G A R Y A N D E R S O N
sponsored by CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Plenary Title:
Profiling English Profile
Abstract:
English Profile is a long-term, collaborative project designed to enhance the learning, teaching and assessment of English worldwide. In collaboration with academics, teachers and education authorities, English Profile explores how learners of English progress through the levels of the Common European Framework. This talk provides an overview of one of the most exciting ELT developments to emerge in recent years.
Biodata:
Gary Anderson was Pedagogical Director of the language program of the former American Center in Paris and President-elect of TESOL France when he joined Cambridge ELT as International Teacher Trainer based in Paris. He has given talks in over 50 countries on five continents, including at TESOL International and IATEFL UK; this is his second time in Greece for Cambridge ELT—but first time in northern Greece
P H I L I P K E R R
self sponsored
Plenary Title:
What’s the point of reading, anyway?
Abstract:
A growing number of voices in the world of English language teaching are suggesting that it is waste of time teaching the ‘sub-skills’ of reading (skimming, scanning, etc.) in the language classroom, especially with younger and lower level learners. This talk will consider some of the research that has led to these suggestions and offer a surprising conclusion.
Biodata:
Philip Kerr is a teacher, teacher trainer, lecturer and materials writer. In the last twenty-five years, he has lived and worked in Britain, Morocco, Spain, Poland, France and Belgium, where he is currently. His writing projects include the international coursebook series Straightforward and Inside Out, Matura Masters (for Polish high school students) and Rising Star (with Luke Prodromou). This is his first visit to TESOL Macedonia-Thrace in Thessaloniki since 1998.
C A T E R I N A S K I N I O T O U 
sponsored by the Hellenic American Union
Plenary Title:
Create and Learn on Integration Land (C.L.I.L.) – Content and Language Activities for the Elementary School EFL Class.
Abstract:
Content and Language Integrated Learning is a framework for curriculum development. Through a C.L.I.L.-oriented curriculum students work with a variety of discourse types and they learn language by using it. School subjects, any topic, theme, or issue of interest to students can qualify as content; this is the reason why there are so many different types and models of C.L.I.L.
A C.L.I.L. curriculum allows for the development of Basic Interactional Communication Skills (BICS) in the foreign language as well as the development of Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) in students’ native language and in the foreign language(s) they are learning. In addition, students are given the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the culture of the community(-ies) who speak the target languag(s).
Although the implementation of C.L.I.L.-oriented curricula requires that decisions be made by administrators and politicians, language teachers can still supplement the curricula followed at present with Content and Language Integrating Activities. To illustrate this, we will look at EFL activities based on content borrowed from current Greek Elementary School Math, Science and Geography textbooks.
Biodata:
Caterina Skiniotou is an EFL Teacher and Teacher Trainer at the Hellenic American Union in Athens, Greece
C O N N I E T H E O D O R O P O U L O S
sponsored by EXPRESS PUBLISHING
Plenary Title:
Working Towards a Critical Mind
Abstract:
Critical thinking is “not just thinking, but thinking which entails self-improvement”. (Richard Paul for Think magazine, April 1992). In recent years, EFL teachers have allowed their students to take more and more of an active role in the learning process. Thus, the focus of the modern classroom is on the learner and not on the teacher; emphasis is not on what the student does but how he/she processes information.
Critical thinking can be further defined as analyzing, inferring, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, and many more. In order to develop these skills in their students, teachers need to encourage various qualities which contribute to critical thinking: open-mindedness, curiosity, inquisitiveness, self-evaluation and judgment.
Students, who have developed quality thinking, do not simply accept or assert things; they try to establish their case on the basis of evidence and sound reasoning.
They can speculate criticize, form conclusions, develop self awareness and realise complexities they might otherwise miss.
To activate and develop critical thinking in students, language teachers need to use tasks and activities and generally adjust their teaching materials to promote such thinking. Critical thinking, communication skills, problem solving, creative thinking, collaborative learning, the boosting of self esteem are some of the elements of a well-designed teaching programme that combines all skills and abilities essential to education.
Biodata:
Connie Theodoropoulos holds a B.A. in English Literature. She has attended numerous EFL courses & seminars as well as workshops for writers. She has been teaching English for more than 10 years and previously held the position of Director of Studies in a large language school in Greece. Her interests focus on writing books for young children in the English Language and is a member of the ‘Children’s Institute of Literature’. She is currently working for Express Publishing as an English Language Teaching (ELT) Consultant and Teacher Trainer.
P E N N Y U R
self sponsored
Plenary Title:
English as a lingua franca: implications for English teachers
Abstract:
It is estimated that there are now in the world over two billion English speakers of whom the majority speak it as a second or foreign language. Indeed, English is now used more as a lingua franca for various functions of international communication (business, research, diplomacy etc.) than it is used intra-nationally for communication with each other by its native speakers. And most educated people in the world today (at least outside the English-speaking countries) are ‘English-knowing bilinguals’: they speak their own language(s) for home use, and English for international communication.
There are various interesting implications of this development for English teachers which will be discussed this talk. I shall address questions such as: Is there such a thing as an ELF standard of language use in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation? How does the development of ELF change our teaching goals? Does it make any difference to the function and prestige of the ‘native’ or ‘non-native’ English speaking teacher? What is the place of the culture of the English-speaking peoples in the teaching of ELF?
Biodata:
Penny Ur was educated at the universities of Oxford (MA), Cambridge (PGCE) and Reading (MA). She emigrated to Israel in 1967, where she still lives today. She is married with four children and seven grandchildren.
Penny has thirty years’ experience as an English teacher in elementary, middle and high schools in Israel . She teaches M.A. courses at Oranim Academic College of Education and Haifa University . She has presented papers at TESOL, IATEFL and various other English teachers’ conferences worldwide.
She has published a number of articles, and was for ten years the editor of the Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers series. Her books include Discussions that Work (1981), Five Minute Activities (co authored with Andrew Wright) (1992), A Course in Language Teaching (1996), and Grammar Practice Activities (2nd Edition) (2009), all published by Cambridge University Press.
