Approaches to inclusive, global materials for learning at all levels

Stimulating, real-world news videos embedding positive representations and inclusive values integrate equality, provoke critical thinking and encourage intersectional approaches. Sadly, text complexity often limits use to higher levels.

Participants will explore ways all learners can develop using diverse, inclusive content, with examples from Sensations English multi-level news videos. Global voices reflecting global English and sensitive representations of identities, contexts, beliefs and needs create memorable, empowering, language, skills and social development.

Adam Scott is a CELTA trainer, classroom researcher, teacher, materials writer, IATEFL PronSIG Joint Coordinator and ELT Specialist at Sensations English. He has wide-ranging interests across teacher development, language development, learner identity and inclusion, a career-long interest in advancing phonology practice, regularly contributes to international conferences and collaborates on DIY-CPD projects.

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The classroom in 2021: considering hybrid, blending and socially distancing

This session will focus on some practical considerations for the classroom in 2021, with a particular focus on the implications of hybrid learning, blended learning, and the socially distanced classroom. We will look at what some of these changes to our 'traditional' classroom mean in terms of material use, the staging of communicative activities, and assessment of success throughout the lesson. We will focus on these changes from the perspective of the teacher and what competencies might be considered more relevant in these new classroom contexts. 

Chris Farrell is the Head of Training and Development for the CES Group. He is the course coordinator of CES Direct Learning, which focuses on the creation and delivery of tutored online teaching and training courses. He chairs the English UK Teacher Development advisory group and is a guest lecturer at University College Dublin.

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Practical ways of including sustainability in your language classroom

In this session the panel will look at why teaching centres should make sustainability part of the topic of language lessons and will demonstrate some practical ideas on how this can be done in a variety of contexts and with different types of learners. Three teachers working in very different settings will present their ideas. 

Milica Vukadin has a B.Ed. and is currently working on her M.Ed. She specialises in teaching young and very young learners English and she is very passionate about environmental education, storytelling, and distance learning. Milica is also a teacher trainer and enjoys developing digital materials for learning English. 

Ben Crompton is a teacher and trainer based in Jáen, Spain, who has been working in ELT since 2008. He specialises in teaching very young learners and teens, and is keen to experiment with ways of keeping sustainable language teaching student-centred. Ben is currently working on his Trinity DipTESOL and is also the tutor on the online teacher development course Language Teaching for the Planet. 

Owain Llewellyn has been running ELTsustainable website since 2012 and is passionate about empowering others to take action to deal with the environmental emergency we face. He is currently writing his MA dissertation on the learner experience in an online language course and is an academic manager for courses for adult learners in Algiers. 

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IELTS writing made easy

Writing for exams is not only about the language. When it comes to IELTS, language (grammar and vocabulary) is only half of the final mark. The other half is all about structure and task achievement/response.

Using experience from working with IELTS students for several years, focussing specifically on writing, this session will demonstrate a comprehensive classification of writing tasks with an easy-to-follow structure that makes not only students', but teachers' lives easier.

Anastasia Gorlova is an experienced English teacher with an international background in translation, journalism and writing.

She has taught English in the UK, Kazakhstan and Turkey. Having obtained a Masters degree in Linguistics she has taught General and Business English as well as IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge Exams and read lectures on contemporary linguistics, communication skills and literature.

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Investigating the impact of online eacher development courses

After five years of running online teacher development courses at NILE, they were keen to find out what impact they had had on participants themselves, their institutions and their students. Responses to their questionnaire to former participants suggests a significant impact on all three parties and in this talk NILE will share these findings for the benefit of other online providers.

Johanna Stirling is the NILE Online Academic Manager. She has developed, written and tutored online teacher development courses for NILE since 2014. She is also a materials writer, a teacher trainer, language teacher, and presenter. Besides online PD, her eclectic professional interests range from teaching spelling to using improv techniques in language education to helping green up the ELT business.

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Helping neurodiverse learners prepare for exams 

Exams are daunting for everybody, but for neurodiverse learners (e.g. with dyslexia, ADHD, etc) there are extra layers of challenge that we need to help them overcome so that they can demonstrate their learning.

This session considers exam access arrangements, and exam techniques that make the most of them. Participants will consider what is appropriate in their own contexts, and how they can best prepare their learners to succeed in formal assessments.

Dr Anne Margaret Smith has taught English for over 30 years in several countries. She is the co-ordinator of the IATEFL SIG: Inclusive Practices and SEN. She is also a dyslexia specialist tutor and assessor, and currently training to be a Speech and Language Therapist. Her company, ELT well, offers materials and training to teachers who would like to be confident in including all their learners effectively.

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Paperless teaching – good for your students, good for the environment 

From heads-up learning to collaborative tasks, it has been shown time and again that relying on paper handouts or coursebooks is not the key to successful learning (although of course they can have their place). In this talk, Jo will give you five pedagogical reasons why you should go paperless, and 10 tips on how to do it. 

