Effective Communication for Teachers (Advanced English Level)

Participating in the English language course in Malta brought me complex professional development that I can feel on several levels. The training focused specifically on developing English language skills related to my work as a teacher, so the knowledge and experience I gained can be directly integrated into my everyday pedagogical practice, especially in international projects and mobilities, as well as in professional communication in an English-speaking environment.

One of the most important outcomes of the course is that I can now communicate in English much more confidently in classroom situations, whether it is leading a lesson, giving instructions, managing discipline, or taking part in professional discussions. Within the “Foundations of communication in English” module, I revised and practised the key expressions, phrases and language structures that are essential for classroom communication. After mapping my own communication difficulties, I was able to work in a targeted way on those areas where I had previously felt less confident (e.g. spontaneous reactions, giving clear instructions, providing nuanced feedback). As a result, I am now much better prepared to participate in professional situations in English, such as meetings with international partners or further training courses abroad.

The course also significantly contributed to expanding my professional vocabulary. By learning pedagogical vocabulary, academic terminology and subject-specific English expressions related to teaching, learning and classroom activities, I am now able to formulate my professional ideas in English in a much more conscious and accurate way. This is particularly important alongside my work as a German teacher in situations where I read methodological materials in English, study international best practices, or prepare Erasmus+ project documentation and reports. My broadened vocabulary also enables me to convey the value of multilingualism and international openness more authentically to my students.

During the course, special emphasis was placed on developing listening comprehension and speaking skills. In the “Listening and speaking for the classroom” module, I took part in role plays that modelled real classroom situations (e.g. answering students’ questions, giving feedback, handling problematic situations). These activities helped me develop a more natural and fluent way of speaking, while my pronunciation and speaking pace also improved. Thanks to tasks based on active listening, I became better at understanding different accents and speech rates, which is particularly important in an international environment. All this helps me feel more confident in delivering presentations, demonstration lessons or project meetings in English in the future.

Another key element of the course was developing my professional and classroom writing skills. During the “Writing for classroom and professional communication” activities, I practised writing English lesson plans, task descriptions, feedback for students, as well as emails to colleagues and parents. Particular attention was paid to clear structure, appropriate register (formal–semi-formal) and grammatical accuracy. As a result, I now write much more confidently in English in situations where I communicate with foreign partner schools, prepare mobility documents, or handle administrative tasks in international projects.

The course placed strong emphasis on communication strategies that support student engagement and the facilitation of classroom discussions. I learned techniques that enable me to lead structured, learner-centred discussions in English, guide students’ thinking through questions, encourage student contributions, and manage silence or passivity. These skills are useful not only in English-language situations, but also in my German lessons, as the methods I learned can easily be transferred to another foreign language. The experience gained during the course thus directly contributes to developing my students’ communication skills and making my lessons more interactive.

Within the “Real-world application and practice” module, I was able to try out my newly acquired linguistic and methodological tools in simulated teaching situations. In these activities we modelled real classroom scenarios, and I received detailed feedback from trainers and peers. This reflective process helped me to become aware of my strengths, identify areas for further development, and formulate concrete steps in my own professional development plan. By the end of the course, my fluency and self-confidence in English-medium teaching situations had clearly increased.

The Maltese environment, the international group and the shared cultural experiences also contributed to the development of my intercultural competence and supported one of our school’s key goals: strengthening the professional profile of the teaching profession through international cooperation.