My school
Propuestas para fortalecer la enseñanza de inglés con situaciones de lectura, escritura y oralidad.
Creado: 23 abril, 2025 | Actualizado: 5 de mayo, 2025
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Índice
Part 1: Intercultural education
Part 2: Schools in Buenos Aires
Part 1: Intercultural education
1. Speaking: Think-Pair-Share.
Do you know people who speak different languages? Who are they? What languages do they speak?
Can speaking two languages help you make more friends? Why?
Do you think it’s fun to learn words in different languages? Which words do you like?
What do you think is the best way to practice another language?
2. Watch a video about a school in Argentina. Answer the questions.
Enlace al contenido interactivoThe video is a fragment of "Escuela de frontera bilingüe - intercultural Nº 604 Juan Carlos Leonetti, Bernardo de Irigoyen, Misiones" (Portal Educar, 2014) from the series Escuelas Argentinas, produced by Canal Encuentro between 2006 and 2008. The series portrays life experiences, community and educational projects of real schools located in different regions of Argentina.
What is the name of the school? Where is it?
What languages do most students speak?
What happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays?
What does “intercultural” mean?
Part 2: Schools in Buenos Aires
1. How do you think learning in a big city, a small town, or the countryside might be different? Read the article and check.
Schools in Buenos Aires
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest province in Argentina, covering an area of 307,571 square kilometers. With its wide geography and variety of landscapes, schools in this province can be very different. What is learning like in big cities, small towns, rural areas or coastal regions?
Schools in big cities
Secondary schools in big cities are usually big and have students from different backgrounds. Matilde from Mar del Plata says, “With so many people, it’s easy to find someone who shares your interests. Sometimes the school feels a little crowded, but you never get bored. There’s always something going on.”
Schools in small towns
Secondary School N° 1 “Bernardino Rivadavia,” Moquehuá, Chivilcoy. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
In small towns, students and teachers often get to know each other very well and there is a strong sense of community. Juan José enjoys going to a small school. “I like it because everybody knows everybody and it's easier to socialize with people, especially if you're a shy person like me."
Schools in the countryside
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE.
In rural areas, students often live far from school and travel long distances to study. In some of these schools girls and boys of different ages learn together in the same classroom. For Irene, going to a countryside school has a big advantage. “Studying here is different from what I hear about schools in the city. We are like a family, and teachers spend a lot of time with each of us.”
Schools on the islands
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE.
Island schools are unusual because they are surrounded by rivers, so students and teachers often travel by boat or ferry to get there. Noah says, “Our days are full of nature—sometimes we even study outside when the weather’s nice. The island is our classroom, and we feel like we’re part of something special.”
Whether your school is in the countryside, a big city, or somewhere in between, it’s the best place to learn and connect with others, make friends and just be yourself!
2. Copy into your notebook. Match and write.
Noah
Matilde
Juan José
Irene
a countryside school
a school in a small town
a school in a big city
a school on an island
Noah goes to ...
3. What do the students like about their schools? Copy into your notebook. Match and say.
Noah
Matilde
Irene
Juan José
the busy life at school
feeling part of a community
spending time with teachers
being in contact with nature
Noah likes …
4. What do you remember? Copy and complete the sentences with these words and phrases from the text.
| big cities - rural - islands - long distances - students - small towns |
- In ______________ areas, students often live far from school and travel _______________ to study.
- Schools in ____________ are usually full of energy, and __________ come from many different places.
- Schools on the _________ are unusual. Some students and teachers travel by boat or ferry every day.
- In _________________ schools, the atmosphere is usually quiet and relaxed.
5. Writing project. What is your school like?
Imagine you are sharing your school experience with students from other provinces or countries on social media. Write a post about your school.
First, answer these questions to help you plan your post.
What school do you go to?
How do you get to school?
What do you like most about your school?
Where is your school located?
What is your school like?
What makes it special?
Useful words and phrases
in a big city / on an island / in the countryside / in a small town
by bicycle / by car / by bus / by boat / on foot
big / small crowded / noisy / quiet modern / traditional
Here is an example:
Hi! I’m Facu and I go to School Number 1 “Lucio V. Mansilla”. My school is in a small town called Tandil. It is not very big—there are only twenty students in my class. I walk to school every day, and it takes about 15 minutes. I really like my school because it feels like a family. We all know each other, and it’s easy to talk to the teachers. The best thing is that we listen to music during the break and sing. My school is quiet, and I like it this way because it helps me focus on my work.
