MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES IN ELT ELT Malta Conferenc… · 0930 – 1015 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT (PART 1)...

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

IN ELTIN COLLABORATION WITH

IATEFL YOUNG LEARNERS AND TEENAGERS SIG

DATE: 11-13 OCTOBER 2018 VENUE: INTERCONTINENTAL MALTA

ST GEORGE’S BAY, ST JULIAN’S

ELT MALTA CONFERENCE

0800 – 0900 Registration, welcome coffee F

0900 – 0930 Opening Address by Ministry representative for European Affairs and Equality

0930 – 1015 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT (PART 1) CHALLENGING ELT’S LIP-SERVICE TO DIVERSITY: THE QUEER CASE OF LGBTIQ* ISSUESWhile global ELT tends to self-fashion itself for cultural diversity, it is also prone to privileging some identities and some cultural representations over ‘Others’. In critically deconstructing ELT’s (alleged) lip-service to diversity, I will use my talk to suggest a theoretical ‘docking station’ to legitimize a timely reconstruc-tion of how ELT can understand diversity. To illustrate this point, I will retrace how the articulate call for ‘queering ELT’ has continuously progressed towards bringing LGBTIQ* themes and identities into classroom visibility. My talk con-cludes with exploring suitable ‘queer niches’ for LGBTIQ*-oriented teaching scenarios, e.g. with coursebooks, literature, film or online media.

About Thorsten MerseDr. Thorsten Merse is a postdoc researcher in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich, Germany. His doctoral research pinpointed a queer-informed renegotiation of TEFL pedagogy. Other teaching and research interests include cultural diversity and literature in ELT, Global Education and Multiliteracies.

1015 – 1045 Coffee Break F

1045 – 1145 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT (PART 2)

HOMONORMA...WHAT? SPILLING THE TEA ABOUT LGBTQI+ IN ELT

Most teachers, when asked why they do not deal with LGBTQI+ related topics and issues in class, they give the same response: they do not know how, why, what, when, etc. In this workshop, we will examine the legality of including (or not) LGBTQI+ related topics and materials in our lessons, we will focus on what teachers need so that they are better prepared and empowered to be ‘inclusive’, and we will work on lesson ideas and materials that participants can use with their learners.

THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2018

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About Angelos BollasAngelos Bollas is an ELT professional working mainly on pre-service teacher training courses, like the CELTA. He is interested in training teachers and institutions on LGBTQI+ related matters.


13 REASONS WHY WE NEED TO TACKLE HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING WHEN TEACHING UPPER SECONDARY

David Valente’s workshop will explore the powerful reasons as to why educators of upper secondary learners (aged 15 – 17) need to tackle homophobic bullying in the ELT classroom. Delegates will experience practical age-relevant ideas which take teenagers from initial awareness raising to anti-bullying action. David will showcase ways to use engaging authentic materials with a strong anti-homophobic bullying message. The workshop aims to help teachers develop upper secondary learners’ language skills whilst personalising and reflecting on this crucial human rights area.

About David ValenteDavid Valente is Academic Training Manager at The Anglo Mexican Foundation and has 20 years’ experience in English language teaching as a teacher, academic manager, educational consultant, teacher trainer and materials developer. His specialist interests include teacher education, primary and secondary ELT and YL ELT management. David has authored a range of teachers’ handbooks and bespoke courses for primary and secondary curriculum development as well as designed and delivered ELT methodology training in Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australasia. He is Coordinator of the IATEFL Young Learners and Teenagers Special Interest Group and is also a tutor and assessor for the Cambridge Delta Modules, CELTA as well as lead trainer for the Celt P and Celt S awards.

1245 – 1400 Lunch - Al Fresco (Level 7)

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CETTINA DE CESARE - LEVEL 2JUPITER - LEVEL 2

SATURN 1 - LEVEL 2VENUS 1 - LEVEL 8 VENUS 2 - LEVEL 8

‘F’ DENOTES FOYER

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1400 – 1445 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT (PART 4) TEACHING WITH A QUEER LENS: FROM TEXTS TO TASKSTime and again, ELT as both a practice and an industry has been charged with reproducing a monosexual and heteronormative view of the world – thus eclipsing LGBTIQ* perspectives as an important dimension of cultural diversity from the classroom. This workshop seeks to close this gap by illustrating how a queer-informed approach to teaching and learning English can materialize in the classroom. In particular, I will show how texts as carriers of cultural mean-ings can bring LGBTIQ* themes, experiences and identities into the classroom, and how teachers and learners can make productive use of such texts through suitable and engaging tasks.

About Thorsten MerseDr. Thorsten Merse is a postdoc researcher in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich, Germany. His doctoral research pinpointed a queer-informed renegotiation of TEFL pedagogy. Other teaching and research interests include cultural diversity and literature in ELT, Global Education and Multiliteracies.


