International House London are very excited to announce the Future of Training Conference 2024. This will be a face-to-face conference and an online conference on Saturday November 16th 2024.   

 

 

We invite you to join us in our central London school for a series of talks by professionals involved in English language teacher training and development. Join other attendees for presentations, discussions, sharing thoughts and experiences. 

The face-to-face conference will be held at our building in central London, and the online conference will be hosted on Zoom. 

The conference focuses on issues in English language teacher training and teacher education and we welcome talks from people working in a range of contexts. This is a chance to spend the day with colleagues and to explore shared interests.

 

The Future of Training Conference 2024: Tried, Tested, Transformative

Have you tried something new in your practice recently? Why did you decide to try it out? What influenced your experiment (e.g. reading, research, a discussion with a colleague, a webinar/presentation)? How did you evaluate, test the idea, procedure, approach? What did you find out? How will this transform your future practice?

 

This year’s speakers…

 

Opening workshop: Richard Chinn – Trying, testing and transforming – what does it mean to you? 

Richard Chinn is a teacher educator working between King’s College London and International House London. His research interests are in classroom interaction and teacher development. He is co-author of the recent book Working with Emergent Language published by Pavillion.

The talk:
Join us for the opening workshop and overview of the programme themes this year. This opening session will explore how teacher learning comes about and will examine examples of growth points in trainer/educator development. The workshop will include reflection on key elements which create affordances for professional development. Applying a framework for reflection on critical moments in development, participants will be invited to consider what stimulated                                                       growth points in their careers.

                                                 Delivered face-to-face and online

 

Cecilia Nobre: Building a reflective feedback culture in teacher training 

Cecilia Nobre is a teacher, teacher trainer, DipTESOL tutor and mentor with over 20 years of experience and is passionate about online teaching teacher development. She has taught in Brazil, the UK and Turkey. She is currently doing her PhD in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick.  She is a co-author of Using Video to Support Teacher Reflection and Development in ELT (Equinox Publishing, 2023). 

The talk:
In this talk, we will explore the transformative power of reflective feedback in shaping our identities as teacher trainers. Reflective feedback is more than a tool for improvement—it’s a pathway to professional growth and deeper trainee connections. Participants will gain effective techniques for reflective feedback, learn to overcome common challenges, and understand how to cultivate a supportive feedback culture.

Delivered face-to-face and online

 

 

Matthew Ellman: Making teacher development frameworks work for trainers 

Matthew Ellman is Professional Learning and Development Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, designing and delivering training for teachers, institutions and Ministries of Education around the world. He has worked as a teacher and trainer in the UK, Spain and Malaysia, and has delivered courses, workshops and talks in a further 30 countries. Matthew’s research into teacher education won the British Council’s MA Dissertation Award at the 2018 ELTons, and he is co-author of From Teacher to Trainer, published by Cambridge University Press in 2022, and a finalist in this year’s ELTons.

The talk:
  There are many publicly available teacher development frameworks for English language teachers, but upon closer inspection it’s unclear precisely what they    offer to teachers and teacher educators. Together we’ll evaluate a range of alternatives and consider both how these frameworks can support trainers’ work,                                                  and how they might be improved, ahead of a revision to the Cambridge English Teaching Framework.                                                                                                                                                      
                                                 Delivered face-to-face and online

 

Helen Pattio Combe: Promoting the role of the multilingual teacher in ELT : how can teacher training promote diversity and inclusion in higher education 

Helen Pattio Combe is currently the national Head of Languages and Cultures at Quest Education Group in France, and holds a MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL from the University of Portsmouth, followed by a Certificate in Instructional Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her interests on multilingual education, language teacher identity, sociolinguistics and teacher training led her to study a MA in Leadership and Management in TESOL at the University of Portsmouth.

The talk:
While the language teacher identity was shaken by the arrival of AI tools, the way the students are now seeing language teachers changed as well. It is not enough to just teach the language, growing one’s sensitivity in cultural diversity and inclusivity is now expected by the new generation of students in higher education.

