Lessons learned. Teaching & learning in the online/hybrid classroom, Aga Gurbin

Aga Gurbin of d'Overbroecks College, Oxford, UK presented on 'Lessons learned. Teaching & learning in the online/hybrid classroom at the 6th annual Future of English Language Teaching Conference (FOELT).

Abstract

n this presentation, I will be sharing my reflections on various elements of online education that worked well or failed to work in the context of my educational setting. I will also be discussing some features regarding hybrid teaching that may become permanent elements of the face-to-face teaching and learning experience after the pandemic. My reflections will relate to three areas of online education: teaching, learning and leadership. I will address some challenges and hard-won gains for me as an EAL teacher and a learner, as well as the head of department in an independent secondary school in Oxford.

Teaching

From the perspective of teaching, I will argue the importance of planning and being engaged in educational dialogue. I will also discuss how important it is to incorporate CLIL into subject lessons. I believe that subject teachers have realised more than ever that their role in the EAL classroom is not only to teach their subject curriculum, but also to teach the language itself. For many subject teachers, teaching EAL online has created “the perfect storm” of challenges and in many cases exacerbated already existing problems.

Learning

From a learning perspective, I will emphasise the significance of translanguaging and the use of students’ first language in class as a very effective tool for learning. I have noticed that during the pandemic it has become more apparent that translanguaging can help students overcome general anxiety, including anxiety in the context of language learning.

Leadership

Finally, as a new head of department who started the position just at the very beginning of the pandemic, I would like to talk about how I managed to thrive as a leader as well as some of my mistakes during the pandemic.