Zuzana Vízková
Dublin

Even though I teach Czech language and literature together with art education, I find the study of English very 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 the Atlas Language School in Dublin from 15 - 20 July 2024.

 

On the first day, based on a written test and an oral interview, I was assigned to an ongoing course in which English was studied not only by Erasmus+ teachers, but also by long-term students from all over the world preparing for international exams in both English and English. It was therefore enough to get into the swing of the course, which had a clear structure and was intensive throughout. The morning session consisted of two two-hour blocks, mainly focusing on vocabulary, conversation and reading comprehension, the first of which was led by Karen Brown, the second by Ali O'Brien. The afternoon session was taught in a small group of 6 people and focused on more difficult areas of the English language according to the needs of the students (for example, phrasal verbs or prepositional phrases). We worked with the English File Advanced (C1) textbook and the lessons also included text writing and a detailed assessed oral presentation to the class. Additional extension materials are provided by the teachers via Google Classroom, and as the course is still ongoing, I can access new and updated materials and links remotely.

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The school offers many other activities, mainly focused on exploring Dublin and its surroundings, so I had the opportunity to visit Trinity College and its exhibition Book of Kells, a gospel book which is one of the most valuable examples of early medieval book painting, or the Howth Peninsula (which was more of an example of typical Irish weather 😊). At these side activities I met participants of other courses for European teachers that took place at Atlas Language School, some of whom I still keep in touch with.

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The accommodation in a family provided by the school was an interesting experience. It was both a challenge that gave me and my Argentinian roommate the opportunity to converse with native speakers and the need to overcome cultural barriers and specific family customs.

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The main benefits of the language course for me were the improvement in specific skills and also a certain increase in self-confidence. I would like to use my language competences in a group mobility with students of our school or in shadowing a teacher in a foreign school.