WHY ISN’T MY COURSEBOOK MORE GAY?How can we help to promote and celebrate diversity in our classrooms if publishers are unwilling to even include same sex parents and caregivers in course books? The answer is to craft our own materials, making sure we challenge stereotypes of sexual orientation and gender and provide our learners with a more honest and inclusive representation of the world. In this workshop, we’ll look at some practical ideas to try out in our own contexts and we’ll discuss ideas for creating a collaborative bank of LGBTQIA+ materials for teachers to access globally.

THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2018

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About Katherine BilsboroughKatherine Bilsborough is an ELT author and teacher trainer. She has written more than thirty course books as well as online courses and mobile learning materials for the BBC and the British Council. She writes monthly lesson plans for www.teachingenglish.org.uk and monthly blog posts for National Geographic Learning. She is the author of ‘How to write primary materials’, published by ELT Teacher 2 Writer. Katherine’s most recent publications are OUP’s primary courses, ‘Big Questions’ and ‘Big Bright Ideas’, both of which use an Enquiry Based Learning methodology. Katherine is also Joint Events Coordinator for IATEFL’s MaWSIG (Materials Writers group).

MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND EQUALITY

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Who may attend? School Owners, Directors, Heads of Schools, Directors of Studies, Non-academic Managers, School Management Teams

Join us for two interesting morning talks about business and management, and close off by attending the 7th ELT Malta Conference launch and announcement of the 5th Inspiring ELT Professional Award Winner.

0930 - 1000 Registration for Business and Management Stream F

1000 - 1100 MTA Chairperson Mr Gavin Gulia and Chief Marketing Officer Mr Carlo Micallef address the ELT Industry stakeholders

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STREAM BY INVITE ONLY

FRIDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2018 LOCATION

VENUS I ‘F’ DENOTES FOYER

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BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STREAM

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FRIDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2018

1100 - 1200 Session 1 - Caroline B. Klass

ATTRACTION AND RETENTION STRATEGIESThe way we attract and retain highly talented people has been one of the major priorities for Human Resources for a number of years. As the competition for the best talent grows, businesses must reduce the disconnection between their talent requirements and the strategies and processes which underpin them. It will come as no surprise to you that research shows the power has shifted from the employer to the candidate. This means that attracting the best talent is not just about profiling the role and your organizational fit, it’s much more about finding out what likely candidates will want from you as an employer.

About Caroline B. KlassA seasoned HR Professional who has experience in crafting the HR strategy coupled with harnessing Talent and Leadership development across industries. Setting up of Corporate University ensuring long term sustainability in the organization. Strong knowledge in Learning and Development, Talent Management Processes, HRIS and LMS Systems; and Business Partnering Skills. Design and development, delivery of learning & development interventions and evaluation metrics. Setting up and managing virtual and physical Corporate Universities/Learning Academies . Designing and Developing Talent and Leadership interventions that target capability and performance opportunities. This includes Executive Coaching, Development Centres and Assessment Centres and standard classroom and online learning programs. A strong believer in a holistic business eco system which impacts stakeholder value. Bringing HR from the “Outside-In”. Caroline has led various HR teams in Europe, US and the last 6 years in Asia before returning back to Malta leading the HR function in HSBC Bank Malta.

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1200 - 1245 Session 2 - Katrina Grech

PROJECT X Y Z In recent years, HR managers have been faced with concerns relating to managing employees from different generations at the place of work. Do you find yourself asking ‘What can I do to keep my employees happy at work? What keeps people motivated and engaged? How can I retain my employees?’ - If you do, we’re not surprised. Today’s workforce is made up of 5 different generations with each generation bringing their own baggage of what they perceive work to be and the role it plays in their daily lives. Katrina will highlight the differences and similarities that exist between Generations X, Y and Z with the aim of helping businesses adapt their systems and strategies to create a more synergized workplace.

About Katrina GrechKatrina has over 7 years of experience in Training and Development and HR within the telecommunications industry. She holds a Master’s Degree in Occupational Psychology with the University of London.Within her experience in telecommunications and call centres, Katrina has been involved in several projects relating to employee motivation, talent management, coaching and leadership development. Earlier this year she joined Business Leaders Malta as Director of Operations. Her role varies across business development within the Academy of Business Leaders, supporting events and conferences for BLM, and involvement in Esprimi’s research projects both within the employment and market research fields.

1300 - 1330 Attend the 7th ELT Malta Conference launch and 5th Inspiring ELT Professional award ceremony.

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0930 – 1000 Registration for Business and Management Stream F

Refer to page 6 for more information

1000 – 1245 Business and Management Stream

1200 – 1300 Registration and welcome coffee F

1300 – 1330 7th ELT Malta Conference Opening Welcome address by Dr Daniel Xerri Launch of the 5th Inspiring ELT Professional Award Winner

1330 – 1415 PLENARY 1 TEACHING YOUNG LEARNERS: SIX CHALLENGES IN SEARCH OF A SOLUTIONAs English has become increasingly embedded in primary schools around the world, primary English has added a whole new perspective to ELT and brought with it some new and not-so-new challenges. In this presentation, I will look multi-ple experiences of primary school teachers from around the world and identify the six main challenges that they face. I will investigate the reasons for the challenges and explore some solutions that have been suggested by top experts in the field: primary school English teachers themselves.