Delivered face-to-face

 

Adrian Underhill: Questioning and updating handed down pronunciation content in future training

Adrian Underhill is a consultant to schools, trainer for school leaders and teachers, author, speaker, and a past president of IATEFL. Until recently a trustee of IH London. These days he is especially interested in the art and science of complexity and systems and thinking, and what it shows about living and learning. 

The talk:
I’ll question three features of our pronunciation teaching method that I suggest have failed learners and propose different starting points on which to build a fresh approach. They concern physicality, integration and an end to the pron slot, and the performance piece. We will look at some illustrative activities which participants try in their classes.

                                                   Delivered face-to-face and online

 

Erica Lindley: Neurodiversity & CELTA: model and mentor 

Erica taught in Spain, China and London before settling in Brighton where she became an approved CELTA and Delta trainer and worked on international teacher training projects. She is now Head of Teacher Training at St Giles Brighton where she manages and teaches on their pre-service and in-service teacher training courses and coordinates internal teacher development. Erica is also an Access Arrangements Assessor and qualified dyslexia tutor, and she is passionate about helping neurodiverse students and teachers to achieve their goals. She regularly delivers training on neurodiversity for teachers and support staff in a variety of educational contexts.

The talk:
After a year of refining our CELTA course practices to address neurodiversity, this talk will report on how we investigated our demographic data, explored the trainer role as both model and mentor, and embedded practical changes such as input focused on neurodiversity. I’ll share feedback from trainees and tutors and outline the transformative impact these changes have had.

Delivered face-to-face and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Dr Jason Anderson: Diversifying teacher research practices: Controversies and opportunities 

Dr Jason Anderson (University of Warwick) is a multiple-award-winning teacher educator, author and researcher with experience working in education systems around the world, particularly in the global South. He researches and writes on topics including language teaching methodology, multilingual policy and practice, teacher expertise and teacher reflection. He is author of ten books, numerous research papers, articles and reports. See www.jasonanderson.org.uk 

The talk:
This talk will expand on three, potentially controversial claims: 1. Teacher research doesn’t need to involve formal data collection. 2. It doesn’t need to be shared. 3. All good teachers do it already. Together we will explore a wide range of teacher research activities and discuss which ones we’re already doing.

                                                Delivered face-to-face and online

 

 

Jonathan Spoor: Part-time TESOL Certificate courses: what’s the longer-term impact? 

Jonathan currently works as Learning & Teaching Manager at Bell London. Previously, he directed CertTESOL courses in China, worked as an EAP tutor, and helped medical professionals in Australia prepare for the OET exam. Passionate about the longer-term effects of training, Jonathan recently completed his MA with NILE, focusing his dissertation on the impact of part-time CertTESOL courses. 

The talk:
In this talk, I will discuss the findings of a case-study that examined the impact of a part-time Trinity College London CertTESOL course on experienced Chinese teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. I will explore how this course influenced teachers’ practice 3-5 years later, providing insights and recommendations for trainers on such courses.

                                               Delivered face-to-face and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Elna Coetzer: Am I coping? 

South African-born Elna works as a teacher trainer and consultant with the International Training Institute (Istanbul) and is part of the Oxford University Press Global trainers’ team. She is an accredited CELTA/DELTA tutor, Oxford Teachers’ Academy trainer and online moderator.  She has written teacher training materials used internationally, recently an online IELTS course for the Asian market. She has worked and trained teachers in many contexts and countries around the world. Her interests range from teaching young learners, literacy and reading development to educational psychology and all things professional development. She is a qualified life coach, enjoys a good cup of coffee and relaxes with a dark detective novel. 

The talk:
We often talk about learner and teacher wellbeing. Trainer wellbeing, however, has not featured often. In this talk, I look at tutor wellbeing, in particular self-regulation, related to working on Delta courses (especially Module 2). We will discuss the coping strategies tutors employ (based on my own research), some                                                    underlying issues and my ideas for future change in tutor training.

           Delivered face-to-face

 

Magnus Coney: Dead German Philosophers, Teacher Superpowers and PISA Shocks: What Do You Learn on a PhD in Teacher Education? 

Magnus is a PhD researcher at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, working on the project “Innovating Teacher Education with New Learning Technologies”. He worked as a teacher and teacher trainer in Italy for several years before returning to the UK to complete his Master’s in Research in Second Language Education.  

