Innovation in Language Learning

How does one create a single, cohesive, multilingual teaching resource that can be accessed across the globe? That is just what the ORCIT project set out to do! Starting in 2010, with EU funding and four international partners, the first steps towards a suite of training tools for students of Conference Interpreting were taken.

Five years on, ORCIT has grown to eight European partners and produced around 70 open-access interactive resources. These are used by interpreting students and trainers around the world.

Although designed with trainee conference interpreters in mind, the ORCIT resources cover a range of skills invaluable across language-teaching and in other disciplines besides. From lessons in good public speaking to tips on effective research or listening analytically, to exercises on collocations and register, much of the project output covers highly transferable skills and will be of value to teachers and learners across the board.

The presentation is an interactive session in which attendees can experience first-hand the ORCIT website and the resources on offer. We will also share some of the knowledge gained over half a decade of multilingual eLearning creation. Areas covered will include pedagogical considerations and the benefits and challenges of cross-continent collaboration. We will also discuss the technological tools and platforms used, the workflow processes employed, and share best-practices developed over the course of the project.