About Fiona CoplandFiona Copland is Professor of TESOL at the University of Stirling, Scotland. She has taught English in Nigeria, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK. Fiona has published widely in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, including the recent The Routledge Handbook of Teaching English to Young Learners, which she co-edited with Sue Garton.

1430 – 1515 WORKSHOPS A

WORKSHOP 1 THE 4 CS IN PROJECT WORKUsing project work with teens ensures that they are working with critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. It has long been recognised that these are some of the key components to effective language learning: the opportunity for students to make choices about the learning material in order to ensure their relevance and own input; a sense of responsibility in the students to motivate


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them to invest in their own learning; and communicative activities through the use of pair and group work. These aspects will be demonstrated in a hands-on, practical session featuring a selection of tried and tested projects.

About Jean TheumaJean Theuma is both a Teacher Trainer and an EFL teacher. She has been active in EFL for the last 20 years, both locally and abroad. Her main interests are investigating the role of technology in the classroom and helping teachers to maintain an interest in their own development.

WORKSHOP 2 CONNECTING LEARNERS TO THE WORLD – THE POWER OF PERSONALISATIONLife in the 21st century is a life living in a global community and one where an openness to multiple perspectives is vital. As such it’s important to not only enable students to communicate effectively but to have an understanding of and be able to make connections to that world. We need to teach students about other people, cultures and places of the world, but at the time we also need to make it relevant to them, to make it personal. And so enabling them to make connections between themselves and others is vital. After all, they are all connected through the lingua franca they are learning. In this session we’ll explore how using Life 2nd edition we can connect learners to the world through personalisation and bring the classroom to life.

About Alex WarrenAlex is the Teacher Trainer at National Geographic Learning. He studied history at university and worked as a journalist for several years. After travelling the world, he returned to the UK to complete his CELTA qualification in Bournemouth. From 2010-2016 Alex worked as an Academic Director and teacher trainer at a successful private language school. The move into teacher training on a permanent basis in 2016 was only a matter of time, he has delivered training throughout Europe, The Middle East and Africa on a wide variety of topics, and enjoys developing teachers on an international scale.

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WORKSHOP 3 FROM WALKING TO WOOSH!: DRAMA ACTIVITIES TO GET TEENS TALKINGSecondary learners can be notoriously hard to engage, often reluctant to participate due to perceived pressure to ‘fit in’. Research shows how their ‘feeling of belonging’ is directly linked to school engagement and academic outcomes. Drama is the perfect vehicle to boost confidence, offering a low-stakes chance to communicate, as well as great opportunities to work on pronunciation, fluency and expressivity in oral communication. This practical - and very active - workshop takes participants through a staged series of drama activities that can be immediately used in their own classes. Participants should expect to be up and moving!

About Laura McWilliamsLaura McWilliams is Senior Teacher Secondary for British Council Paris. She holds the CELTA YL extension and DELTA with YL specialism, and is a TYLEC tutor. Before teaching, she worked in theatre, and her interests include recognising and valuing the learner’s voice, especially through the use of creative drama-based activities.

WORKSHOP 4 THEY ARE NEWLY QUALIFIED; YOU HIRED THEM, NOW WHAT?How many times have your expectations for a newly qualified teacher fell flat? Could your expectations be unrealistic? This workshop is for academic managers, directors, department heads, and senior teachers. Through a series of activities, participants will identify their institution’s potential to support newly qualified employees which, in turn, will result in happier learners and a better workplace for all.

About Angelos BollasAngelos Bollas is an ELT professional working mainly on pre-service teacher training courses, like the CELTA. He is interested in training teachers and institutions on LGBTQI+ related matters.

1515 – 1600 Coffee Break F


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1600 – 1645 WORKSHOPS B

WORKSHOP 5 YOUNG ARTISTS IN ACTION: HOW ART CAN INSPIRE TEENS TO USE ENGLISH AND BE MORE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE IN THE CLASSROOMMy workshop aims to create a desire to communicate through the medium of drawing and colouring ( without the teacher’s intervention) by implementing the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is addressed to teenagers (15-17 years old) and the objective is to teach English in a fun environment where students become Young Artists by exploring their creative skills and developing critical thinking while arousing their imagination by the means of collaboration and cooperation.

About Cathy SalonikidisCathy Salonikidis has been an ESL teacher in Canada, U.S., South America, U.K and Greece. She is also a Cambridge/ Michigan speaking examiner, a regular conference presenter and a Member of the Supervisory Committee of TESOL MTH. Her focus is to promote art into engaged activities.

WORKSHOP 6 ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDSStudents have special educational needs (SEN) if they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of their peers. It is estimated that about 1 in 20 people, irrespective of their gender or origin, have dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ADHD. The foreign language classroom is one of many contexts where educational provisions have to be made to accommodate SEN students. The aim of this workshop is to introduce a number of teaching strategies to address the needs of SEN students in language courses. We shall also demonstrate how materials for students with special educational needs can be adapted.

