Numa primeira etapa, os alunos de ambas turmas apresentaram-se e deram a conhecer os aspetos mais marcantes das suas escolas, bem como das respetivas cidades (Guimarães e Lagoa). O produto desse trabalho foi partilhado em inglês, no Padlet, permitindo aos alunos praticar habilidades de produção escrita numa situação de comunicação autêntica.

Na fase seguinte do projeto, formara-se grupos de trabalho para pesquisar informação sobre diferentes valências do turismo de saúde e bem-estar tanto em São Miguel como em Portugal continental. Este é um tema particularmente interessante para os alunos de Termalismo, na medida em que fazem parte do plano curricular deste curso profissional o estudo das técnicas de hidroterapia e de terapia de apoio à atividade termal. No entanto, como os próprios alunos micaelenses reconheceram (ver testemunhos), a realização dos trabalhos sobre estâncias termais de S. Miguel também se traduziu num melhor conhecimento de locais aparentemente familiares. A metodologia seguida para a realização desta atividade permitiu que, com o apoio das respetivas professoras de Inglês, os participantes pudessem desenvolver habilidades de tratamento de informação, compreensão da leitura, produção escrita e colaboração, aprendendo, simultaneamente, sobre as estâncias termais locais, as propriedades terapêuticas das águas e a grande diversidade de tratamentos termais disponibilizados. O Padlet voltou a ser o meio preferido para partilhar os trabalhos sobre quinze complexos/hotéis termais. 

Estas atividades culminaram num encontro online, no dia 18 de maio, que, apesar das dificuldades técnicas iniciais, constituiu o ponto alto do projeto. Os alunos de ambas escolas rapidamente ultrapassaram a timidez e trocaram impressões em inglês sobre os as suas rotinas, gostos pessoais, família, escola, entre outros. De acordo com os participantes, este foi, sem dúvida, o momento mais emocionante de toda a experiência.     

Testemunhos:

This project was an amazing experience that had three parts. In the first part, we needed to write a little about ourselves to share with students from Caldas das Taipas. We also got to know them by their texts about themselves.

In the second part, all the groups had to write about a place where we live. My group chose “Poça da Dona Beija” and, although we already knew that place, we got to learn some curiosities about it, just like the yam plantation and a place which is like a museum now, but, in the past, we could relax there. While reading all of the texts, we learned a lot of things about São Miguel and Caldas das Taipas.

In the third part, we got to meet the other students and it was very funny. However, we couldn’t hear them too well because their microphone wasn’t good.

I really liked this project, even though we had some tech problems in the last part.

Carolina Ferreira, Escola Secundária de Lagoa, S. Miguel, Açores

In this experience, my group and I had the opportunity to know more about our island. My group researched information about the “Furnas Boutique Hotel” and I learned new things with this work. I didn’t know how many benefits the thermal waters have.

Before doing the research about the “Furnas Boutique Hotel”, I wrote a little text about myself for the other people to know me better.

The last part of the project was to talk with the students from Caldas das Taipas. The first time our teacher told us that we were going to be in  virtual meeting my first thought was: “Oh my God! And now? How can I do this? I don’t speak English that well. I’m not going to be able to do this!”. But, when I saw that the other students didn’t speak English that well too, I calmed down. When we started to talk about ourselves, our schools and other things, I saw that I was able to have a simple conversation in English.

I liked this work and I learned some things with it.

Maria Inês, Escola Secundária de Lagoa, S. Miguel, Açores

Our teacher gave us a sort of a project to talk about our island with a class from Guimarães. In the beginning, I was kind of nervous and excited at the same time. Our class was split into groups and each group did some research on a place in our island with thermal waters, and then we had a virtual meeting with the students from Guimarães. In my opinion, it was actually really fun talking with teens our age even if it was online. I liked them, they were super cool even when we spoke in Portuguese. I hope I could meet them in person one day.

Raquel Mota, Escola Secundária de Lagoa, S. Miguel, Açores

Our class (10P4) was involved in a project with Escola Secundária de Lagoa, from S. Miguel, Açores. In the first part of the project, we exchanged information about ourselves, our schools (ESCT and ESL) and our cities (Guimarães and Lagoa). In the second part, we searched information about thermal baths in Portugal. We learned about characteristics of the waters and the treatments that were offered. In the third part, we had an online meeting. At first, there were lots of technical problems, but then we could chat with the students of S. Miguel in English, which was great fun.

Débora Silva e Bruna Faria, Escola Secundária de Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães

One of the best things about this project was practising English, meeting new people, learning things about São Miguel, Escola Secundária de Lagoa and finding out what the students there like to do. It was very interesting to talk about thermal baths and learn more about them. In São Miguel there are beautiful places where we can practice hydrotherapy techniques. We also liked to meet the students from Lagoa online. Although we were nervous, we could answer their questions in English and chat for a while. It was very funny, we learned a lot about São Miguel and about each other.

Diana Sousa and Tatiana Pereira, Escola Secundária de Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães

With this experience, we met students from S. Miguel in the Azores, we learned about their daily routines and what they like doing in their spare time. In our opinion, it was a good experience, we got to know more about the Azores and they learned about Guimarães and our course. We also discovered many things about the hot springs of the Azores. During the online call, we practised our English, we talked about our preferred movies and series, our family, our identity and the beautiful places in our cities.

Catarina Araújo, Diana Ferreira, Diogo Ribeiro, Escola Secundária de Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães

Professoras Sandra Mota (ESL) e Ângela Pereira (ESCT)