Vigo's Old Town - 2nd ESO

Last Thursday (November 4th) the class of 2nd ESO went on a field trip organised by "Vigo por Dentro" to the Old Town of Vigo. We toured the Old Town getting to know streets, historic buildings, and the structure of the medieval village.

The tour started at Porta do Sol where we wondered why this name for a square. After having a look at a picture of the Old Town contrasting it with one of the present city, we started going to A Praza da Princesa. There we talked about the name of its fountain (A Fonte do Anxelote) and some key moments in the History of our city. 

After these first two stops we went deep into the old streets imagining we were walking on the walls and trying to recreate how the villa used to be. We pursued the streets imagining why their names, what they were like and how life used to go by during those times. We also talked about traditional jobs and crafts.

This experience gave the students the notion of English as a communicative tool, not a s much as a school subject, and allowed them to practise the language in real context. 

Objectives of the activity:

- get to know the Old Town of Vigo, recognizing its antique urban planning, streets, squares, historic buildings and history of the small village, using English as a communicative vehicle.

- try to recreate the village that Vigo used to be during the period of walled villa.

- recognise and valorise architectonic and urban patrimony, giving special attention to the state of rebuilding and restoring old urban areas in modern cities.

- see how time passed by these old streets, comparing them with modern urbanism.

- use English to communicate and ask for information, describe, give opinions and other functions and skills when speaking a language.