Christian Berlin, Head of Languages and Madeline Lorenz, English teacher and course coordinator at De Vinci Higher Education, recently participated in the IATEFL International Conference in Brighton. This annual event, attracting thousands of delegates worldwide, serves as a hub for knowledge exchange and professional networking, shaping the landscape of English language teaching (ELT). It provided a platform for Christian and Madeline to share insights and experiences with fellow educators and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Christian Berlin’s presentation focused on the strategic, organisational and pedagogical transformation undertaken within the De Vinci Higher Education language department over the past few years, while Madeline Lorenz’s presentation explored the integration of literature into English language teaching, fostering student engagement and comprehension.
In addition to their own presentations, they had the opportunity to attend other sessions, workshops, and discussions, enriching their understanding of current trends and best practices in English language teaching.
Leading Departmental Transformation
Christian Berlin’s presentation shed light on the challenges faced by the language department, particularly concerning student performance and internal organizational issues. Upon assuming department leadership four and a half years ago, Christian identified deficiencies in structure and processes, which directly impacted student achievement.
In his talk, Christian outlined the implemented strategies to address these challenges, emphasizing a comprehensive overhaul of the organizational framework and language programs.
By implementing standardization and quality control measures, the department aimed to streamline course content and ensure consistency across various courses catering to a large student body.
Challenges and Solutions: Scaling Up Excellence
One significant aspect highlighted in Christian’s presentation was the scale of operations within the language department.
With potentially hundreds of students and dozens of teachers involved in a single course, ensuring uniformity and coherence in teaching materials and methodologies posed a significant challenge.
Through strategic standardization efforts, Berlin and his team sought to harmonize course content, making it more accessible and effective for teachers and students.
Reflecting on Global Trends:
Berlin underscored the conference’s significance as a platform for professional development. The international scope, with participants from over 80 countries, provided invaluable exposure to cutting-edge developments in ELT. This global dialogue emphasizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing among educators worldwide.
Integrating literature for enhanced learning
Madeline Lorenz’s presentation explored the integration of literature into English language teaching, fostering student engagement and comprehension.
She showcased diverse literary works used to create engaging classroom activities and projects. Highlighting the potential aversion students may hold towards reading, her approach emphasized making literature enjoyable and relatable.
Fostering a love for reading: A collaborative initiative
Lorenz further described her initiative of establishing a book club, aiming to ignite a passion for reading among students. Recognizing literature’s role in fostering reading comprehension and building connections across diverse backgrounds, she emphasized its importance in the educational landscape.
Lorenz also highlighted the networking and exchange opportunities offered by conferences. She mentioned a collaborative project with The University of Sheffield (UK), where students from both institutions read and discussed a book together, promoting cultural exchange and language skill development, underscoring the valuable impact of collaborative initiatives on student learning experiences.
Continuous improvement and excellence in English language teaching at De Vinci Higher Education
The participation of Christian Berlin and Madeline Lorenz at the IATEFL International Conference exemplifies De Vinci Higher Education’s commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in English language teaching.
Their contributions, alongside the expertise of educators worldwide, serve to advance teaching practices and enhance student outcomes on a global scale.
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This post was last modified on 14 May 2024 4:06 pm