Pre-Conference Workshops
Limited Space Available - Register Early!
Enhancing the professional development of language teachers is a foundation of our mission. To fulfil this mission, we offer a series of professional workshops focusing on language teacher psychology and how it can be utilised in the workplace. These workshops are intended for all language teachers, regardless of experience level.
Workshops are limited in size due to conference space allocations. Registration for all workshops will close when maximum participation is reached.
- Track 1: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 12:30PM – 1:30PM
- Track 2: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 1:45PM – 2:45PM
- Track 3: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 3:00 PM – 4:00PM
Participation in all workshops costs €50 in total, and registration is required to attend. To register for the workshop, you wish to attend, click on the link provided here.
Time | Title & Facilitator | Abstract |
12:30PM – 1:30PM | Taking stock of PP: Looking back to look forwards
Sarah Mercer University of Graz | In this workshop, we will look at some data from a synthesis of empirical peer-reviewed articles published explicitly in PP in SLA since 2014. We will discuss some of the issues raised such as the merits of positioning a study within PP, the (un)popular areas of scholarship, the gaps in terms of populations and geographical spread, and the potential for future directions. The workshop is intended to spark critical reflection, debate as well as inspire ideas for future research and cooperations. |
1:45PM – 2:45PM | Using ideas from game theory to explore ‘what works’ in language classroom activities
Donald Freeman University of Michigan | This workshop examines a group of principles to better understand the idea of ‘what works’ in classroom teaching. The principles, derived from game theory, are based on research on how people are engaged and motivated in the activities they do. In this sense, they can function as archetypes or ‘deep structures’ to define how we can organize activities to be more (or less) engaging for students, and can help to support teachers in planning, implementing, and analysing classroom activities. The principles begin to build a sort of ‘grammar’ of language teaching in the classroom activities we do. The session is intended for new and experienced teachers and for teacher trainers. Participants will be introduced to the principles and then will have opportunities to apply them to their particular settings. |
3:00 PM – 4:00PM | Tammy Gregersen American University of Sharjah | Imagine the educational and linguistic outcomes that would transpire if language teachers focused on learners’ strengths rather than what needs fixing! In this workshop presentation we will delve into the notion of positive psychology, an emphasis on strengths, and the benefits these produce when applying them to our feedback and learners’ tasks. We will begin with a brief examination of the research on signature strengths and then consider two action research projects that concentrate on 1) appreciative inquiry and 2) mitigating negative emotion during language task completion. |