Staff at Embassy

Melbourne teachers share their Smart Express experience at a conference

Embassy teachers Gareth Hughes and Neil McRudden made a presentation about Study Smart, our online study environment, at a recent Moodle conference in Australia, with over 450 people in attendance.

Gareth and Neil teach on Embassy's Smart Express course – an integrated and innovative face-to-face English language course (officially launched this year), where the learning outcomes are supported by the use of Interactive whiteboard, networked student laptops and Study Smart (run on the popular learning management system Moodle).

Their Study Smart course site has evolved over the past eight months from a blank canvas to a popular resource for students. Students use Study Smart both in class on their laptops and netbooks, and for homework activities; and the site includes various games, quizzes, blogs, assignments and web-quests.

They also have used programmes such as Hot Potatoes and Wix to further enhance the functionality and appeal of their site. "Overall, teaching with and developing Study Smart for Smart Express has been an incredibly rewarding learning experience," says Neil.

Find out more about Smart Express or meet Melbourne staff including Neil.

Student-centered lessons

Staff and students at Embassy Oxford enjoyed a training session on lessons with a student-centred approach, using the technology of interactive whiteboards (which are now found in all Embassy schools). Andrea Paschoal, Head of Teaching writes:

The workshop was very hands-on and using the laptops was a great idea. Thankfully, everything worked well without any technical hiccups and teachers were engaged and motivated.

Interactive whiteboards are a big part of most teachers' lessons nowadays and it's not often we get an opportunity to reflect on how efficient they actually are as a tool, and how to use them in order to make our lessons more student-centred.

Not sure what an interactive whiteboard is? This video should make everything clear.

Aga's last cake sale

Peter Madams, ICT teacher at Embassy Oxford, writes:

A special mention must go to our departing Accomodation Manager, Aga Kaleka, who has been our most active fundraiser in her time at Embassy Oxford - her speciality has been fantastic cake sales.

Aga is leaving us to study to become a teacher, and so this was her last cake sale. She is pictured here, in the middle, flanked by summer student activity leaders Ruth Otiotio and Romas Sostakas.

£60.80 was raised, which will be doubled by the company, and this goes towards the charity Building Futures via Plan International.

We'll miss Aga, her cakes and her good spirit. Good luck.

New location for Embassy Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale’s new centre location was unveiled for its first day of classes on Tuesday, July 6th, 2010.  Our brand new, state of the art facility is a welcome neighbour to movie theatres, the Modern Art Museum, historic downtown, restaurants, outdoor cafes, jazz and night-clubs, trendy shops, and beautiful waterways.  

Camilo Fontecilla, Centre Director, is excited about the move and shares, ”students love the current school, but everyone is thrilled to be moving into our brand new facility, with cutting-edge technology in all of the classrooms and sleek interior design throughout the space.”  

The facility features interactive whiteboards in all 13 classrooms, free wireless internet access, a large media centre, and a comfortable, spacious student lounge. Current students are enjoying classes at the new location, only a short five minute walk from the previous Las Olas Blvd site.  All new and upcoming students will be directed to the new address:

Embassy Fort Lauderdale
Las Olas Circle
200 SW 1st Avenue
Suite 108

Ft Lauderdale, FL 33301

View Larger Map

Read more about the Fort Lauderdale school on our main website.