An online animated series for young English language learners has just been launched on Youtube, the latest addition to the Learning Time with Timmy suite developed by the British Council in collaboration with animation studio Aardman.
Starring Timmy the Lamb from the Shaun the Sheep Movie, the series will feature 26 episodes based on “tried and tested” lesson plans used in ‘Timmy-themed’ learning centres around the world.
“The episodes are adapted from our real-life lessons in the classroom”
A new episode will be uploaded weekly on a dedicated Youtube channel and it will include informative bonus content.
“What’s special about the series is that the episodes are adapted from our real-life lessons in the classroom, and we know the simple, interactive format means it’s beneficial to very young children whether they be native or non-native speakers learning English,” British Council schools adviser Vicky Gough said in a statement.
The series was launched with a preview screening event in London at the end of May.
Early years teacher Eva Fernandez-Rahman, who attended the event, said the series “ticks all the boxes for early language learning.”
“Children learning English as an additional language will find the programs simple, fun and very appealing,” she said.
The partnership between the British Council and Aardman started in 2014 to create teaching materials for learners between two and six years of age.
“Aardman’s partnership with the British Council is unique,” Aardman’s head of rights and brand development Sean Clarke explained in a statement.
“We are first to the market in combining world renowned characters and award-winning animation with the world’s premier supplier of English language learning.”
The first centres to use the newly created materials were in Chile, Singapore and Mexico, but throughout the years many more flocked in and now the play-based methodology is used in 16 countries, while a Timmy-themed app joined the herd in 2015.
