International Festival of Learning 2020

In the full Youtube video, expand the title / description for clickable timestamps to take you straight to key focus areas.

This session explores what can be done - and what lessons have been learnt when working in the blended environment.

Partnered with Joe Dale's globally renowned #MFLtwitterati podcast, the session will draw out some of the best, inexpensive or free tools can be used to gently enhance teaching in the online world.

And, joined by three celebrated members of the MFL Twitterati, we'll be drawing out the best in online and offline blended learning, and to answer some pretty tough questions!

• How can you feel confident and prepared to move blended learning on a stage?
• Navigating the 'tools' environment: What are the best free and inexpensive online tools available to access amid a huge array of options
• 'Finding your favourites': Can there be a case of too many too often when it comes to using 'tools' for teaching? What about 'good old instruction'?
• The cliche of 'the students know more than the adults' when it comes to technology...but, do they really? Don't they just access a different kind of technology?
• 'Teacher reluctance' - how can we create a culture of mutual support for teachers who may be struggling to get to grips with this strange new way of working?
• How do you ensure using these tools is not just a gimmick or a flash in the pan!?

About the MFL Podcast
https://mfltwitteratipodcast.com/

Our podcast is designed to celebrate the voices of the modern language teaching community in the UK, Ireland and beyond by showcasing the fab ideas and resources they share on Twitter with your hosts Joe Dale and Noah Geisel.


This dynamic and supportive community has a wide variety of members including language teachers and departments, consultants and organisations from the UK and lreland and beyond. We regularly share updates, links to resources and advice on anything and everything to do with languages and language learning. The main idea of this podcast is to share language teachers’ innovative practice enhancing teaching and learning both in and out of the classroom!


The podcast is aimed at anyone interested in language education at all levels, as well as fans of EdTech and is divided into specific sections. We begin with the radar section where Noah and I talk about an idea, resource or new app or web tool update which has particularly caught our eye recently. Then comes the #mfltwitterati takeaways where Noah and I discuss tweets tagged with the #mfltwitterati hashtag that have particularly resonated with us. Next, we have the MFL show and tell section where members of the #mfltwitterati describe a class activity they have found to be effective or an event they have attended. Following that is the techtalk interview where Noah and I speak to a language educator about how they are integrating tech into their practice and we unpack some of their tips and tricks.


We hope you find the podcast useful and that you try out some of the ideas in your own class. Feel free to send us some audio feedback using the SpeakPipe widget on the right hand side of the site or written feedback in the comment sections under each post or via Twitter including the #mfltwitterati hashtag of course. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for listening.

From Wednesday 26 August onwards into September, we are busily editing and uploading recorded On Demand content. Thanks for your patience, and we'll keep you informed as each is available and for how long.

In conversation with Parven Kaur and Hamish Mackenzie...

With such a vast context around the online world we find ourselves in, Hamish Mackenzie interviews leading online safeguarding and skills development expert Parven Kaur. The interview aims to provide a window into the development of young people's, parents' and teachers' skills and understanding, and to signpost resources and places to go for support.

• What do we mean by Digital Resilience?
• What is the current context and challenges?
• What to look out for?
• Where can we go for help?
• How are young people becoming 'Scam-Spotters'?

We delve into a range of different styles, opportunities, tricks and tools to help teach better live online lessons (synchronous), as well as in the asynchronous and blended environments.

Among the panel is a huge wealth of experience in learning through synchronous ('realtime' live) and asynchronous (pre-recorded or online platforms) methods.

We hope you will enjoy what we expect to be a lively conversation, full of tips and ideas to stimulate your thinking...

Tips for engaging and sustaining learning

• What tips do you have for engaging and connecting with students in the LIVE (synchronous )online classroom?
• How do you create a positive (and productive) learning environment in the virtual classroom?
• What tips would you give a classroom teacher who may be put in the position of teaching groups of children online, maybe for the first time?
• Can you give your own examples of any strategies you've used to improve learning using online tech?
• What do you envisage online teaching and learning by schools will look like in the future?

Running online courses, and adapting to a new world of blended learning...

• RoboBrain Academy: How easy was it to set up and adapt using online courses when you're used to doing everything face to face?
• How close to the 'original' do online courses need to be to be effective? What do you need to add or take away to make it meaningful?
• Who will adapt quickest... the students, the parents or the teachers?
• We talk about young people being familiar with 'the technology', but what does this really mean? Isn't it just a completely different set of technology?
• How important is the technology platform for learning?

