On the 14th of October, 2023, GLS/IH Berlin, accredited members of Eaquals, successfully hosted a Teacher Training Day with support from the Eaquals Member Event Fund. This event, which took place at the GLS Sprachenzentrum campus in Berlin, drew the participation of nearly 90 language teachers, trainers, and external attendees. The primary objective was to bring together educators from various language disciplines for a day of enriching workshops, encouraging reflection, and fostering the exchange of ideas. Building on the positive outcomes of the
previous year’s event, their aim was to once again organize an in-person gathering, providing a morale boost, amplifying motivation, and nurturing team spirit. Additionally, they sought to expand their outreach to a broader external audience, showcasing their proficiency in teacher training. The occasion also doubled as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of GLS and the 70th anniversary of International House. The meticulous organization of the event was overseen by the GLS Academic Team, under the leadership of Christina Schmidinger, the Head of Teacher Training.
The central theme of the Teacher Training Day revolved around “High Tech, Low Tech,” and the presented topics were applicable to all languages, featuring an even distribution of workshops presented in both German and English. During the online opening plenary, Russell Stannard initiated the discussion by
exploring numerous practical and enlightening activities and tools utilizing the latest advancements in AI and ChatGPT. The focus was on fostering self-study and learner autonomy. This workshop generated considerable excitement, and there have been subsequent instances of teachers incorporating AI-inspired activities into their lessons.
Following the opening plenary, there were three additional 75-minute workshop slots, each offering a selection of 4-5 workshops. The diverse topics included another AI workshop in German, as well as discussions on Virtual Reality, Escape Rooms, Cooperative Learning, and Intercultural Competence. There was a return to fundamental concepts with a session on Zero Preparation Activities, along with an exploration of breathing new life into Dictations and Writing Activities.
Furthermore, workshops sponsored by four major publishers—Cornelsen (National Geographic Learning), Klett (Cambridge University Press), Hueber (MacMillan), and Pearson—featured book stands. These stands were strategically placed in the lounge, allowing teachers to socialize and peruse the latest publications during breaks. This arrangement provided an excellent opportunity for publishers to directly engage with the participants.
Overall, educators proficient in a minimum of nine languages were present at the Teacher Training Day, and the organiserswere thrilled to greet alumni from the GLS IH Certificate in Teaching German as a Foreign Language program, instructors from various language schools in Berlin, Hamburg, and abroad, along with their own teaching staff. It was especially rewarding to observe a notable increase in external participants, growing from last year and they aspire to continue expanding the attendance numbers for the 2024 event.
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previous year’s event, their aim was to once again organize an in-person gathering, providing a morale boost, amplifying motivation, and nurturing team spirit. Additionally, they sought to expand their outreach to a broader external audience, showcasing their proficiency in teacher training. The occasion also doubled as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of GLS and the 70th anniversary of International House. The meticulous organization of the event was overseen by the GLS Academic Team, under the leadership of Christina Schmidinger, the Head of Teacher Training.
