Teacher Training and English language development
Combine a programme dedicated to teachers and an English skills refresher30 hours per week
Start dates throughout the year
Maximum 12 students per group
Course length: 1 week
Levels (CEFR): B1 (Intermediate) to C2 (Proficiency)
The course covers effective communication and practical teaching skills as well as an introduction to Scottish culture. There is also an opportunity to improve speaking and listening skills as well as fluency in our Spoken Performance sessions. The culture component includes an introduction to Edinburgh and the Scottish arts.
The course consists of two main components plus an extensive Scottish culture programme:
The Teacher Training component will look at student motivation, adapting to student needs, teaching materials, reading and writing skills, integrating speaking, listening and pronunciation and language assessment. It will also look at teaching strategies and techniques, teaching resources and the use of technology. The course is practical and interactive with individual and group work. It is based on an adaptable teaching approach, which promotes flexibility in the classroom, allowing teachers to react to individual students’ needs and those of the class as a whole. The course involves linguistic competence, cultural immersion and awareness with practical feedback from the trainers.
The English component concentrates on speaking and listening skills as well as fluency in the Spoken Performance sessions. Participants should have at least an upper intermediate B2 level in English.
The Scottish Culture component includes an introduction to Edinburgh and the Scottish arts, tours of Edinburgh, a weekly Pub Night, a weekly traditional Scottish Ceilidh dancing night, a whisky tasting, excursions to historical landmarks and more.
Objectives of the programme:
- Explore and develop teaching practice
- Teaching reading and writing skills
- Minimising first language usage
- Using classroom Apps and improved interactivity
- Using games for learning
- Helping students activate vocabulary
- Speaking, listening & phonology
- Presenting and demonstrating
- Using audio and video in the classroom
- Teaching grammar creatively
- Improve the participants abilities to teach English
- Refresh the participants English language knowledge
- Immersion in Scottish culture
Who is the programme for?
This course is designed for English teachers of students aged 11 and higher and adult education. Although the course is not limited to EU citizens, teachers and education professionals from within the EU and participating countries can apply for Erasmus+ funding to study this course.
Participants on these courses come from all over the world and are at various stages of their career.
All participants will receive a certificate of attendance in the end of the programme.
Sample Programme
Please note the below timetables are examples only and may be subject to change depending on availability and time of year. During the month of August, we include Edinburgh Festival activities.
Programme Overview
| Week 1 | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 9.00 – 12.15 | Teacher training | Teacher training | Teacher training | Teacher training | Teacher training | Optional one/two day tour of the Scottish Highlands with a tour company (supplimentary charge applies) |
| 12.15 –13.15 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |
| 13.15 –14.45 | Spoken Performance | Spoken Performance | Spoken Performance | Rosslyn Chapel | Spoken Performance | |
| 15.00 –17.15 | Tour of Edinburgh | Excursion to the National Gallery of Modern Art | Excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens | Visit to National Gallery of Scotland | ||
| 20.00 | Traditional Scottish pub evening | Whisky tasting with an expert from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society | Traditional Scottish ceilidh dancing |
Sample Teacher Training Programme
| Week 1 |
Monday 09.00 – 12.15 |
Tuesday 09.00 – 12.15 |
Wednesday 09.00 – 12.15 |
Thursday 09.00 – 12.15 |
Friday 09.00 – 12.15 |
| Session 1 |
Introduction and welcome Adaptable Teaching |
Storytelling and drama | Speaking, Listening & Phonology II | Presenting & Demonstrating | Using audio, video, web resources and technology in the classroom |
| Session 2 | Teaching Grammar Creatively | Speaking, Listening & Phonology I | Speaking, Listening & Phonology III | Activating Vocabulary | Teaching Writing |
| Trainer | Phil | Linda | Linda | Mark | Mark |
Prices and Dates 2024
It is recommended that participants study for a minimum of two weeks but one-week stays are also accepted.
Please note that accommodation is not included.
Start dates 2024: 18th March, 5th August, 19th August, 14th October
Teacher Training & Technology in the Classrooms
1 week- 30 hours per week
- Morning group lessons
- Afternoon Spoken Performance
- Full social programme
- WiFi, coffee, tea and . . . cakes on Friday
Teacher Training & Technology in the Classrooms
2 weeks- 30 hours per week
- Week 1: Teacher Training and language development
- Week 2: Technology in the classroom and English language development
- Full social programme
- WiFi, coffee, tea and . . . cakes on Friday