collaboration / cooperation / communication
Purposeful collaboration between language and content teachers (or the respective academic units) and possibly also the employer organization to define the skills, knowledge and competence in the LSP syllabi and instruction. That is, not merely receiving newsletters on the latest news but working deliberately together on the curricula and syllabi.
LSP
Language for specific purposes or LSP is an approach to language teaching that addresses immediate and very specific needs of learners who use that language in their education, training or job.
CLIL
Content and language integrated learning or CLIL is an approach whereby an area of the curriculum is delivered through the target language, thus integrating curricular content and language learning. The content lecturer can do CLIL tasks. The language lecturer provides language. Teaching is carried out in cooperation with the language and subject lecturers. For example, at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, English and Russian are taught in LSP format and are compulsory, while CLIL is used in the format of separate classes in connection with certain specialty subjects that are very important for students’ professional training (4-8 academic hours per certain subject). Classes are conducted with the participation of 2-3 language and subject teachers per class.
digital tools or platforms
For instance, Moodle, Zoom, Teams, Microsoft 365 tools, Google tools or other apps.
employer organization
It could stand for the authority for whom we primarily prepare future employees (i.e. the local Police and Border Guard Board, tax office). In case there is no such direct partnership, it could also refer to potential employees in the sector and/or professional associations who have been originally included in the respective curriculum development or in drafting the professional qualification standards.
associated educational institution
The educational institution providing Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) instruction; in this context, this refers to our affiliated educational entities.
icebreaker
Usually short, fun activities to use for energising the group. They are useful when you first start working with a new group to develop a good group feeling and at the beginning of a session to get people warmed up.
filler
An activity you can add into the lesson plan if you find you have some extra time to fill.
energizer
An activity that can be performed at the beginning of a training session to (re)energize participants and motivate them to participate actively.
team building
Activities and strategies that promote collaboration, communication, and trust among teachers, students, or both, to enhance the learning environment and improve student outcomes.
mingle
An activity in which students move around and talk to people (like at a cocktail/social event). The main aim is usually to practise asking and answering questions.
brainstorm
A group activity which involves free, undirected contributions by the students and teacher on a given topic, to generate multiple associations without linking them.
buzz
A group activity in which groups of students have a brief discussion to generate ideas or answer specific questions. Then one member of each group is rotated to join another group, and the discussion continues. After a while a different member of each group moves to work with another group. This continues till the issue is fully agreed.
fishbowl
It is also known as cluster or the group-on-group technique, where learners are in two groups A and B. Group A performs a task, and Group B observes them. Then the observer group gives the performer group feedback about their performances or behaviour. Its most common form is simply an inner ring (Group A), which is a discussion group, surrounded by an outer ring (Group B) when the discussion happens by moving right to the next discussant after, e.g., 3 min. More at https://blogs.kcl.ac.uk/activelearning/2019/05/04/fishbowl-discussions/
debate
A format of presenting an argument in which one side of an issue or policy is aired (the proposition) and then followed by an opposing view (the opposition). The issue might be aired again by a further speaker who will attempt to answer criticism and then oppose again and so on.
role play
In it two or more individuals enact parts in a scenario related to a given topic in order to change people’s attitudes, enable them to see consequences of their action on others, and allow learners to explore alternative approaches to dealing with situations.
simulation
You try to create a situation that looks like reality, a situation that has more or less the same complexity. Students can practise competencies they’ve learned. It can be very helpful when different roles are present because students can experience different points of view.
collage
A technique when newspaper and magazine headlines and photos (or screenshots of materials from the internet) are cut and glued on a big piece of paper. Posters with collages are displayed around the classroom to prepare for a gallery walk. Then students walk and discuss with each collage owner.
world café
A discussion activity when participants are in 4-5 groups (as if tables in a cafe) corresponding to 4-5 discussion questions. Each discussion question has its host. Question hosts rotate tables every 15-20 min. Once all the questions have been discussed, a debrief session follows with hosts reporting key findings. More info at https://www.fsg.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/World-Cafe-Method_0.pdf
pyramid discussion
A pyramid discussion is a speaking activity where learners form progressively larger groups as they carry out a speaking task, which normally requires each grouping to reach agreement before joining another group. More info https://teaching-and-learning-collection.sites.uu.nl/learning_activity/pyramid-discussion/
observation
Watching others perform a task can be an effective way to experience learning. The key to using this method is to actively involve participants in their observations by providing key questions or issues to focus their attention.
panel discussion
Several presenters having different viewpoints or expertise prepare their stance in a given subject. Then they are seated as a panel of experts to air their views and discuss the topic in front of an audience. The audience has the opportunity to pose questions to them. More info at https://lf.westernsydney.edu.au/engage/strategy/panel-discussions/
open space
A transdisciplinary activity where participants, rather than organizers, create the agenda and schedule of discussions around a central theme. Participants offer sub-topics for a discussion agenda and prepare to host a discussion of their own sub-topic. Different sub-topics are discussed following the law of two feet. More at https://www.facilitator.school/blog/open-space-technology
COIL
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) involves online education conducted in an international context, where students and faculty from diverse cultural and national backgrounds engage interactively both within and beyond the classroom setting. (See The International Encyclopedia of Higher Education Systems and Institutions, 2020).
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