Maintaining Quality

• What criteria do you think is needed when recruiting teachers to be able to work in these unfamiliar contexts?
• How can you tell what's good quality and what's not?
• What are you looking for when recruiting teachers who can cope with the online environment?

Special thanks to RoboBrain Academy, Real World Education, Eddly, the British Council e-Twinning, and Morton Bay College for supporting this session.

From Wednesday 26 August onwards into September, we are busily editing and uploading recorded On Demand content. Thanks for your patience, and we'll keep you informed as each is available and for how long.

The session will be presented jointly by Marcelo Staricoff, founder and director of JONK Thinking and Learning (JONKTL) and Philippa Aldrich, founder and director of the Michael Aldrich Foundation (MAF), an educational charity with a unique art collection rooted in the history of creativity in Brighton. JONKTL and MAF have formed a partnership to launch a national project in schools based on the JONK initiative known as the 'Image of the Week'.

The Image of the Week is currently used by schools to promote creative and critical thinking skills by presenting students with a weekly work of art, which could be anything at all; a sculpture, painting, drawing, the possibilities are limitless. The students then have all week to use the work of art as a source of inspiration for their creative thinking, critiquing the work, expressing how it makes them feel, what the artist may have been trying to portray.

The session will illustrate how the collaboration between JONKTL and MAF is taking the concept a step further. The Pilot Project that launches in the Summer Term of 2020 provides the pilot schools with the works of art to think through, all from the Michael Aldrich Foundation Collection. At the end of the term the school will then exhibit the real works of art, set up as a Gallery in their schools, curated by the student's comments of each work. All the families, students and staff will then invited to look through and enjoy the Exhibition in the evening and even meet some of the artists too. It is hoped that the Pilot Study will lead to a national programme and participants will be able to considered, if they wish for the launch of the Project in September 2020-2021. The session will provide up to date news of how the pilot study is progressing in schools in Suffolk and Norfolk.

On the web
https://www.thefutureperfectcompany.com/the-michael-aldrich-foundation/
https://www.jonklearning.co.uk

We have a distinct advantage over machines. We have the ability to imagine, to dream of a future, to aspire to change and make that change happen. As machines and algorithms take over the more automatable jobs, it is imperative that we, as human beings, focus our efforts and learning opportunities on developing and harnessing the most human of skills: curiosity, creativity and the ability to connect with others.

Obie Matin is an English teacher and British Council e-Twinning Ambassador at St Martin in-the-Fields High School for Girls in Brixton, London.

In this exclusive interview, Obie shares the fascinating history of one of the oldest and most unique girls schools in Britain - St Martin in-the-Fields High School for Girls, Tulse Hill, Brixton. She goes on to discuss the demographics of the area of Brixton, and how the proud legacy of the school is enhanced by its cultural, historical and international connections. THE IMPACT OF THE

THE IMPACT OF THE EMPIRE WINDRUSH

From its origins in 1699 as a school 'for the poor' originally based in Charing Cross, to the impact of the arrival of the British Empire Windrush - the troopship which transported invited Caribbean migrants to the UK to support the post-war rebuilding effort.

THE POWER OF AN OUTWARD-FACING APPROACH
With such a stark difference between this inner-city London school and other areas of London (and the rest of the country), the interview leads to discussions around the importance of, and ideas for developing relational understanding of local and countrywide cultures as a contrast and enhancement to international connections. Obie is also a British Council e-Twinning Ambassador, and our thanks go to the British Council for their support in developing this series of insights.

A double session with the brilliant Sonia Gill - educator, consultant and author.

Sonia has helped many schools develop their powerful vision and she will be sharing her insight gained from many years of involvement with dozens of schools, trusts and organisations.

An introduction and context by Sonia, followed by

• Why a vision and values are necessary to move from good to great
• Why visions go wrong
• How to get your vision working
• The impact a powerful vision has
• The importance of values in creating a high performing culture

Resources or further reading:

• Journey to Outstanding
• Successful difficult conversations in schools

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This warm and insightful mini keynote, recorded live at West Suffolk College highlights research, ideas and inspiration to leverage the power of relationships to supercharge teaching and learning.