About Agnieszka Dudzik & Agnieszka Dzieciol-PedichAgnieszka Dudzik, PhD, is an EFL teacher at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. Her main fields of interest include ESP and communicative language teaching. Agnieszka Dzieciol-Pedich, PhD, is a lecturer at the University of Bialystok. She is interested in the communicative approach and intercultural competence in foreign language teaching.

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WORKSHOP 7 UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGING MILLENNIALS!This contemporary in subject and interactive workshop is divided into 3 sections: In the first part, we will explore who the millennials are, what makes them different from other generations, how they learn best, as well as what intrigues and keeps them alive in the classroom. The second part will focus on different aspects of digital literacy, the main challenge for today’s teacher, and the way in which millennials in their teens, 15-17 year old, engage with the world of learning. During the third part, we will demonstrate classroom activities showing techniques and methods which could support the teacher when facing these young learners in their own classrooms

About Heidi Rizzo & Sarah ZammitHeidi Rizzo is the Exam Coordinator at the European School of English. She is passionate about the ELT field which led her to explore many interests from teaching to teacher-training, both in Malta and abroad as well as writing material for different courses. She is currently developing online teacher-training courses.

Sarah Zammit is the Quality Assurance and Teacher Development Coordinator at the European School of English. Her enthusiasm for teacher-training motivates her to create and deliver interactive workshops both in Malta and abroad. Her current interest is Testing and Assessment where she is working on writing new placement tests.

WORKSHOP 8 EARLY YEARS: TECH NO FEARS?To what extent, if at all, should we introduce technology in our Early Years teaching? This practical workshop explores how to ensure we have a principled approach towards its use. Firstly, through reference to child development theories and suggested milestones, we’ll consider the distinct characteristics of the stages in Early Years, and highlight the main differences with Primary-aged learners. With this basis we can then look at the educational technology available and consider its suitability from the viewpoint of the teacher, care giver, institution, and above all, from that of the child.


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About Jen DobsonJen Dobson is a freelance ELT author, trainer and consultant. She has over 30 years experience in teaching, worked as an ICT coordinator, and has a special interest in Early Years and safe, creative, collaborative edtech. Publications include Oxford’s ‘Mouse and Me’, and a guide to teaching technology for Primary.

1700 – 1745 PLENARY 2 TEACHING OUR LEARNERS HOW TO LEARNLearning to learn is an important aim of most curricula throughout the world but often tends to remain at the more abstract level in official documents. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of practical guidelines and training for teachers. I will discuss the theoretical and methodological concepts of learning to learn and demonstrate how the ‘plan-do-review’ routine can be applied in age-appropriate ways to provide both teacher and children with a framework that combines metacognitive and cognitive strategy development. Children are guided to reflect on what and how they learn and gradually take on more responsibility for their own learning.

About Gail EllisGail Ellis is Advisor Young Learners and Quality and is based at the British Council, Paris. She has over 30 years of experience as a teacher, teacher trainer and manager. Her publications include Learning to Learn English, The Primary English Teacher’s Guide, Tell it Again! and Teaching children how to learn. She is an advocate for children’s language learning rights and her main interests include children’s literature, young learner ELT management and inclusive practices.

1800 – 1830 TALKS A

TALK 1 POST-ELF PRONUNCIATION TEACHINGMost learners today need English to communicate in a lingua franca (ELF) environment. The recognition of this fact has disrupted pronunciation teaching. What model can learners aspire to if not a ‘native speaker’ model? What can be considered ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’? In this talk, we will discuss what is to become of pronunciation teaching these post-ELF times.

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About Mark HancockMark Hancock has taught English since 1984 in Sudan, Turkey, Brazil, Spain and the UK. His books include Pronunciation Games (CUP 1995), English Pronunciation in Use Intermediate (CUP 2012) and Pronunciation Pack (Hancock Mcdonald ELT 2017). He blogs at pronpack.com.

TALK 2 CHALLENGES OF ACQUISITION AND PRODUCTION OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT THE PRIMARY LEVELThe aim of this talk is to present the specific challenges of teaching not only a foreign language but also a different writing system to young learners. The participants will learn about the students’ progress from the first steps in reading and writing to competent and creative language use. We will take a look at several teaching strategies that have been used to promote extensive reading and creative writing in the EFL classroom. The participants will be informed of the proceedings and results of various activities that foster language production, such as poetry writing workshops and competitions, reading for fun and writing book reviews, creating online publications and doing international projects.

About Dragana AndricDragana Andrić has been teaching English to young learners and teenagers for more than fifteen years. She is an active member and a coordinator of ELTA Serbia teachers’ association. She has taken part in several international ELT conferences as a presenter. She is highly interested in Learning Technologies, Using drama in ELT and Special Educational Needs.

