NEW WORKSHOP: Teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling (TPRS): A guide to co-created class stories

Three-part online workshop on learning how to use Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) and co-created class stories in the language classroom.

​How is the workshop structured?

​Format and dates:

• The online TPRS and co-created stories Motivated Classroom workshop is delivered over three x 1.5 hour sessions held over three Saturday afternoons, with two weeks in between to allow participants to practice and reflect.

Time:

• ​The online TPRS workshop is aimed at teachers who are new to TPRS or novices with using co-created stories in the languages classroom.  
• It will take place from 16:30-18:00 Central European Time (Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam) on Saturday afternoons in Autumn 2023.
• Click here for global time-zone converter

Availability:

• All previous Motivated Classroom workshops have been FULLY BOOKED.
• Places are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.
• The next workshop will be offered in Autumn 2023.
• To be the first to know and receive a pre-registration form by email before the course opens to the public, complete this short form.​

About the presenter

• Dr. Liam Printer is a published author and has been a teacher of English, French & Spanish in a variety of settings for over 16 years. He currently teaches Spanish at The International School of Lausanne in Switzerland where he is also the ‘Leader of Pedagogical Innovation’, focusing on bringing research into classroom practice. Liam has been teaching with a CI-based approach for over 9 years and has been invited to present on CI techniques at the Agen CI Conference in France as well as a number of CI conferences in the US. He has been invited as the Keynote speaker at a number of International Language Learning conferences and he also lectures on the Post-graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course with the University of Durham and the International School of Geneva. He completed his Doctorate on ‘the motivational pull of teaching languages through storytelling with CI’ at the University of Bath. Liam now hosts The Motivated Classroom podcast which has had over 280,000 downloads of its 100 episodes to date.

What will we learn during the workshop?

• The workshop is aimed at modern foreign language (MFL) teachers or world language teachers who want to learn more about the Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) method of language instruction and how to use co-created class stories in the language classroom to build motivated, engaged learners.
  
• The workshop will demonstrate how to start a TPRS story, build the storyline and narrative through co-creation and story asking, as well as how to assess and finish the class story. 
  
• Throughout the workshop, participants will receive a host of mini strategies, activities and tools that allow teachers to provide rich, compelling, comprehensible inputs (CI) alongside the TPRS story.
• For part of the workshop you will be ‘students’ in my class, participating in a 'live' TPRS stories and experiencing the magic of a co-created story through the eyes of a student.
• At the end of the workshop, participants will have the tools and resources to try out the following techniques in their classrooms:
  • Setting the ground rules for a TPRS story.
  • Beginning a TPRS story using student autonomy and inputs.
  • Building a TPRS co-created story using student voice and ideas.
  • Developing parallel characters.
  • Using student images for retrieval practice of the TPRS story.
  • Embedded readings for more inputs using the narrative from the story.
  • 'Time writes' to assess student proficiency at the end of the story.
  • A variety of 'classroom jobs' to build relatedness and bonds in the classroom.
  • Formal summative assessments of a co-created TPRS story.

What previous attendees said about Motivated Classroom workshops:

​The Motivated Classroom CI Workshop provides such an excellent balance of theory/research and practical tips, along with opportunities for participants to practice skills. The workshop has encouraged me to consider my practice and how I may be able to improve my teaching. I am excited to work to improve my teaching skills in the coming year and am grateful for a supportive community in my fellow workshop participants to reach out to along the way.

• Kathryn, Japanese teacher, Australia

This workshop was so useful and I absolutely would recommend it to anyone who is interested in teaching with CI. A really learned a lot - and had so many ideas to try out in my classes.

• Antonia, Spanish teacher, Austria

Absolutely brilliant course covering all the basics of teaching using Comprehensible Input methods. Highly recommended!

• Lucy, French and Spanish teacher, UK​

This is a great session for anyone who is new to CI teaching. It gives the WHY and the HOW. It was amazing, and I would take it again. 
I came away feeling confident that I had some engaging and compelling tasks that I could use immediately in my lessons.  It was very interesting to be able to get specific tasks and activities that we could then practice and discuss with other teachers across the globe, in lots of different contexts - it really helped me look at my context from a different perspective and start thinking about changing things up! 

• Joanna, French teacher, UK

The course was presented in a dynamic, enthusiastic way and it was great to feel part of a global community with the same purpose.

• Amanda, French teacher, Canada

Liam presented in a way that was well scaffolded, clear, empowering, and provided strategies that can be implemented easily and right away to my students. 

• Arwen, French teacher, Canada

Liam Printer's workshop on CI strategies was excellent. Although I had listened to most of the podcasts, the workshop showed the strategies in action and gave me more confidence to implement them in my classroom. It was also amazing to share insights with teachers from around the globe. I love how Liam is very efficient and concise in his presentations. All the information was very practical. And the three 90 minute sessions with time to try things out in between workshops was perfect.  

• Shelly, Italian teacher, Boston MA

It was very thoughtfully planned with the perfect ratio between Liam's sharing some theoretical knowledge/his experience, his doing demos and us trying to apply new knowledge immediately. Perfect balance between theory and practice, and the immediate application part made learning stick. Plus, there was an opportunity to reflect in a friendly and supportive atmosphere which also strengthened the new learning. 

• Irina, French teacher, Canada.​

This workshop gave us very useful information, student friendly strategies and teachers effectiveness. Dr. Liam gives very specific tasks for us to put into practice what we learn, this let us try the new strategies and have immediate feedback in the next workshop with him. 

• Lexandra, Spanish teacher, elementary. Quebec.

What is included in the course fee?

Included in the €160 course fee:

• Three x 1.5 hour online, interactive, workshops
• Pre-course questionnaire analysis
• Post-course e-mail support
• Three Q&A videos within 24 hours of each session
• All presentations, handouts and resources will be provided digitally
• A Motivated Classroom post-course certificate of attendance entitled ​"Teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling (TPRS): A guide to co-created class stories"

10% of every booking fee goes directly towards two projects that are close to my heart:

• The Rainforest Trust environmental protection project to help save our planet from destruction.
• Providing sporting and integration opportunities to refugees with the EVAM refugee welcome centres in Switzerland.​

Sign-up here:

• Places on this workshop are now FULLY BOOKED.
• Reduced fees are available to:
  • Patrons of  The Motivated Classroom podcast
  • Trainee teachers currently enrolled on a teaching training programme.
• ​To be the first to know and receive a pre-registration form by email before the course opens to the public, complete this short form.

Group bookings / Purchase orders:

• If you require a purchase order for your school or a pro-forma invoice, please contact me with the details required.
• Places are not secure until the payment has been made.