FunSongs in Liguria and Valle d'Aosta

Part of a worksheet from the
"Our Autumn Song" package

Scott Bishop and Amy Hough, our regular FunSongs Show actors have been presenting Halloween and Autumn shows in Liguria and Valle d'Aosta. This has been Amy's first tour and from all accounts she's been well received. Puppeteer, singer, choreographer and actor, Scott Bishop has built up invaluable expereince entertaining and educating thousands of children. This is his fourth year with FunSongs.

FunSongs Summer Camp - latest developments

Charles Goodger expects to reach a deal with Zola Predosa Council for next summer's two weeks of FunSongs fun straight after the school year. After a constructive meeting with President Casadio of UISP in Bologna a few days ago, there is hope the council will agree to part-finance the scheme. We shall see. . .

Genoa workshop

Tomorrow Charles Goodger will be at the British School in Genoa to host a workshop entitled "Songs in Action". The event is being sponsored by Cambridge ESOL to promote interest among Primary School teachers of English in its Young Learner qualifications.

Local start to new shows season

Scott Bishop teaching The Millennium Song during
the FunSongs Halloween Show

On Friday 21st October we started the new 2005-2006 season of FunSongs shows at Ceretolo Istituto Comprensivo near Bologna. The two shows were well received by both the children and teachers.
The school's new head Cesare Sarti who speaks good English, also came to see the start of the show. Stile di Bologna sent a TV cameraman to film the event.

Amy Hough and Scott Bishop are now in Albenga to present a series of Halloween shows. Arrigo Speziali of ACLE - Theatrino will come to see the shows at Villanova on Monday 23 October.
ACLE is keen to distribute FunSongs throughout Italy.

FunSongs Summer Camp - a hiatus

Unfortunately Domenico Netto of Zola Predosa Council appeared to forget a scheduled meeting with Charles Goodger last Saturday. Charles had wanted to present the results of last week's positive meeting with Sig. Casodio, Chairman of UISP and discuss finance. He will attempt to contact Sig. Netto again in the next few days.

FunSongs at Feltrinelli in Florence

Amy Hough presents the FunSongs CD

The prestigious downtown Florence branch of Italy's well-known bookshop chain Feltrinelli invited FunSongs to present the CD "Action Songs for Learning English" as part of a series of events for kids. Amy Hough and I took a train down from Bologna and had fun teaching a group of primary school children "Time to Play", "The Monster March", "Our Autumn Song and "On Halloween".
Feltrinelli were happy with the event - specially as all the families that came purchased the CD. This was Amy's very first FunSongs event - she was able to show she has a real way with kids.

FSC Casalecchio meeting

On Saturday Gloria Vannucchi and I met Elena Iacucci, assesore della cultura at Casalecchio di Reno council, one of the largest municipalities in Bologna Province outside the city itself. She was most encouraging and supportive and we'll get back to her soon with a specific request in the light of meetings with Zola Predosa Council and Presidente Casodio of UISP this week. Still no word from Stefano Rizzoli of Monte S. Pietro.

Ministry approval for FunSongs!

FunSongs Halloween Show with Benedict
Protheroe and Monica Paris

Yesterday I went to Rome to present the FunSongs on-line material to Inspector Raffaele Sanzo of Italy's Ministry of Education. He said it was highly valid and was particularly interested in its interdisciplinary characteristics - the combination of music, movement and language. He said he would mention FunSongs at presentations. He also gave me some advice about how to market the worksheets and song packages more effectively.

FunSongs Summer Camp - Casalecchio Support!

Today Gloria Vannucchi and I met with Casalecchio di Reno's Assessore della Cultura, Elena Iacucci. She was most responsive and guaranteed her municipality's support. I'm now waiting to hear from Stefano Rizzoli of Monte San Pietro Council. Next week I have meeting with Luigi Casodio, President of the Sports association UISP and Domenico Letto of Zola Predosa. With any luck we will soon have an agreement with the three councils and can start promoting the course.

