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IATEFL is currently accepting proposals from IATEFL members for webinar presentations to be included in the monthly webinar programme for 2024/25.

IATEFL’s webinar programme provides participants around the world access to professional training and development opportunities without leaving the home or office. IATEFL offers a broad range of programming to help participants keep up-to-date with the latest management trends, industry best practices, hot topics, and subjects of special interest.

If you have something to share with the ELT community and are keen to support our educational initiative, why not consider submitting a proposal. Webinar presentations are given on a voluntary basis for educational purposes and are a fantastic opportunity to share your ideas, research and initiatives in a supportive, global community.

Interested parties should complete the online webinar proposal form by 09.00 UK time, Monday 10 June 2024. Submissions will be considered by the IATEFL membership committee with all applications being considered on an anonymous basis. If you would like to look at the process and plan your application before you complete the online form, you can download an overview of the application process here.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and to launching a new and exciting programme of online professional development opportunities.  

Good luck!

IATEFL Membership Committee

It’s certainly been a challenging time over the last two years as we’ve tried to organise our annual international conference! As you will remember, we took the difficult decision to defer the conference planned for 2020 in Manchester, and finally ended up running it online last June. We were delighted with the positive response from delegates who attended, and it fit in well with the huge increase in online webinars, courses and events IATEFL ran in 2021, over 150! The association had already been offering online events for many years previously, but it’s clear that they firmly have a strong place in our range of activities moving forward.

So why not have another virtual conference?

Whilst the virtual conference last year received very positive feedback, in delegate feedback the most popular option was, however, to return to having a face-to-face conference where delegates can meet up with friends and colleagues, discuss issues over a coffee, and enjoy being part of a physical community.

With this in mind we pushed the conference back to May this year, much later than our usual March or April slot and past any winter surge which might happen, in the hope that we would be passed the worst of the pandemic by then, that global vaccination programmes will have made much greater progress, that the warmer weather would enable people to be outside more if they wished, and that we could mitigate for any on-going risks with a range of measures to protect delegates.

As a result, IATEFL is busy planning for a safe, enjoyable and valuable face-to-face conference experience. We have completed our scholarship applications process, our call for proposals, announced our plenary speakers, informed successful speakers, and will soon be launching our conference preview.

How will we make sure the conference will be as safe as possible for attendees?

Our venue, the ICC in Belfast, has undertaken comprehensive risk assessments to mitigate against the transmission of COVID-19. At present, this includes all attendees wearing face coverings, engaging in sensible distancing in communal areas, and observing the signage, hand hygiene and general COVID-19 messaging around the venue. The ICC Belfast has been awarded the ‘We’re good to go’ mark, an industry standard demonstrating their commitment to implementing relevant government and public health guidance in relation to COVID-19. The venue has enhanced cleaning and sanitising procedures in place, and only fresh air which is heated or cooled as required by the air handling units instead of recycled air through ventilation systems.

Of course IATEFL will be playing its part too, making sure everything is as safe and sanitised as we can. And we’ll also be providing guidance for our delegates before the conference, on what they can do to play their part too.

Safety measures will only be relaxed further before May if the venue and the Northern Irish Government feel it is safe to do so. The measures are there to protect all conference attendees, as well as reassuring them.

What about a hybrid conference?

Many people have asked if we plan to go hybrid for the Belfast conference. While we are really keen to explore this option, at the present time there are a number challenges we feel need to be resolved to ensure that any offer of a hybrid conference does not lead to a dissatisfying experience for all.

We know from members that they crave a face to face event, so how will people feel if the audience of IATEFL 2022 is split? Would online participants truly feel part of IATEFL 2022 or simply a distant spectator knowing that at heart they are missing the full experience the conference brings? After two years without the face to face event we want Belfast to be the place that the ELT profession meets each other again. If we went hybrid would the face to face audience feel they are missing out on the full experience of communicating, networking and exchanging ideas and opinions with fellow delegates?  How will a presenter feel presenting to ‘two’ audiences? There could, for example, be just one or two people in a room and hundreds of others online. Preparing a talk for conference is often a big enough challenge without having to worry about how to make a session that is both physically and virtually interactive and collaborative.

The IATEFL conference is not just about talks, there is also the social side, and while our online conference in 2021 did a great job of bringing a feel of them to you via our platform, part of their success was that we were all joining in the same way. Furthermore, an IATEFL conference is also about discovering all that’s new in the world of English language teaching in our exhibition and being able to ask questions of the publishers, course providers, exam boards and others who are there.

