Learning English can be more than a traditional classroom routine made up of rules, memorisation and repetitive grammar drills. It can become an engaging, dynamic and deeply personal journey. This was exactly what the Joyful English course, held on 17–18–19 February 2026 and attended by three enthusiastic French preschool teachers, aimed to.
The main and powerful idea that guided the days of training was learning by having fun, while placing the participants’ authentic experiences and interests at the centre of every activity.
Contents
Over the three days, participants explored the main English verb tenses, present, past and future, through practical, contextualised activities rather than abstract explanations.
The first day focused on the present simple and present continuous, introduced through conversations about daily routines, professional experiences and personal passions. These exchanges not only provided meaningful language practice, but also allowed us to get to know each other better, creating an immediate sense of connection within the group.
On the second day, attention shifted to the past: past simple, past continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous. Through the sharing of stories about travels, meaningful experiences and authentic anecdotes, grammar became a living instrument.
The third day looked ahead. The main forms of future, will, going to, present continuous and present simple with future meaning, were used to make plans and projects, to express opinions about the future technological innovations, the possible changes in climate and human habits. Grammar, thus, became a way to reflect, imagine and express opinions about the world.
Another essential and very appreciated aspect of the course was the focus on collocations and phrasal verbs. Using this elements made the spoken English more authentic and natural.
Again it wasn’t an abstract and isolated choice. The expressions proposed were linked to the treated topics and the explanations were followed by practical and engaging activities, in order to put grammar into practice. Board games, word searches, grammar battles, dialogues, role-plays and collaborative tasks transformed vocabulary and grammar practice into an enjoyable challenge, reinfocing the idea that fluency develops best in a relaxed and stimulating environment, ensuring natural and lasting learning.
Methodologies
The course followed a communicative and participatory approach, based on the following active methodologies:
- Brainstorming: each new topic was introduced by gathering ideas, keywords and personal experiences from the trainees.
- Playful teaching: grammar games, challenges, creative storytelling and collaborative activities allowed linguistic structures to be consolidated in a spontaneous way.
- Debate: discussions on topics of interest, such as the use of technology in daily life, dream travel destinations, innovative teaching methodologies for young learners, love for animals, stimulated critical thinking and an active use of the language.
- TPR (Total Phisical Response): several games required to respond not only verbally, but also with phisical movements, in order to complete the challenges, reinforcing language comprehension and use.
The teachers were very close-knit and fun and got actively involved in all the games proposed, even the most bizarre ones. Their willingness to participate contributed to a positive and energetic atmosphere throughout the course. All these methodologies provided a valuable opportunity to use the language learned in real contexts, to express opinions and tell stories while having fun.
Personalised teaching
A distinctive feature of the course was the personalisation of teaching. Topics were carefully adapted to the participants’ interests: the passion for travel, the love for animals, the desire to learn more about language teaching methodologies to use with their students upon return, the need to simplify the day-to-day life through technology.
Lessons became moments of authentic sharing: recounting personal life experiences, everyday life anecdotes and trips, and making up weird stories, made our time togetgher really fun and memorable.
Conclusions
Throughout the course, grammar was never presented as a list of abstract rules, but as a tool for communication. Through games, simulations, personal stories, guided discussions and drawing activities, the teachers were able to practise constantly, gaining confidence and fluency.
The result was a positive, collaborative and motivating environment in which English was not only studied, but experienced, always remembering that learning a language also means experimenting, making mistakes, laughing, and discovering that fun is one of the most powerful drivers of successful learning.
Author: Vania Mazzei – JUMP Trainer
