Academic leaders from the Cervantes Institute address the challenges of teaching Spanish in Toledo
The Cervantes Institute will gather for three days, from March 19 to 21, at the campus of the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) in Toledo, a total of 110 professionals – including heads of studies of the centers of the institution's network around the world and academic management staff–, to address aspects about the organization, objectives, teaching plan and improvements in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language.
The Director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero; the Rector of the UCLM, José Julián Garde, and the Director of the Fundación General UCLM, Juan Ramón de Páramo Argüelles, will open this annual meeting tomorrow, Tuesday 19 March (at 9:30 a.m.), which will take place in the Aula Magna of the Campus de la Fábrica de Armas in Toledo.
The inauguration can be followed live on the Cervantes Institute YouTube channel.
After the opening session, Luis García Montero will speak about the brand identity and expansion plan of the Cervantes Institute; and the Secretary General of the institution, Carmen Noguero, will address the "Action Plan of the Instituto Cervantes 2024-2026". Afterwards, the Academic Director of the Cervantes Institute, Carmen Pastor, will explain the objectives of the Academic Directorate and will share the balance of the teaching activity.
These interventions will be followed by presentations on the role of the Head of Studies, the teaching reorganisation plan and organisational aspects such as teleworking.
Sharing and dialogue
This three-day meeting is based on the participation and exchange of the heads of studies of the Cervantes Institute's centres around the world, as well as the management staff of the different areas of the institution involved in the teaching processes.
In this way, participants and moderators will discuss topics such as the value of the Instituto Cervantes Accreditation System for Cervantes Centres (SACIC), collaboration between the headquarters and the centres, training needs and the challenges posed by the teaching of children and promotional work.
For their part, three working groups, structured into subgroups, will examine in depth issues related to heads of studies, online teaching models and bimodal classrooms, and the involvement of teaching teams in certification projects.
Tribute to the poets of '27 and closing ceremony
As part of these workshops, on Wednesday 20 March, the pianist and composer Sheila Blanco will give a concert entitled "Singing to the poets of '27", with free admission at the San Pedro Mártir Convent (at 7 p.m.).
The programme will end on Thursday, 21 March, with a presentation of the conclusions of these three days of exchange by Carmen Pastor and Álvaro Santa Cecilia, director and deputy academic director, respectively.
Afterwards, the Director of Cervantes, Luis García Montero, and the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation of the UCLM, Raúl Martín Martín, will close this annual meeting (at 5pm).
It can be followed live on the Cervantes Institute YouTube channel.
Submitted by José Antonio Sierra, Hispanismo advisor.