Page 32 - ELG2404 April Issue 489

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IATEFL

A chat with…Rose Aylett

We speak with IATEFL plenary speaker, Rose Aylett.

Q: Have you been to an IATEFL
conference before and what are you
most looking forward to?
This will actually be the 10th IATEFL
conference I’ve attended in person. I went
along to my first ever IATEFL back in
2011 which, coincidently, was also held in
Brighton. At the time I was preparing to take
the Delta, and was advised by my tutor during
the interview that going to IATEFL would
be a great way to prepare for the course.
She wasn’t wrong… I remember loving every
minute of it. Little did I know I’d be standing
on that same stage 13 years later!
For me, every year, one of the main
conference highlights is the Global Issues
SIG Showcase, a whole day of talks dedicated
to exploring social justice and global learning
in ELT. I am a former GISIG Coordinator and
used to have the lucky (but very challenging)
task of selecting talks to feature in the GISIG
Showcase line-up. With so many current
critical issues that need to be brought to
the attention of our students, I am sure this
year’s speakers won’t disappoint.
Liverpool has become Rose’s self-proclaimed adopted home.
Q: How did you first get interested in
language? 2013 IATEFL conference. Now whenever Q: If you could have three wishes – one
My mum is a really talented linguist and I hear a Scouse accent outside of Merseyside professional, one political (with a small p),
she shared her passion for foreign languages it makes me happy as it’s the sound of my and one personal – what would they be?
with me from a young age. She took her adopted home. Professional: a successful launch of the brand
Spanish A-Level the year before me… and new online version of my ‘Global Citizenship
of course got a better grade than I did! The Q: If you could change one thing about in Language Education’ course for NILE this
main reason I wanted to study a language language teaching and/or language coming autumn.
at the time was so that I could use it to go learning what would it be and why?
backpacking around South America after Writing in the 20th century, Brazilian Political: for those working in the field of
leaving school. Back then, I don’t think the pedagogue, Paolo Freire described teaching as ELT – in whatever capacity – to resist the
mechanics of language interested me as much a political act. He argued that education could de-professionalisation of English teaching
as how it gave me access to different people, never be a completely neutral endeavour, (increasingly low-paid, hourly-paid or
communities and new, unfamiliar cultures. because in trying to be impartial and unbiased temporary teaching contracts; expectations of
These days, as a language teacher and – such as by omitting certain topics from unpaid labour, native-speakerism in teacher
teacher educator, I’m much more interested school curricula, or avoiding discussions recruitment) and for English language teachers
in how language works. In particular, how of potentially ‘controversial’ topics in class around the world to be properly and fairly
language is used to preserve and maintain, – educators are in effect taking a political compensated for the work that they do.
or critique and deconstruct systems of power stance. So, if there was one thing I could Personal: that the sea in Brighton won’t be too
such as through political rhetoric, the media, change about language education, it would cold for pre-conference morning swims.
advertising, or even how teachers talk to their be that language teachers were more critically
students. I’ll be exploring this in my IATEFL aware of the potential their pedagogy has to Rose will be speaking at IATEFL on Friday
plenary on Friday 19 April. influence our societies. 19 April.
Everything about the way we teach: from
Q: If you could change one thing about the materials we use, to the way we assess
the English language what would it be learning, the methodology we adopt, to Rose Aylett is a freelance training
and why? how we interact with students in class, can consultant and CELTA tutor,
I’d universalise the plural ‘yous’ that is a contribute to reinforcing or challenging the based in Liverpool. She has
feature of Liverpudlian dialect; it just makes status quo, both in the classroom, and in the been working in ELT for almost
total sense to me! Many other languages wider world. At a time of unprecedented 20 years, and speaks regularly
distinguish between a singular and plural form global challenges (the climate and biodiversity at national and international conferences about
of the second person, where English doesn’t. crises, international conflicts, gender equality how to teach controversial issues, promoting
I migrated from where I grew up in the South and gender-based violence, food security and critical dialogue in the classroom, and the
West of England to Liverpool in 2017, where poverty to name just a few…) I think we need
my only other previous visit had been for the teachers who are truly ‘global’ educators. integration of critical perspectives into ELT.
32 April 2024