”First Steps in Spanish”
Interacting’s one-week First Steps in Spanish course has three goals:
- to improve teachers’ competence in Spanish;
- to improve methodological expertise through the use of drama;
- and to deepen teachers’ knowledge of Spanish culture.
A strong group dynamic within a “safe” environment allows teachers to put themselves in the position of their students and try out new techniques. Result: a skills base that both improves teaching delivery and motivates pupils.
Much of the course is in Spanish, which improves listening comprehension while demonstrating how this approach works with young learners. A more formal teaching component based on grammar and conversation is also included.
Based on the belief that learning is a living and dynamic process, the seven-day course is interactive and learner focused. Specially designed to take drama into the classroom as a teaching resource, teaching targets are assessed on a daily basis through group sessions.
First Steps in Spanish is delivered through a variety of plenary sessions, seminars and workshops that kick off with icebreakers and introductions, then on to group work, building confidence, improving communication skills, developing dialogues, scene building, characterisation, story telling, bringing literature alive, language theatre sports, and voice techniques.
With teachers every step of the way…
Interacting’s pre-evaluation for First Steps in Spanish asks teachers to prepare a profile of Spanish teaching in their own school, how their schools are run, workloads, and particularly the extent to which the school undertakes new initiatives and experiments with new teaching methods. This information will be then be used to compile a questionnaire that participants will fill out when registering.
Interacting will also provide participants with information on grants, payment, accommodation in central Madrid, access to the Interacting web site forum, as well as organizing cultural and social activities.
Price for the one week includes course fees and materials, accommodation, and all meals.
Teachers may apply for a Socrates Comenius 2.2 professional development grant of up to €1,500 euros towards the costs of travel, subsistence and course fees.
Participants will be asked to complete an evaluation form at the end of the course, which will form the basis for a discussion on the effectiveness of the methods used.
Participants will receive a certificate at the end of the course and in the following weeks course activities and photos will be available on-line.
Participants will also be given access to the client area of the Interacting website where in addition to a forum specific to the course they will be able to contact other teachers on the Interacting web.
Here’s what teachers had to say about Interacting training courses…
“Very active activities, practical, good organisers.”
“It has been my best experience as a teacher!”
“I’ve felt really enthusiastic, sometimes exhausted, but finally I find myself full of energy and ideas. Now it’s up to me to put all I have learned into practice. It is incredible how emotional it has been. Even my English has improved noticeably.”
“Brilliant, superb, excellent teachers and cultural events.”
“Excellent and useful course. Excellent accommodation.”
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