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OviedoCanisius students traveled to Oviedo, Spain this summer for three weeks to intern as English teachers at Colegio de San Ignacio. This year, a new twist was added to the experience. Our students hosted 65 fifth-graders for a three-day English immersion camp. However, this camp was hardly roughing it! Students stayed in a 70-room Jesuit compound in the town of Celoria on the northern coast of Spain, complete with a private beach and forest.

Canisius students planned the entire agenda, which was filled with creative indoor and outdoor American activities. They utilized best practices by identifying target vocabulary for each activity – using lots of props, body language and repetition to reinforce oral language skills.

Students played football on the beach, baked U.S.-themed cupcakes and played ‘pin the tail on the state.’ Each Canisius student was responsible for a group of nine students and each group was named after one of the 50 states. There was lots of good natured competition between the states!

Afterwards, Canisius students were responsible for completing assessment pieces, which they helped design. Nicki Calabrese, PhD, associate professor of teacher education, helped prepare the students for their internships during the spring semester. The internship was sponsored by the Office of Study Abroad and International Partnerships.

Submitted by: Sara Morris, associate vice president, academic affairs