Vilmos Zita

No Place in Class for Digital Illiterates

 

 

With the support of an Erasmus grant I spent two wonderful weeks (3-14 July, 2017) in Brighton as a participant of  Teaching English with Technology course in the English Language Center. The course was led by Ed Russell, a well-known teacher trainer and book-writer who has substantial experience in the field of TECH.

The TECH course is designed for all teachers of English who wish to integrate, explore and develop the use of technology in language teaching.  

In my group there were twelve teachers from six different countries, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland and Hungary. This international environment inspired us greatly and gave us the chance to get acquainted with each other, learn about the different countries and their education systems. The classroom had a very pleasant atmosphere thanks to our tutor, Ed. With his special personality he helped us to get rid of our inhibition easily.

He gave us the opportunity to share our knowledge and professional experience too. The course focused on how technology can support language learning and can be integrated into teaching. It  equipped us with practical and engaging ideas we can use in our classrooms, and  enabled us to learn about technology through experimentation with various tech tools. Ed used a wide range of on-line resources to create a stimulating, professional and supportive learning environment, and adapted the content  of the course to the needs and interests of the group.

One of the most unforgettable experiences was a short visit to a primary school where we got a brief but thorough review about the English education system, the school environment and facilities. This course was well-planned and absolutely met my expectations, in truth, exceeded them. I can’t wait to test these new ideas in my English classes.

During the two weeks we had quite a lot of free-time to discover the beauties of Brighton and its countryside. The receiving organization offered optional long trips and tours for us. For example  a visit to Cambridge, where we could go punting on the River Cam, enjoyed a picnic in the park, joined a walking tour of the city; to Greenwich, the home of time, where Eastern and Western hemispheres meet. My other passion was the Sussex countryside, in particular the many beautiful walks that lead through  picturesque villages, the vast expanse of the National Park known as the South Downs and, of course, the breathtaking views from the cliff tops.

I encourage everybody who wants to improve his/her confidence in using technology in his/her classes and his/her digital literacy to be part of this TECH course. Thanks to Erasmus+ for the great experience!