 The talk:
 Why do a PhD in Teacher Education? Isn’t it just learning research skills and abstract theoretical concepts? In this talk I’ll share some of the things         I’ve learned about education, teaching and research, and how they might impact the practice of teacher education.
 
 Delivered face-to-face and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Irina Nosova: Challenges Encountered by Volunteer Language Teachers and Solutions for Teaching Ukrainian Refugees Displaced by War 

Irina Nosova is an EFL teacher and teacher-trainer based in Birmingham, England. She holds a TEFL degree, CELTA, and DELTA, and specialises in teaching speaking creatively and promoting learner agency. Her professional interests also lie in supporting teacher wellbeing through networking and peer-learning. 

The Talk:
Volunteer language teachers working with Ukrainian refugees face various challenges, including psychological anxieties, methodological uncertainties, and issues stemming from the war’s sensitivities. These problems range from classroom dynamics to difficult discussions about the war. Solutions involve                                                                   supportive conversations, providing resources, individualised approaches to sensitive topics, and adapting teaching methods to fit the unique  needs of each                                                     group 

                                                 Delivered face-to-face

 

Orsolya Dunn: Focusing on critical reflection in teacher training: How are we feeling and why does it matter?

Orsolya Dunn is an ESOL lecturer and teacher trainer at Ayrshire College, Scotland. She has worked in Hungary, Italy and the UK in a number of roles in ESOL, EAP and EFL. In her current role she has a wide ESOL remit ranging from ESOL tutor training, ESOL course development and delivery to community accreditation project work. As a NATECLA Scotland committee member, she is a passionate supporter of ESOL practitioner professional development with a focus on raising awareness of the educational impact of trauma. She is currently undertaking a Doctorate in Education at the University of Glasgow.

    The talk:
    My talk aims to investigate how engaging in transformative critical reflection might aid educators to make sense of their experiences and safeguard         their well-being. By interrogating the affective elements of critical reflection, I will explore how educators’ knowledge of their own selves is an                 essential knowledge base for teachers’ meaning-making in the classroom.

   Delivered face-to-face

Rose Aylett: Transformative theatre in teacher education: moving from spectators to spect-actors

Rose Aylett is a teacher, trainer and CELTA tutor, based in Liverpool. After beginning her career in North Africa and the Middle East, she now works as a freelance training consultant on a variety of ELT projects around the world. Rose has a long-standing professional interest in critical pedagogy, global citizenship and social justice education. She is course leader for the NILE Online ‘Global Citizenship in Language Education’ course, a programme informed by her own MA thesis on critical literacy in teacher education. Rose speaks regularly at national and international conferences about how to teach controversial issues, promoting critical dialogue in the classroom, and the integration of critical perspectives into ELT.

   The talk:
   Through the lens of well-known fairy tales, this interactive workshop will explore how participatory drama techniques can promote social justice        and empowerment in language teacher education. Will the three little pigs resist destruction of their property? How does mummy bear feel about         being second to daddy bear? Does Cinderella even want to join the aristocracy? Come along to find out!

   Delivered face-to-face

 

Teresa Bestwick: Building reflective practice into our routine 

Teresa is a teacher, trainer and materials writer based in southern Spain. She manages the TEFL Trainer Development Hub, an online community in which she hosts live sessions twice a month to encourage trainers to reflect on their practice. In her free time, she likes early-morning walks to snap pictures of plants. 

The talk:
Although reflection is a core principle on teacher development courses, in our day-to-day practice we often don’t give it as much explicit attention. In this practical session, we’ll look at some easy-to-implement ideas for us to reflect on our own practice and to build reflection into our lessons as well. 

Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

 

Katerina Skriabina: Using instruments from CBT and MET in teacher training 

Katerina is a lecturer and a methodologist at Moscow State Pedagogical University with over 10 years of teaching experience. She’s a teacher trainer and a founder of the InsightTeaching conference (800+ offline participants). She’s a full Delta and MA TEFL holder. Katerina practises common-sense methodology informed by neuroscience and psychology and shares her insights in her blog and in public speeches at multiple online and offline conferences.   

