What we do
The PICK learning system is aimed at developing linguistic, intercultural and creative competencies. The development of these competencies leads to a successful adaptation of a person in the modern world. As part of this system, we have developed a PICK training program.
The value of the PICK program is that we modify the learning process without changing the existing curriculum. To do this, we use a holistic approach that considers not only the educational aspects related to the training program but also the psychology of personality and the student's socio-cultural environment. The uniqueness of our program is that we have created a didactic system that combines methods from different fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and linguistics.
Creative potential activation
The program focuses on development, aimed not so much at creating outstanding creative achievements (although they are not excluded), but rather at developing creative abilities that are formed based on ordinary cognitive processes, and can be used to solve everyday problems.
Foreign languages learning
The program uses the dual-language strategy, in which, mastering the content of educational material, students study foreign languages deeply, preserving and developing their native language also.
Intercultural competence formation
Intercultural competence is a set of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral characteristics of a multilingual individual that contribute to his or her effective interaction with representatives of other cultures. Thus, it is the ability to understand, respect, and productively use cultural conditions and factors that influence the perception, assessment, feelings, and actions of subjects of intercultural interaction and allow them to adapt to each other, be tolerant and develop effective ways of cooperation.
Systemic adaptation promotion
Systemic adaptation involves the formation of students' active and transformative connections with the environment and the ability to analyze current social and psychological situations, awareness of their capabilities in the current situation, the ability to maintain their behavior in accordance with the main goals of the activity.
Personality traits actualization
Internal motivation of learning activities, openness to new experiences, assertiveness (self-confidence), increased level of emotional intelligence, and curiosity.
Skills and abilities acquisition
Language competencies, general communication, and goal-setting skills, selective attention, creative perception and flexibility of thinking, increased level of cultural awareness.
Why we do this
In the era of accelerated digital transformation, the need for a more active integration of knowledge into the space of intercultural dialogue has become obvious. The main result of education is the ability to act in conditions of uncertainty and permanent displacement of planning horizons.
At the same time, in modern education, readiness for change, as well as the desire to act strategically ahead of time, is not sufficiently developed. The lag in education is provoked by the general inertia of the perception of change, the inability to track the fracture at an early stage, and the untimely appeal to methods for the development of "flexible" skills. As a result, the ability to respond effectively to new challenges decreases, which increases the risks of socio-economic lag at the international level.
We offer a program that includes the development of three main soft competencies that are most in-demand in modern society. To achieve these goals, we use a holistic approach that considers not only the educational aspects directly related to the training program but also aspects reflecting the psychology of the individual and student's socio-cultural environment. The development of linguistic, intercultural, and creative competencies contributes to reducing the inertia of perception, which contributes to the structural assessment of changes and timely systemic adaptation to them.
How we do this
The PICK program promotes the activation of creative potential, the study of foreign languages, and the formation of intercultural competence. The development of these soft competencies contributes to the formation of systemic adaptation. Systemic adaptation leads to the actualization of personal characteristics, the acquisition of new skills and abilities.
The uniqueness and significance of our program constitutes a unified teaching model, which harmoniously and systematically implements three tasks aimed at actualizing three important soft competencies. These competencies in turn, contribute to the systemic adaptation of a student in the modern world. This process is realized by means of developing personal characteristics and acquiring specific skills and abilities.
The principle of consistency and integrity
The principle of consistency and integrity postulates the achievement of unity and interconnection between all components of the PICK program, which implies the harmonious inclusion in the daily educational process of special tasks aimed at developing creative abilities, in-depth study of foreign languages, and the formation of intercultural competence of students. The integrity of the program is determined by a combination of cognitive, individual, and socio-cultural factors of the personality development of each student.
The principle of dialogization
The principle of dialogization postulates the active interaction of PICK program students with each other, as well as with the teacher. Dialogization of relations determines the mutual interest of interlocutors in each other's opinions, equality of positions, and cooperation, which also helps to promote the development of students' communicative competencies. In addition, the implementation of this principle makes it possible to create good conditions for school bullying prevention.
The principle of problematization
The principle of problematization postulates the creation of conditions for the independent detection and formulation of educational tasks by students. The inclusion of search activity and the encouragement of students' independence form their internal motivation for learning activities and increase personal responsibility for the result of work in the classroom.
The principle of social and pedagogical partnership
The principle of socio-pedagogical partnership postulates a special type of joint activity between students, parents, teachers, and the administration (of an educational institution and a city), characterized by trust, common goals, and values, voluntary and long-term relationships, as well as recognition of mutual responsibility of the parties for the result of the development of all subjects of education.
The principle of personification
The principle of personification postulates active work with feelings, experiences, and emotions as elements of the personal experience of students. The implementation of this principle allows them to form a high level of emotional intelligence development and significantly reduce the number of negative emotional manifestations in situations of interaction with teachers and classmates.
The principle of action-oriented learning
The principle of action-oriented learning postulates the formation of the educational process of the PICK program in such a way that, literally, at every lesson, a student can get an answer to the question of where, when, and how to apply the acquired knowledge in life.
The principle of individualization
The principle of individualization postulates considering the opinion of each participant in the educational process, which allows them to feel significant for the team, to increase the level of self-confidence. In contrast to the traditional educational approach, the PICK program offers the involvement of the maximum number of students in the performance of any educational task with mandatory consideration of their personal characteristics and interests. It should be noted, that due to the individual differences of students, it is possible to implement all of the above principles.