Jo Kroussaniotakis has been in TEFL for longer than she cares to remember, even if she could! She has worked her way around independent London schools, working her way to the renowned Wimbledon School of English. She now works as the Director of Studies at WSE and is passionate about continuing the school's tradition of teaching excellence. 

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Latest assessment solutions from LanguageCert: the perfect fit (pre-recorded)

During a constantly changing and challenging global environment, LanguageCert has continued to fully support test centres and test takers, offering enhanced services as well as adding exciting and innovative exams to their existing portfolio. Join LanguageCert to discover more about how they can transform your assessment experience, offering a perfect fit for teachers and learners. 

Marios Molfetas was appointed Responsible Officer for LanguageCert by the Board of Directors in 2016 and he has been driving the languages assessment development programmes for PeopleCert since their inception. As LanguageCert Executive Director he is overall responsible for LanguageCert's strategy, new qualifications development, partnerships & contract management and high level for all its activities.

Janet Golding is an Academic Support Consultant at LanguageCert. Focusing on the awarding body's portfolio of English Language qualifications, she supports teaching staff and test takers at LanguageCert test centres across the globe. She has worked in ELT in both state and private sectors, in UK and throughout Europe, for 35 years.

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From syntax to syringes: how to get started teaching English for healthcare (pre-recorded)

Don't know your article from your clavicle or your pancreas from your passive? Don't worry. In this seminar, Rebecca will talk about how to get into teaching English to healthcare professionals. She'll tell you how to get started, what healthcare professionals tend to want and need, give an overview of the (free) OET preparation provider programme and share tips and materials.  

Rebecca Bush is part of the Education Team at OET, supporting candidates, teachers and institutions around the world. She presents popular fortnightly Facebook Live Q+A sessions and helps teachers and institutions through the OET preparation provider programme. 

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The native factor and the last five years

Five years ago Silvana Richardson gave one of the greatest plenary sessions at IATEFL 2016. Meticulously researched, excellently delivered and grounded in real experience, Silvana effectively dismantled many of the surviving myths supporting the idea of native English speaker teachers and made sure the discussion was put under the glare of the ELT spotlight.

Now we are five years on. With discussions in society around equality, diversity and fairness gathering pace and ever more visible in society, Silvana considers our industry and what, if anything, has changed since 2016 and how we might think about moving forwards to have a more equitable post-pandemic ELT industry.

Silvana will be introduced by author, blogger, trainer and teacher Chia Suan Chong, who will also join Silvana to discuss aspects of the presentation. Chia Suan speaks English and Mandarin as first languages, and also speaks Japanese, Spanish and Italian. She has written extensively on intercultural communication and on native and non-native speaker considerations and interactions in EFL teaching and learning. We are exceptionally proud to have two key thinkers on our programme to talk about this topic.

Silvana Richardson is Head of Education at Bell Educational Services and Strategic Education Advisor at the Bell Foundation. She is a guest lecturer on English as an Additional Language at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University and has been Academic Director of Bell Teacher Campus, Cambridge and Course Director of the Bell Online Delta. Silvana has over 30 years of experience in various roles: teacher, teacher educator, academic manager, materials writer and consultant.  

Chia Suan Chong is a writer, communication skills trainer and a teacher trainer. She is the author of Successful International Communication and specialises in interactive workshops that encourage reflection for more effective international communication and improved collaboration. Currently based in York, Chia was English Teaching Professional's award-winning resident blogger between 2012 and 2019 and is a co-author for an integrated series currently in development with National Geographic Learning. 

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Virtual Reality: gimmick or effective learning tool?

EC recently developed VR courses for adults and young learners both as full courses and as a supplement to flat screen lessons.

In this talk the speakers will take you through their journey from sceptics to believers, outlining how they identified the real benefits of VR, through research and trial, for developing communication skills, and how they used these as a base to create engaging lessons that deliver real learning outcomes. They will discuss what further research is planned through observation, feedback and action research.

EC use Immerse, but their talk can be applied to all VR platforms.

David Byrne has worked with EC English for over 10 years. In that time he has been a teacher, a director of studies and is now the Curriculum Manager. In his free time, he co-writes a popular blog, articles on effective teaching, and has co-written a teachers' resource book.

Gill Davidson started teaching in 1994 in Slovakia before moving to Indonesia, Russia and back to the UK in 2006. Having carried out a variety of roles in teaching, curriculum and materials development and teacher management, she has been Group Academic Director for EC English since 2015.

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Creating more inclusive learning experiences

The global pandemic of 2020 led to an unprecedented rush to move courses online, which both highlighted and potentially exacerbated problems of access, equality and inclusion for many learners worldwide. In this session, we'll share some of the insights, tips and surprises we've encountered as we've been learning about how teachers and course designers can not only 'build back better' after COVID-19 – but build back fairer.

