Spotlight on Green Grapes Language School with Owner and Teacher, Noelia Graziano and Teacher, Fabiana Andrea Mariazzi
Noelia and Fabiana tell us why going fully digital with Digital Language Hub has been the best decision for their school, their teaching and their students learning.
You can also watch the full videos here.
How has the transition to a fully digital course book influenced the way you teach?
Noelia: ‘The transition was really positive. It’s easier for students and teachers to follow. We don’t have to look for the audio somewhere else or the answer somewhere else. It’s practical and we really love that.’
Fabiana: ‘The transition was quite straight forward because after the pandemic, everyone got used to using digital tools. It’s much better as everything is there, you can use so many different tools, as well as interactive tools that you don’t have in a book. It’s the perfect solution.’
What changes have you noticed in student engagement and interaction since using the digital version?
Noelia: Students have really engaged with the digital version - the videos are motivating, the images are bigger, the sound is better and we’re not having to move from one folder to the other. The digital version is much more convenient. There are lots of interactive activities and that is also a plus with the digital version.’
Fabiana: ‘Students are more engaged with the digital version because they use more digital tools nowadays. They are using screens all the time on their phones and laptops and having these tools on hand makes their task easier if they must go over a topic or revise. They can engage with the material in lots of different ways using more of their senses, as well as interacting with each other not just with the material and that is a great benefit. They have all the information right there.’
Which features of your digital materials have helped make teaching more effective or efficient?
Noelia: ‘With the digital version extra materials are provided to reinforce the main target of the lesson. The digital materials also help in terms of the way we deliver the class because everything is there, so there is no need to move between folders to find things using different screens and different windows. Everything is more effective and efficient. It has really helped improve classes, particularly the dynamic of the classes.’
Fabiana: ‘I really like the fact that everything is there. There are extra tools like pre-teaching vocabulary and grammar tasks that are not included in the physical textbook that makes our teaching more effective and easier because we do not have to prepare material beforehand. It is very straightforward and user-friendly and you don’t have to look for audio files or videos, it’s just one click in the platform and the students really like that. It’s effective because we are not wasting time looking for the audio and the class flows without any interruptions, thanks to the platform.’
How do your students respond to digital learning compared to traditional print materials?
Noelia: ‘Students respond well. Digital learning is not new for them anymore. After the pandemic we changed the way we taught, as the classroom was moved to a digital world. And now we are face to face again, we move the digital world to the classroom and digital learning really helps to do this.’
Fabiana: ‘Younger students respond better because they are faster using computers and mobile phones so whenever they must do homework, they go to the platform and do it very quickly. Compared to print materials, I prefer the digital version.’
What do you love most about Digital Language Hub?
Noelia: ‘What I really like about the Digital Language Hub is the preparation activities section. It’s helpful for teachers who run out of time, it’s a great innovation.’
Fabiana: ‘I love that it’s all there on one platform, we have it all at hand. We have extra resources, quizzes, pre-teach questions for vocabulary and grammar. Digital Language Hub is very well-developed, there are lots of different topics in each lesson, it integrates language skills with real-world conversations, and we can see progress. The topics are very interesting and it’s one of the language tools I really love. There is always something to discuss that makes you think from the authentic real-life topics. Digital Language Hub has everything, I love it.
Watch the full interviews here.
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