How this English Teacher uses Gravit Designer
I’ve always appreciated good graphic design. As a kid, I’d cut and paste images I liked onto construction paper to make my own magazines. I loved school projects where I got to work on a newsletter or had to create a logo. While I’ve always toyed with creating images and layouts, making it my career never seemed to fit me very well. I was better at, and more apt to, languages.
Yet when I started teaching English as a foreign language five years ago, I learned very quickly, that my days as a novice graphic designer were not over. As I scoured the internet trying to find worksheets and handouts, that fit my exact teaching needs or techniques for my lessons, I’d often find it would be more effective, faster, and easier if I created my own.
For years I *squeezed* by with the likes of Microsoft Publisher, for lack of anything better. Eventually, though I got so tired of it, that I went on the search for a design program, which was affordable and met my needs.
Enter Gravit Designer.
Features I Like
Offline Capabilities
While I’m working and designing things for my students, I don’t like being distracted by the internet (which would, in my world, inevitably happen), so I switch off the WiFi. Gravit Designer gives you the option of downloading the application to directly to your desktop to be able to work with your designs while off the network, too.
For me (a person who’s distracted quite easily), it’s much more efficient and productive.
Video Tutorials
Acclimating to a new program seems to always be a tedious process. But when I started using Gravit Designer, I acclimated much more quickly than I had with other programs because of their video tutorials (there’s also this handy forum if you need more support). They’re short enough to watch quickly, try the technique, and apply it to your design.
And that is a great way to learn: to practice the technique quickly so you can start wielding it more effectively.
Materials I Make
I love making things. There is something so satisfying to printing something off and saying “I made that.” I especially love that when I’m working in Gravit Designer, I’m making something for my students to use (and hopefully help me teach).
Here’s what I use Gravit Designer for and how I do it:
Flashcards
I use the icons in Gravit Designer to illustrate vocabulary words I’m teaching my young English learners. I start with a blank A4 template, create an 8x8 grid, and fill the boxes with the icons and their corresponding labels underneath. I then print the exported PDF file, cut it, laminate, and use it to introduce and play with the words in the classroom.
Presentations
I find that good presentations need good design. Good design also helps to communicate sometimes complicated or abstract language concepts in a clearer and, well, much more entertaining way. For visual learners, it’s much easier to understand and remember the structures.
Worksheets and Handouts
I especially like using Gravit Designer for worksheets and handouts because I can customize these to my teaching style and needs. For my adult English students, I use a “daily class notes” sheet to mark what they did well and what they need to work on. Using this template not only helps me to guide my lessons, but also my students (and myself) to keep track of their progress.
What I love about teaching is that it’s a constant learning process. Having to use graphic design skills is only a small aspect of my work, but it’s one where I’m enjoying the process of learning. It’s been a good reminder that we’re always students (even when we’re called teachers). And thanks to Gravit Designer, the process has been smooth and actually pretty fun.