TALK 3 TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH WITH MUSIC AND DIGITAL MEDIAThis presentation focuses on the possible enrichment of language, music and art experiences of students by using digital media technologies to learn English language. The issues around correlation of the teaching contents of English language and music across the curricula (while using digital media) are complex, and insufficiently explored. Through multiple educational perspectives on using music and media in ELT, the aim is to develop greater knowledge in creating opportunities for interactive learning and development of students’ personal educational language events and communication experiences by using music and digital media technologies. Key words: digital media, ELT, language skills, music.


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About Sladana MaricSlađana Marić, an educator, researcher, conference speaker, and professional musician. Graduated in both Music Pedagogy and English Language Philology, with teacher experience in both fields. Her published work is in ELT, Music Education and learning technologies. Currently a PhD student in Teaching Methodology (research project “Digital media technologies and socio-educational changes”).

1845 – 2100 Networking reception - Al Fresco Garden and Carissa (Level 7)

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SATURDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2018

0800 – 0900 Registration and welcome coffee F

0900 – 0945 PLENARY 3 ENQUIRY-BASED LEARNING (EBL): FROM ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS TO TODAY’S YOUNG LEARNERSWe live in a world of instant data access, information overload and fake news. Besides teaching English, we need to help our young learners develop enquiring minds and critical thinking skills. By using age-appropriate EBL we can do this while developing other valuable skills, stimulating learners’ natural curiosity and giving them more of a voice. The good news is that it doesn’t have to imply a lot of extra work for teachers. Honestly!

About Katherine BilsboroughKatherine Bilsborough is an ELT author and teacher trainer. She has written more than thirty course books as well as online courses and mobile learning materials for the BBC and the British Council. She writes monthly lesson plans for www.teachingenglish.org.uk and monthly blog posts for National Geographic Learning. She is the author of ‘How to write primary materials’, published by ELT Teacher 2 Writer. Katherine’s most recent publications are OUP’s primary courses, ‘Big Questions’ and ‘Big Bright Ideas’, both of which use an Enquiry Based Learning methodology. Katherine is also Joint Events Coordinator for IATEFL’s MaWSIG (Materials Writers group).

1000 – 1030 TALKS B

TALK 4 SETTING UP A WRITERS WORKSHOPSetting up a Successful Writers Workshop gives an overview of the stages as well as going into specific tasks designed to develop writing as a process. This session is designed for teachers of younger learners (11 - 16). The talk will discuss the “traditional methods” for teaching writing and compare them with the Writers Workshop model. It will also outline the traits of good writing and examine the concept of the “mini-lesson”; specifically as a tool for English Language Teachers. The talk will also review concepts such as managing differences, scaffolding using model texts and ways of structuring a workshop in the classroom. It is designed for teachers who have not had any experience of running a Writers Workshop and will give practical tips on how to set one up in class.

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About Rebecca PortelliRebecca Portelli is Director of Studies at AClass Academy of English, she is a Teacher and Teacher Trainer with a range of classroom experience in ESL and International Schools in Australia, Malta and the UK. Rebecca spent many years preparing ESL students for entry into mainstream education and her interests lie in developing reading and writing skills in terms of literacy. She has coordinated a number of new projects for teachers recently including job-shadowing opportunities for International teachers, setting up a Literacy Summer School for young learners, implementing a new International Foundation Course at her school as well as running short teacher training sessions for the ELT sector.

TALK 5 USING GAMES TO DEVELOP SPEAKING SKILLS WITH EARLY YEARS GROUPSThis talk will raise awareness of how to use games with Early Years-aged children to develop speaking skills. The talk will specifically focus on how teachers can plan the structure, roles and script used in games, in order to encourage more language production. The talk will also go on to highlight how teachers can sequence games according to an Encounter, Engage, and Exploit model.

About Helen ChapmanHelen Chapman is a teacher, YL materials writer and some-time EAP consultant and editor. Based in Portugal, she has also taught in Spain, Poland and the UK. Interests include Early Years, Primary (especially developing the whole child) and EAP. She is also fascinated with exploring teacher beliefs, and with the integration of learner reflection in lessons. She tweets @HelenChapmanELT

TALK 6 KEY QUESTIONS FOR EARLY YEARS FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNINGWhatever our practitioner beliefs, the trend for early English language learning for very young children is increasing steadily. In many contexts, it’s qualified primary teachers who are meeting this demand, applying what works in the primary classroom with mixed results. This talk will present key research into early childhood language education, before looking at the essentials for making lessons aimed at this age group as rich and meaningful as possible for students, parents / caregivers, teachers and providers of early years classes.

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About Amanda DaviesAmanda is a teacher, teacher trainer, materials developer, author and editor, who has worked extensively in YL ELT academic management. She’s passionate about teacher professional development and regularly presents at conferences, writes articles and trains teachers face-to-face and online. She works as an international educational consultant advising on young learner foreign language learning programmes, and is the IATEFL YLTSIG Publications Editor.

