Partnering for Faculty Development Peggy Garza Dubravka Zupanec

Outline • Partnering in BILC • Seminar description • Seminar topics • Teaching speaking • Teaching writing • Conclusions 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 2

What is “Partnering” in BILC? • BILC team from two or more nations – Language teaching or testing experts from military language programs • Voluntary National Contributions (VCN) • BILC activities – Language testing seminars – Language training and testing exchanges – Faculty development 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 3

Characteristics of Successful BILC Partners • • Embrace the BILC mission and vision Previous experience with BILC events Flexible Team player Knowledgeable about STANAG 6001 Familiar with best practices in methodology Willing to share 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 4

Tailored Seminar for English Teaching Faculty • Location: Chisinau, Moldova • Dates: 3 days, 28 -30 January 2014 • Participants: 10 English teaching/testing faculty – Linguistic Center and the Military Academy • Topic: Teaching Speaking and Writing • Two facilitators: – Peggy Garza, • Partner Language Training Center Europe (PLTCE) – Dubravka Zupanec • Slovenian Armed Forces School of Foreign Languages 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 5

Tailored Seminar for English Teaching Faculty in Moldova • Advantages of partnering – Different teaching styles and approaches – Different national experiences • Beneficial for describing lessons learned – NS and NNS combination – Fostered standardization of language teaching and testing to IAW STANAG 6001 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 6

Tailored Seminar for English Teaching Faculty in Moldova • Challenges – Planning was not face 2 face – Limited information about the teachers’ experience – First time partners worked together 25. 9. 2020 • Rewards – Met new people in the same profession – Learned from each other and from the Moldovan teachers – Worked with highly motivated teachers Garza & Zupanec 7

Tailored Seminar for English Teaching Faculty in Moldova • Strengths of the Moldovan contributions – Excellent communication during the planning phase – Good ideas for suggested seminar topics – Suitable facilities and equipment – Well-organized logistical support – Enthusiastic seminar participants 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 8

Teaching speaking Goals A participant will have ➔become aware of the place of speaking in classroom by exploring: - dichotomy in the classroom speaking - the teacher's role in speaking activities ➔been familiar with solutions to the problems raised. 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 9

Teaching speaking Objectives compare STANAG descriptors with the practice identify activities that lead to fluency define the criteria for a good speaking activity 25. 9. 2020 evaluate speaking activities against the criteria name problems with speaking in class and discuss possible solutions Garza & Zupanec 10

Teaching speaking Objectives produce a route map of a speaking activity identify the teacher's responsibilities in each stage distinguish between errors and mistakes 25. 9. 2020 identify correction techniques in a given situation examine rationale for different patterns of interaction in lessons create tips for organizing pair/group work Garza & Zupanec 11

Teaching speaking Content ➢fluency vs. accuracy ➢characteristics of a good speaking activity ➢running a speaking activity ➢correction ➢patterns of interaction 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 12

Teaching speaking Organization of content: known to unknown, easy to difficult building blocks 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 13

Teaching speaking How? “not only are teachers and trainers concerned about how they are taught. . . this may have a more profound effect on them. . . than what they are taught. Thus, in traning sessions it is important that the trainer uses different process options. ” Ian Mc. Grath 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 14

Teaching speaking Process categories and options Knowing FEEDING lecture reading Teacher centred 25. 9. 2020 LEADING Socrates questioning Awareness-raising tasks SHOWING Demonstration » mirroring « THROWING teaching practice workshop Doing Learner centred Garza & Zupanec 15

Teaching speaking Activities used: ➢classroom activities that were reflected upon (pts in the role of students and trainees) ➢the frame of the language classroom type activities with the » teaching speaking « content (brainstorming, sorting, matching, completion, role-play, problem-solving) ➢short lectures 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 16

Teaching Writing • Often the “neglected skill” in language teaching • Moldovan teachers completed a self assessment on their experience in teaching writing 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 17

Teaching Writing • Topics covered – Differences between speaking and writing – Writing micro and macroskills – Concepts of teaching writing • Process method • Genre-based teaching • Guided writing/controlled writing • Paragraph structure • Journal writing • Integrated skills activities 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 18

Teaching Writing Topics covered: - Writing texts and tasks IAW STANAG 6001 - Providing feedback to learners - Teacher feedback - Peer feedback

Conclusions The seminar: ➢ met the needs ➢different process options used (transfer to their own teaching) ➢different interaction patterns used in sessions (transfer to classroom) 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 20

Conclusions The seminar: ➢trainers from the same context. ➢exposure to different training styles plus a NS and a NNS. ➢writing perceived as difficult (skill + teaching techniques) 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 21

Conclusions The trainers: ➢good online communication ➢the length of the course influenced the process options used. ➢flexibility and experience 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 22

Recommendations ➢continue investment in teachers' development: The quality of teaching directly affects test score results (Measures of effective teaching project) ➢observe/obtain recorded lessons as evidence of practices prior to the course ➢recruit trainers: experienced and from the same context 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 23

Recommendations ➢ensure a pre-course meeting of trainers (possibly also a post-course meeting) ➢involve the hosts in planning the course ➢plan a follow-up 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 24

Consequences of short training courses Martin Lamb: ➢ All participants had forgotten most of the information and ideas (no intake) ➢ Ideas remembered but never well understood (confusion) ➢ Ideas tried out and rejected (adaptation and rejection) ➢ Engagement

”Changes in the way we teach (or any other area) do not happen overnight. Our ways of teaching take time to develop. To change them requires courage, knowledge and support. ” Wright (1996: 9) 25. 9. 2020 Garza & Zupanec 26

References: Kane, T. J. et al, 2013, Ensuring Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Lamb, M. 1991, Reflections on a Short INSET Course, Unpublished MA dissertation, University of Lancaster Mc. Grath, I. 1997, Learning to Train: Perspectives on the Development of Language Teacher Trainers, Prentice Hall Europe Widdowson, H. G. 1987, A Rationale for teacher education in Council of Europe Project No. 12. Council of Europe: Strasbourg Wright, T. 1990, Understanding classroom role relationships, in J. Richards and D. Nunan, Second Language Teacher Education, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press