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Creative methodology
Start date: Jul 1, 2014, End date: Jul 15, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Technical College in Hafnarfirdi is one of the oldest vocational schools in Iceland. The College has its roots in traditional vocational education but has also gained a good reputation as a school of art and design. Our students have different backgrounds, different learning experiences and some have learning disabilities. The sad fact is that many students drop out of school or the course. In some cases this might be because of boredom or because the teacher isn't reaching the student with the teaching methods he/she applies during the lessons. The English teachers at the Technical Colege in Hafnarfirði would like to fight against this process and are looking for the ways to make classes not only more attractive to the students but also useful for their future professional life. The technical College in Hafnarfirdi is expanding it's activities and providing more services to the students. The secondary school certificate is the one to be mentioned. Obligatory higher level and professional English classes are offered at this stage. This was never done before at this school. Not many schools in Iceland are providing professional language teaching. Our College prepares specialists for different professions, and our English language teachers meet the challenge to teach students of different professions at the same lesson. For that they need to be empowered with creative methods and technologies. Three main and the most active language teachers teaching English at the highest level in the College decided to increase their competences during their summer holidays in 2015. Among the variety of schools providing courses to the teachers, the Oxford House College in London was selected. The Oxford House College has a long tradition of being involved in vocational and professional training of teachers and it has been accredited by the UK national agency the British Council for excellence in English tuition. The Creative Methodology course was selected at the Oxford House College by our participants. This course aims to provide foreign language teachers with a greater range of techniques and tools that they can employ in the classroom. The course focuses mostly on activities that are adaptable to a variety of learners and teaching situations as well as giving teachers an overview of the technologies available for language learning. Participants get access to the collections of online resources as well as being invited to exclusive forum where teachers can stay in touch, meet previous participants, and share ideas and materials. In addition to the methodology sessions, the participants get language development sessions aimed at raising the level of English of the participants as well as demonstrating more ideas and techniques. A series of one-to-one tutorials where teachers can discuss their specific teaching situations, specific needs, challenges, language issues, areas of interest or aspects of British society and culture. Having 'updated' their methodologies and technologies used in the classroom our English language teachers will be more confident and able to provide quality services to the students. English lessons will become not only more attractive to the students but also more useful for their future professional life. The drop off from the subject and school will decrease. More students will choose English at the higher and professional levels, thus making the Technical College itself more attractive to the students.

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