Laura Patsko is a researcher and teacher trainer who's currently working as a learning experience consultant with LearnJam on a project funded by Innovate UK, focusing on EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion). She specialises in teacher development, online learning and how to use English clearly and effectively when communicating with international audiences.

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"Oh crumbs, how do I deal with that?!" Diversity and inclusion in an ever-changing world

Teaching in any classroom full of global, diverse individuals will always bring up a level of challenge. Ensuring that everyone is included, and no one experiences prejudice of any kind is what we all strive for. We also know that achieving such a utopian space can be very challenging.

This session will focus on how to create inclusive spaces that are safe and enriching for students and teachers alike. Drawing on examples, both general and also focused on our current global situation (for example, the rise of anti-Asian racism), we'll explore coping mechanisms for the educator and action steps for the classroom. We'll discuss materials and how to use texts to ensure your classroom includes a variety of diverse narratives. You can expect a gorgeous selection of lovely take-home materials to leave with and, in addition, Charlotte will probably play a bit of Lady Gaga at the end.

Charlotte Williams is a BBC Learning English producer, EFL tutor and Diversity and Inclusivity advisor. She has worked in the world of EFL for just shy of a decade, and is passionate about ensuring that our educational spaces are safe and inclusive to allow our students to develop to the best of their ability.

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How to integrate soft skills into exam classes

Students often find exam preparation difficult, especially Cambridge Main Suite exams and IELTS, and likewise, teachers can find them challenging, too. This workshop will explore ways to help teachers focus on their students' soft skills such as group work, time management, critical thinking etc. and how to prepare them for their exams mentally, highlighting how they can overcome their mental blocks.

Melih Duman is a Delta-qualified EFL teacher with a background in American Studies combined with nearly ten years of professional experience in ELT sector. Melih has been teaching at Stafford House International for about two years, and he is an IELTS Subject Leader there. Having been trained as an IELTS Teacher Trainer at British Council Istanbul, IELTS is his specialism, alongside interests in further personal development and teacher training.

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What does it mean to teach culture in the English classroom?

Traditionally, teaching students English meant helping them to understand British or American ways of thinking and doing things. However, if most students are using English for international communication, how relevant or necessary is it for us to focus on the culture of 'native speaker' communities? What can we do to help them become more aware and adaptable to the different cultures they'll be interacting with? This session will look at practical ways we can help learners develop their intercultural competence.

Chia Suan Chong is a writer, communication skills trainer and a teacher trainer. She is the author of Successful International Communication and specialises in interactive workshops that encourage reflection for more effective international communication and improved collaboration. Currently based in York, Chia was English Teaching Professional's award-winning resident blogger between 2012 and 2019 and is a co-author for an integrated series currently in development with National Geographic Learning.

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The landscape of Green ELT

This session aims to provide a complete overview of Green ELT. The general climate and ecological background that ELT is facing and some of the problems, solutions and opportunities that are emerging will be discussed. Chris will describe actions that are available to ELT organisations and what individuals can do to play their part in addressing the crisis. He will consider psychological reactions to the emergency and advise on ways of overcoming denial, avoiding overwhelm and providing effective leadership. He will invite you to join ELT Footprint UK in helping our profession to emerge from Covid-19 on the right side of history, ready to play its part in a regenerative future.

Chris Etchells has spent a lifetime in ELT and is co-owner of English Country Schools, a flight-dependent summer school organisation. He's thought long and hard about how to reconcile his business interests with his dismay at the state of the planet and his instinct to do no harm. The result is ELT Footprint UK, which he will share with you in this session.

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Closing plenary: Climate action in language education: Impactful ways to integrate environmental issues in English language teaching

This session will be centred around the research strand of the British Council's new 'Climate Action in Language Education' project. The first section will be led by Christopher Graham who will briefly outline some of the headline findings in the research, and their possible classroom and institutional implications. Colm Downes will lead the second section and drawing on case studies of good practice from around the world, this session will focus on practical ways English language teachers can develop and deliver lessons with a sustainability focus, moving beyond traditional coursebook environment units. The third element will be led by Dianna Torosyan who will outline the project that led to the development, writing and publication of her 20-hour supplementary coursebook 'Our Planet' for students aged 10-14. 

Christopher Graham studied Politics at Warwick university, has a Cambridge DELTA and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a freelance English language teaching consultant and writer and has worked in the field since 1981 in over 30 countries. One of the founders of ELT Footprint, a 2020 ELTon winner, he is currently working for the British Council on the 'Climate Action in Language Education' project. 

Dianna Torosyan is a Master's student at UCL IOE. She is studying at the Education and International Development programme. She has co-authored a CBI book called "Our Planet" that focuses on teaching English and raising awareness of environmental issues. She has also developed English curricula for Chinese primary schools.

Colm Downes has been involved in language education for over 20 years across Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. He is currently the Director English, Education and Society at the British Council Indonesia. Publications include 'Cambridge English for Job Hunting' and 'English for UN Military Peacekeepers'.

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