1030 – 1115 Coffee break F

1115 – 1200 PLENARY 4 BUT… IT’S IN THE CEFR, IN THE COURSEBOOK AND ON THE EXAM! SYLLABUS DEVELOPMENTS IN PRIMARY ELTDavid Valente’s plenary will explore how historical developments in adult ELT, in tandem with key influencers such as the ever-younger ages learning English and a major lack of age appropriate pedagogy have adversely impacted primary English Language Teaching syllabus design. Over the past few decades, primary ELT has come to be shaped by pedagogical approaches and methods based on structural and functional syllabuses, framed largely in terms of the needs and interests of adult language learners. Young learner English language proficiency examinations, benchmarked on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), have also dictated primary ELT course book content in recent years which reflects the growing influence of washback on syllabuses. The trend toward starting English language instruction in the lower primary years or even earlier, without due con-sideration of children’s readiness, whether teachers are appropriately qualified as well as institutional and other socio-cultural factors, have resulted in considerable mismatch when it comes to the age appropriacy of syllabus content worldwide. David will question whether the notion of ‘syllabus’ is relevant or even appropriate when working with children in the ELT classroom. This will lead to a consideration of whether a ‘curriculum’ with its related schemes of work would be a better suit-ed to determining and defining how English language teaching and learning is organised at the primary level. Finally, he will recommend alternatives for crafting primary ELT curricula and schemes of work which fundamentally re-position the focus on to the child with age appropriacy, learning to learn and children’s rights at their core.

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About David ValenteDavid Valente is Academic Training Manager at The Anglo Mexican Foundation and has 20 years’ experience in English language teaching as a teacher, academic manager, educational consultant, teacher trainer and materials developer. His specialist interests include teacher education, primary and secondary ELT and YL ELT management. David has authored a range of teachers’ handbooks and bespoke courses for primary and secondary curriculum development as well as designed and delivered ELT methodology training in Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australasia. He is Coordinator of the IATEFL Young Learners and Teenagers Special Interest Group and is also a tutor and assessor for the Cambridge Delta Modules, CELTA as well as lead trainer for the Celt P and Celt S awards

1215 – 1300 WORKSHOPS C

WORKSHOP 9 A RAGBAG OF RHYTHM AND RHYME, STORIES AND MIMEHere’s a random collection of practical, engaging activities to use with your Young Learners, some for younger ones (6-10 years), some for older ones (11-14). And some for ‘children’ of any age. Each of them is a template activity and can, therefore, be used with different content and for different ages. Commonalities? Attuning learners to rhyme, rhythm and stress, and bringing stories to life through movement and mime. Never taught younger learners? Come along just the same and join in the fun!

About Alan MarshAlan has worked in teacher training and development (including CELTA, DELTA, Erasmus+) with teachers from all over the world, both in mainstream education (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) and in private language school contexts. He contributes regularly to ELT publications, is the President of MATEFL and in 2014 he was awarded the first Inspiring ELT Professional Award in recognition of his contribution to Malta’s ELT industry.

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WORKSHOP 10 STRANGE FRUIT. EXPLORING SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES THROUGH SONGS IN ELTTeenagers and other students spend a great deal of time listening to music. Songs then (and crucially their lyrics) offer huge potential in the classroom for exploring many difficult issues, not least those relating to social justice. It seems though, that the potential for using this resource for such purposes is not being fully tapped into. This session will summarise theorist’s views on the use of songs to highlight social justice/controversial issues. It will then offer participants the opportunity to put forward their ideas on which songs they would use to explore such issues and how they would employ them.

About Chris WalklettI am an experienced ELT teacher & history lecturer whose area of interest is using songs/song lyrics in the classroom and writing materials employing them. I am constantly struck by the ability of songs (and particularly their lyrics) to get a wide range of messages across to students of all ages.

WORKSHOP 11 IMPROVING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF LANGUAGE TEACHERSIn this workshop I will draw on a large scale piece of research into the mental health of language teachers. Participants will have an opportunity to explore diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions, including recognising the symptoms and ways to manage them. This will be highly relevant for teachers, line managers and employers, such as Directors of Studies or language school owners.

About Phil LongwellI have taught English as a foreign language for 12 years. I am involved in ESOL, EAP and the use of learning technologies. I visited the Malta ELT conference in 2017 as part of the Learning Technologies Special Interest Group, which I am a current committee member of.


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WORKSHOP 12 CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, INTERACTION AND MOTIVATIONThis workshop will look at using effective activities in a language classroom, encouraging students to interact with each other in English and motivating them to participate in the lessons and benefit as much as possible. There will be a discussion on how the above can motivate us as teachers.

About Marielou MifsudMarielou Mifsud has been teaching for the past nine years, has taught children, teenagers and adults from all walks of life. CELTA qualified and SMART NOTEBOOK IWB teacher trainer. Has teaching at heart, is motivated and inspiring. Winner of last year’s Inspiring ELT Professional Award.

