Over 200 Spanish teachers came together virtually to discuss current directions and new perspectives for Spanish language teaching in Ireland
South East Technological University (SETU) was delighted to host recently the Spanish Teachers in Ireland: Current Directions and New Perspectives symposium. The event organised by Dr Nadia Albaladejo García, School of Humanities, SETU Waterford, saw 200 Spanish teachers from different sectors including graduates, second level, and third level education; as well as Irish and Spanish editorials, the Spanish Embassy, Éire Noticias, and the Spanish Research Society in Ireland (SRSI), reunited virtually to discuss the status and future of Spanish language teaching in Ireland.
Moving towards a skills-based economy
Languages, and in particular Spanish, are in increasing demand as we move more towards a skills-based economy. Exploring the methods we use to provide these skills here in Ireland is essential to offering high quality education. Bringing together Spanish teachers in Ireland to share their knowledge and talents is therefore especially important to SETU going forward and the broader success of the student experience.
Importance of teachers coming together to collaborate
The symposium addressed current issues affecting Spanish teachers such as post-pandemic learnings and the upcoming Leaving Certificate reform, while also providing a healthy and welcoming space where teachers could learn, connect, collaborate, and share their pedagogic practice and learnings.
Keynote speakers, Dr Marta Giralt, Lecturer in Spanish at University of Limerick, and Juan Fernández, a secondary school teacher from Madrid, spoke about the importance of teachers coming together to collaborate for the benefit of Spanish teaching and our students. Pilar Alderete, co-founder of ELE in Éirínn, Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language in Ireland, praised the work of the organising committee and celebrated the collegiality and practical quality in the presentations saying, “this 2022 symposia has contributed to the cohesion of the group and reenergised our goals and action plans for the future, which had slowed down due to the pandemic.”
SETU Hospitality
One of the highlights of the symposium saw SETU hospitality student Chloe Walsh entertain attendees with a musical performance. Ms Jacinta Greene Beatty, Lecturer in Hospitality Management, SETU Waterford, said "the Spanish Teachers Symposium was a unique platform for student Chloe to perform well known Irish songs like Field's of Gold, Danny Boy and An Irish Lullaby. Chloe appreciated the opportunity and was honoured by the positive feedback she received.”
Sponsors
This free online event was kindly sponsored by the Association of Spanish Teachers in Ireland (ATS), Edco, Folens, Educate.ie, Munster Technological University (MTU), National University of Ireland (NUIG), University College Cork (UCC), Post Primary Languages Initiative (PPLI), Spanish Embassy in Ireland, Campus Difusion, Edelsa-Anaya, Edinumen, and the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) Funding at SETU.
Thanks to all sponsors and in particular the organising committee Martha Brazil (President of ATS), Ana Cruz (MTU), María Mondéjar (UCC), Beatriz Fradejas (NUIG) for all their hard work, Dr Suzanne Denieffe (Head of School of Humanities, SETU Waterford), Luke Power (Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Department of Quality Promotion, SETU Waterford), Erin MacNamara Cullen (Bachelor of Arts Honours Programme Leader, SETU Waterford) and Jacinta Green (Lecturer in Hospitality Management, SETU Waterford) for making this possible, and the team at SETU’s Centre for Technology - Enhanced Learning, Ken, Conor, Fiona, Cathal, and Emmet for their professionalism and support.