Dear all.

In the past weeks, some of our colleagues joined various conferences or events and generously shared their reflections. Please find them below.

Reflection on the Conference “Speech Developing Environment in an Educational Organization: Problems and Technologies” by Olga Sokolova and Anna Ekici

On April 23rd, 2026, we had the opportunity to participate in the international conference “Speech Developing Environment in an Educational Organization: Problems and Technologies”, organized by the Institute for Educational Development of the Sverdlovsk Region in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The conference was held online and brought together educators, researchers, and teacher trainers dedicated to improving language education practices.

Our joint participation in this event came as a follow-up to the presentations we delivered earlier at the Ural State Pedagogical University. After those sessions, several colleagues expressed strong interest in our ideas and invited us to present again—this time for an institution responsible for supporting foreign-language teachers across the region and providing their continuing professional development. This invitation highlighted the relevance of our work and the openness of the local academic community to innovative pedagogical approaches.

During the conference, Olga presented under the title: “From Visuals to Vocal: Building an Interactive Speaking Environment with Mind Maps.” Her contribution focused on one of the central challenges in beginner-level (A1–A2) French classes: helping students transition from passive comprehension to active oral production. The presentation explored how mind mapping can serve as an effective pedagogical technology, offering cognitive scaffolding that supports vocabulary retrieval, reduces speaking anxiety, and promotes spontaneous interaction. Olga aimed not only to discuss theoretical aspects but also to share concrete, classroom-tested strategies that educators can immediately apply. By showing how visual tools can be integrated into the different stages of a lesson, we emphasized the creation of a dynamic, student-centered speaking environment. The session aligned closely with the conference’s broader focus on designing educational spaces that actively foster speech development.

Anna’s presentation had a title “Goal or Means: On Organizing Educational-Communicative Situations in Foreign Language Classes”. She aimed to highlight the importance of communication as the primary goal of foreign language learning at the elementary level and to demonstrate how this goal can be achieved through classroom practice. The presentation was mainly devoted to practical aspects of teaching rather than theory, which made it relevant and engaging for the audience. Anna based her talk on her own teaching experience at Özyeğin University, where the communicative and activity-based approach plays a central role. She shared specific classroom practices and examples of how communicative situations can be effectively modeled to encourage student interaction and meaningful language use. The presentation can also be seen as a contribution to the international exchange of teaching experience. By presenting approaches used in her university to Russian colleagues, Anna believes that she connected different educational contexts.

Participating in this conference was a valuable professional experience. It allowed us to represent Özyeğin University, contribute to regional discussions on language pedagogy, and strengthen collaboration with institutions dedicated to supporting language teachers in the Sverdlovsk region in Russia.

We hope that the ideas shared during our presentation will encourage colleagues to experiment with mind mapping and other interactive techniques in their own teaching contexts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflection on IATEFL International Conference 2026 Brighton, UK, on “How to Implement Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in English Language Teaching” session by Selen Şirin Dülger

I attended the IATEFL International Conference 2026, held in Brighton, UK, from 20–24 April, representing Özyeğin University. I joined the final two days of the conference (23–24 April), where I took part in various sessions and had valuable opportunities to connect with colleagues from around the world.

A personal highlight of the conference was presenting my own session on 23 April: How to Implement Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in English Language Teaching. The session focused on practical, classroom-ready ideas for promoting self-regulated learning and learner autonomy in higher education contexts. I was pleased to welcome around 50 participants, who engaged actively throughout the session. After the session, I also had the chance to continue informal conversations with colleagues who had further questions and were interested in applying similar ideas in their own institutions.

Another standout session on the first day was Gabriel Casey’s Becoming the “all-rounder” teacher: A self-reflective discovery from International House London. His talk explored the importance of teacher self-reflection as a pathway to becoming more responsive practitioners. A key message that resonated with me was that effective teaching begins with genuinely listening to learners, understanding their changing needs, and adapting our practice accordingly. The session reminded that professional growth is closely linked to reflective habits and openness to learning from our students.

I also attended Developing Online Teaching Standards to Meet the Demands of a New Reality, which examined how institutions can build sustainable quality standards for online and blended learning. The session highlighted that digital teaching is no longer a temporary solution, but an integral part of modern education that requires thoughtful planning, teacher support, and clear expectations. Another session was Seven Deadly Virtues of ELT – Rethinking What We Think Works, which challenged commonly accepted beliefs in language teaching. It encouraged participants to critically evaluate established practices and remain open to evidence-informed alternatives rather than relying solely on tradition. On 24 April, I attended Motivation, Critical Thinking, and AI: Rethinking Teacher Training, a session that explored how teacher education must evolve in response to rapid technological change.

The plenary sessions also offered broader perspectives on the future of education. In particular, the closing plenary, Teaching at a Turning Point, was especially thought-provoking. One of its strongest messages was that teachers often undervalue their own expertise, partly because of the difficult working conditions they have come to accept. The speaker argued that teachers sometimes confuse caring with self-sacrifice, when in fact professionalism should not require burnout or unsustainable workloads. Another powerful idea was that while teachers may not control every aspect of the system, they still have agency through the choices they make, what they accept, and what they challenge.

Overall, attending IATEFL 2026 was a professionally enriching experience. I was especially pleased to have the opportunity to present at this respected international conference and, over the two days, to meet and exchange ideas with educators from many different contexts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflection on IATEFL International Conference 2026 Brighton, UK, on “Integrating AI into the Curriculum with Differentiated Instruction” session by Selda Gümüş

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 59th IATEFL International Conference and Exhibition, held in the beautiful seaside city of Brighton in the south-east of England. This global event took place from 21 to 24 April 2026, with pre-conference events on 20 April, bringing together English language teaching professionals from around the world. The conference was a four-day celebration of the ELT profession, featuring over 600 academic sessions alongside an extensive exhibition showcasing the latest developments in language teaching. The programme included plenary talks, presentations, workshops, panel discussions, lightning talks, and poster sessions, as well as a vibrant social programme that created valuable networking opportunities. One of the highlights of the conference was the inspiring plenary sessions delivered by leading figures in ELT, including Scott Thornbury and Tom Kiddle.

The opening plenary by Patricia Angoy, titled “English Language – The Coloniser: A Black Female Leader’s Response,” set a powerful and thought-provoking tone for the conference. Throughout the event, there were numerous sessions focusing on key themes such as the integration of AI in education, mediation in assessment, and inclusivity in language teaching, all reflecting the evolving landscape of ELT and encouraging participants to rethink their practices. I also had the privilege of presenting my own session, “Integrating AI into the Curriculum with Differentiated Instruction,” which attracted considerable interest and led to engaging discussions with fellow educators.

As a member of TEASIG, I was additionally involved in organising a Pre-Conference Event in collaboration with LASIG, as well as a special showcase celebrating TEASIG’s 40th anniversary. It was particularly valuable to hear from experts such as Nick Saville, whose talk on “Retaining the Human Touch in a Changing Learning and Assessment Landscape” offered important insights into the future of education. IATEFL itself, founded in 1967, is a global professional association run by and for its members; as a non-profit organisation and UK-registered charity, it plays a crucial role in supporting English language teachers worldwide by providing professional development opportunities, fostering collaboration, and creating a platform for sharing research and experience. Overall, the conference was an inspiring and enriching experience, offering a valuable opportunity to connect with educators from diverse contexts, exchange ideas, and be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking global ELT community.