Description
The course has been created for English language teachers and teachers of other foreign languages, who want to incorporate more creative language teaching methods in their classrooms and share their knowledges and experiences with other language teachers from around Europe.
Participants will incorporate Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task Based Learning, Content Integrated Language Learning (CLIL), and authentic materials integrating all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) in creative ways.
There will also be a focus on how storytelling, movie-making, drama and class publications can enhance language lessons and make classroom activities more interesting and fun. Teachers will also learn more about learning through specific contexts, student versus teacher roles, classroom management, and reflective teaching practice.
By the end of the course participants will have learned how to maintain student motivation and how to create and maintain an effective and stimulating learning environment in the classroom.
Learning Outcomes
Participants to the course will learn to:
- Teaching English to foreigners;
- Knowledge about students’ learning styles and ability to adapt teaching accordingly;
- Mapping techniques, visual thinking, visual teaching strategies and creative thinking;
- Planning lessons using innovative methods;
- Evaluating complex competences: teacher-, peer- and auto-assessment;
- Searching, adapting and manipulating visual resources as a means to develop high-order skills;
- Managing ICT tools in Education: quizzes and serious games, classroom management platforms, online portfolios.
Tentative Schedule
The schedule describes likely activities but may differ significantly based on the requests of the participants, and the trainer delivering the specific session. Course modifications are subject to the trainer’s discretion. If you would like to discuss a specific topic, please indicate it at least 4 weeks in advance.
Day 1 – Course introduction & Setting goals
Course introduction
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities.
- Icebreaker activities using drama for trust and ensemble building.
Setting goals
- Identification of needs and goals for each participant and relevant populations.
- What works and what doesn’t work in your classroom? Pair and group work activities; Student versus Teacher centered classrooms; Journal reflection and questions;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools.
Day 2 – Communication
- Communicative Language Teaching (CLT); Is your classroom communicative and interactive? Teaching
- Activities Communicatively; Contextualized Language Teaching; Journal reflection and questions;
- Florence Guided Tour
Day 3 – Task Based Learning
Authentic Materials and Realia; Task Based Learning (TBL); TBL Framework and presentations; Journal reflection and questions
Day 4 – The Creative Classroom
Storytelling for language learning; Practicing Storytelling; Journal reflection and questions;
Day 5 – Drama for language learning
The Creative Classroom: Drama Pedagogy for language learning; Practicing Drama; Journal reflection and questions;
Day 6 – Cultural activities
Excursion and other external cultural activities.
Day 7 – Rest day
Day off
Day 8 – Movie making
- The Creative Classroom:
- Movie–Making for language learning;
- Practicing Movie-Making;
- Journal reflection and questions;
Day 9 – Publication for your school or class
The Creative Classroom: School or Class publication (Magazine/Newspaper/Newsletter)
Day 10 – CBI and CLIL
Content Based Instruction (CBI) Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Games in your classroom. Error correction; Journal reflection and questions;
Day 11 – Communicative classroom
Managing a Communicative Classroom; Instructions, Monitoring, Rapport, Feedback; Managing large classrooms and seating. Breaking Bad Teaching Habits; Journal reflection and questions;
Day 12 – Reflective teaching
Reflective Teaching; Professional Development; Round up of acquired competences, discussion, conclusion, course evaluation and certificate.
Day 13 – Course closure & Cultural activities
Course closure
- Course evaluation: round up of acquired competences, feedback, and discussion.
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.
Cultural activities
- Excursion and other external cultural activities.
Audience
- Language teachers (primary, secondary, vocational, adult, special needs);
- Language teacher trainers;
- Careers officers, educational guides and counselors;
- Headteachers;
- Principals;
- Managers of schools/organisations offering language education.
Before the course, 