Description of the course:
The course aims to teach effective methods to Learning through play, it will develop into a series of lessons acts to enhance the methods of communication of the participant, and enhancing working capacity of the participant.  Learning through play is a term used in education and psychology to describe how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments. According to proponents of the concept, play enables children to make sense of their world. Children possess a natural curiosity to explore and play acts as a medium to do so. Teachers today face quickly-changing expectations and need a broad and sophisticated set of competences with an ability to adapt to different learning environments in order to maintain their high quality teaching. To respond to the changing demands teachers need good support and opportunities for Continuing Professional Development.  For this reason Giovani per l’Europa offers a course on:

Objectives

Train teachers will be able to:

• Help children recognize the concepts that emerge as they grapple with the environment, make hypotheses, recognize similarities and differences, and solve problems;
• Using games to teach social Skills;
• Provide social knowledge while allowing children the opportunity to learn the physical and logico-mathematical knowledge that helps them understand the world around them;
• Choose the best materials and tools in order to provide the motivation for children’s exploration and discovery;
• Using game to teach foreign languages;
• Using game to teach literature;

Methodology: In the framework of Erasmus Plus Programme, we are going to develop our courses based in both formal and informal education methodologies. We’ll start with an introduction of the new methodology and also with a theoretical approach. In order to stimulate the active participation of participants we will use dynamic activities, like:

• Study cases;
• Discussions in the classroom with  directors of private institutes;
• Role-plays;
• Guidelines;
• Technical visits;

Meeting with experts, using the method of learning by playing, who will explain the secrets of the method. Coursework will contain a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge.

Programme 

1^st day: Meeting of participants and tutors, transport to the accommodation and room allocation. Welcome Day and presentation of the agenda for the upcoming days including information about Italian culture and Erasmus + and info about the Hosting Organization and the city.

2^nd Day: First lesson:  meeting with an expert with the method Learning by playing, who will explain how to use games in classroom. Brainstorming. Sharing new ideas and new games.

3^rd Day: Second lesson:

• First Game of the Week.
• Brainstorming session -experiences of participants.
• Introduction to Game based learning in education.
• Gamification theory.
• Why use games at school?
• Group and individual work.
• Reflection of the day.

4^th Day:  Third lesson on:

• Using co-creative, experiential and activating methods in game based learning.
• Authentic environment as game ground.
• Combining games and mobile technology.

5^th Day: Full Day of technical and schools visits. Meeting with the directors of some schools where is active the Method Learning by playing. Question Time with students and staff. Meeting with some assistant teachers who work with children with psychomotor problems.

6^th Day: Free time for individual research or optional cultural activities

7^th Day: Free time for individual research or optional cultural activities

8^th Day: Fourth lesson: The role of education technology in education field, communication system in the life of the student. How to use virtual games in classroom. Games – the future of learning? Presentation and individual work.

9^th Day: Full Day of technical and schools visits. Opportunity for discussion with other teachers which apply game during their class. Brainstorming. What are the results obtained by the Italian teachers?

10^th Day: Meeting with a psychologist who will explain why it is useful to use this method with the students, and how to relate to each kinds of child. Questions and answers time.

11^th Day: Visit a center of children with disabilities, with cognitive difficulties. As the method “Learning by playing” is applied in these centers. Meeting and discussions with the therapists and doctors.

12^th Day:  Fifth Lesson:  Workshop on Learning by playing.

Provide effective teaching with constant professional commitment, giving students knowledge and motivation. Evaluation of the Training Course. Certificate Ceremony and overall evaluation meeting with the host organization and the beneficiaries.

13^th Day: Free time and cultural activities.

14^th Day: Preparing for departure.