What I Learned From IATEFL 2014…

At the beginning of April, I attended the 48th IATEFL conference in Harrogate in the north of England. As I did last year, I was there as a representative of BELTA but this year had the added excitement of knowing I would be speaking at the Pecha Kucha night on Friday, my first ever presentation at IATEFL.

Ready to represent

So what did I learn while I was there? Here’s my quick guide…

Continue reading “What I Learned From IATEFL 2014…”

IATEFL issues: People

Just a small part of the marvellous PLN at IATEFL this year.

For me, there’s no doubt what the highlight of any conference is. Yes, the presentations are great, and yes, it’s an opportunity to visit a great city, and yes, the parties are fun, but first and foremost, it’s about the people. Continue reading “IATEFL issues: People”

IATEFL Issues: Dogme (or Wandering Naked Through the Dogme Forest…)

So Dogme ELT was one of the big issues of the conference. Big surprise, I hear you say. Well I’m sorry if you’re tired hearing about it, but it’s not going away. If this conference proved anything, it showed firstly that there are still a lot of teachers who don’t know what Dogme ELT is, and secondly that even some of the ones who have heard of it don’t really know what it is, even though they think they do. More about that later… Continue reading “IATEFL Issues: Dogme (or Wandering Naked Through the Dogme Forest…)”

IATEFL 2011 – A Summary in Springtime.

I wrote most of this post last Wednesday but I needed a week to sit on it, just to dwell on it a bit longer…

It’s a funny state, feeling tired and energised at the same time. It’s how I feel now, writing this on the Eurostar, winding its way from London to my current hometown of Brussels. I’m actually in the tunnel right now, and it’s not half as interesting as I expected. Exactly what I was expecting is another matter of course, especially since it isn’t made from glass and the view isn’t much to write home about. Continue reading “IATEFL 2011 – A Summary in Springtime.”