The success of our conference is in the detail of our planning, last year we did copious amounts of research, trials and testing before we were confident that we could offer the conference online. While there is no doubt that a hybrid conference presents all sorts of opportunities for IATEFL, at the moment we are still grappling with the challenges that a hybrid event will bring and trying to find solutions that will create a satisfying experience for all involved and more importantly will not make the conference more costly for delegates.  

Where we are now?

The IATEFL Conference Committee and Head Office team will continue to monitor the situation regarding the pandemic and all associated guidance. We will continue to liaise with all of our partners, including the venue, to ensure we have done everything we need to. And we will continue to plan for a face-to-face conference and exhibition in Belfast, our 55th international conference. We are equally planning a range of contingencies in the case of any further challenges, but hope these will not be necessary as the world continues to combat COVID.

Unfortunately we aren’t able to confirm exactly what the situation will be, and what travel restrictions might be in place, or not, from all countries around the world at this point. Whilst it’s true that international travel restrictions for people travelling to the United Kingdom have been greatly relaxed recently, we’re simply too far away from May at the moment to understand what the situation will be like throughout the world. However the moment there is an update, we will share it with you as soon as possible. We’re hoping things will move in a positive direction in the weeks to come.

What can you do?

We would always advise delegates to take out appropriate travel insurance to protect themselves, understand any travel restrictions which may be imposed on them if they travel (as it stands there should be none for entry into the United Kingdom for those vaccinated, but you should always confirm this for your own circumstances), and make sure their travel tickets are refundable in the case that you are unable to attend. Most travel companies have such policies in place now. We would encourage everyone to get vaccinated if and when they are able to, and continue to take the practical steps we all know in order to remain safe.

Equally we’d like to invite you to finally step away from your screen, stop staring at your webcam, and come and join us in Belfast if you are able to. We know so many of you are looking forward to seeing each other, and we’re looking forward to seeing you too. Whilst the association will continue to provide a wide range of online courses, webinars and events, as well as publications, throughout the year, our intention is also to provide you with an annual opportunity to meet up in person at our international conference. This year’s will be from 17th to 20th May in Belfast, with Pre-Conference Events offered by our Special Interest Groups on the 16th. We hope to see you there!

 

[VIDEO::https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvWBq_mIlSQ]

As you will be aware, we recently put out a call for the role of Vice President of IATEFL. That call has now closed and we have received a valid nomination, proposed and seconded by current IATEFL members, from Aleksandra Popovski Golubovikj. Aleksandra is currently Coordinator of our Materials Writing Special Interest Group.

As no other valid applications were received, Aleksandra’s nomination will be taken forward for ratification at the Annual General Meeting in Belfast in May 2022 in the normal way. Whilst there is consequently no need for a hustings event between different candidates as happened last time, we are nonetheless planning an opportunity for those of you who haven’t met Aleksandra to get to know her, hear about her ideas and vision, and ask any questions you may have. This will be held as a Facebook Live event on the IATEFL Facebook page on Wednesday 15th December at 2pm UK time (see the time in your location). We hope to see you there!

 

Aleksandra’s personal statement:

My passion for teaching and sharing knowledge comes from my own love for education. Now, after  24 years of learning and teaching, I am ready to use my knowledge and experience to support teachers  around the world on their professional journey. I believe that teachers’ associations can support  teachers in many ways. That is why I have been actively involved with our national association  ELTAM MK (North Macedonia) for 20 years – first as General Secretary and now as President – and  IATEFL for 10 years, currently as the Coordinator for MaWSIG (Materials Writing Special Interest  Group). 

One of IATEFL’s goals is to ‘Link, develop and support ELT professionals worldwide’. As a refugee  I always wanted to belong to a community, and I finally do. I want to help enhance that feeling of  community where teachers of English can expand teaching knowledge, receive professional support,  and connect with other teachers. I would like to connect IATEFL SIGs and Associates to organize  joint professional development events and create resources accessible to members and non-members.  

I am well-aware of all aspects of running a national teachers’ association and I look forward to  learning how to lead an international association such as IATEFL. I am a team player who can  collaborate with others easily and learn from them as well.  

I am and will always be fully committed to the betterment of teachers’ professional lives by making  the connection between IATEFL and teachers of English stronger through cooperation, collaboration, and mutual support. 

Are you the next leader of IATEFL?

