English language school EF has taken teaching to the ultimate level as it introduced the sleek iPad in its curriculum.
Standing before a group of students intently looking at the tablets, an EF teacher used an app, specifically designed for the language school, during the lesson – always remaining in control.
Kristina Galea Cavallazzi, director of studies at EF Malta, said the use of the iPad and the EF app optimised the school’s concept of blended learning.
“It optimises the concept of learning at EF as the iPad is linked to the book, website and teaching modules while giving the teacher access to other resources such as the web and YouTube,” she explained.
Although having an iPad could be a distraction, Ms Galea Cavallazzi said it was not given to students to play with. “The teacher is always in full control,” she said.
The tablets are perfect to use because of their size and the fact that they are cable-free, meaning they can be shared and passed around for group work in a way that is not possible in the traditional computer session.
Students can work on lessons or class presentations together as they move around the school – always learning English.
Ms Galea Cavallazzi said students loved using the iPads in their lessons.
“They feel at par – they are used in all levels, the feedback was great,” she said.
It also saves teachers time as the internet is incorporated in the lessons without having to shift the students to the computer labs.
Roger Bugeja, EF Malta director, said the school was proud to “be the first and only language school to fully intergrate iPads into our curriculum”.
“They are blended into our overall teaching method – the EF Efekta Learning System – which fundamentally improves the way students learn a language.”
The Efecta system – created and owned by EF International – blends learning material and tools into a single learning system which includes offline and online methods before, during and after a language course and includes certified teachers, course books and assessment tests, among other things.