Amy Hough, new FunSongs actress

Last night on a later train than mine, Amy Hough from Los Angeles, reached Bologna. She will be staying with us for a few days until she finds her own place to stay at in Bologna. We have already started rehearsing and I'm confident she'll do an excellent job. Tomorrow we leave for Florence to present the FunSongs CD at Feltrinelli bookshop. Scott Bishop is now back in Bologna and he will be rehearsing with Amy next week

Crucial time for FunSongs

Scott Bishop, Erin Glass and Charles Goodger
FunSongs Quiz Show, Chiari (BS)

The next few days hold the promise of exciting prospects for FunSongs and its profile in ELT. On Friday I have a meeting with Inspector Raffaele Sanzo of Italy's Ministry of Education in Rome to present the licence scheme. On Saturday there's a key meeting to discuss and hopefully launch the FunSongs Summer Camp 2006 with Casalecchio Municipality. On Sunday our new actress, Amy Hough will be debuting at a presentation at Feltrinelli Bookshop in downtown Florence. And then of course FunSongs Shows kick off with the first FunSongs Autumn-Halloween workshops in Ceretolo prior to the Liguria and Valle d'Aosta tours the following week.

U.I.S.P. and the Italo-Germanic Centre

Yesterday I received a call from the President of UISP, Sig. Casadio, to discuss working with this national sports and leisure time organization in the summer. Thanks to their kind head Frau Sabine, I also managed to secure an agreement with the Italo-Germanic Association in Strada Maggiore, Bologna to use their premises for show rehearsals and equipment storage.

Amy and Scott

We're all looking forward to welcoming Amy and seeing Scott Bishop again. It looks like this school year will be as busy for them as it'll be crucial for FunSongs itself! I was glad to receive an email from Erin Glass who worked with us last school year. She's now back in California completing her studies. I'm sure Itty misses her touch!

A.N.I.L.S. Conference in Cento

Prof. Paolo Balboni

The ANILS (Associazione Italiana di Insegnanti di Lingue Straniere) Conference at Cento suffered because of very bad weather. More people would have come if it hadn't rained. However the FunSongs Workshop which included a lively and highly responsive class of 22 primary school children was appreciated. I taught "On Halloween" and hosted a session "Songs in Action" later in the day.
There were many interesing people at the event including Paolo Balboni from Cà Foscari University in Venice. He gave a provocative talk on the close connection between language and culture. I also made several new contacts including Dott.ssa Lucia Cucciarelli. She runs a project called "Studi Sociale e cooperazione europea." Marika Triola was also there to present her "Baby CLIL" which includes several references to the FunSongs Approach.

FunSongs Summer Camp

I'm now waiting for confirmation from Zola Predosa Council for a meeting on Saturday 15th October which I hope to attend with Antonella Gasparini. That same morning I have another meeting with Casalecchio Council and Teacher Gloria Vannucchi. I'm still waiting to hear from Monte San Pietro.

FunSongs shows

Every day last week there were inquiries and bookings for FunSongs Shows. We're all looking forward to welcoming the new actress Amy Hough who should be arriving in time for the Fetrinelli Bookshop presentation in Florence next Sunday.

FSC - Contact with Monte San Pietro

Parco dei Gessi between Monte San Pietro and Zola Predosa

Contact with Calderino
We have now made contact with all three municipalities involved in the FunSongs Summer Camp project: Zola Predosa, Casalecchio and Monte San Piuetro, often called Calderino. On Friday I tried to reach Stefano Rizzoli of Monte San Pietro Council after English teacher Rossella Gualandi forwarded me his name. I didn't manage to speak to him but got through to a helpful lady called Monica Santandrea.

FunSongs Promotional Drive
The weekend was spent preparing leaflets and updating the database for the FunSongs promotional drive. This essentially means sending out hundreds of leaflets publicizing the shows.

Sixty-Five Million Years Ago
The new action song about dinosaurs is now complete. It needed a final verse:

Sharp white teeth
In colossal jaws
You moved around
On your three-toe claws

I hope to be able to record it before the ANILS conference on 7th October.