We are currently accepting nominations for the next Vice President of IATEFL, who will then become President in the second and third years of their term, before becoming out-going Vice President for their final year. This is a fantastic opportunity to help shape the future of IATEFL as a global community of English language teaching professionals, in collaboration with a board of seven other trustees and supported by our Head Office team.

Please read the description for this exciting and important position carefully for a full explanation of what’s involved in this volunteer role and, if you would like to apply, you’ll also find the nomination form which must also be completed by two other current IATEFL individual members as your proposer and seconder. The deadline for nominations is Tuesday 30 November 2021.

Quick links:

Vice President and President role description.pdf

IATEFL nomination and declaration form for Vice President

Statement from IATEFL:

IATEFL acknowledges that we are facing a climate, ecological and planetary emergency that is impacting our most precious natural resources, exacerbating social inequalities and damaging human health.

Coronavirus has highlighted that drastic action is possible by Governments and organisations worldwide.

IATEFL is committed to reviewing how it can reduce its own carbon footprint, and also to using our voice and our influence with partners, suppliers, members and supporters to inspire the action needed to tackle the urgent crises we face.

 

IATEFL actions:

In addition to the previous commitments and actions IATEFL has taken itself, which can be reviewed here, we will also now be:

1.  Monitoring and reducing our digital carbon footprint.

“If the internet was a country, it would be the 6th largest polluter.”
How will we be doing this?

• Having 6-monthly purges to archive and take off-line anything which is no longer required.
• Storing digital data off-line wherever possible, rather than on web servers in the cloud.
• Compressing recordings to reduce their online footprint and streaming requirements.
• Raising awareness among staff and volunteers.

2.  Reducing our staff and volunteer carbon footprint from travel.

How will we be doing this?

• Continuing to run meetings online, instead of face-to-face, in the short term. We will then move to a mix of face-to-face and virtual meetings in the longer term so as to reduce our carbon footprint significantly, but also maintain some opportunities for networking in person.
• IATEFL has introduced a partial working from home policy for staff members which aims to reduce travelling to work by at least a third.

3.  Continuing to reduce the carbon footprint of our annual conference.

How will we be doing this?

• Evaluating the environmental impact of each aspect of the conference, and looking for more sustainable options whenever and wherever we can.
• Ensuring our venue is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint and not increasing ours.
• Encouraging, challenging and celebrating the actions of our partners and stakeholders.

4.  Reducing, reusing and recycling wherever possible.

How will we be doing this?

• Sorting Head Office waste and repurposing or recycling wherever possible.
• Continuing and increasing the off-line digitisation of paperwork in order to continue to reduce printing and paper usage, but without increasing our digital carbon footprint.

5.  Encouraging others, and learning from them.

How will we be doing this?

• We hope the initiatives listed above, as well as those we have already committed to (see link above) will encourage others to think about what they can do too.
• If you have any good ideas which you’ve taken up yourself and think we could do too, just let us know. Please email your idea to: [email protected] with a subject of ‘Green Idea’.

 

Jon Burton, IATEFL Chief Executive:

Sustainability is one of IATEFL’s key strategy focuses, and has been for several years. The climate emergency needs us all to take individual responsibility and individual action, and clearly organisations of all kinds also have a vital role. Together we can make change, share knowlegde on how to make change, encourage others, and celebrate what we achieve.

Bids are being invited from UK English language schools to help improve the confidence, language and teaching skills of English Teaching Association (ETA) members in 40 nations. The Partnered Remote Learning Improvement Project (PRELIM) is being run for a second time by the British Council, English UK and IATEFL. As with PRELIM 1, NILE are managing consultants for the project.

After the massive success of the original PRELIM in early 2021, the British Council has secured £500,000 funding, enabling twice as many countries and UK language centres to take part.

Roy Cross, the British Council’s Principal Consultant, Partnerships, said: 

We’re delighted to be able to offer twice as many – forty – UK schools and universities and teacher associations round the world the opportunity to form a PRELIM partnership this time round. We’re delighted, also, to be able to open up the opportunity this time to up to ten countries not in receipt of official development assistance. There’s lots more learning and development, and lots more new friendships in prospect!

English UK chief executive Jodie Gray added:

We’re very excited to offer our members another chance to join this project, especially while Covid is still having a huge impact on our industry. Those which took part in the first PRELIM were really enthusiastic about the experience, working with teachers in their own countries within the support of a wider community of practice. I’m sure there will be plenty of applications to join PRELIM 2 from not only previous participants but a new group of centres.