The talk:
We will talk about the integration of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) techniques in teacher training programs. By equipping educators with these tools, we aim to enhance their emotional resilience, improve classroom management, and foster                                                                              positive student relationships. Participants will gain practical strategies to address challenges, promote self-efficacy, and create                                                                                                      supportive learning environments for diverse student needs. 

                                                 Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Ross Thorburn & Karin Xie: Integrating Speaking Strategies into Initial Teacher Training Courses 

Karin is a teacher and a teacher-trainer based in Shenzhen China. She has spent the past 6 years in teacher training, mainly on the Trinity GESE exams, Trinity CertTESOL and CertPT courses. She has been course directing the Part-time Trinity CertTESOL at English for Asia. Her main professional interests are teaching speaking, teacher and trainer development.  

Ross is a teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer based in Shanghai. Some of his professional interests include task design, young learners, speaking skills, and using AI. In 2021 he published his first book, Inside Online Language Teaching. He is the host of the TEFL Training Institute podcast.

The talk:
This talk will explore how to teach speaking strategies on certificate courses, moving beyond vocabulary, grammar and fluency. Speaking strategies are often overlooked in teacher training and coursebooks, even though they’re important in fields like counselling, business, and management. During the talk, we will discuss how to identify and teach specific speaking strategies, and support learners in using these.

Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Bruno Albuquerque: Focusing on the Essential 

Bruno Albuquerque is an ELT professional who works as a teacher and teacher educator, materials writer and editor, writer, and speaker. Bruno holds the ECPE, CELTA, DELTA, TTT and is currently taking an MA in ELT with the University of Chichester/NILE focusing on teacher education and assessment. 

The talk:
What is essential to teaching? What are the skills and knowledge we can’t do without? This talk aims to analyze these questions in depth and suggest a thought framework to prioritize CPD initiatives by finding out what really matters in terms of bringing a positive impact to our lessons and our careers while                                                       avoiding common pitfalls.

                                                   Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Isabella Campos Alvim: Empowering EFL Teachers through Tailored CPD: A Framework for Lasting Professional Growth 

Isabella Campos is a graduate teacher and teacher educator in the field of language education. She is a teacher trainer, and academic coordinator while involved in the creation and implementation of language programs in schools and language centers. Her true passions include teaching English to young learners, bilingual education, professional development, and management of education. She regularly presents at ELT conferences and is continually intrigued by the developments in teaching and learning. Isabella holds a BA in Languages, a Diploma in Bilingual Education, and an MA in Professional                                                               Development in Language Education from the University of Chichester, UK 

The talk:
This talk explores a CPD framework designed to meet the needs of EFL teachers in Brazil within language teaching organizations (LTOs). Grounded in a mixed-methods study, the framework addresses personal and professional growth by offering reflective, collaborative, and self-directed learning opportunities. Attendees will gain insights into implementing practical CPD activities that foster long-term development in LTOs. 

                                               Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Marylin Caparelli: Stepping up the game – a collaborative approach to training 

Marylin Caparelli is a TEFL specialist with 30 years of experience. Currently, as an Academic & Digital Mentor at Cultura Inglesa in São Paulo, Brazil, she trains teachers to deliver a better online experience for students. Passionate about education and innovation, she holds Google Educator Levels 1 and 2 and Skills Trainer certifications. Marylin studied Social Sciences at the University of São Paulo and is now pursuing a second degree in Pedagogy, along with a postgraduate course in Neurosciences in Education.

The talk:
This session offers practical strategies for organizing and delivering engaging trainings or lessons using Google Suite, complemented by brain breaks and interactive activities using AI Gemini. Participants will explore examples of digital tools for collaboration and engagement, learn hands-on techniques to structure sessions, integrate tools, and incorporate activities that foster active participation and enhance the overall training experience

Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Panagiota Giaouri: Bridging the gap between online and face-to-face CELTA: A Comparative Study of Trainee Perceptions and Employer Concerns 

Yiota is an English language teacher at IH London with extensive experience in teaching and training. She holds a degree in English Language and Literature and has taught both adults and young learners in Greece and the UK.

