Selene CP-1

One of the things that really struck me about the cultural workshop was how multi-layered the instructors' approach was. They were able to achieve many different levels of English practice for the CIES students as well as cultural education and teaching practice for the TEFL students. We were able to get a very natural, interesting conversation going in our group and form some new friendships as well. The format seemed to work very well with little or no input from the instructors, which I imagine is really helpful as a teacher when you are working full-time. Another thing I liked was the playful, lighthearted atmosphere that the instructors brought to the classroom. I think this really does facilitate learning. When we learned about this phenomenon in class it made sense in my head, but seeing it in practice has really cemented the importance of student comfort and confidence in the context of their learning experience.