Name: Dennis Akers
Job
Title: Director of Studies
Institution: International House Mataró
Background
information: I H Mataró in the north east of Spain has been running all
types of English courses (general, Cambridge exam preparation, business etc.)
for over 25 years.
Featured
Products: 
and 
Dennis
explains how the school got started...
Introduction
"We had used
the free resources on the Flo-Joe website more or less since it started [in
the year 2000]. At that stage I would incorporate it in classes in small
chunks as a simple change of focus, but soon began to see the benefits of using
it in an integrated way within a course syllabus/timetable. A short time before
EXAM SUCCESS PLUS came on the market I was using the free version of Flo-Joe
in what we called a "Combi". This meant that a student studying the
final lap of an FCE or CAE course used Flo-Joe at home and/or the school premises.
They emailed me writing tasks to correct and they were lent authentic listening
tasks by the school. Additionally they were given Paper 4 [Speaking]
practice for one hour a week in the exam format. These "Combis" were
not set up as formal courses, but rather as two students (paired for the oral
exam) who would come to the school at an agreed hour for class."
Reason(s)
for buying the EXAM SUCCESS PLUS series
"After the success
of the "Combi" using Flo-Joe's free resources, once EXAM SUCCESS
PLUS came on the market it was a logical step. During the first stage the
student bought the course individually. However, this year we have bought the
institutional version FCE and CPE as well and incorporated it in a structured
way into the school syllabus: i.e. we offer courses that use EXAM SUCCESS PLUS
as a base, especially this year with CPE. These courses we call 'Mixtos'."
IT/self-access
facilities
"We have 11 computers organised in an open plan way (no
partitions) of various age, some with state-of-the-art technology, others less
so. International
House has its own online course called "netlanguages" and we use this
for other levels studying 'Mixtos'."
Choosing
the right option
[Note: EXAM SUCCESS PLUS
is available in three versions:
a) Direct
purchase by the learner
or
Purchase by institution on behalf of the
learner:
b) Type 1 - individual user accounts lasting 13 weeks
c) Type
2 - institutional site licence lasting 12 months or longer]
"We
have used both a) and b). For students studying "Combis" which operate
like a private class outside the general school timetable they have made their
own purchase in the past. This term the "Combis" are being done by myself.
We use the Type 1 option for groups that are programmed within the school timetable;
for example, we have a CPE EXAM SUCCESS PLUS group on Saturday mornings
(8 students) defined as a "Mixto" and the school has purchased individual
user accounts for each student."
Getting
started with EXAM SUCCESS PLUS (ordering, installation and support)
"We are very satisfied with the service. The ordering itself was done by
the School Director but I am under the impression that every facility was made
to make the process easy. The service was personal, friendly and efficient, making
useful suggestions on how the school's particular ordering problems could be resolved.
I believe the passwords arrived from one day to the next."
Initial
student reaction(s) to learning with EXAM SUCCESS PLUS
"In
terms of finding their way around the program, no problems at all. It is
too early to make judgements on the system, but I feel that is more about how
we use EXAM SUCCESS PLUS in the school, not the quality of the website.
We are learning fast and I feel there is a big future in this kind of class due
to its flexibility, particularly the possibility of one tutor monitoring students
at different stages of a syllabus. It combines the best of teacher-run classes
with the possibility of individual attention and each student progressing at a
pace that suits them."
How
EXAM SUCCESS PLUS is used each week
"For our "Mixtos"
classes the students use EXAM SUCCESS PLUS for 45 minutes with tutor help and
then have a 'presential' class with the same tutor for oral activities, writing
and exam preparation - lasting about 90 minutes. I have made tick-off sheets and
students have defined targets to reach each week. Students are encouraged to do
an activity online, make a print off of the same activity and repeat it on paper,
then check their answers online and finally repeat the online activity a week/two
weeks later. Students are told to tick the activity each time they do it. I have
printed off the EXAM SUCCESS PLUS series syllabus, copied and pasted into a Word document, inserting
small boxes into each activity box. Students tick in these boxes. The tutor monitors
what students do at home and solves any problems during individual tutorials."
Tip(s) for other
teachers who are using EXAM SUCCESS PLUS
"I would say
the process of repeating activities as outlined above is an excellent way of using
the materials."
Feedback
received from your students and teachers about EXAM SUCCESS PLUS
"A little too soon to say in terms of "Mixtos". I have always had
excellent feedback from students working individually. One particular advantage
of the Flo-Joe site is its simplicity of use and lack of complicated plug-ins
etc....and, more importantly, in the manner of the BBC, no pop-ups offering casino
games like some American educational sites."
We are grateful to Dennis Akers and the staff and students of International House Mataró for their help in producing this Case Study.
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