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Ask state school English language teachers from all over Greece how they view the UK and you will hear the same answer – a country increasingly able to satisfy aspirations for self-development and recognised for its creative ideas, particularly in the field of English Language Teaching.
And why? In 2003–04 over 5,000 state school English language teachers managed to attend one of our Seminars for Teachers of English in Primary and Secondary Schools, organised by the British Council and the Greek Ministry of Education through its network of ELT School Advisers.
The seminars themselves were held at a number of regional training hubs throughout Greece during the school year and were delivered by members of the Athens Teaching Centre. Indeed, judging by the interest received from teachers, the seminars proved a popular vehicle for self- and professional development outside the boundaries of normal teaching.
Aiming not only to overview the principles and practice underpinning successful language teaching, the seminars also provided an insight into areas identified through consultation with Ministry officials as being perceived areas of UK expertise and direct relevance such as The Multicultural Classroom, Approaches to Cross-Curricular Work and The Use of New Technologies.
With building stronger ties between Greece and the UK in mind, two teams of UK teachers were also invited to Greece under the umbrella of the Teachers' International Professional Development Programme (TIPD). The visits provided an opportunity for UK participants not only to reflect on their own practice, but also to participate in the seminar programme and engage in professional dialogue with some of their Greek colleagues. "We were made very welcome, everyone was friendly, helpful and kind, and we were even lucky enough to enjoy the heaviest snowfall in Athens for many years! It was a wonderful experience enjoyed by everyone and invaluable professional development"said one UK participant.
So what's next? Working closely and developing the relationship with the network of ELT School Advisers now allows the British Council and the UK to be viewed as a valid partner in promoting change among these key influencers. Currently, we are working on programmes designed to improve the local staff training resources available to ELT School Advisers and improve their own skills in the key areas of teacher observation and evaluation.
Theodoros Skenderis, ELT School Adviser for Veria in northern Greece said; "We know what to expect from the British Council – quality of support, quantity of ideas, relevance to our needs and clarity in its approach." Thanks, Theodoros!
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