The basics…

I am Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Nottingham High School, where I teach Spanish and German, and I believe fervently in making education compatible with the needs and expectations of our students through the effective use of technology.

Being able to take advantage of the available technology is an essential skill for teachers to acquire in an age where pupils’ learning expectations are changing radically.

Above all, I believe that the effective use of technology in our schools ensures that education remains relevant to our students in their increasingly digital lives.

A bit more…

A career-long interest in the use of technology in teaching and learning has led me to enrol on a Masters Degree in ICT and Education at the University of Leeds.

When I am not preparing lessons or researching for my Masters, I spending what little time is left with my family: my long-suffering wife and my two beautiful sons.

As well as this, my Box of Tricks, I also maintain a website with interactive exercises and resources for learners of Spanish called AsíSeHace.net and my school’s Modern Foreign Languages website.

Even more…

In addition to the my teaching responsibilities, fatherhood and my MA, I have written the ICT Outlook 2008 and 2009 for the Languages ICT website, in collaboration with CILT, the National Centre for Languages, and ALL, the Association for Language Learning.

I have also co-presented Show Time Spanish, a popular podcast aimed at advanced learners of Spanish and  I currently present News Time Spanish, a weekly podcast for intermediate to advance learners of Spanish. Both podcasts are produced by Radiolingua, makers of Coffee Break Spanish as well as other fantastic resources for foreign language learning.

Speaking and presenting

I am also passionate about sharing experiences and good practice with colleagues, fellow teachers and educators. Not only am I involved with Continuing Professional Development at Nottingham High School, but I also lead external workshops and INSET, give talks and write about the effective use of technology to motivate and engage students.

To find more about me and the services I offer as an Educational Consultant, please visit josepicardo.com .

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this website are my own and not necessarily those of my employers.

Acknowledgements

The pictures used in Box of Tricks are either my own or have been obtained from stock.xchng or Flickr under a Creative Commons licence, in which case they are duly attributed.