1300 – 1415 Lunch - Ħarruba Restaurant (Level 4)

1415 – 1500 WORKSHOPS D

WORKSHOP 13 LISTENING AS A CONSTRUCTIVE PROCESSFindings of research into the processing of spoken language point to the constructive nature of listening. In this talk, we’ll look at how L1 listening comprehension is influenced by various elements and compare this to the L2 listening endeavour. We’ll also exchange ideas on how we could possibly exploit this information when teaching listening to adults.

About Annie McDonaldAnnie has taught EFL/ESP/EAP to secondary/university/adult students for 30+ years in Turkey, Brazil, Spain and England. She holds an MSc in Teaching English from Aston University, is former president of TESOL-Spain, has co-authored English Result (OUP, 4 levels), Authentic Listening Resource Pack (Delta, 2015), and co-founded www.hancockmcdonald.com, with Mark Hancock.

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WORKSHOP 14 USING PICTUREBOOKS TO DEVELOP METACOGNITIONThe fusion of trade publishing and ELT pedagogy offers a high quality and motivating approach to language teaching and learning and provides a flexible and educational resource. This workshop will show how picturebooks can be used to help children develop their awareness of the learning process.

About Gail EllisGail Ellis is Advisor Young Learners and Quality and is based at the British Council, Paris. She has over 30 years of experience as a teacher, teacher trainer and manager. Her publications include Learning to Learn English, The Primary English Teacher’s Guide, Tell it Again! and Teaching children how to learn. She is an advocate for children’s language learning rights and her main interests include children’s literature, young learner ELT management and inclusive practices.

WORKSHOP 15 ARE YOU INTERESTED?In what? Whatever your answer is, you will find a video on TED.com that inspires you and that inspires your students. TED Talks are immensely thought-provoking. The videos are informative, educational and jaw-dropping stories that will open eyes to new ideas and direct minds towards critical thinking. TED Talks bring diverse voices into the classroom, creating questions and debate about the real world. Natural speech, critical and creative thinking, incorrect grammar, incomplete structures, various accents, notable and non-famous thinkers, endless topics, comprehension and listening. Come and design your lesson!

About Erna JakabErna has only been an EFL teacher for 3 years but has never stopped experimenting with new methods and challenging different perspectives in ELT. She graduated in English Studies specializing in Literature and History in 2014 but her life took a U-turn when she came to Malta to complete her CELTA 3 years ago. She enjoys using technology and board games in the classroom as well as creating her own lessons.


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WORKSHOP 16 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF INTERACTIVE PANEL SOFTWAREThe aim of the session is to provide teachers with practical ideas on how to create and deliver content through the latest web-based Interactive Panel Software, namely Classflow. As time goes by, more and more students are coming to class with their own devices and expectations that these devices are integrated directly through the technology available. Classflow takes this to the next level by linking all the devices in the class in order to provide a customised and personalised approach like nothing ever seen before. Bring your own device, be it a smartphone, tablet or laptop for the full experience.

About Kevin SpiteriKevin is the founder of Tetra, a teacher training academy specialising in ELT. Over the last 20 years, he’s held several roles in schools in Malta, England, Scotland, Hungary, Turkey. After working as a Director of Studies for several years, he decided to focus on his true passion: teacher training.

1515 – 1600 WORKSHOPS E

WORKSHOP 17 NOTICE, RECORD & STORE, RETRIEVE & USEThis presentation focuses on the possible enrichment of language, music and art experiences of students by using digital media technologies to learn English language. The issues around correlation of the teaching contents of English language and music across the curricula (while using digital media) are complex, and insufficiently explored. Through multiple educational perspectives on using music and media in ELT, the aim is to develop grater knowledge in creating opportunities for interactive learning and development of students’ personal educational language events and communication experiences by using music and digital media technologies. Key words: digital media, ELT, language skills, music.

About Sigo GattSigo is an ELT professional - actively involved in teacher training and syllabus design for over a decade. He loves to make use of music, theatre, art and technology in class, as he believes that they are excellent tools for targeting language, stimulate discussion and promote autonomous learning. He has been providing CPD

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workshops face-to-face in various seminars, conferences etc... and online through www.onlineTEFLteacher.com - and shares a lot of lesson ideas, classroom quirks and words of inspiration, through his TEFL-Teacher-members-only Facebook page called TEFL Kerfuffle.

WORKSHOP 18 TEACHING LANGUAGE AND LIFE SKILLS TO PRIMARY 6-10 Y.O. CHILDREN THROUGH STORIESPrimary 6-10 year old children have to come out of this period with solid literacy skills to allow them to meet the demands of the further secondary education. Moreover, at this age it is vital to help them develop key life skills to prepare for the next period of their life. Stories are a powerful tool to combine developing both language and life skills. The objective of this workshop is to discuss and demonstrate how to successfully incorporate stories in ELT Primary class in order to teach the language and also enhance personal development, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and imagination.

About Elena GrodzievskayaHaving a university degree in Russian and English language and literature and being CELTA and DELTA qualified, I worked with International House Moscow, Russia and the British Council Casablanca, Morocco. At the moment I am a teacher, Cambridge examiner and Primary learners coordinator at the British Council Tunis.

