The Isle of Wight Conference 2007

Here's a date for your diaries, The Isle of Wight Conference - Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom will take place on Saturday 13th October at Nodehill Middle School, Upper St James Street, Newport, IOW. Like last year, it will feature leading practitioners from around the country running sessions and workshops on hot topics such as:

• blogging
• podcasting
• digital video
• eTwinning
• primary languages
• whole class teaching with PowerPoint
• whiteboards/classroom performance system
• one stop animation
• music, song, rhythm and movement
• assessment for learning
• Enhancing memory/learning styles
• Videoconferencing

Speakers include:

• Rachel Hawkes – Director of Languages, Comberton Village College and SSAT languages lead practitioner
• Leigh McClelland – Head of German, Comberton Village College
• Lesley Welsh – AST in MFL, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College and SSAT languages lead practitioner coordinator
• Oscar Stringer - animator and filmmaker South Street Productions
• Chris Fuller - Spanish teacher, Edgehill College
• Lisa Stevens - Spanish teacher, Whitehouse Common Primary School
• Joe Dale - leader of French, Nodehill Middle School, SSAT languages lead practitioner
• Sharon Balch - French teacher, Swanmore Middle School
• John Warwick - Deputy Head, St Luke's School and eTwinning ambassador

Delegates will be able to choose four sessions each as well as attend the keynote and plenary. Entry fee will be £50 per delegate which will include a buffet lunch.

To travel to the Isle of Wight, there are direct train links from London Waterloo to Southampton and Portsmouth. The ferries run every half an hour with Red Funnel or Wightlink. You can fly cheaply with Flybe to Southampton and if you want to stay overnight, there is a Travelodge within walking distance of the school

For those who can't attend, session notes and audio recordings will be made available on this blog after the conference has finished.

If you would like to take part in this exciting opportunity for continuing professional development, simply complete the booking form on The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust’s website here and download this delegate pack for more information.

Further links:

ALL London January Event 2007 - sessions by Rachel Hawkes, Leigh McClelland and myself

ALL London June Event 2007 - session by Lesley Welsh

Scrapblog - example of Oscar's work

UK national eTwinning Conference in Nottingham - interview with Chris Fuller on wikispaces, moblogging and mobile phones

Somos Lo Que Celebramos - Runner-up Prize Winner of eTwinning project from Whitehouse Common Primary School

Feedback from last year's conference:

Thanks for organising this very inspiring event. I have taken lots of good ideas home which I will hopefully be able to turn into reality very soon. Podcasting and blogging are definitely the way forward to personalise learning as they allow access at a time, pace and space of your own choosing as well as differentiation of support. A MUST try for all those out there whose MFL time is being cut down and for those who would like to offer independent language learning opportunities to students who - for one reason or another - wouldn't/couldn't choose MFL at KS4/5 but want to develop some language.
Thanks again, I really enjoyed this and would recommend a follow up event! - Volker Green

Merci Joe d'organiser cette conférence. Elle était inspirée! - Mark Broom

Wow!!! I am still recovering from such a mind-blowing day! You'd be proud to hear that I have already been working on some of the ideas presented on the various sessions I was lucky to attend. Just as well we've got a week off! I've really been spurred on to try out quite a few things! Many thanks to Joe and all the speakers! C'etait super! - Julie Tortajada

Fantastic day - mind blowing. Spent several hours at home immersed in the virtual world researching all I had heard about today (much to families dismay). Have downloaded audacity and have an official blog now for my school - yes it is easy, now I need to go away and fiddle with it. Anyway thanx to all those who have inspired me especially to Joe and his merry band of podcasters! - Kyra Ward

Comments

[John Heffernan]

Hi Joe

Came across this site, I think this has potential for MFL

http://voicethread.com/

John H

[Joe Dale]

Cheers John,

I've had a quick look at Beth Kanter's example: http://voicethread.com/view.php?b=2991

Cheers for this

[Pam McDowall]

Hi Joe,

I have just moved schools and am introducing staff and pupils to the joys of blogging. I used your site and pupil sites as examples of good practice. My P6 pupils have just created a podcast and would love to hear what your pupils think of their French/Scottish accents.

Pam McDowall

[Joe Dale]

Hi Pam,

I've just had a listen to your pupils' podcast and they sound great. I'll ask some of my pupils to leave comments this week.

For anyone else who would like to listen and leave a comment too, the link is http://todholmprimary.edublogs.org/2007/11/29/our-p6-french-podcast/