Discover Ireland in the EFL Classroom – Virtual Exchange with Limerick
| Datum: | 16.10.2025, 20:06 - 01.12.2025, 20:43 Uhr |
Experience Ireland’s culture, history, and literature while exploring fresh ideas for English language teaching. Through a virtual exchange with students from the University of Limerick, you’ll work in bilingual tandems on creative projects such as a film discussion, an article review, and a multimodal presentation. All contributions feed into an e-portfolio, the core of the full seminar. Another highlight is the guest lecture by Dr. Raphael Zähringer (Post-Tiger Ireland) on January 22, 2026. Places still available – sign up now!
Discover Ireland in the EFL Classroom – Virtual Exchange with Limerick
This seminar combines cultural studies with practical methodology in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and offers students the opportunity to participate in a unique virtual exchange with the University of Limerick. By working in bilingual tandems (German-English), participants gain first-hand experience of international collaboration while deepening their intercultural awareness and didactic skills.
Together with your Irish partners, you will complete a set of collaborative tasks: a multimodal presentation, a film discussion, an article review on sustainability, and a reflective report. These contributions will be compiled in an e-portfolio, which forms the basis for assessment. The collaborative work takes place outside regular seminar hours and is organized independently within the tandem teams. While no presentations are delivered in class, we will use our seminar sessions to prepare, support, and reflect on each of the tasks together.
Beyond the exchange, the seminar also engages with Irish history, society, and literature, always linking this cultural content to EFL methodology and didactics. We will explore how selected themes and materials can be adapted for the classroom and discuss ways of making cultural insights accessible to learners. Another highlight is the guest lecture by Dr. Raphael Zähringer (Post-Tiger Ireland) on January 22, 2026, which will provide further perspectives on contemporary Ireland.
The course is particularly work-intensive until December 1, 2025, as all tandem-based tasks must be completed by then due to the earlier semester end in Limerick. After this phase, the seminar continues in a blended format, with a stronger focus on feedback, reflection, and pedagogical integration through both online and in-person consultations (e.g. office hours). The official start is October 16, 2025, with an online kick-off meeting at 8:00 PM (via Zoom), where introductions and partner assignments will take place.
The seminar is also open to both Bachelor and Master students. You can either take part in the full version (with all tasks and the e-portfolio) or opt for the lighter version, which includes the tandem projects with the Limerick students and the guest lecture. This reduced option is also open for the freier Bereich (creditable), making it an excellent choice for anyone who would like to gain intercultural experience without committing to the full workload.
Places are still available – sign up now!
For registration or further questions, please send an email to jennifer.meier@uni-wuerzburg.de.
