English Teacher Training, Drama, Music & Culture Programme

What is Teacher Training - Using Drama, Music & Culture in the classroom?

The Teacher Training Programme Erasmus+ [Drama, English & Music] is a highly practical course for teachers of English; CLIL teachers who also teach other subjects and even future teachers of English who are currently engaging in English teacher training.

This English teacher training course is a specialist programme aimed at those teaching at primary or secondary level who wish to have an Erasmus+ experience in Ireland with a focus on utilising music, drama and culture in the classroom. You will focus on many practical classroom ideas; tried and tested teaching materials; English teaching methodologies all while developing your own language awareness.

  • Minimum Course Length

    1 Week

  • Lessons a Week

    20 lessons or 30 lessons per week
    45 minutes per lesson

  • Minimum English Level

    Intermediate B1 - Advanced C1

  • Cost

    €425 for 20 lessons
    €525 for 30 lessons

  • Start Dates

    14 Apr 2025
    14 Jul 2025

  • Maximum Class Size

    14

  • Minimum Age

    18+

  • Lesson times

    20 lessons: Mon - Fri 9.00 - 12.30
    30 lessons: Mon - Fri 9.00 - 15.00

You will learn from an expert faculty on how to teach your own subjects though English with Drama, Music & Culture and leave the course with a host of new activities and approaches to use with your own learners.

Who is this Teacher Training course for? 

If you would like to improve your own language while refreshing tried and tested methods in addition to exploring and experiencing new classroom ideas and materials this Teacher Training Programme Erasmus+ Drama, Music and Culture is the perfect choice.

This may be the  course for you:

  • If you are a primary or secondary teacher who is now using English in the classroom or will in the future this is the Erasmus+ course for you.
  • If you are a teacher who enjoys incorporating music and drama into your lessons and would like to learn more.
  • If you would like to improve your English language skills.
  • If you are interested in new English teaching ideas, activities and highly practical activities you’re your classroom

Keen attention is paid to the the latest in English teaching materials and thinking with the course geared to the  practical applications in the classroom. The course is structured in a way that allows participants to further develop teaching skills through an interactive approach through drama, culture and music.

Participants in this Erasmus+ Ireland experience require a B2 (CEFR) level of English or above – a Galway Cultural Institute online pre-test is required.

What are the benefits of our Teacher Training - Using Drama, Music & Culture in the classroom course?

The benefits of using drama, music and culture in the classroom are enormous.  Using drama provides a valuable means of activating the language that you want to teach. Through the use of drama-based activities your learners will engage in many more meaningful interactions in English benefiting acquisition, confidence and retention.

Classroom benefits include:

  • Simulation of more authentic English conversations
  • An increase in learner confidence
  • Increased awareness of language in use
  • Activating English through drama and music training

Music is an integral part of the Irish culture and using music in the learning environment is a key element of this Erasmus+ course. Using music has many advantages and can help to introduce a new theme or topic; break the ice in a class where learners don't know each other or are having difficulty communicating; change the mood (liven things up or calm things down) and  teach and build vocabulary and idioms.

Culture  is a great topic for discussion because although all of us teachers are busy teaching our learners English, we cannot forget that teaching a language is as much a cultural exchange as it is anything else. Linking lesson content to learners’ lives and culture assists in building rapport and a greater cross cultural awareness,  breaking down cultural barriers and in helping with learner motivation.

Teacher Training - Using Drama, Music & Culture in the classroom course objectives

The goals of this Teacher Training Erasmus+ programme are as follows:

  • To focus on drama, music & culture-based materials and explore ideas in new materials development
  • To improve participants’ English language skills and work on their personal language goals
  • To equip teachers of English with the greater confidence and further enhance teaching skills needed to incorporate drama, music and culture into the classroom
  • To explore a wide variety of practical tasks and activities which can be put to immediate use in your own  classrooms

Pedagogical outcomes of the Teacher Training - Using Drama, Music & Culture in the classroom course

When the course finishes, non-native primary ELT teachers will have improved their teaching skills in the following areas:

  • Assessing the suitability and adaptability of drama, music and cultural materials for use in the primary school classroom
  • Utilising supplementary resources to deliver high quality, dynamic and varied lessons
  • Further development of your  teaching skills and language awareness
  • Development and improvement of your own language skills, improving their knowledge in the areas of pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar

The methodology used in our Teacher Training - Using Drama, Music & Culture in the classroom course

Using different teaching techniques in the classroom can help your learners to stay motivated and enjoy the learning process. Throughout this teacher training Erasmus+ course you will experience new methodologies like role-plays, flashbacks & flash-forwards and story telling. An integral part of this course is micro teaching. This allows you to prepare short lessons and teach them to your fellow teachers.  You will have fun and also receive feedback from your tutor and peer teachers in your group.

Why should I choose Galway Cultural Institute to study?

GCI has a proven track record when it comes to providing quality teacher training courses in Ireland. Our teachers have a wide range of experience inside and outside the classroom. The course is designed to suit your needs and helps you grow as a teacher. The learning environment in GCI is always positive and our number one priority is your professional development as a teacher. GCI offers you a learning community that will inspire and challenge you:

 • Teachers working at the forefront of their subject area

• The latest ideas and discoveries in the ESL classroom

• Friendly and open teachers

A former student who participated in our teacher training course said:

“In addition to the academic competences acquired during my Erasmus+ mobility, I enriched my intercultural awareness and immersed myself into the Irish culture through various extracurricular activities offered by GCI.  My personal highlights were the guided trips to Connemara National Park and the Aran Islands together with my lovely international teacher colleagues, the Galway Arts Festival as well as a guided walking tour through the historic city centre with an emphasis on Victorian architecture.” Ulrich Kaiser-Kaplaner

You can read Ulrich’s full blog here.

Galway as the European Capital of Culture 2020

Galway, sited on the western edge of Europe, is Ireland’s beating cultural heart. It’s a vibrant place, with creativity embedded deep in its DNA. For more on our wonderful location please see our Galway Guides.

Being crowned the European Capital of Culture is no small thing and it should be noted that this is not just a one-off festival, it is much more than that. The year will see an extraordinary showcase of events highlighting the richness and diversity of Galway’s culture and its people. During your stay at GCI you will get to experience the unique events of Galway 2020 which will make your stay even more memorable. For more about Galway 2020 follow the link below and discover why you should visit Galway this year…

https://www.gci.ie/blog/study-english-ireland-capital-culture/

Your might also be interested in:

Teacher Training: CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) 

Teacher Training: General English & Technology 

Teacher Training: General English & Academic Writing & Presentation Skills