Professional Development for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language in Secondary and Adult Education

Focusing on:  Professional Development for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language in Secondary and Adult Education

Training aimed at: English Teachers applying for Erasmus +

Main Language used in training: English

Other language/s used during the training: None

Language version(s) in which materials will be provided: English

Education sector of the training participant’s school and pre-school education:

Education undergraduates

Education graduates

Primary

General secondary

Vocational/Technical secondary

Target Audience

Teachers (primary, secondary, vocational, adult,)

Teacher trainers

Other, namely: Private Language Tutors

Institution Organising the Training                             Training Organisers Contacts:

Name of the Organisation: Link School of English           Ms. Laura Downey

Street: 88/90 Triq it-Tiben                                             Director of Studies

Postcode: SWQ 3034                                                    Email: dos@linkenglishschool.com

Town / City: Swieqi

Country: Malta

Tel: +356 21382634

Website: www.linkenglishschool.com

Preparation:

 On confirmation of booking, participants are given a course preparation pack including:

• Information regarding Euro pass Mobility Certificate application

• A needs analysis questionnaire in order to find out course participants' teaching contexts and training requirements

• A recommended reading list for the course

• A set of ‘opening discussion’ tasks to prepare course participants for the content of the course

• A set of EFL articles for course participants to read in preparation for topics explored during the course

• A course timetable

   

On arrival, participants are also provided with a welcome pack containing a map, student card (entitling them to discounts in various shops, restaurants and venues around Malta) as well as a list of useful contact numbers.

Aims:

Aim 1:             To improve foreign language competencies through the improvement of course participants’ language knowledge and understanding of English Language Teaching methodology

Aim 2:             To introduce course participants to new English Language Teaching methodologies to use in their personal teaching context

Aim 3:             To improve learning performance through self-reflection on personal teaching, and to develop language teaching skills by exploration of classroom materials and teaching options

Aim 4:             To observe EFL teaching at the host institution, and analyse teaching in terms of course content and the course participants’ own teaching context

Aim 5:             To enhance intercultural awareness by forming connections with colleagues from different countries and sharing teaching experiences in an objective developmental environment

Aim 6:             To increase motivation for taking part in future (formal/non-formal) education of training after the mobility period abroad by encouraging the right approach to Continual Professional Development (CPD), and increasing participants’ awareness of options that they can choose to utilize both internally and externally

Aim 7: For course participants to gain an insight into Maltese culture and heritage through our organized excursions

Methodology:

1. Explicit instruction in approaches to teaching and learning in English as a Foreign Language

2. Demonstration of current EFL teaching approaches, activities and methodologies

3. A reflective approach to self-evaluation and focus on course participants as members of their specific teaching and learning contexts

4. Observation of other EFL professionals using research and case studies with follow-up seminar discussion to reinforce course content

5. Peer micro-teaching to increase course participants' awareness of the practicalities of different teaching tools

Contact the Director of Studies on dos@linkenglishschool.com for the course-specific programme.

Following completion of the course participants will:

• Be encouraged to keep in contact with their colleagues for continuous reflection on issues raised during the course

• Be provided with follow-up tasks to complete material covered during the course

• Be given access to the Link online learning system for two follow-up sessions in a virtual learning environment. These sessions allow course participants to meet each other and the course tutor to exchange ideas, share their teaching experiences and receive feedback on the post-course tasks