Page 10 - ELG2404 April Issue 489

IATEFL .

The AI factor

IATEFL is almost upon us. In the first of our four IATEFL Specials,
plenary speaker Vicky Saumell gives us a sneak peak of her talk.

his year, I will be delivering IATEFL Learning Technologies new roles have allowed me to opportunity to examine how AI is
the opening plenary at SIG; my area of interest. By 2013, travel extensively and to share my impacting the language learning
the 2024 IATEFL Annual I was volunteering for LTSIG, a experiences with other teachers at industry through the lens of the
TConference in Brighton committee that saw me wear a the same time. different stakeholders in our
where I will be discussing the few different hats: Community And now we are in 2024! profession and, in so doing, reflect
impact of Artificial Intelligence in Manager, Treasurer, then The opportunity to share my upon the current state of AI and
language teaching and learning. Coordinator. These volunteering experiences with, and reflections some of the issues that need to be
With that in mind, I can’t help years were fundamental in my about AI with the IATEFL addressed going forward.
but think about the journey that professional development. In community on the biggest stage In these past months, the
brought me to this point. the meantime, for a couple of I could have dreamed of comes AI revolution has turned our
It all started in 2010 when I years, I was also a member of the with a great responsibility. I found conversations upside down.
was awarded the Latin American Publications Executive Committee myself thinking over and over Everyone has an opinion, and
scholarship to attend the 2010 and used this opportunity to learn again about the title, the stance, rightly so! Language professionals
IATEFL Annual Conference in about publishing, editing and public the content of the plenary, and are trying to make sense of AI
Harrogate. Yes! A fully-funded relations. My tenure with LTSIG so on. and how it can be used to their
scholarship! I was quite sceptical came to an end in 2023, but the I have always been more of a advantage. In the process, we have
about it, but I applied anyway lessons learnt and the connections practitioner than an academic, stumbled upon obstacles. Now,
and, lo and behold, I got it! Thus made will last a lifetime. but I wanted to look at AI teachers are craving information
marked the beginning of my During all these years, I have from a different perspective, about the potential green and red
journey with IATEFL, a 15-year- continued to teach in Buenos rather than just the practical flags of AI.
long adventure that has changed Aires, Argentina, where I’m from. side that I’ve seen in numerous In my experience, I have found
my professional life! However, I have also dipped my talks and workshops currently that AI can make a great personal
I began as just a member but toe in teacher training, materials being offered. While I value this assistant to help us generate ideas,
quickly got involved with the writing and presenting. All these perspective, I wanted to take this support research, create tasks,
10 April 2024