INTENSIG SPRING GIG 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
CSSPI (Centre de services scolaire de la Pointe-de-lÎle

Every year, the IntenSIG team organizes a highly anticipated full-day workshop for Intensive teachers from all across Quebec. This year, on Friday, May 26, we held our exciting Spring Gig 2023 at the Centre de services scolaire de la Pointe-de-lÎle (CSSPI). The theme of the event was “Hook Them on a Book!” and it proved to be an engaging and enriching experience for all participants.

1. THE SETTING
 We were delighted to welcome thirty-three teachers and consultants from school service centers across Québec to the CSSPI for an exciting day filled with book-related activities! The event kicked off with an engaging Book Bingo, allowing participants to get to know their colleagues’ book preferences. This led to intriguing conversations, and we even awarded two lucky teachers with fabulous prizes for completing the task first!

2. MORNING ACTIVITIES
The morning was packed with captivating activities. Teachers began by participating in the fast-paced Speed Booking activity, where they had the opportunity to explore a selection of beautiful books curated by the IntenSIG members. They skimmed and scanned the books, sharing their appreciation for each one. What’s great is that this activity can be adapted for students of all ESL levels.

Next, we were fortunate to have Lyne Rajotte, the librarian from CSSMI, present invaluable insights on setting up an ESL school library. Her informative session covered various aspects, such as available funds for book purchases, where to buy books, and who to contact to organize a Salon du livre (book fair) in your school service center. This presentation is a must for all ESL teachers in the province.

 

To wrap up the morning session, Hélène Duguay shared her passion for books by presenting engaging resources, including book webs, reading activities, and her Intensive ESL classroom reading list. Her comprehensive documents feature Think Mark and Genres posters, templates, information about Picture Walks, and details about Constellations.

 

3. LUNCH
During our delightful lunch break, we added a touch of elegance to the gathering with tablecloths, real cutlery, candles, and engaging conversations. Special bookmarks made by Intensive students were distributed to each participant. After satisfying both our appetites and minds, we eagerly proceeded to the afternoon activities.

4. STATIONS
Following lunch, the afternoon was divided into three stations where IntenSIG members collaborated to create three enriching presentations brimming with valuable information that teachers could readily implement in their classrooms.

  • Project Activities with Graphic Novels
  • Using Reading Skills & Strategies with Children’s Literature
  • Coding a Story

5. CREATE YOUR OWN
At the conclusion of the session, participants were given dedicated time to discuss the presentations, process the information shared, and begin organizing and planning how to integrate these ideas into their own teaching practices.

6. WRAP-UP
The event culminated in the distribution of prizes and heartfelt farewells. We encourage all attendees to keep in touch and share their experiences with us.

7. INTENSIG SPRING GIG RESOURCES
To access the documents shared at the IntenSIG Spring Gig 2023, we invite you to visit our PADLET, where you’ll have the opportunity to view and delve into the many resources that were presented during the event. Feel free to navigate through the collection of documents and enhance your teaching toolkit.A heartfelt thank you goes out to Maria Corsetto, our dedicated SPEAQ Administrative Assistant, and the pedagogical consultants of the CSSPI for graciously hosting us. Additionally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the teachers and consultants who joined us, as your presence and enthusiasm serve as a constant source of motivation. We are looking forward to seeing you again at the SPEAQ Convention 2023 in Laval! Have a great summer!

 

 

Gabriel Sperneac, CSSDL
Christine Pronovost, College Saint-Bernard
Annie Lizotte, CSSDL
Marie-Line Cloutier, CSSDD
Sheena Jack-Dubeau, CSSPI
Kellylee Bourget, CSSDA
Elizabeth Alloul, LEARN

Written by Elizabeth Alloul and improved upon by ChatGPT