She has conducted online and face-to-face CELTA, Young Learner and customised courses. Her expertise extends to curriculum development with                                                                       experience creating materials and designing courses for young learners in China and the UK.

The talk:
This research investigates the perceptions and concerns of CELTA trainees who have completed online training compared to those who completed it face-to-face, focusing on their readiness to transition to face-to-face teaching and the potential impact of online certification on employer hiring decisions. Through a questionnaire-based survey of both trainees and employers, this study aims to identify key areas of concern, explore the factors influencing confidence levels, and propose strategies to mitigate challenges and ensure effective teacher preparation.

The findings of this research will provide useful insights for CELTA providers and language institutions, contributing to the development of more equitable and effective teacher training programmes that meet the evolving needs of language teachers and employers in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

Delivered face-to-face

 

Stephanie Wilbur: Designing online CELTA courses to maximise learning and achievability 

Stephanie Wilbur is a freelance CELTA and DELTA module 1 trainer who has a Master’s in International Education. Since 2004, she has taught and trained in Guatemala, Slovakia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Bahrain, Jordan, and Colombia, and done CELTAs in an additional 15 countries. Stephanie primarily works on part-time and full-time CELTA courses, both online and face-to-face, and training experienced teachers online on Delta Module 1 using her self-designed course.

The talk:
How can we make the most of Moodle input on online CELTA courses, and how much live input should we include to supplement it? In this session, I will talk about some innovations I introduced into my online CELTA input schedule to address this, and we will share experiences of best practice, what has worked     and what hasn’t.

Delivered face-to-face

 

Alexandra Herrera: Mixed curriculum implementation in Latin American schools and universities: The Communicative-Competence Approach long-term educational alternative

Enthusiastic educator with 5 years of experience teaching English to all ages who holds a Master in Bilingual Education from UNIR Spain and a CELTA certificate. Currently teaching at a public university in Ecuador: ESPE University and a specialist in writing articles by using innovative methods as CLIL, AI, mixed approaches and dialogic reading to promote bilingual- inclusive education.

The talk:
The future of Education in English learning for non-native students requires one general approach to promote interdisciplinary – bilingual knowledge and                                                          skills: The Communicative-Competence approach promotes life skills from an early age until higher levels at university, so that language will be used in                                                              more practical-competitive contexts.

    Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Simon Cox: The Master Apprentice 

Simon is a freelance academic management consultant and teacher-trainer who has spent most of his 30-year ELT career working in Asia, but who also gets to spend a lot of time at home in the North of England – especially at IH Newcastle. He’s also an assessor/moderator on a wide range of Cambridge and Trinity teaching qualifications. His recent conference presentations and articles have all related to trying to make some kind of sense of complex situations – especially his own.

The talk:
Gilles Deleuze was a French philosopher, noted for his difficult ideas and his eccentric lecturing style. So, what can Deleuze offer an ELT teacher-trainer? This talk provides some examples of how my encounter with Deleuze has shaken up my approach to Diploma-level input sessions and has led me to experiment                                                      with a ‘master apprentice’ (not master-apprentice) approach.

  Delivered face-to-face and recorded for post-conference viewing 

 

Abeer Okaz: Teacher trainers: many hats but same identity 

Abeer is the Director of Studies and educational consultant at PUA, a CELTA trainer, and NILE, Eaquals, British Council & TransformELT consultant. She has 25 years of experience, ten of which focused on organizational management & training. She has published in international journals and done training locally and internationally. Her professional interests are training, management, ICT and working closely with teachers.

The talk:
There are many hats to wear as a trainer; some of which are worn based on factors such as teaching context, and group/individual dynamics and needs. Other hats can not be taken off. So which hat to wear and when? The choice is not an easy task especially if you want to retain your identity throughout the                                                       learning process.

      Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Bimali Indrarathne: Feeding in reflective practice on academic content into professional practice

Bimali Indrarathne is a professor in the Department of Languages, Kotelawala Defence University in Sri Lanka. Prior to that she worked at Lancaster University, King’s College London and the University of York in the UK. She is also a CELTA trainer. Her main research interests are second language acquisition and learning difficulties and inclusive language teaching.

