Teachers of Spanish from across the North East and beyond enjoyed a full day of professional development with experts on 8th March, as part of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages. The event, organised collaboratively by the Spanish Embassy Education Office, Newcastle University, Editorial Difusión, and AIL Español, was designed for educators and aspiring teachers across primary, secondary, university and adult education sectors.
The event aimed to enrich the pedagogical approaches of Spanish language educators. The programme offered a blend of theoretical insights and practical strategies, ensuring participants could directly apply new methodologies in their classrooms. Keynote speakers emphasised the significance of continuous professional development for language education and delved into contemporary trends in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, with a special focus on the use of press articles in the classroom. Teachers attended a range of workshops and had lots of opportunities to network and share learning and ideas with their peers. The event also culminated with the proposal for the creation of a new network of teachers of Spanish in the North East.
Enhancing Classroom Practices
Participants had the opportunity to choose from the workshops:
- Tools to promote interaction and participation in grammar class: Exploring dynamic methods to facilitate the effective learning of grammar, with an emphasis on student engagement.
- Challenge Labs: Translation as Co-creation: Discussing the integration of cultural elements into language instruction, fostering a more immersive learning experience for students while using an interdisciplinary approach.
- The use of Technology and Social Media to Enhance Language Learning: Focussing on leveraging digital tools and resources to augment the teaching and learning process, aligning with modern educational trends.
The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive.
Educators appreciated the practical nature of the workshops, the expertise of the presenters, and the opportunity to connect with peers. Many expressed their enthusiasm about integrating the new techniques into their teaching practices and highlighted the value of such professional development events in enhancing their instructional skills.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all participants, presenters, and organisers who contributed to the success of the Spanish Day in Newcastle.
Special thanks to Newcastle University for hosting the event and to our partners, Editorial Difusión and AIL Español, for their invaluable support, as well as International Newcastle to include this CPD event as part of the wide range of events to foster language learning in the North East.
José Jiménez Serrano
Education Adviser, Spanish Embassy Education Department
Further information and links
- Click here to explore other Spanish related events, activities and resources in the Festival, as well as Spanish Culture Days and other resources from the Spanish Embassy Education Office.The Spanish Embassy Education Office provides a wide range of education resources and support for the teaching and learning of Spanish.
- Click here to join the Spanish Embassy Education Office’s mailing list and receive regular updates on opportunities; Follow on social media: X and instagram; Email info.uk@consejeria.gob.es
- Click here to find out more about Newcastle University’s School of Modern Languages
Acknowledgements
This event was organised by José Jiménez Serrano and Antonio J Goñi from the Spanish Embassy Education Office and Jorge Catalá from Newcastle University School of Modern Languages, with the participation of the Difusión publishing house and Editorial Difusión and AIL Español.