The PICK program is based on the following didactic and psychological principles of training:
Implementation of the PICK training program
We suggest that you implement the PICK program in your school.
What we give to the school
What we give to the teacher
What we give to the student
The program is carried out in 4 stages:
-
Stage 1
Conducting input testing.
Purpose: To determine the level of linguistic, intercultural, intellectual and creative competencies of students.
-
Stage 2
Conducting training for teachers.
Purpose: Teaching methods of the PICK system aimed at the development of linguistic, intercultural, and creative competencies of students.
At the end of the training, teachers receive a certificate of completion.
-
Stage 3
Implementation of the PICK program.
Purpose: Introduction of the studied methods by the teacher into the school curriculum. We provide methodological and psychological support to teachers at this stage. We organize a series of lectures and workshops for teachers during the implementation of the PICK program.
-
Stage 4
Conducting output testing.
Purpose: To determine the progress of students in the level of linguistic, intercultural, intellectual, and creative competencies.
We offer two forms of cooperation. You can enter into an agreement for personal participation in the training. You can also enter into an agreement from the school to complete a full training program by a group of teachers.
Application for an individual agreement
Application for an agreement with the school
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the training for teachers like?
The training consists of 3 modules.
Module I "Creativity and a Creator"
Methods of creativity development.
Module II "The world is open to everyone"
Technologies for the formation of intercultural competence.
Module III "New language - new life"
Techniques and methods of stimulating the study of a foreign language based on multilingual communication.
What are the techniques in the PICK program?
- The PICK training program is very flexible. Some of the methods are specific associative, metaphorical, dialogical, project, game techniques adapted to a specific academic subject.
- Some of the techniques are psychological and didactic methods of successful communication between a teacher and a student. The teacher independently decides when and what method or technique should be used. The main thing is not a separate specific learning tool, but the general outline of educational activities.
- The main methods and techniques that are used by the teacher during the educational process are mixed learning technologies, dual-language language learning format with extensive use of code-switching techniques. Brainstorming techniques, psycholinguistic games, associative techniques, metaphorical games, role-playing games with comparison techniques are widely used. Special emphasis is placed on creating a favorable psychological climate, developing the emotional intelligence of students during the lesson, for which methods of developing dialogue, active listening, relaxation techniques, meditation, and visualization are used. At the same time, the end-to-end technology is the introduction of the practice of the project approach into training.
How do we support teachers in the PICK implementation process?
We provide methodological and psychological support in the process of implementing the PICK program.
- Online chats with PICK curators to share experiences and solve current issues of implementing methods in the educational process.
- Monthly online/offline supervisory support groups for a detailed analysis of the process of implementing the PICK program.
- Monthly thematic webinars and masterclasses from PICK system experts with the aim of deeper theoretical and methodological analysis and practical improvement of specific techniques for working with students.
- Separate webinars, masterclasses, and memos about the PICK program for parents, classroom teachers, and the administration of an educational organization in order to implement a harmonious social and pedagogical partnership.
How will the training for teachers be organized?
The training consists of 3 modules, the purpose of which is to give teachers the theoretical and methodological foundations of the PICK program, to teach them the techniques of multilingual, intercultural, and creative education, and to test a number of didactic methodologies and techniques in practice. Each module of the training is conducted with teachers every six months during the week before the start of the academic semester, then they implement the methods in their work with students.
The training algorithm for each module
1. Mastering the techniques (2 days for 8 academic hours): Studying the topics of the module and mastering the appropriate techniques. Each day includes the following blocks:
a. Warming-up. Maintaining the physical well-being of participants, mobilizing their internal resources, and stabilizing their emotional state.
b. The main part. Discussion and testing of teaching methods and techniques.
c. Relaxation. Relieving muscle and emotional tension.
d. Reflection. Feedback about the current state of mind, the work done, and expectations from further work.
2. Homework (2 days): Preparation of a lesson presentation on your subject using mastered techniques, in order to independently plan the implementation of PICK techniques in the real learning process.
3. Project defense (1 day, 8 academic hours)): presentation of updated lessons, general summary of the module, a survey of participants.
According to the results of the work, for each completed training module, the teacher receives a certificate of advanced training (20 ac. hours). Teachers who have completed all 6 training modules will have the opportunity to additionally take a coaching course of the PICK program and receive a certificate for conducting PICK training.
How will the lessons be organized using the PICK program?
1. As a result of the training, the teacher receives:
а. a workbook in which a step-by-step instruction for the implementation of techniques is worked out;
b. the list of sources and literature for deeper development of PICK techniques;
c. visual materials for each module.
2. The teacher adapts the PICK techniques considering the specifics of his subject and the age of the students.
3. The teacher can use one or more techniques in each lesson.
4. At the end of the semester, the teacher is interviewed about what kind of techniques and how often he or she used them in his lessons, what happened, and what caused difficulties.
5. Feedback will be received from students about the application of new methods and teaching practices. These data will be correlated with the results of the input and output testing of students, which will allow us to conclude about the progress and effectiveness of the program.
What do lectures and workshops for teachers include?
Auxiliary lectures and workshops are divided into 3 blocks:
Block 1 "Where do they have a button" - development of internal motivation of educational activities and maintenance of students' curiosity
Block 2 "Comfort zone" - creating a favorable psychological climate in the educational team
Block 3 "Simply Complexity" - the development of critical thinking and the ability to implement project activities