Welcome to our May newsletter, where we dive into the vibrant world of Erasmus+ adventures and educational insights, highlighting the diverse experiences and endeavors of the past month.

Course Spotlight: Digital Transitions

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our newest Erasmus+ course: Digital Transitions. Set to commence on Monday, July 15, our inaugural class has already garnered significant interest, with participants hailing from Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, Austria, and Germany!

For more information on all our Erasmus+ courses and their summer schedules, be sure to check out our dedicated Erasmus+ web page and brochure.

April Highlights

Atlas was bustling with Erasmus+ activities throughout April!

First off, our Erasmus Plus Coordinator, Paul Finnerty, embarked on a week-long journey with the MEI Ireland roadshow across Central Europe, representing Atlas in Krakow, Prague, and Bratislava. This journey fostered numerous new partnerships, offering invaluable insights into the needs of Erasmus+ participants, both adult and junior, within Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia.

Following this, Paul traveled to Hungary to conduct a series of Erasmus Plus teacher training sessions. At Szent László ÁMK school in Baja, participants delved into topics such as AI in Education and Task-Based Learning, alongside savoring the local delicacies. A special mention goes to Bristol Nyelviskola Language School for their exceptional hospitality!

At Patrona Hungariae Catholic School in Budapest, the focus shifted to collaborative approaches between teachers and students to ensure ethical AI usage and designing AI-proof assessment tasks. A diverse group of teachers from various disciplines actively participated, sharing their insights via the Mentimeter app.

The journey continued to ZŠ Husova Podbořany in Czechia, where our trainer facilitated both teacher training and student workshops. Teachers engaged in pronunciation workshops and explored methodologies for teaching vocabulary, while students immersed themselves in Irish culture and language.

Meanwhile, our school in Malta welcomed 25 Erasmus Plus adult learners from schools in the Marche region of Italy, led by CPIA di Pesaro-Urbino. They immersed themselves in Maltese culture, history, and professional skill development workshops, such as CV writing and interview techniques.

If you’re interested in Atlas providing free teacher training at your institution in Europe or seeking guidance on KA1 applications, feel free to reach out to Paul at paul.f@atlaslanguageschool.com.

Webinars

In April, we hosted a methodology webinar titled ‘Teaching Speaking via Task-Based Learning’, offering insights into alternative methods for enhancing students’ conversational skills.

On Thursday, May 9th, we’ll be conducting further info-webinars about our 2024 Erasmus+ courses, providing comprehensive details on courses, teaching methodologies, activities, accommodations, and funding application processes.

Later in the month, on Thursday, May 23rd, join us for a methodology webinar discussing ‘The New Normal of English Language – What “Mistakes” are Acceptable?’

Update about KA2 projects

Atlas Language School Malta hosted a transnational event in late April for one of our KA2 projects, CLIMIC (https://cli-mic.eu/), which explores innovative ways to use comics as a tool for teaching students about sustainability and climate change. Students from Cyprus, Finland and Spain took part in workshops and saw some wonderful sights around Malta.

On May 7th, Atlas will attend a workshop in Athens, Greece, for the Tourbiz4VET KA2 project (https://tourbiz4vet.eu/), which focuses on making the tourism sector more sustainable by supporting the professional development of teachers and trainers. A teacher training guide and mobile phone app were trialled in the last event in January, and as the project enters its final few months, we’ll be discussing how to disseminate the project to a wider audience.