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COMMUNICATION, CREATIVITY, CLIL AND AI.
An English Language Teaching Methodology Course by Alan Marsh
✨ Sunday, April 27 – Arrival with a taste of cinema
After a long train ride from León to Madrid and two more flights (Madrid-Barcelona and Barcelona-Catania), we finally arrived in Taormina! Five teachers from León and a colleague from Valladolid began this Erasmus+ adventure with great enthusiasm. We took advantage of the day to visit two charming Sicilian villages: Forza d’Agrò and Savoca, locations for the legendary film The Godfather. It was our first contact, not only with Italian culture, but also with each other, sharing stories, laughter, and coffee. Because Erasmus isn't just about training: the first connections between teachers mark the beginning of an unforgettable week of collaborative learning.
🌞Monday, April 28 – Day 1: Communication, Creativity, and a Good Atmosphere
We began the “Communication, Creativity, CLIL, and AI” course with the great Alan Marsh in a relaxed and engaging atmosphere. The day kicked off with activities to learn the group's names and interesting facts: from chefs and dancers to kayaking enthusiasts and elevator haters. Amid laughter, mime storytelling, grammar in motion, games with typical mistakes, and dialogues that gradually disappear, we worked on fluency, intonation, and confidence when speaking English. The activities were full of practical ideas that we will take back to the classroom, and best of all: we felt like a real team from day one!
🤖 Tuesday, April 29 – Games, stories… and picture-postcard landscapes
The second day of the Erasmus+ course continued with a playful approach as the central focus of learning. We began with a recap of the previous day's content, an essential technique for activating memory and clarifying doubts. Then, with Three Things About Me, we worked on fluency, grammar, and personal expression through authentic information chosen by each student.
Throughout the morning, we combined storytelling, jigsaw reading, and activities such as Word Thief, Artists, and Disappearing Pictures to work on memory, vocabulary, cooperation, and oral production. We also explored the CLIL approach through the analysis of clear instructions, group comparisons, and shared reflections.
In addition, we discovered how tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini can save time in lesson planning, generating entire sessions from just a few parameters. A true revolution!
We ended the day with an unforgettable trip to the Gola dell'Alcantara and the charming village of Castelmola. The views from the top were simply breathtaking: unspoiled nature, volcanic gorges, and a sunset over the Ionian Sea we'll never forget. Learning, connection, and beauty: that was our Erasmus Tuesday in Sicily.
💯 Wednesday, April 30 – Artificial Intelligence, Creativity… and Sicilian Wine
Wednesday was a little shorter so we could dedicate the afternoon to a wonderful cultural visit, but it was no less intense. We started with Things in Common, a fun warm-up activity that encouraged interaction, questioning, and cooperation among diverse groups.
The central theme of the day revolved around Artificial Intelligence in education: we discussed its usefulness, risks, and impact on critical thinking. We shared tools such as MagicSchool.ai, NotebookLM, and TeacherTrainingVideos and covered key concepts such as "hallucinations," reasoning, natural language processing, and the famous Turing test.
We completed the session with activities such as Secret Grammar, Dictogloss, Give One, Get One (which ended with an AI-generated song!), and a Travel Quiz adaptable to multiple subjects.
In the afternoon, we enjoyed an unforgettable experience: a visit to a vineyard at the foot of Mount Etna, surrounded by nature, history, and, of course, excellent local wine. A perfect fusion of training, technology, and culture.
🎨 Thursday: Between pixels, words, and vineyards: a day of AI and Sicilian flavor
Thursday began with a reflection on the educational use of artificial intelligence, highlighting its potential as a tool to foster creativity, functional grammar, and critical thinking. Practical activities were shared, such as identifying AI-generated images, creating prompts, cooperative dictation, vocabulary games, and storytelling dynamics. In addition, linguistic inclusion was discussed based on the case of Estonia, highlighting the importance of flexible classroom solutions. The day combined theory, experimentation, and active methodologies, always with a fun and participatory approach. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a visit to the spectacular natural setting of Isola Bella, which allowed us to connect with the local culture and recharge after an intense morning of training.
🎭Friday: Games, laughter, and new partnerships: the final touch to an unforgettable week
The last day of the course was full of active activities and cooperative learning. We began with Mime in the Line, a fun activity in which the gesture travels along a human chain until the first person guesses the initial action, promoting grammar in a playful way. This was followed by Stress Statues, ideal for practicing word accentuation kinesthetically and as a group. We closed with a question-making activity, perfect for improving oral fluency, interrogative grammar, and active listening. After an intense week of training, methodological innovation, and pedagogical reflection, the certificates were awarded. Our wonderful organizer bid us farewell with a heartfelt dinner at San Marco Castle, celebrating the connections we had made. Erasmus+ once again demonstrates that it is much more than a course: it is an open door to professional growth, European collaboration, and the creation of future international educational projects.
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