The American Center in Moscow invites English teachers to join a free six-part online workshop series entitled, Developing, Managing, and Leading English Immersion Camps: Camp Counselor Training for English Teachers. This program will be taught by English Language Specialist Tabitha Kidwell weekly between May 3 and June 14, 2023. During this workshop series, you will learn how to successfully lead, manage, and develop materials for immersive English language day camps in your community. Participants who attend 4 out of 6 facilitated workshops in the series will earn an e-certificate of participation from the Regional English Language Office. 

Why Participate?

English immersion camps offer an opportunity to engage students in learning that extends beyond the English classroom. Themed camps engage students in experiential learning opportunities that support holistic youth development and allow them to use and develop their English skills in practical and authentic ways. This six-week workshop series introduces participants to the camp mindset and helps them build skills necessary to lead a successful camp.   

About the Program

This six-week synchronous online program will help teachers understand how to successfully lead, manage, and develop materials for immersive English language day camps at their schools. Each session will include practical advice, concrete examples, and guided activities that lead teachers through the process of planning a camp. 

Session topics include:

• The Immersion Camp Mindset
• Establishing Community & Meeting Campers Needs
• Integrating English within a Themed Camp
• Holistic Youth Development at Camp
• Camp Planning Logistics

Participants will also participate in and gain access to a repository of materials for various camp activity types, such as:  

• Camp Assemblies
• Songs
• Stories and Chants
• Ice-breakers and Team Building Activities
• Workshops
• Indoor and Outdoor Full Group Games

Session activities will build toward the development of a set of comprehensive plans for a themed English immersion camp. In the final session, participants will present and receive feedback on their plans. Upon completion of the program, teachers will be able to foster a camping mindset, and will have tools, materials, and resources to develop immersive English camps in their communities. In addition, they will network with each other to share materials and support camp programs in the future. Participants who attend 4 of the 6 sessions will receive a certificate.

Program Schedule and Registration 

The program Developing, Managing, and Leading English Immersion Camps: Camp Counselor Training for English Teachers includes six online workshops held on Zoom every Friday between May 3 and June 14 at 5:30-7:00 p.m. MSK. The June 7 session is an optional work session which does not count toward the certificate.

Each online workshop will consist of 90 minutes of instruction, engaging activities, and group discussion. Between each session, participants will complete a short action plan where they apply the strategies from the workshop to begin to develop a plan for a camp in their community.  Workshops will be held in English.

Participants who attend 4 of the 6 sessions will receive an e-certificate of participation from the Regional English Language Office. To join, complete the registration form below. To register for all workshops in the series, you need to complete the form only once. Participation in the workshop series is free. 

Webinar Dates and Topics

• Workshop 1: Wednesday, May 3, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – The Immersion Camp Mindset
• Workshop 2: Wednesday, May 10, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Establishing Community & Meeting Campers Needs
• Workshop 3: Wednesday, May 17, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Integrating English within a Themed Camp
• Workshop 4: Wednesday, May 24, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Holistic Youth Development at Camp
• Workshop 5: Wednesday, May 31, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Camp Planning Logistics
• Optional work session: Friday, June 7, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Optional work session (does not count toward certificate)
• Workshop 6: Wednesday, June 14, 5:30-7:00 pm MSK – Capstone Brainstorming, Peer Feedback and Planning

Certificates

Participants who attend 4 of the 6 sessions will receive an e-certificate of participation from the Regional English Language Office. To join, complete the registration form below. To register for all workshops in the series, you need to complete the form only once. Participation in the workshop series is free.

About the Instructor: English Language Specialist Tabitha Kidwell

Tabitha Kidwell teaches in the TESOL program at American University in Washington, DC and holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and Language Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.  She has conducted professional development for language teachers around the world and is a frequent presenter at regional and international TESOL conferences. Tabitha especially enjoys working with English teachers and students in immersion camp settings. She has led camp programs in Indonesia, the Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Tanzania, and the US. In her free time, Tabitha enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her 2-year-old son. 

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ВСЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ АМЕРИКАНСКОГО ЦЕНТРА В МОСКВЕ БЕСПЛАТНЫ

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The workshops in this series are hosted on Zoom. If you are interested in joining, please create a Zoom account beforehand. When registering below, please submit your valid email address to receive a link to the Zoom meeting 30 minutes before each workshop begins.

To join other AMC Online programs, please check the American Center’s website and TimePad calendars.

Photo by Jed Villejo on Unsplash