By: Jean Carlos Lara Egas, English Teacher
The teaching-learning process has constantly represented a big challenge for both teachers and learners, especially when focusing on a foreign language. Throughout history, many programs, methods and techniques have been developed, and teachers have used them trying always to help their students to acquire English as a second language in an intuitive, didactic and significant way. However, some of these methods and techniques have not taken into account the fact that for students to learn a new language and its features, it is crucial to apply strategies that allow them to grasp not only the academic but also the enjoyable aspects of this language. This is the main objective of AMCO, a relatively new method, which aims to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) to foreign people, a system that is being applied in Rousseau’s English classes.
AMCO uses a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology, which not only presents academic information, but also complementary content apart from the traditional grammar and vocabulary. This complementary content includes sections like “A look at the World” in which students learn about different countries, cultures and customs around the world. It also includes “Masters of the book World”, whose main goal is to provide learners with literary summaries of well-known books, and “Crosscurricula”, a section that establishes a connection between English and other subjects like math or biology. AMCO’s lessons at Rousseau School are conducted in English, avoiding switching to Spanish. This methodology is based on the Multiple Intelligences theory, which uses different strategies to involve all students’ different intelligences (Verbal-linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Naturalistic, Intrapersonal, Visual-spatial, Musical, Bodily-kinesthetic, and Interpersonal) and transforming their teaching-learning process into an enriching and enjoyable experience.
AMCO system offers teachers a continuous training, aiming to develop and improve their teaching skills by following established procedures and steps throughout the development of a class. Complementarily, this system includes a monthly and daily planning for teachers to follow in order to achieve the learning outcomes on time and, of course, meet the pre-set procedures which includes the following class elements: a daily routine, a pre-activity, an activity, a post- activity, and a cool down process. All these steps help teachers to introduce, present, reinforce and evaluate the content reviewed through a lesson, that way Rousseau School students are able to interact with English in a broad, significant, and innovative way. Since each AMCO classroom is equipped with all the technological tools necessary to carry out all kinds of lessons with their corresponding steps, learners are able to enjoy all the benefits of this system.
Last but not least, Rousseau’s students have access to AMCO’s digital platform, which includes strengthening activities related to each unit included in learners’ physical book. These strengthening activities aim to reinforce the content reviewed in on-site lessons. They are presented to students in an intuitive way since they can earn badges, keep track of their progress on each unit of study, and also play different games designed to highlight the different English language skills. As it is noticeable, AMCO system includes cutting edge teaching-learning techniques and strategies for its users to take advantage of; all its features are directed to ease learners’ English as a second language acquisition process and let each student take the control of today’s world which demands well-prepared, bilingual, and outstanding professionals.
Amco, happy to learn!