Dagmar Dolejší
Ireland

I chose the Atlas Language School based on the positive experience of my colleague Jitka Gloserová from the previous year. By coincidence, during my selected term (14-20 July) the classes were held outside the main building (Portobello Street) in the Rathmines campus, which was very close to the accommodation – and it turned out to be ideal. By the way, in this green campus live four foxes that we could watch every day!

The first morning was devoted to placing students into groups according to language level, based both on a pre-filled online test and on an interview with a teacher. Our group was made up entirely of women, most of them unsurprisingly teachers – the largest representation was from Italy and France. The group was completed by a Polish, a German, and two Czech participants. Nationality and profession were the first questions asked in our introductory conversations, followed by interests, children, grandchildren…

In the following days, the first two-hour block was led by Carolina (originally an Irishwoman from Argentina), a very friendly, professional, and motivating teacher. Through the topic of Digital Technologies she expanded our vocabulary, encouraged us in small groups to exchange opinions, and to improve our argumentation skills. We worked with both printed and digital materials, and also played games.

The subsequent two-hour block was led each day by the pleasantly informal David, who introduced us not only to the key milestones of Irish history, including myths and legends, but also to traditional Irish cuisine.

The final morning was dedicated to preparing oral presentations on optional topics and then presenting them. For example, the topic we chose was Irish Emigration and Immigration, which connected our knowledge of history with facts we had learned at the EPIC museum. We would have preferred to use a PC to present photos, music, etc., but unfortunately one was not available, so we improvised with recordings from our phones.

In the afternoons, the school offered experiences such as a tour of Dublin city centre, a visit to the botanical garden, a traditional Irish music workshop (I discovered that despite my musical ear, I would not make a good drummer – too bad, I’ll stick to the piano), a trip to the countryside, or a visit to the Guinness Brewery.

If I were to evaluate the course, I would say it was not purely academic, but rather pleasant and interesting. I improved my language skills, got to know colleagues from other countries, and learned many interesting things. I definitely recommend it!