MFL teachers from across the region gathered at Parkhall Integrated College this week for a dynamic and enriching Continuing Professional Development event, focused on the powerful role of metacognition and listening strategies in the MFL classroom - two powerful tools for enhancing language acquisition and learner independence. The event focused on how encouraging learners to think about their own thinking, particularly during listening tasks, can significantly improve comprehension, retention, and confidence in language learning.

Delegates engaged in practical

activities and discussions around:

• Metacognitive strategies for planning, monitoring, and evaluating listening tasks
• Techniques to help students become active listeners, identifying key information and making sense of spoken language
• Ways to embed self-reflection and learning awareness into everyday MFL teaching

Delegates left with a toolkit of ideas to implement in their classrooms, aiming to boost student engagement and deepen understanding through purposeful listening and metacognitive reflection.

The main highlight was that the workshops were delivered by Dr Gianfranco Conti, a sought-after speaker and CPD provider, delivering over 100 workshops annually across the UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His mission is to make research in cognitive science and applied linguistics accessible and practical for classroom teachers. Feedback from delegates was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the practical nature of the sessions and the chance to network with fellow language educators.

This CPD event reaffirmed the value of language learning and the dedication of MFL teachers to inspire the next generation of global citizens.