The talk:
We offer a BA in TESOL programme in Sri Lanka with Cambridge CELTA. Before taking CELTA in the final year, students learn academic contents that feed into CELTA. Students engage in different reflective practice exercises to understand the link between theoretical aspects covered in the programme and classroom practice. This talk highlights how we do this and the outcomes.

    Delivered online and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Lyons                            Danny Norrington-Davies    Geoffrey Punter                      Natasha Douglas                   Stella Muntian

Panel discussion: ‘Dogme development’ or ‘Embracing the unexpected of Dogme development’ 

Anna is a General English and Exam English Teacher working at International House London. She is especially interested in emergent language, student engagement and encouraging student autonomy. She is currently experimenting with linking students’ personal goals to lesson aims to help the students get the most out of their classes.

Danny is a teacher and teacher-trainer working at International House London. His interests in ELT are emergent language, grammar, materials design, and creativity. He enjoys speaking at conferences, and his first book, ‘Teaching grammar: from rules to reasons’ was published by Pavilion in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book ‘Working with Emergent Language: Ideas and activities for developing your reactive skills in class’ with Richard Chinn.

Geoffrey is a teacher of English and Italian at International House London. He is also an actor and loves using drama games and TPR activities to encourage learners of all ages to practice and have fun with language.

Natasha is a teacher at International House London and Albermarle Independent College, where she teaches general English and exam classes. She speaks 5 languages and taught in Japan for 3 years, and she has an MA in ELT and Applied Linguistics.

Stella is originally from Ukraine, where she worked at a classic school with kids of different ages and levels, she has taught in several educational institutions including International House London. She used Dogme in her teaching practice long before she knew there was such a technique and believes it can boost fluency by generating a genuine interest in classes.

The talk:
Many schools have development pathways for teachers, but sometimes it comes from unexpected places. This panel will discuss an ad-hoc project and how it triggered change. We will describe how it started, tell stories from our classes, and share our emergent understandings about teaching and learning and what changed for us in terms of skills, attitudes, beliefs and future directions. 

 

 Jessica Marshall & Marianne Jones: What does it mean to transition from teacher to trainer? 

Jess is a teacher and recently qualified CELTA trainer. She trained at IH London and has worked in English language teaching for over 10 years. Jess’s work has included teaching in London, Paris and Brazil, working remotely on teaching and training projects with teachers in India and Mongolia, and working on EAP Pre-Sessional courses. She currently works at IH London. 

Marianne has been working at International House London as a teacher for four years and is currently training to become a CELTA tutor. Previous to this she taught at The British Council in Rome and has experience of teaching General English, Business English, Young Learners and EAP. She is interested in different approaches to dealing with emergent language in the classroom in order to maximize benefit for learners.

The talk:
To answer this question we will offer some reflections about the point in our teaching careers we wanted to become a trainer. We will also compare the two different models of CELTA we experienced while shadowing, and explore the effect each had on the trainer in training. Finally, we will consider how this process is shaping our professional development as teachers, as well as share our hopes and aspirations as future trainers.

Delivered face-to-face and recorded for post-conference viewing

 

Will Morrow: Any questions? Trainee led feedback and the role of the teacher trainer

Will is teacher educator based at International House, London. His career has allowed him to live and work in countries around the world such as Spain, Portugal, and Ecuador. He is an experienced CELTA tutor with over two decades of experience. His current interests are in developing online materials and courses, classroom interaction and language teacher development.

The talk:
Providing feedback effectively is an area of English language training that I have found challenging during my career as a teacher trainer. I often feel that we, as trainers, struggle to find a balance between helping the candidates with what they need in the moment, and imposing ideas of what we want                                                          them to do. In this talk, I will share my experiences as I explore:

• The benefits of fostering ‘agency’ in feedback through the use of frameworks and dialogue.
• ‘The curse of knowledge’: A cognitive bias when individuals incorrectly assume that everyone has the same information as you do, and how creating a collegial platform where all voices can be heard can tackle this and benefit learning.
• How a traditional classroom layout and roles may affect meaningful dialogue in feedback and how a change of environment could alter that dynamic and result in more positive conversations.