So Much to Learn...So Little Time

ECML

Do you know who ECML is and what it does?
I didn't before I was invited to Graz  and I suspect that many of my MFL colleagues in the UK don't know about...kind of like the European Language Portfolio I guess.
 
The European Centre Modern Languages is  a member of the Council of Europe and exists to support teachers of any foreign language in their work.
Download ECMLEnglish.ppt
Their official languages are French and English (yet their base is in Graz, Austria.)

They basically do a heck of a lot of work promoting innovative language teaching stratgies of which the BLOGS project was one.

Essentially I was invited to the final workshop in the life of this project and was their as (in ECML speak) a multiplier...somebody who would go away and promote the values and ideas developed in the project.

In the previous 4 years of this project a blogging platform was developed and then put to use by teachers and pupils throughout Europe. Some put a deal more effort into it than others. It's aim was to promote and evaluate the use of blogs as a way of promoting creative writing in a foreign language.

Much of our work was to study the posts and comments and come up with examples of different types of writing. I have to say at this stage that although the presentations were of an extremely high standard I was a converted blogger before arriving so much of what was said I already knew, believed or was practising. Still it was fantastic to meet and talk to all kinds of foreign language educators and share ideas, concepts and BEER. I still can't believe I was just hanging with folks far higher up the educational food chain than I yet who wanted to listen to what I had to say.

If I have come away from the experience with one thing it is with ideas as to how to use blogs in a different way from that which I am at the moment. I am really interested in trying to develop this as a way to improve my students writing skills. I also want to get more involved in some of this stuff as I found the networking side exceedingly stimulating. It was great that as we were all from different countries with different ways of doing things everyone seemed to concentrate on the positive aspects of their work and not dwell too much on the crap as we often do when we teachers get together.

My next aim to try to take part in one of these celebrated Teach Meets...any chance of coming this far north you guys...maybe one of you will read this.

ECML Photos

Here's my photo's from ECML BLOGS Workshop

Peter Ford: Blogging to Creativity and Beyond

This is Peter's presentation at the ECML BLOGS Workshop.

Peter gave the keynote at Communicate.06 which kind of launched me on  my merry blogging way.  A couple of points I picked up on:

• if you don't like blogs don't use them. They are only a tool to be used if you so wish
• a blog is just a box you write in with buttons to click
• teachers need to take risks in order to move forward
• blogs help give students a concept of audience
• "teach not tech" - whatever blogging platform you use the software should flow into the background and not become a hindrance to creativity

I've not edited the presentation at all so theres about 10 seconds until it starts:

Download peter_ford.MP3

Download ecml_final_workshop.ppt

Look where we all come from

ECML WEB JOURNALS IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION WORKSHOP

Here I am at another multi-cultural conference. Teachers and teacher trainers from all over Europe.

About 30+ teachers and languages being represented. Simultaneous translation in both French and English.

Already networked with Denis Cunningham who is President of the International Federation of Language Teacher Associations...why is SALT not a member???

Check out what the ECML does.

This is the BLOGS project we will be working on.

Izzy, wizzy lets get busy

This week I have been doing mostly everything...and getting it all done.
I'n't study leave great.

No I'm not trying to make up an educational version of The Fast Show.
Very busy but extremely productive week so far. I have...

• recorded and (almost) edited 5 new vocabulary guide podcasts for the homework blog
• organised, planned and arranged our tree planting ceremony to celebrate both World Environment Day and our Connecting Classrooms Partnership (the Welwitschia partnership)
• made a good start on the above mentioned partnership's wiki page
• done all the wonderful and really necessary paperwork for Friday's activity day (we are going out into Huntly to make a film...)
• taught some good lessons (for once)
• got the car repaired
• had a filling done
• checked and submitted our partnership plan and budget for Welwitschia
• almost decided on some resources for the department to use during Refugee Week.

Now all that remains is...

• get my trip to Graz organised
• attend markers meeting
• mark tons of scripts before 21st June
• tweak my Welwitschia presentations for assemblies at school
• ditto for staff meeting
• muck around with my kids
• RELAX.

Just the average working week then.
Had to laugh at myself when I decided to try to fill in my CPD record. 35 hours logged before end of first term, and I wasn't even busy then.

Ho Hum.

The Glass is Overflowing

Thank you Mr Griffiths.

I am so chuffed, the man in the big office said yes and I will be attending the ECML conference in June. But before that there is the small matter of

a weekend in Addis Abeba as it is correctly spelled.

I'm too tired tonight. More later when I've calmed down.

 

One thing leads to another

Me...to represent the UK...surely a joke.

Thanks to Ewan, who apparently suggested my name to CILT, I've been invited to take part in a workshop run by ECML (European Centre for Modern languages) about blogging, in Graz, as the UK representative. In a glass half empty kind of way I'm assuming I'm not the first to be asked. Are you booked on that day, Ewan? In a glass half full way I'm really quite chuffed to be asked.


What a week. Ethiopia (I'm definitely going by the way), Austria, where next.

I need to ask the boss first though.