"Keep on moving" seemed as a challenging workshop right from the start: the only presentation of
the Convention to be held outside, with a lurking fear of low temperatures and rain and people
perhaps feeling apprehensive as to what they should expect.
The three
presenters, however, Theodora Papapanagiotou, Nick Maragkos and Penelope
Tourtourea, greeted attendees with a big smile and a lot of enthusiasm and
began to explain their vision for an innovative approach to language teaching;
the philosophy of movement and physical activity. After a detailed analysis
from Nick Maragkos on how each activity is designed to keep learners active
while they are learning, it was time for action. Theodora Papapanagiotou
started giving clear directions for all activities and games to follow.
The workshop
started with a ball game, where attendees formed a circle and one of the
presenters stood in the middle. The ‘teacher’ announced the theme, for example
‘fitness’, and threw the ball in turns to the attendees, who had ten seconds to
come up with a related word. The players who did not find a word in the given
time had to leave the circle. An easy game with a lot of potential for
classroom use and with students of all ages.
The second activity
was a variation of the ‘running dictation’, during which attendees had to
memorise a sentence and race to write it on a blank piece of paper set on the
back of the person in front of them. It
was an exhilarating experience for everyone, as trying to remember your
sentence after running and making sure it was legible proved harder than
expected!
The third activity
was even more challenging; the direction game. Attendees were put in teams of
two, one person from each team was blindfolded and the other had to lead them
to the appointed spot without touching them, only by giving the specific
directions provided on each team’s map. It was such a great experience, all
teams were focused on their task and, even though there were moments of near
frontal collisions, everyone managed to finish the activity successfully and in
one piece!
The balloon game
was the fourth challenge for the attendees. In teams of two once again, one
member had to run and get a balloon, race back to their partner, burst the
balloon using their hands and... use the words written on small pieces of paper
inside the balloon to form an idiom and explain its meaning! An excellent way
of practicing language and staying active and excited.
The workshop closed
with a session of breathing and stretching exercises presented by Penelope
Tourtourea, to help attendees relax after such an active set of tasks, and it
was just what everyone needed.
"Keep on Moving" was a truly inspiring workshop, delivered with precision and enthusiasm by the
three presenters and which provided attendees not only with alternative ideas
to use with their students but also with a different perspective on teaching.
Everyone who attended was left with the best impressions and the reminder that
keeping yourself as a teacher and your students active and moving during the
lesson can have exceptional results in any teaching context.
For more
information you can contact Theodora Papapanagiotou (http://theodorapap.blogspot.gr/) and Nick Maragkos (http://www.personalexperience.gr/)
By Christina Chorianopoulou
Photo made available by Theodora Papapanagiotou
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