Page 24 - ELG2107 Jul Issue 476

FEATURE .

Virtually IATEFL

Spotlight on keynote speakers at this year’s conference

his year’s IATEFL Conference took share examples from some of our newly empathy in the profession. In the final part of
place in June virtually, but that didn’t developed comics tools from the CIEL project the talk, I explore how we can explicitly develop
lessen the impact of the plenary (https://ciell.eu/) that can assist students with empathy as a skill among teacher trainers, and
Tspeakers. If you weren’t able to take text comprehension and composition writing, teachers and learners. I explore how a variety
part – or did, but would like a refresh – we as well as resources from the ENGaGE digital of techniques and approaches from diverse
asked each of them to sum up the topic of their task bank (http://engage.uni-miskolc.hu/ sources, such as cognitive behavioural therapy,
talk for EL Gazette readers. index.php/self-study-course/). humanistic education, literature, drama and
the visual arts can be used to help to foster
Judit Kormos is the director of studies for empathy in language education.
the MA TESOL Distance programme at
the Department of Linguistics and English
Language at Lancaster University in the UK.
She is particularly interested in dyslexia in
second-language learning.
“In my plenary at the 54th IATEFL
conference I show different ways of
supporting students with specific learning
difficulties (SpLDs) in learning additional
languages. In the first part of my talk, I
discuss the challenges language learners with
SpLDs might experience in a classroom in
face-to-face settings and online in a digitally
mediated environment.
“In the next part, I demonstrate how
accessible educational design can assist
students in these pandemic times and what
adjustments we can make in our teaching to
create an inclusive language learning
environment. In the second part of the
presentation, I give suggestions for the use of

Kieran Donaghy is an award-winning writer,
international conference speaker and teacher
trainer. He has written a number of books for Thom Kiddle is director of the Norwich
students and teachers of English, and runs the Institute for Language Education (NILE),
School for Training in Barcelona. chair of Eaquals board of trustees, treasurer
“In my IATEFL plenary talk, Embedding a and a founding director of AQUEDUTO
culture of empathy in English language teaching, (The Association for Quality Education
I attempt to show that empathy is central to and Training Online) and webmaster for the
successful language learning and to making IATEFL Testing, Evaluation and Assessment
language teaching a more compassionate and SIG. He has been involved in language
fairer profession. teaching, language assessment and educational
“I start by exploring what empathy is, its technology for 25 years.
neurological foundations and its three main “In this talk, I attempt to draw the three strands
components: cognitive empathy, affective of language teaching, language assessment and
empathy and empathetic concern. Next, I educational technology together to consider
argue that empathy in individuals is essential what trends, opportunities and challenges were
to healthy social and emotional functioning, emerging before the pandemic began and what
and contributes to the enrichment of civic changes have been accelerated by it.
society and education. “I believe that the language teacher’s
“I then draw on research to support empowerment is central to navigating
my argument that empathy is particularly a principled path through the multiple
important in language education, given that dimensions of teaching, testing and technology,
positive relationships between the teacher and argue that certain aspects of this are under-
a wide variety of learning strategies and and learners and among learners, and positive valued in teacher professional development
techniques that can be applied to support all group dynamics are vital in contemporary and unchallenged in accepted practices. I
learners in an inclusive, educational context. language classrooms, with its focus on hope to bring these to light and to life with a
The focus in this part is on raising students’ communicative competence, cultural diversity presentation which incorporates video, poetry,
phonological awareness, improvi22ng their and the centrality of social interactions. circus skills and a few test questions!”
spelling, writing and reading skills, and “I also look at hindering factors which may
expanding their vocabulary knowledge. I also make it challenging to embed a culture of IATEFL 2022 will be held 17-20 May 2022.
24 July 2021