REPORT

Report by Carmelina Rotundo


We are the pioneers of this kind of independent teachers’ course.

Practical information:
Where am I?
Type of course/accommodation/meals
Who is on the course? (How many of us are there? Where are we from?)
Who is holding the course?
I am in Cambridge with Bell Language Schools from 16th July until 29th July 2000.
Title of course: Language development and methodology/COP 2

The accommodation is wonderful.
We are eleven teachers from all over the world.
Head of Bell Teacher Training: Rosemary Wilson
Tutors: Eryl Griffiths and Katie Head
Tuition hours per week: 15

AIMS: improving our knowledge of English vocabulary: intonation, rhythm, idioms, phrasal verbs …..
Improving our knowledge of using new techniques: media/multimedia aids
Full immersion in the cultural life of Cambridge.
Knowledge of the English education system.

Sharing ideas about our own education system (we are 11 from different countries: Portugal, Russia, Hungary, Guadeloupe, Poland, Holland, South Korea, Argentina, Italy) and our tutors are from different places in Britain, England and Wales, and their professional preparation is high but also highly involved with human contact (I have always thought that for a teacher it is important to be clever but also at the same time to be communicative and flexible). So they are wonderful for me.

The atmosphere, here in Cambridge, is able to satisfy our passion to improve ones English studies and to increase the motivation. Really I am in the right place with the right people: teachers and course participants with the ‘right’ weather for 10 days. The sun is shining and the temperature is warm.

Accommodation: we are staying in the students’ rooms in Fitzwilliam Street near Peterhouse College in Central Cambridge.
There is a plaque because Charles Darwin lived here 1866 to 1867.
The room: it is spacious, well-lit, well furnished to study, clean.
We are quite close to the college where we are studying, I feel comfortable, I enjoy it.

Meals are generally at the University Centre, breakfast sometimes at little cafès or Nadia’s patisserie.



Didactic events: When?
Summerfest 2000 Where?
Wednesday 19 July 2.00 – 8.30 p.m. at Bell school in Saffron Walden:
 Michael Swan plenary entertainment about grammar: “What makes a good rule?”
 Workshops
 ELT material exhibitions
200 teachers from all over the world for an unforgettable experience because we have the possibility to share ideas to get to know new ideas.

I attended two workshops:
a box of tricks for ELT
Video studios: grammar vocabulary and English studies
New ideas and developments
I enclose the full and detailed programme.


Report by Carmelina Rotundo – Florence (Italy)