Description
Teachers who are speakers of English as a foreign language love to participate in training courses all over Europe – but there is a setback for them! They can survive everyday conversation in English but communication within the courses is not easy for them because they are not familiar with the related vocabulary and language skills.
This course is designed for non-English speakers who are excited to boost their English knowledge while discussing and learning about trending topics in education. It will present practical information and applicable studies for today’s educators while providing opportunities for learners to debate and share their ideas in English using the new lexis and associated terminology.
Under the trainer’s supervision, participants will have space and time to learn new emerging educational concepts. They will also practice them, and share the acquired knowledge in English and experienced difficulties/obstacles.
The course largely depends on co-culture and interaction between participants!
On each day, the trainer will shortly present a trending topic in education (e.g., STEAM, Digital Media Literacy, Co-culture, and Flipped Education). Then, participants will be offered collaborative activities (such as shared tasks, games, information exchange, and similar in pairs and groups) to discuss and practice the day’s core topic.
Significantly, these activities will be tailored to the needs of participants with low English skills. They will focus on the acquisition of a new lexicon, and let course participants practice individual words and make deeper connections and understanding with their peers.
The trainer will promote social interaction, and encourage everyone to create a strong bond. Therefore, participants will be able to practice and grow their speaking and listening skills, hence increasing their confidence as English speakers.
By the end of the week, teachers will gain an excellent understanding of the most popular progression in education.
Moreover, thanks to the practical activities, they will build English skills that are connected and purposeful to teaching. Finally, the glossary of terms presented during the week will enable them to explore more and understand better international trends in education.
Learning outcomes
The course will help the participants to:
- Relate, learn, and understand international trends in education;
- Identify the English skills that they need to work on;
- Foster and enhance confidence in speaking in English;
- Encourage constructive dialogues and debates;
- Integrate different types of games and team-building activities;
- Evaluate the importance of access to a glossary of terms in the learning process.
Tentative schedule
Day 1 – International trends in education
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools
- What is a trend and how do you know what is trending in education?
Day 2 – What is STEAM?
- Steam Mindset;
- STEAM approaches (trans-disciplinary and interdisciplinary)
- STEAM lesson plans;
- Language focus: verb and verb tenses;
- CFU: energy crisis;
- STEAM terminology.
Day 3 – Digital Media Literacy
- What is digital literacy?
- Twelve digital competencies;
- Information, misinformation, disinformation;
- Online life safety;
- Language focus: adjectives, comparative, superlative, and intensifiers;
- CFU: thinking Routine Toolbox;
- DILT terminology.
Day 4 – Co-culture
- Collaboration, coordination, and cooperation;
- Creativity and critical thinking;
- Need assessment;
- Language focus: adverbs and commenting adverbs;
- CFU: active listening, ways to listen better;
- Co-culture terminology.
Day 5 – Flipped learning
- Differences between a traditional classroom and a flipped classroom;
- Bloom’s Taxonomy in flipped learning;
- How to design a unit for a flipped classroom?
- Language focus: gist reading strategy;
- CFU: SWOT analysis in flipped learning;
- FC terminology.
Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities
- Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
- Excursion and other external cultural activities.