Impressions from Deutschlehrerkongress Thessaloniki 2010

The big event for German teachers, this time in Thessaloniki was held on 16-18 April, at Goethe Institut.
Time to learn new methods, ideas, be informed on how to use new technology in the classroom , time to be innovative...
All known publishers were there of course to present what's new in the DaF world.
Personaly I attended a series of books presentations, a beautiful workshop about Drama in the classroom and also a presentation on E-learning projects between classes around the world.

• The Drama-workshop was more than I expected, actually.

Participants were given a guideline story, built the characters themselves, had to improvise and perform various "scenes" and integrate language games to work with students and present a "performance" as a result of the "theatrical" play at the end of the school year.

• Using the internet has become more and more popular amogst teachers. E-learning projects between classes are really common. The one presented was communication between 2 classes (one in Poland and one in South Africa). Their common subject was a trip to Berlin. The students built up a page with a forum presenting theirselves, their country, their schools and cultures, but also doing projects about Germany and Berlin in particular (using videos and PhotoStory)
  

Other lectures that appealed to me were about: Interactive Whiteboards and how to use them, using monuments to start projects, Games in Grammar and of course using online resourses for our lessons.
The highlight of the convention was meeting many of my friends from my old University years. (photos over here)

How do children learn?

(My notes from Olha Madylus' seminar - TESOL Convention -March 2010)

How do children learn?

By:

Doing

Curiosity

Repetition

Challenge

Stimulation

Scaffolding / building blocks

Not the same way

Multiple Intelligence Theory – Howard Gardner

Linguistic: likes reading, writing, storytelling, word puzzles

Mathematical: likes reasoning, logic, problem solving, discovering patterns

Visual / spatial: likes reading maps, charts, mazes, imagining things, visualization

Kinesthetic: likes dancing, drama, crafts, songs, moving around

Musical: likes songs, chants, phonology, listening to music

Interpersonal: likes working in groups, projects, sharing, communicating

Intrapersonal: likes working alone, pursuing own interests, reflecting

Naturalist: likes categorizing, ordering, organizing

Key lesson components

· Story (context for TC)

· Characters to identify with

· Multiple intelligence theory in action

· Variety of practice activities

· Creativity

· Hands-on / active learning

· Opportunities to notice grammar naturally

· “can – do” approach

“The most important attitude that can be formed is that of the desire to go on learning”

John Dewey, 1918

Assessment

· Portfolios

· Praise

· Positivity

· Achievability of tasks

Our Job is to encourage the growth of language by appreciating the learning steps

“We do not have to train children to learn … we have to avoid interfering with it”

Frank Smith, 1978 CUP

Book to remember: John Holt, How Children learn, Penguin 1968

Game: How many words can you find from

“Bread ‘n’Rice” in 28 sec

i.g. nice, brain, are, read, in, dice

# PPF

Pen, Paper, Friend

A big THANK YOU to Ms Madylus for giving me permission to do this!)