Zuzana Vízková
Dublin

Although I teach Czech language and literature together with art, I consider studying English highly beneficial for the development of pedagogical competences, self-study, and working with resources. That is why I took part in the GE26 (General English) language course at Atlas Language School in Dublin from 15 to 20 July 2024.

On the first day, based on a written test and an oral interview, I was placed into an ongoing course attended not only by teachers within the Erasmus+ project but also by long-term students from all over the world preparing for international English exams. I simply had to jump into the already fast-paced rhythm of the course, which had a clear structure and remained intensive throughout. The morning lessons consisted of two two-hour blocks focusing mainly on grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and reading comprehension—the first taught by Karen Brown, the second by Ali O’Brien. Afternoon lessons took place in a small group of six students and targeted more challenging areas of English depending on our needs (such as phrasal verbs or prepositional phrases). We worked with the textbook English File Advanced (C1), and the lessons also included writing tasks and detailed assessments of oral presentations given in front of the class. Additional materials were provided by the teachers through Google Classroom, and since the course is still ongoing, I continue to have access to new resources and links remotely.

The school offers many additional activities, mostly focused on exploring Dublin and its surroundings, so I had the chance to visit Trinity College and its Book of Kells exhibition—one of the most valuable examples of early medieval manuscript illumination—as well as the Howth peninsula (which turned out to be more of an introduction to typical Irish weather 😊). During these side activities, I met participants of other courses for European teachers held at Atlas Language School, some of whom I remain in contact with.

Staying with a host family was an interesting experience as well. It was also a challenge that gave me and my Argentinian roommate the opportunity to converse with native speakers and, at the same time, overcome cultural differences and specific family habits.

The main benefits of the language course for me were improvement in specific skills as well as a boost in self-confidence. I would like to apply my language competences during a group mobility with our students or while job-shadowing a teacher at a school abroad.