theme: Where We Are in Place and Time

Students investigate history, journeys, cultures, and the relationship between people and places.

Possible subject connections:

• Social Studies: exploring historical events, migrations, and civilizations.
• Geography: studying maps, countries, landscapes, and human environments.
• Language: creating timelines, research projects, interviews, and historical narratives.
• Mathematics: working with timelines, distances, scales, and population data.
• Art: exploring cultural symbols, architecture, and traditional crafts.

Students understand that every place has a story, and every person is part of a bigger global story.

The six themes: one big invitation to explore 🚀

The beauty of the PYP Transdisciplinary Themes is that they transform learning into an adventure. They encourage children to wonder, question, investigate, create, collaborate, and take action.

As teachers, our role is not only to provide answers but to create opportunities for students to discover connections and build their own understanding of the world. Because the best learning happens when children look around and think:

“I wonder why…”
“How could we improve this?”
“What can I do to make a difference?” 🌍💛

Quiero leerlo en español

🌟 ¡Learning English doesn’t simply mean filling in the blanks! 🇬🇧✨

Many English as a Second Language (ESL) activities rely solely on “fill-in-the-blank” exercises ✏️… but the real goal should be to help children speak, understand, and use English naturally. 🗣️💬

🎨 Learning by doing makes it much easier, more fun, and more motivating!

And you’ll be surprised at how quickly children can start achieving real results. 🌈🚀

📚 If you’re looking for creative and engaging activities to make English learning more dynamic, check out my online store! 🛍️💕

👉 ESL Children's Worksheets

✨ Learn, play, speak, and grow! ❤️

📍Do you struggle with a challenging class, where many of your students get distracted and their academic performance doesn’t reflect all the effort you put into preparing and teaching your lessons? 

📍Does this situation frustrate you, and would you like your students to learn more while enjoying the process? 

👉Something similar happened to me during my elementary teaching internship, and in my latest book, Pygmalion in the Classroom: A Real Experience—based on my senior thesis and my internship at a primary school in Madrid—I’ll tell you how we managed to turn things around and achieve resounding success! 

Don’t miss it! 

Available in digital and print formats on Amazon in every country, and on the major e-book platforms.