ɫèAV

The beginning days of school are both exciting and occasionally nerve-wracking for teachers and students alike. Everyone is adjusting to new faces, routines and a fresh environment. As a teacher, you can help make this shift smooth, inviting and enjoyable. One effective way to achieve this is by using icebreaker activities.

Icebreakers are simple games or activities that help students get to know each other, feel comfortable and start building a positive classroom community. When students feel connected, they are more likely to participate, help each other and enjoy learning. Here are some easy-to-use icebreaker activities and tips for making the beginning of the school year memorable for everyone. Here are just a few ideas for icebreakers you can use in your classroom.

What do we, as teachers, need to teach effectively in these times? Well, as a teacher �C but also as an ESL learner?�C?I��ve always believed that English is not something to be studied, it��s something to be lived: it's my mantra.?

Based on that idea, throughout my career, I��ve been seeking not only academic tools that support my teaching, but also resources that turn teaching into an experience, not just a class. That��s what I found when I first discovered the GSE, and what has drawn me so closely to ɫèAV �C not just the textbooks, but the initiatives, research, projects, tools and more.

Adapting to technological change

Now, artificial intelligence was introduced into our lives not long ago, and it seems like it��s here to stay. Whether you��re a fan of it or not, we must accept that it��s part of our present �C and our future. We need to learn how to use it wisely.?Living the language means understanding that the world changes �C and we must change with it. Technology is essential (and I love it), but there are things it simply cannot replace: creativity, communication and leadership. These are deeply human traits and, as teachers, we must not only teach them but also create environments where students connect with others and grow as people through language.

Then, both students and teachers will be able to use their language, collaborative, leadership and empathethic skills in English-speaking environments �C and these skills are crucial for thriving in the fast-paced world of technological progress.

The power of soft skills and confidence

There��s one experience that changed my mindset years ago �C and it��s directly connected to the title of this text. The moment my English fluency truly improved was the moment I began to believe in myself. It was when I projected the version of myself I wanted to become. It was when I realized I wanted to speak to the world, and my confidence extended far beyond the classroom.

Long story short, my perspective as a student shifted dramatically when I got my first job. That��s when I realized the value of understanding the world, being able to communicate effectively, and developing essential soft skills �C skills I didn��t even realize I was learning at the time, but which have been crucial to my personal and professional growth. Today, I��m glad that education is starting to include these elements in the classroom.

ɫèAV��s support for educators and students

I��m excited about ɫèAV's latest research into GSE Soft Skills (report coming soon). The GSE provides a methodological framework and resources to enhance my teaching. It also offers answers to my long-standing questions, including tools to prepare my classes more effectively and support my colleagues in helping students master both language and professional skills.

We must prepare our students for life beyond the classroom. By offering clear goals, role models, opportunities to practice and consistent feedback, ɫèAV helps us spend less time planning and more time engaging with our learners.

The world is moving fast �C and sometimes faster than we can keep up with. By integrating creativity, communication and leadership into our lessons, we give our students the skills that employers value most and that technology can��t replace. These are the same skills that, without a doubt, helped me reach my goals.

In my case, I didn��t learn these soft skills at a very young age �C but the sooner our students do, the better. The earlier they connect with their purpose, the deeper the impact.

When I think about myself as a teacher, I always try to remember what it was like to be a student. These tools remind me of the things I learned in my younger years �C and that I now want my students to experience too. Embracing these global changes and resources allows me to better reflect who I am �C not only as a teacher, but as a person.?

What do we mean by future skills??

The skills students will need in their future studies and careers are dramatically different from those required previously. Times are changing rapidly and educational institutions and teachers have a critical role to play in developing those skills in our young learners so that they are able to fulfill their potential and have bright futures ahead of them.?

These skills are referred to as future skills. There is no common consensus on how to define these skills but, broadly speaking, they can be grouped into four categories:?

1. Ways of thinking

Skills in this category include critical thinking, creativity, innovation, problem solving, metacognition and learning skills.

2. Ways of working

Here, we��re talking about the skills of communication and collaboration.

3. Tools for working

Information literacy is an important 21st-century skill, as well as ICT literacy and citizenship, both global and local.?

4. Life skills

The final category covers life and career skills, and is all about personal and social responsibility.?

One way you can encourage young learners to build these skills is through STEAM subjects (that��s science, technology, engineering, arts and math), which will equip them with functional skills such as organizing, planning, cognitive flexibility and self-regulation.?

The four Cs?

The four Cs refer to four important skills for young learners to master: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. These are essential, not just in an educational context, but in everyday life.?

Falling into the first two categories of future skills (ways of thinking and ways of working), these can help children build confidence and self-esteem. They also encourage healthy emotional development.??

So let��s take a closer look at the theory behind them.

1. Communication

We usually think of communication as speaking and listening, but it��s actually much broader than that. Communication encapsulates telling stories, reading, sharing ideas and experiences, body language, facial expression, eye contact and tone. Children learn to decipher the world around them by learning and practicing these skills.

Strong communication skills, developed early, are directly related to their literacy success. These skills allow children to articulate their thoughts and ideas effectively, and listen to decode meaning. Students then begin to use communication for a range of purposes, and communicate effectively in diverse environments. Furthermore, developing strong patterns of verbal and non-verbal communication also fosters self-esteem and social skills.?

2. Collaboration

Collaboration is how young children begin to build friendships with others. At first, young children will watch what others do and say, before moving on to playing together. As they get older, they become aware of other children��s feelings and ideas. Friendships become motivating and they learn how to make compromises and respect each other��s perspectives and skills.?

Collaboration is enhanced through group work and project-based activities, sharing time with peers. Children thrive when they feel valued by the people around them, not just adults but their peers too.?