In 2020, the new specifications for Chinese, Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese will be published by the NCCA. PPLI is responsible for the training and deployment of teachers for these new languages as outlined in the implementation plan of Languages Connect, Ireland’s languages strategy.
PPLI has designed a comprehensive CPD programme to up-skill this core group of teachers, many of whom already have a wealth of teaching experience in Ireland, in their home countries or abroad. However, Covid-19 has posed a number of challenges with regard to the delivery of the training.
Nonetheless, PPLI has risen to challenge and we have adopted a blended approach to the CPD making the most of the experience, knowledge and skills that we share to ensure that our teachers are ready and prepared to deliver the new specifications from September 2020. The training is composed of a mixture of online seminars, live Q&A sessions, interactive activities and a number of pre- and post-tasks to help direct their independent professional development outside of the training scenario.
We have also endeavoured to create a sense of social presence by using several techniques to help the teachers from across the different languages to get to know each other albeit at a distance.
The CPD begins on the 2nd June 2020 for two weeks. Following this, a further 3-days training will be held in August before teachers begin in their schools. We will then offer a number of further sessions between September and December 2020 in face-to-face and online settings to support teachers with their emerging needs as the term progresses.
To follow our progress, search #PPLI_CPD on Twitter or see below.
If you would like to know more about our CPD curriculum, you can download this document/PDF.
