with Lauren Boon
Trust subject specialist leader - MFL
Having attended the PLN conferences in person in 2019 and 2018, I was curious to see whether I would get as much out of a ‘virtual’ conference as I had from the previous ones. I can now say with certainty that I got so much more from the virtual conference than I expected.
For myself, there were two key benefits of the conference being delivered virtually. Firstly, I was able to watch all of the pre-recorded sessions in my own time. As a Yorkshire-based teacher, I found being able to take part without the long drive to and from the conference was useful as it meant that I was fully alert and engaged. The problem of missing key points in a rush to make notes was also eliminated, as I was able to pause and rewind at my leisure.
Complementing the pre-recorded sessions were the Facebook Live sessions mid-week meant that I had ample time to think about the ideas that the keynote speakers had conveyed, which led me to being much more active in the discussion than I would have been at the usual conferences. The live sessions meant that hundreds of teachers had a chance to put forward their questions and ideas within a single hour! All network staff were on hand during the sessions to reply to any of my questions immediately and even invited me to direct message them to discuss some points in detail.
One of the sessions I feel like I benefited the most from was Kate’s Reigniting Language Learning session. Like all teachers out there, I was feeling some anxiety about how to get started again in September with my classes and it was so reassuring to hear the different paths that I can take depending on ‘what is left in the sieve’ when they return to school. The second part of the session was full of useful practical ideas to aid recall in language learning, something that will be more important than ever next year!
I also enjoyed Michael Wardle’s session, reflecting on MFL deep dives. The way he highlighted good practice in all areas of language teaching and learning made me feel more confident about my delivery of MFL, but also gave me realistic goals to work towards next year, e.g. making sure that phonics is taught systemically throughout KS2.
Ultimately, the Facebook Live sessions were the stars of the show for me. They were a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration. In Will’s session, I got some great ideas for my SEN and HA learners and in Janet’s session I loved contributing towards a discussion around Language Ambassadors. Catherine’s session was a great reminder of where I can find different resources and documents within the VLE, and Kate’s session had me wishing the summer holidays away for the first time in my career so I can get back into it in September!
A huge thanks to Primary Languages Network, you have absolutely succeeded in reigniting my love of teaching languages and I cannot wait to share my enthusiasm with my pupils!
A big thank you back, Lauren, for writing this blog!
