Dear HLT Readers and Pilgrims Friends,

Welcome to the June issue of HLT in which we are celebrating 50 Years of Pilgrims.

 

 

         

 

                                                        

The majority of articles in this issue have been written by current or one-time Pilgrims trainers, some sadly no longer with us. We are a closely knit group of trainers who are always happy to represent Pilgrims and share the Pilgrims experience with you, just like we did at IATEFL Brighton, April 2024, and will do, among others, at IATEFL Poland and TESOL France. Hence this special celebratory issue of HLT.

The text by Till Gins, Lead Officer, Pilgrims, called The Pilgrims Trainer: Charismatic Non-conformism! opens the issue and introduces the ethos of Pilgrims, the  many charismatic trainers to you, and talks about the future of teacher training at Pilgrims in the UK and in other places in Europe after Brexit and after UK’s decision to leave the Erasmus+ programme.

There are many trips down the memory lane in this issue: A Pilgrim’s Odyssey by Robert Gillan, a one-time trainer and DOS, then follows The Humanistic Experience by Sharka Dohnalova, My Pilgrims Dream by Marta Bujakowska, Another Reason Why Pilgrims is the “World” by Stefania Ballotto, and My Experience at Pilgrims – How It All Began by Linda Yael. 

Four contributions which I found in my files have an air of nostalgia: An Idea Lost and Found by Mario Rinvolucri, a retired trainer and one of the founding fathers of Pilgrims, poems by his late wife and Pilgrims friend - Sophie (My Poems), texts by late trainers Who Moved My Cheese An Adaptation by Bonnie Tsai, Is it Reigning Cats and Dogs? Or Are You Just Pleased to Cliché? by Paul Davis, and a lesson idea inspired by Paul Davis Idioms for Losing Weight.

In the articles section you will find a lot of inspiration on a variety of ELT matters like: The Joys of Teaching English to 4- and 5-year-olds by Sanra Piai, Seven Failures in Pronunciation Teaching, and Seven Possible Solutions by Adrian Underhill, Twelve Top Approaches to Quality Teaching and Learning – Applying Inclusive Teaching and Learning in School Contexts by Phil Dexter, An Inclusive Approach to Leadership for Teachers in ELT by Mercedes Pérez Berbain, CLIL Teacher Training: The Theories Underpinning CLIL and The CLIL Wheel as a Teacher Training Tool by Aleksandra Zaparucha.

The lesson ideas illustrate the creativity and  unique ideas of Pilgrims trainers: Revisiting Creative Resources by Judit Fehér, Teaching with Instrumental Music for Motivation, Mindfulness, Integrated Skills, and Creativity by Magda Zamorska, Starting a New Topic: Cartoons about Clothes by Hanna (Hania) Kryszewska, and Drama Part 2: Improvisation-based Activities for Language Learning Classes by  Peter Dyer.

You will also find a very interesting text by Tim Bowen with Some Reflection in Learning Welsh, which have implications for language teaching and learning in general.

Finally, Pilgrims trainers engage in global issues - see Three Poems by  Noreen Caplen-Spence referring to the situation in Gaza, She is also involved in Tell a Child in Gaza’s Tale https://youtu.be/GIqeKftfeH4?si=5Uz1KkcY3N1YZWDK. Also, we have just launched an Eco Issues  initiative (Alan Maley, Hania Kryszewska, Adrian Underhill with Mathilde Hubert) which will involve highlighting Eco Issues at conferences, joining eco-movements, modifying or restructuring teacher training courses, and publishing articles in a new section of HLT e.g. A Day in the Desert, a Lifetime in the Desert by Christopher Graham.  

On another note, over a year ago we were planning with Danny Sing to run the June 2024 issue as an issue hosted by Slovenia. I received only three contributions but very good ones: Formative Assessment When Writing a Narrative by Janja Uhernik, Keep Calm and Maintain Your Sanity by Vesna Gros, and a poem - A Brave Path, also by Vesna Gros. So, I am publishing the contributions as planned, and I am hoping for more in the future.

Enjoy this very special June issue and do keep reading and writing for HLT, and above all consider joining us for Pilgrims Teacher training in Segovia.

Happy Birthday

Hanna (Hania) Kryszewska

HLT Editor

Email: hania.kryszewska@pilgrimsteachertraining.eu