As before, each project will be run independently by an English UK member centre with support from NILE to create a community of practice and facilitate the project. Last time, participants included small family-run centres, universities, and a variety of institutions in between.  
 
PRELIM 2 is being launched this week, with the closing date for bids Friday 22 October. Partnerships will deliver between January and March, with the project report likely to be published next June.  
 
IATEFL chief executive Jon Burton affirmed how positive the original PRELIM had been for the teaching associations which had taken part, and looked forward to supporting associations applying for and participating in PRELIM 2.  

The fact that this opportunity is being offered to teachers in double the number of countries this time round is wonderful. It can support many excellent teachers within IATEFL’s network of associates who might not otherwise have the opportunity to improve their language skills, helping build their confidence to improve their teaching and be more active in their teaching associations.

If you represent a teaching association, you can find out more about the project, and how your teraching association can apply to take part here: https://www.www.iatefl.org/prelim-2

The first PRELIM, run in 2021

The launch of the new scheme coincides with the publication of a very positive evaluation report on PRELIM I (see below for full report). This supported the development of over 3,000 English language teachers with partnerships between 17 UK language centres and 20 English Teacher Associations in Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries. It aimed to increase language proficiency and professional confidence, to create and support partnerships between teachers, ETAs and English UK members, and create the opportunity for increased global contextual awareness and teacher training capacity of English UK members and build a sustainable community of practice. “The stories and experiences shared from the PRELIM project participants were moving, rewarding and full of the genuine expression of professional development among all parties, underlining the successful achievement of the aims set out at the inception of the project,” says the report.  
 
It adds that PRELIM had a positive impact on the teachers’ language confidence.  
 
“The opportunity to interact in English outside of the classroom is limited in a number of the contexts of the participating professionals. Indeed, as a participant in Brazil shared, ‘this is the first time I’ve spoken in English with someone’. The creation of an English-speaking online community, even one as relatively short-lived as the PRELIM course, provided the chance to experience communication in a safe environment. For some this had a tangible impact on their classroom practice. A Georgian teacher explained that ‘I try to speak more English during the lesson, I give students instructions in English, I advise them to try to ask their questions in English and if they can’t, I help them to translate their questions’.  
 
“This suggests that on short courses, language confidence is more effectively supported through attitudinal shifts rather than level improvement. In Cameroon, for example, a teacher asserted that ‘I am no more stressed as before; I was scared of making mistakes in front of my students. Thanks to the course, I feel more confident and can teach a whole lesson without using French.’ If this is the case, and the evidence in the reports appears to suggest it is, then the environment of supportive partnership created by the UK institution, the English Teacher Association and the participants has a key role to play in this affective learning.” 
 
The UK participants were delighted to see how their own teachers’ confidence grew. “We have watched them move from teachers to leaders, from teachers with a DoS who knows best, to confident and able teachers who realise that their views, opinions and skills not only matter, but actively improve the course the project is taking,” said LILA* of its collaboration with ThaiTESOL. 
 
Outcomes for the UK language centres included teacher development, new approaches to organisational interactions and use of IT tools and platforms.

“For many of the UK institutions PRELIM provided an opportunity to develop their competence in remote course design and the use of IT tools and platforms. Many of the reports echo the observation that ‘the nature of PRELIM meant our teaching and training staff had to think more deeply about, and become familiar with, many aspects of online learning which they weren’t accustomed to’ (Bell/ ELTA Serbia).”  

We are looking for IATEFL members to be moderators to support speakers and sessions during the three days of the virtual international conference this year, being held from 19 to 21 June 2021.

What would I need to do?

• Be available for an introduction to the online platform as well as a practice session before the event.
• Be available on the three days of the conference. You need to be available to moderate for approximately half of each day’s schedule.
• Have a suitable computer or laptop (not a mobile device) with a webcam and microphone
• Have a stable internet connection (preferably wired).
• Previous experience of moderating or presenting would also be valuable.

And in return…

• You’ll receive training and support.
• You’ll receive a specific moderator certificate of achievement for having supported our international conference.
• As a moderator you’ll get full access to all events and sessions of the conference without the need to register as a delegate.

The next step…

If you’re interested in this exciting opportunity, feel you’re suitably experienced, and have the necessary availability and equipment then we’d love to hear from you. Please send a brief email to Shaun Wilden, [email protected], confirming your availability  (mornings and/or afternoons UK time for the three days) and your experience.