The Building Bilingual Programs Field Guide & Companion Course
Course Description for Teachers and School Leaders
Course Description
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This 60-hour course consists of 24 hrs of online sessions and 36 hrs of independent work - reading, watching videos, discussing with colleagues, working on the practical task.
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The course will take place between November 4 - 29, 2024 with two online sessions each week - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 17:00 - 20:00 CET
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There will be a course orientation on Tuesday Oct 29, 2024 at 17:00 CET.
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Erasmus+ funded means this pilot course is available free for those who meet the criteria.
Course Presenters
Each 3hr session will be led by one expert that is part of the Bilingual Montessori team.
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Marikay McCabe
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Lucy Welsted
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Aoife Ahern
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Maria Smirnova
Course Requirements
The certificate of attendance is issued when the participant:
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has 90% attendance
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filled in 2 course surveys (pre and post)
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turned in the practical task by Friday, December 13th (two weeks after the end of the course).
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The participants will select the focus of the practical task within provided guidelines.
Course Platforms
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We will use Schoology as the learning management system.
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We will use Zoom as the meeting platform.
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We will use Menti for in-session collection of answers and voting.
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There will be an orientation session before the course where we will show you how to use these platforms with ease during the online sessions and during your independent work.
Admissions Criteria
Priority will be given to those who meet the qualifications below and to those who register with a group from a school.
• You are available to attend all sessions
• You work at a school located in Europe.
• You work in the 6-12 classroom setting or you are a school leader.
• You have a current role as a school leader, Montessori guide or an ESL teacher or assistant.
• You answer the question: “What are your expectations from this course?”
We will notify you of our decision regarding your admission to the course after May 20, 2024.
Translations and
Interpreting
English will be the main language of communication for this course. with interpretation possible to languages of the project: .
Interpretation into one of the project's target languages (CZ, EST, ESP, FR) is possible if there are at least 6 participants requesting
Course Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, you will gain comprehensive insights into establishing a strong second language program tailored for the 6-12 educational environment, employing a holistic school-wide approach. You will:
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Define clear objectives for implementing a bilingual program in your school.
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Explore various bilingualism models and understand the significance of developing or revising your school's language profile.
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Familiarize yourself with the stages and components of the second language acquisition process.
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Acquire practical guidance for setting language learning goals and crafting effective plans.
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Examine the administrative perspective on fostering a bilingual culture across the entire school.
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Understand the essential elements of cultivating a bilingual classroom atmosphere.
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Learn techniques for evaluating the progress of your school's bilingual program and language acquisition.
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Engage in reflective exercises to list key course takeaways for implementation within your school community.
Course Administration
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This course has been designed and will be administered and delivered by the Bilingual Montessori team.
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It is funded by the Erasmus+ grand fromt he European Union.
Course Topics
Session 1 - Introduction
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Overview of the course & Introduction to the Field Guide and Bilingual Montessori
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Vision: What does your school want to achieve with a bilingual program?
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Concepts: create a whole school bilingual culture, learner autonomy, common terminology
Session 2 - School Identity
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What is a school language profile?
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An introduction to different models of bilingualism
Session 3 - Language Development
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An overview of second language learning
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Modes of communication
Session 4 - Program Design
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Designing and implementing the bilingual program
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Identifying and planning to reach language learning objectives
Session 5 - Whole School Bilingual Culture
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Building a whole school bilingual culture
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Hiring and onboarding bilingual staff
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Supporting teamwork
Session 6 - Bilingual Classroom Culture and the Prepared Environment
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Developing a culture of second language learning in the classroom
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Creating developmentally appropriate language materials for elementary students
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Supporting autonomous learning
Session 7 - Evaluating Implementation and Progress
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Evaluating progression of school bilingual program
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Evaluating learning
Session 8 - Closure
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Self-reflection and takeaways
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Course feedback and staying in touch
