The Magic of the Written Word 

Written words are a magic art conjured up long, long ago in the distant past. And we are all wizards who have learnt to create and decipher the elusive markings that arrange themselves to create and reveal messages, facts and stories. This presentation explores the complexities of the man-made skills of writing and reading. For example, what our brain needs to do to interpret these squiggles as information, opinions, emotions and how these skills need to be introduced and nurtured by caregivers and teachers. I will suggest approaches to embedding key literacy skills from the youngest classes to further developing these skills with older learners, so that they not only master skills necessary to pass exams but also (dare I say?) learn to enjoy writing and reading. I will also introduce the tactic of genre analysis

‘Vocabulary and memory: Ideas and practices to help learners retain vocabulary’ 

What can we do to help learners remember? A presentation that explores the complexities of vocabulary teaching and the ways teachers can help learners store and retain vocabulary more effectively.

Ricco and Me!

Ricco and Me! Step into Ricco’s world and give your junior students a rich and rewarding learning experience. Highlights include 3D animated adventures, interesting real-world content and specially-made documentary videos. And students can improve their pronunciation with Burlington’s unique new Scan and Speak feature in their interactive webbooks. Come along and find out more.

Pronunciation Matters

1) Why pronunciation matters. The impact of poor pronunciation on the development of the skills of speaking, listening, writing and reading. 
2) What matters most in pronunciation? The globalisation of English, the notion of international intelligibility, and the Lingua Franca Core. 
3) International intelligibility, the Common European Framework, and the major exam boards (Cambridge, Trinity, IELTS, TOEFL). 
4) Models and instructions for teaching pronunciation for international intelligibility.

Weaving Values and Social Awareness into EFL Classroom 

How can we teach our students the skills and values that can lead them to personal development, gain an understanding of the problems and current issues our society is facing and provide our students with an overall picture of the world around them so as to be able to manage their lives now and in the future? Can we, through teaching Grammar, Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension raise awareness of social issues such as the acceptance of diversity and equip our students with the right tools so as to appreciate the value of friendship, good health and wellbeing, mutual respect, to manage daily stress, their emotions and the imminent risks they will face as children and teenagers in a digital world? Brainy Education has the answer. Through examples we will analyze and provide a number of activities that can

Mediation: Practical application in the EFL Classroom

Explore the value of mediation in English language teaching. Learn about the latest CEFR updates, activities, strategies, and practical applications in the EFL classroom. Enhance your students’ communication skills through mediation. Join us to take it to the next level!

PTE Young Learners: A Fun Way to Assess Language Competences

The talk will briefly present the structure of the Pearson English International Certificate Young Learners (PTE YL). Its main focus will be on the ways Speaking is assessed through an interaction in the form of a board game and other fun activities.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: main characteristics, strategies, and accommodations for students’ communication difficulties in the foreign language environment 

This presentation aims at providing teachers with a solid theoretical knowledge on main concepts and challenges so as to assist students with ASD in classroom environments. First, an understanding of the categorization and main characteristics of ASD is outlined while the main challenges students face are presented. The second part of the presentation provides a) a number of strategies and interventions regarding both first and foreign language, and b) accommodations regarding provision of instructions, feedback and the building of self-esteem to facilitate special students’ comprehension and communication and interaction in the foreign language classroom.

In this workshop, teachers will have the opportunity to try out a range of classroom activities that develop the writing and reading skills presented in Olha’s plenary. These will be easily adapted for all classes and levels and teachers can start using these ideas immewdiately with their students.

In this workshop we will: 
1) Determine teaching priorities – using the Lingua Franca Core we’ll ‘filter’ traditional lists of problems and produce a list of top priorities for Greek-L1 learners aiming at international intelligibility. 
2) Provide some useful teaching techniques 
3) Look whether the learner’s L1 is a resource or an obstacle to good pronunciation.

ELT exams Update 

The latest trends in assessment locally and internationally. 
- Online testing: pros and cons. 
- How many B2 & C2 exams are available and ‘equal’ in Greece. How long do they last? Which ones really ‘expire’?

The Power of Grammar: Impact on Language Learning and Communication Skills 

A mini seminar on helping teachers understand the role of grammar, recognise its impact on language proficiency and explore strategies to enhance grammar skills. During the seminar we will illustrate the reasons why grammar is essential for language learners and its impact on communication skills. We will also present strategies to enhance your students’ grammar skills and share practical tips to help your students improve their grammar proficiency.

Learning-centred teaching in online learning; A humanistic approach 

Resistance to online synchronous and asynchronous learning has been an issue for those forced into sudden change. However, online, blended and hybrid learning (both synchronous and asynchronous) is here to stay. As an inspector and as a teacher trainer, I have had the opportunity to observe many classes and I will be sharing my reflections. The session will develop ways that online platforms and tools can be used to humanise online teaching i.e. how to make it learner-led, putting the learner at the heart of the process. I will consider and review good teaching techniques in an online context, how to set up tasks and activities to engage and motivate learners, and how to involve learners in a continuous humanistic assessment process to improve their performance. I hope to show that teaching and learning online can be carried out in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere whilst still ensuring quality language teaching and supporting learners in achieving results.