Plenary Speakers

Jeremy Harmer

Jeremy Harmer is a teacher, teacher trainer and author. Among his many books are the classics, The Practice of English Language Teaching (now in its third edition) and How to Teach English, both published by Longman. He is the general editor of the Longman methodology series, and hosts the popular teacher development site ELT Forum (http://www.eltforum.com/). Jeremy has taught in Mexico and the UK, and is currently a course designer and tutor for the MA TESOL at the New School University, New York. He has trained teachers and offered seminars all over the world. Among the course materials he has devised are ‘Just Right’ and the ‘Just’ series, recently published by Marshall Cavendish ELT. He is the author of methodology titles including How to teach Writing (2004), the extensively revised second edition of How to Teach English (2007), and the fourth edition of The Practice of English Language Teaching (2007)– all published by Pearson Education Ltd. He is the General Editor of the Longman methodology list.

 Title:

Teaching Unplugged Beats Acquisition?

 Abstract:

A recent learning experience has made me question, again, many contemporary views on how languages are learned. This talk will look at conversation-driven, materials-light, emergent language theories and suggest that though they are attractive they do not necessarily tell the whole story – or do they?

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Peter Grundy

Peter Grundy is honorary Fellow, English Language Centre, Durham University, UK. Peter Grundy has worked in schools in UK and Germany, in teacher training and in higher education in UK and Hong Kong. He is author of several resource books for teachers including Beginners and Newspapers and, with Arthur Brookes, Writing for Study Purposes and Beginning to Write. He is especially interested in pragmatics, and his book Doing Pragmatics is now in its third edition. His two most recent books are Art in ELT with Hania Bociek and Kevin Parker (Helbling Languages, 2011) and The Pragmatics Reader with Dawn Archer (Routledge, 2011). He is a past president of IATEFL and currently chairs the IATEFL Wider Membership Scheme Committee.

 Title:

 Abstract:

There has been no significant work on ELT syllabus design in the lifetime of most teacher trainees; the postmethod hypothesis is widely accepted and the digital revolution offers undreamt of possibilities. So, have these liberalizing developments enabled educators to work imaginatively? Sadly, a new prescriptivism in which teachers are measured by training outcomes has taken hold. Against this background I will ask how learning should be managed and what teachers of integrity owe their learners.

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Rebecca L. Oxford

Rebecca L. Oxford, Ph.D., is Professor of Language Education and Research at Air University, a graduate university of the US Air Force. She has published more than 160 articles and book chapters on language learners, language learning, instructional technologies, culture, and teaching methods. She edited and authored many books on languages and culture and served as a series editor of a multivolume program, Tapestry, used globally for teaching English as a second or foreign language. The Lifetime Achievement Award she received from Heinle/Thomson states that her research ''has changed the way the world teaches languages.'' She has new books coming out on the language of peace, global cultures of peace, and transformative eco-education.

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 Abstract:

This invited plenary explains the meaning of language learning strategies, why learning strategies are so important to students, and how teachers can help students optimize their strategies. It presents each strategy category straightforwardly, offers a practical summary of the latest research and theory on learning strategies, and gives teachers ten specific guidelines for helping their students become more strategic, effective learners and users of English

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Featured Speakers

Peter Lucantoni

Peter Lucantoni has had a long career in English language teaching and training in Europe and the Middle East, and since 1993 in Cyprus. He is the author and co-author of several popular course books for students, including IGCSE English as a second language and Our English and has written a book of practical classroom ideas for teachers and teacher trainers. Peter regularly speaks at conferences and trains teachers internationally in both the public and private sectors.

 Title:

 Abstract:

Raising pedagogical standards through observation of, and feedback to, teachers is both rewarding and challenging. The presenter will focus on the challenges, discussing how observation and reflection can help teachers better understand themselves, and consider ways in which they can adapt to the modern educational context. Ultimately the desire is for teachers to not only reflect on their teaching, but also to consider how to respond to their classroom performances. Through observation and feedback teachers can be assisted in developing self-refection, and their responses to their own and their learners’ needs.

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Jayakaran Munkandan

Jayakaran Munkandan teaches at the Faculty of Educational Studies, UPM, Malaysia. He is an Associate Professor with 30 years of teaching and research experience. His research interest is mainly in the area of English Language Teaching Materials and Teacher Professional Development. He is Visiting Fellow at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, Visiting Professor at Ho Chi Minh Open University, Vietnam, and Management and Science University, Malaysia. He is also Director on the Board of the Extensive Reading Foundation (www.erfoundation.org)

 Title:

 Abstract:

In this paper the presenter will illustrate how a creative writing project designed for teacher professional development in the Asia-pacific region has brought about change in the personal development and self-esteem of the participants, who from being non-writers have become published writers.

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