Include an image or a picture. It could be a photo of the school building, your favorite place, or an outdoor area where you like to hang out.
Part 3: People at school
1. Read the text. Who are the people in the photographs? What do they like about their jobs?
People at school
When you start a new school, you see a lot of new faces. At School Number 12, in Gonnet, there are many people who work hard and really get what it’s like to be a teen. Here are some of them.
Hello, I'm Sandra, one of the school janitors. In this picture, I’m with two of my colleagues, Mariana and Carmen. (1) ………………… I love getting hugs from the kids when they arrive, and we have wonderful conversations. A smile makes everything better. My advice to new students is simple: with respect, empathy, and kindness, you can do amazing things.
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE.
Hi! I'm Natalia, the school librarian. I love my job. The library is a great place to meet, do homework, listen to music, or simply talk with friends and spend time together. (2) ………………… I love to invite new students to come to the library every day.
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE.
My name is Valeria, but everyone calls me Prof. Allegrucci. I teach Language and Literature. Every day, I say hello to people in the corridors before going to my classroom to start the lesson. In class, we discuss novels, short stories and poems. Classes can be very noisy at times, but they are fun! My favourite moments are when we share opinions, interpretations and impressions of what we read. That’s when the magic happens!
My advice to the new students is this: “Enjoy every class, every moment, and every conversation. (3) ………………… Look and listen to what is happening around you. It’s important.”
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE
My name is Carolina. I am a preceptora, as we call this job in Argentina, a kind of school monitor. I do many administrative tasks. I check attendance, organize student records and communicate with families. These tasks are important, but I also guide students with academic or personal matters. The best part of my job is talking and helping students. (4) ………………… Sometimes it’s not easy, but it’s wonderful to be there when they need someone to listen.
Fuente: Archivo DGCyE.
2. Read the sentences below. Where do they go in the text above? Match the numbers to the correct letters. Write them in your notebook.
(a) You can find great books, maps, games, and many other things.
(b) They know they can trust me if they have a problem.
(c) My job is to greet students, check the door, and keep the school clean.
(d) You never know what will inspire you to learn something new.
3. Project: Who are the people at your school? A Special Person Interview
a. In pairs, choose one person from your school: a teacher, the principal, the librarian, a janitor, or a school monitor (preceptora or preceptor). Prepare five questions to ask this person about their jobs. Here are some questions, but the words are not in the right order. Can you order them?
you - questions - Can - I - ask - some ?
name - What’s - your?
your - school - What’s - at - job ?
do - day - What - you - do - every?
about - job - What - like - do - your - you?
part - of - the - here - What’s - best - working?
new - students - any - you - advice - Do - students - have - for?
Think of other questions you would like to ask and write them too.
b. Do the interview. If the person you have chosen speaks English, go for it! If not, you can do it in Spanish.
Record the interview (you can use a cellphone) or take notes on paper. You don’t need to write everything down—just focus on the most important information.
c. With your teacher’s help, write your interview in English.
d. Share your interview. Choose one of the options below.
Option 1. Write a magazine article
Imagine your school has a magazine and you decide to contribute to the “Special People” section. Your interview should include a title and a photo or drawing of the person you interviewed.
Your teacher can assist you in creating a physical magazine featuring all the articles. This magazine can be displayed in the classroom, hallway, or library.
Information and communication technology connection: You can create an online magazine with a digital publishing tool such as Flipsnack.
Option 2. In small groups, make a poster about important people at your school. Include:
- A big, catchy title
- Different sections with information about the people you interviewed.
- Pictures or drawings.
- Colours, shapes, or images to make your poster visually attractive.
Here is an example:
Meet Ms. García, the school librarian. Every day, she helps students find materials for class assignments, and she organizes reading challenges. She’s really happy when a student finds a book they love and can’t wait to talk about it. Ms. García’s advice to new students? “Don’t be shy—there’s something in this library for everyone. Just ask, and I’ll help you find it.”
ICT connection: You can create online posters with Canva, PosterMywall, Adobe Express or other digital tools.
Option 3: Make a podcast
Write a script based on your interview. Include an introduction and a conclusion.
Useful phrases
Welcome to our podcast about …
Every day,
Her/ His advice to new students is …
That’s all for today’s podcast.
Thank you for listening!
See you next time
Today, we’ll talk about ...
The best part of his/ her job is …
That’s it for today.
Stay tuned for more!
Practice reading your text aloud. When you are ready, record your audio on a mobile phone voice app. You can include sound effects or music to make your podcast really cool! Share it with your teacher and classmates.