This is a one day course split over 2 days - sessions will be 4pm to 7pm UK time on both dates.

This course will provide delegates with thorough evidence-informed training in the design and implementation of Extensive Processing Instruction and of the MARS EARS framework for the teaching of languages.

Session 1 will focus on the design of an EPI unit, the selection of content, the sequencing of modelling and receptive (Listening as Modelling and Reading as Modelling) activities as well as with priming methods and techniques.

Session 2 and 3 will focus on structured production, effective grammar teaching and fluency building tasks.

Dr Conti will outline an instructional sequence based on skill-acquisition theory and research designed to convert input into fluent output through a principled framework which has been adopted by language educators in many classrooms around the world.

Gianfranco's MARS EARS pedagogical cycle:

MARS - Modelling, Awareness-raising, Receptive processing and Structured production
EARS - Expansion, Autonomy, Routinisation and Spontaneity

The pedagogical rationale for each activity and tasks sequence will be provided throughout the course.

This course counts towards EPI CPD-provider accreditation. More information on courses to become an EPI Accredited Teacher can be found here.

The British Council Language Trends Report 2022 - Language teaching in primary and secondary schools in England

"73% of responding state schools in our survey report that they either regularly or occasionally use resources from a method called 'Extensive Processing Instruction' (EPI) with Year 7 and Year 8. EPI hinges on the notion that teaching language through chunks (ie polywords, collocation, sentence heads and frames) is much more effective than the teaching of single words, arguing this is more economical in terms of cognitive load, particularly for beginner to intermediate learners in instructed settings with limited contact time. It is based on the work of teacher and applied linguist Dr Gianfranco Conti and is sometimes called the 'Conti' method."

Presenter Profile

Founder, owner and CEO of the leading language learning website The Language Gym, Gianfranco Conti is an applied linguistics MA and PhD graduate with many years of classroom experience. He has taught Modern Languages for nearly 30 years both at primary, secondary and university levels.

He has researched the impact of metacognitive strategies training and error correction on L2 essay writing under the supervision of Oxford University Professor Ernesto Macaro both during his PhD and a large-scale project in English comprehensive schools documented in Professor Macaro's 2001 book. In his current role as Visiting Fellow at the University of Reading, he has lexicogrammar acquisition, listening instruction, metacognition, error correction and learner autonomy as his main research interests.

Formerly head of languages at various schools in England and abroad where he has developed and implemented his instructional approach (Extensive Processing Instruction), he is currently a renowned and highly sought-after conference speaker and CPD provider very active in the UK, South-East Asia, Middle East and Australia. He delivers keynotes in major international events all year around, conducts more than a hundred workshops for language teachers a year and visits many schools in the same period of time either to provide professional development or to help them improve their curriculum design and delivery.

His mission is to make current Cognitive Science and Applied Linguistics research available to the busy classroom practitioner and to translate it in implementable and impactful instructional strategies which make languages accessible for all.

He is well-known internationally for his teaching resources that have won him the TES Best contributor award and have been downloaded over 4,500,000 times by over 100,000 teachers around the world.

He runs a very influential blog on MFL pedagogy, The Language Gym (gianfrancoconti.com), which has won him several international awards. The professional development group he founded on Facebook, ‘Global Innovative Language Teachers’ (aka GILT) is one of the largest and fastest-growing communities of its genre.

Gianfranco is also a prolific book writer. In the last five years he has co-authored with Steve Smith the best-selling handbooks for MFL professionals, ‘The Language Teacher Toolkit’, ‘Breaking the sound barrier: teaching learners how to listen’ and 'Memory: what every language teacher should know. His most popular book, "Breaking the sound barrier", lays out the principles of the language teaching method he has created, E.P.I. (aka: Extensive Processing Instruction), a usage-based approach which has been adopted by thousands of language educators worldwide.

He has also published the best-selling Sentence builders series of workbooks aimed at classroom and independent learning for beginner to intermediate learners of Spanish, French, German and Italian, based on 'EPI', written with his former colleague Dylan Viñales, which is being currently adapted to Irish, Welsh, Dutch and other languages. He is also currently working on a series of revision books aimed at GCSE Modern Language learners, two of which have already been published, whilst German and Italian are still in the works.

His Twitter handle is @gianfrancocont9

Feedback from teachers on this course

I've just come away from the best languages training I've ever had - @gianfrancocont9 's EPI is revolutionising languages! Teachers (and content creators) need to take note - this will change the way you teach languages! Cannot wait for session 2!
- Joseph Barnes-Moran, Parkfield Primary School
Thank you @gianfrancocont9 for a wonderful training on becoming an EPI teacher. It brought back memories from grad school about Peinemenn and Processability Theory. The EPI approach just makes so much sense. I can't wait until next week!!
- Mike Alexander, Stewart's Melville College
I've been to some of @gianfrancocont9 's courses before and loved them, but there is always more to learn!
- Daniel Bain, Gainesville High School
Absolute master class of a session from @gianfrancocont9 on becoming an EPI teacher. Diolch o galon! Lots to think about and consider with meaningful and research informed ideas and approaches to address effective language learning.
- Barri Mock, Risca Community Comprehensive School
What a fantastic session on EPI with @gianfrancocont9 . So much to think about! Looking forward to the next one. Muchísimas gracias.
- Anna Hegarty, Lawn Manor Academy

Cost: £185 per delegate

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