Our mission at Reach Academics is to spotlight and codify the central importance of human relationships in schools. Using the book Time to Teach: Time to Reach as core material, we align with schools to help everyone thrive. www.reachacademics.com

From Wednesday 26 August onwards into September, we are busily editing and uploading recorded On Demand content. Thanks for your patience, and we'll keep you informed as each is available and for how long.

Evidence Led Insight From a Clinical Psychology Perspective. What's been learnt from recent experiences, and how can the education system develop a longer term approach to wellness and mental health for students.

We are delighted to welcome Beth and her team who bring vital insight, updates and an approach to mental health that is relevant in contexts across the world.

This article frames the current situation, and, with mental health being such a vital core of a functioning society, this will be one of a selection of sessions that focuses specifically on Covid-19 and the impact it has had, and is likely to have: https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/young-people-mental-health-coronavirus-suffolk-1-6761317

There are a few unexpected outcomes from recent times - one being some issues that may  easily be overlooked in the drive to get back to business. The reality that many students and staff are becoming  more, not less anxious about being in the school environment (and not just because of the virus).

"While the coronavirus pandemic has made existing mental health issues worse for some young people due to the lack of routine, isolation and loneliness, for others anxiety connected to school has been eased."

Dr Mosley said by developing “psychological flexibility,” with the support of good role models, it could enable youngsters to “focus on what they can do, rather than what they have lost and can’t do”.
“But it is natural for them to have that bereavement response, and that’s okay. They are not going to be stuck here forever,”

"Dr Beth Mosley, a psychologist who specialises in working with young people, said referrals to the Suffolk Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing Hub were increasing because of “anticipatory anxiety” over going back to school in September."

"The number of referrals of young people to NSFT in Suffolk over the lockdown period of March to June was actually lower than the same period last year (by 1,053 referrals), which Dr Mosley said could be due to families not taking issues to GPs or a fall in school-based anxiety."

“And we know from really solid research that connection with others is so fundamental to emotional development and brain development,” 

An example of one county's support package:

Dr Mosley said: “The Psychology in Schools Team and other Suffolk services will be working together to provide a package of support to all Suffolk parents, schools and young people around how to cope with and respond to the anxiety that many young people and families will be feeling about returning to school.

“This will include information leaflets, podcasts, pre-recorded training for school staff, assembly and lesson plans that schools can run for students who may be struggling in the first term back.”

This interview session covers a range of topics around Mary's new book entitled Back on Track: Fewer Things in Greater Depth.

In particular, Mary takes a philosophical, pragmatic look at what could be 'stripped back' and what could be intensified and enhanced to optimise learning and assessment for young people.

Sonia Gill, CEO of Education Leadership Company shares insights into the art and science of holding successful difficult conversations.  

Tips, tools and strategies to conquer this crucial area of culture building practice. We're delighted to welcome Sonia back!

1) Introducing Sonia and Whistle-stop Website Tour (Rob Walden, Director, Real World Education)

INTERVIEW STARTS AT 5:30 
2) Interview with Sonia Gill, (hosted by David Gower, Assistant Headteacher, IES Breckland) Free resources and books available from: https://ukheadsup.com/

Click to access

An exclusive interview with Daniel Muijs on the role of research and evaluation in the future of education; and an update on the Autumn visits.

Originally an American teacher and leader within science and technology, Daniel moved to Shanghai where he has been embraced as a celebrated senior leader in a successful Chinese school system. Here, Daniel shares his insight and experiences of being immersed in a system that is at least outwardly perceived as being very different from the West.

How true is this perception? Daniel explains...

• The traditional Chinese classroom, values, and the purpose of education
• Changing trends, international schools, internationalised curriculums, and private education
• Challenges for Chinese students abroad

SUIS Pudong Academy

• Our school and our experience with learners, parents and recruiting students who were not successful in the traditional system and how that led to adopting Project Based Learning (PBL) within our framework of building character.

What on Earth Is Going On!? 
The World is Changing - and the education system with it. But hasn't it always been changing? And what are these changes everyone's talking about? And, perhaps more importantly, how is education responding to the acceleration towards a future that many people have been predicting for many years.... 'the blend between humans and technology'.

We welcome renowned educationalist, philanthropist and technologist Vikas Pota and UK based General Secretary, ASCL - Geoff Barton who bring a 'finger on the pulse' vision and clear insight into where we're headed....