ELT Conference 2019
We are fast approaching the third year of the annual San Sebastián ELT conference and this year is set to be the best yet. The conference is a fantastic way to get some great new ideas for the classroom as well as meeting teachers from all over the region and beyond. Here is a little bit of information about what will happen on the day itself and what you can expect from the different talks.
The day begins with registration, in which you’ll be given plenty of goodies inside a beautiful canvas bag along with all the information you’ll need to make the most out of the day. Whilst registering, you’ll have to choose who you’d like to see in the afternoon sessions, so have a look at the programme prior to the event to make your choice. This is also a great opportunity for you to spend some time admiring the amazing venue that is the Palacio Miramar; with its lavish rooms, spectacularly high ceilings and fantastic views over the bay of San Sebastián.
After this, everyone will head upstairs to the main room in which the conference will be officially opened by members of the event organisation, LTS, and you’ll be given information about the conference in general. In the same room you will then be treated to the first of the two morning plenary sessions by a real fan favourite, Hugh Dellar. After the second plenary by J.J Wilson about exploring our own identity as teachers, it’s time for a well-deserved coffee break in the ornate ‘Salón de Música’ overlooking the sea. Fingers (and toes) crossed for some sunshine so we can all enjoy our coffee and sweet treats outside!
After the coffee break and full of energy once again, it’s time to split into the various rooms where you’ll find the first session you chose during the registration process. These sessions aim to provide you with an insightful but practical view on teaching issues and techniques that will be applicable to a wide range of ages and levels. If you’re coming with a group of colleagues, why not go to different talks so you can share notes afterwards?
Once you have got those creative juices flowing with ideas in the first talk of the afternoon, it’s time to go and enjoy some of the excellent cuisine that San Sebastián is famous for. Just behind the event venue you’ll find a bustling area of the city called Antiguo, with plenty of bars and restaurants to cater to every culinary need. Just don’t drink too many glasses of wine and forget to come back for the afternoon’s entertainment!
Back at the Palacio, you’ll make your way to the next of the afternoon sessions, which you chose at the beginning of the day. Make sure you don’t lose the tickets to your chosen session at lunch! The afternoon sessions are filled with numerous ideas to use straight away in your classroom, from exam integration to connecting to the video generation, you’ll definitely take away some top tips.
Our closing plenary this year is by Paul Seligson and is specifically focussed on how we can use the students’ L1 to our advantage in class by building on the knowledge they already have to help make them more successful learners of English. This promises to be a lively and engaging session which is full of ideas to improve the effectiveness of your teaching on a daily basis.
Then, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for all day…drum roll please… It’s the closing ceremony and RAFFLE! We all love a good raffle, don’t we? This one won’t disappoint, we promise. Up for grabs this year is a range of teaching books and material from our lovely publishers, a well-stocked hamper and we really hope that our favourite Cambridge Young Learners’ monkey makes another guest appearance.
Whatever your teaching background, this line-up promises to provide you with a plethora of ideas to take back to your classroom and our hope is that the event itself will inspire teachers everywhere to strive to be the best they possibly can be. Well, what are you waiting for? We’re already looking forward to seeing you on Saturday March 30th!
Sign up to our San Sebastián ELT Conference by enquiring at eltconference@languagetestingservices.com