WORKSHOP 19 DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKERS IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMSCritical thinking is a crucial skill in the 21st Century. How can we develop our young learners higher thinking skills? What simple ideas can we apply to the classroom to encourage learners to think independently? What activities and routines can help our young learners to see connections between ideas, problem solve, create and evaluate? This workshop will look at how we can give learners the opportunity to make their own decisions. It will demonstrate routines that will help allow our learners to formulate their own decisions and opinions and develop their higher thinking skills.

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About Carla FeistCarla is currently teaching at the British Council Bahrain. After completing the Teaching Young Learner Extension Course and an MA in Applied Linguistics, Carla has a strong interest in critical thinking skills and the importance of young learner independence in the classroom.

WORKSHOP 20 TO TEACH OR NOT TO TEACH? CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN ELTAs teachers, we are often reliant on coursebooks in our classrooms but as Zemach (2018) pointed out the list of the PARSNIPS-type, off-limit topics in published materials is ever-growing and far from sensible. A problem then arises when wishing to discuss difficult situations that affect our students’ lives. How can we empower them to speak up and be heard within such constraints? Should we adopt a learner-led approach, or should we be more proactive, arming them with the language and means to give them a voice? This session will discuss both approaches, and encourage ideas and participation from attendees.

About Carol SamlalI am a freelance proof-reader/copyeditor and EFL tutor. Lately, I have moved to ESOL. My students, from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances, are looking to resettle in the UK. My aim is to make my materials/classes relevant my students’ lives and concerns, as well as real world issues.

1615 – 1700 WORKSHOPS F

WORKSHOP 21 WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF AUGMENTED REALITY IN TESOL?What is Augmented Reality (AR)? How is AR currently being used in TESOL? What are the attitudes and beliefs of EFL teachers towards AR? What are the most appropriate language skills for AR? How can I create my own AR resources? Can my students create AR resources? What student age range is AR most appropriate for? What are the advantages and disadvantages of AR? Is it a teaching and learning tool for future development or just a passing trend? Find out the answers to these and even more questions about Augmented Reality in this innovative digital technology workshop. BYOD.

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About Pamela BorgPamela Borg is a freelance Academic Consultant, Teacher Trainer and Interactive Whiteboard Trainer. Pam has spoken at several international conferences and delivered teacher training in the UK, Italy and Malta. She has a passion for researching, experimenting and having fun with innovative digital technologies for English language teaching and learning.

WORKSHOP 22 A BUCKET FULL OF GAMES AND ACTIVITIESChildren like playing simple, old-fashioned games despite having all the technology at hand. In our school, we don’t use technology with the young learners, we play and learn. In this workshop, I would like to share some games and activities we use to revise the vocabulary and grammar. It is a workshop full of practical ideas.

About Sanja RaškovićI have been an EFL teacher for 22 years. I have a BA in English and Italian language and literature. I’m also a CELTA certified teacher, CertIBET certified teacher, One-to-one language coach, a storyteller and NLP trainer. I run workshops in Croatia and at the international conferences and I also run my own language school “Global lingua” in Croatia.

WORKSHOP 23 ‘THEY WON’T COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH!’: ENCOURAGING SPEAKING IN THE PRIMARY CLASSROOMOne of the most common challenges that primary school teachers face is how to motivate their learners to use English in the classroom. In this workshop, we will consider some the reasons why children might be reluctant to speak in English and try out some activities that have been suggested by teachers themselves and that will encourage ven the most unwilling English speakers to join in.

About Fiona CoplandFiona Copland is Professor of TESOL at the University of Stirling, Scotland. She has taught English in Nigeria, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK. Fiona has published widely in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, including the recent The Routledge Handbook of Teaching English to Young Learners, which she co-edited with Sue Garton.


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WORKSHOP 24 KEEPING YOUNG TEENAGERS INTERESTED: ADAPTING TEACHING MATERIAL AND RETAINING RELEVANCEChoosing interesting and relevant teaching material for 11-14 year olds may be challenging since these are transitional years in one’s development. The purpose of this workshop is for the participants to discuss in groups how teaching material can be adapted for these particular learners. Each group will suggest and share age-appropriate activities in the skill / language item assigned. Therefore, by the end of the workshop the participants will be equipped with a set of theme-based and practical lesson ideas and activities, which could be readily used with lower secondary learners.

About Stefania PaceOver the past ten years Stefania has had different roles in language teaching, namely as an EFL and secondary mainstream teacher, a teacher mentor, an Academic School Visitor and more recently an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Malta. Her main interests are acquisition and assessment.

1700 – 1715 Conference closure

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NOTES

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SPONSORS

MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND EQUALITY

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ELT CouncilEducation Information CentreMinistry for Education and Employment (MEDE)Great Siege Road, Floriana, VLT 2000, Malta

Tel: (+356) 2598 1240 Email: [email protected] Website: eltcouncil.gov.mt

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES IN ELT ELT Malta Conferenc… · 0930 – 1015 PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT (PART 1)...

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