Language Symposium

200 teachers coming from the whole of Switzerland are gathering in Sierre to talk about language teaching and language learning.

Organised by the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, the 6th edition of the “Language Symposium” targeting foreign language teachers in Switzerland and neighboring countries will take place Saturday 28th April in Sierre. The conferences and workshops held during this event will give the opportunity to the 250 participants signed up to explore new teaching methods. International professionals will present their methods and participants will be able to choose from nearly fifty different workshops.

In Switzerland, the University of Applied Sciences is the only establishment proposing such an event. Every two years, this enriching day (8h00-18h30) brings together teachers from diverse contexts who will be able to meet other professionals and to discover new approaches to teaching languages as well as new technologies used in language teaching. Furthermore, university students planning to become language teachers will be able to network and learn more about their future profession.

An international day

During this day dedicated to languages, many professionals will give workshops and will present different didactic tools, e.g. how to understand what your pedagogical profile is or how teach in a holistic and multisensory way. The presentations will be given in various languages. Alex Warren, a trainer for the Cengage publishing house, will present in English the role that the TED platform has in 21st century language teaching / learning. Marcela de Meuron, lecturer at the Language Centre of the Lausanne University since 2001, will give a workshop on creative tools allowing for language learning in a dynamic and active approach. Her workshop will be in French. Participants will have the choice to conclude the workshop sessions with Chiara Pirola’s intervention on how to integrate theatrical techniques in classes to transform them into a unique experience. Ms. Pirola will hold the workshop in Spanish and will make use of various techniques such as “Process Drama”.

A good cause

A tombola offering several prizes will be organised to support the non-profit association “Auxilia Formation” which organizes courses in prison settings.