This course focuses on task-based language teaching and assessment (TBLT/A), especially relevant for practicing teachers.
In recent years, there has been a great interest in task-based language teaching and assessment (TBLT/A) among researchers, language professionals and language teachers worldwide. However, much still needs to be done on the pedagogical side. Specifically, TBLT/A -as well as their underlying principles- should be made more accessible to practicing teachers. One reason why traditional teaching still persists in many parts of the world is because many teachers do not know how to utilize TBLT/A in their practices. Another reason is that not many teachers or instructors, when pressed hard, know what TBLT/A exactly are and why they are more conducive to L2 learning. And third, many teachers consider TBLT/A to be ‘alien theoretical concepts’ that are not applicable to their specific teaching context or educational setting.

The course will be divided into 2 strands. The first one will be titled 'EFL Vocabulary building for young learners' and the second one will be titled 'Adapting EFL materials for young learners with dyslexia'. Both seminars will start with a short theoretical overview and will be followed of a practical workshop with hands on activities.

Translanguaging is one of the biggest buzzwords that the field of Applied Linguistics has seen in decades. Its transformational power seeks to normalize the fluid nature in which multilinguals use language and its use in the classroom has wide ranging implications. This workshop will walk participants through how the term translanguaging has evolved as well as some of its criticisms. The second part of the course will be more hands on and participatory where participants will see with their own eyes what translanguaging can look like, as well as share their experiences, both positive and negative, with the use of multiple languages in their classrooms. Ultimately, the presenter will share his own strategies that he has used or seen used in a variety of different educational contexts. The course will focus specifically on how teachers and professors can navigate language policies in their institutions that might not favor the use of translanguaging and what can be done when schools have restrictive language policies that seem to run counter to its implementation. Ample time will be left for a question and answer session and discussion with the participants.

At the heart of successful writing is the ability to write simple sentences in which the subject agrees with the verb. However, many students do not achieve this, leading to weak writing in academic essays. In this workshop, the presenter will show how this fundamental ability can be broken down and taught in simple steps that students can understand and master. From there, participants will learn how the approach can continue all the way up to writing an EmSAT or IELTS-style essay. The session will be ‘hands on’ experiential learning, so that participants can experience the activities from the learners’ perspective. During the session, the presenter will also demonstrate teaching strategies and will explore underlying grammar and writing skills methodology.

This course focuses on how information literacy can be used in EFL classrooms to enhance critical thinking abilities and engage students in lifelong learning. Information literacy abilities assist individuals in identifying information needs and locate, access, evaluate and using information based on an information need. Information literacy competencies are foundational skills needed to support critical thinking and encourages students to think critically about class discussions. In the EFL classroom, information literacy and critical thinking are crucial to the learning process as it encourages a greater depth of interest and participation from students and fosters a more meaningful learning environment through active participation.

Formative assessment helps us know what our students have understood so we can modify instruction. However, it is even more helpful for learning if students learn to self-assess what they know, so they can figure out what they need to do to build their knowledge. In this workshop, we will look at the qualities of effective formative assessment, and then we will compare and contrast available technology tools to help support it. Participants will experiment with tools for live polling, quizzing games, audio/screencasting feedback, interactive video lessons, and writing tools. We will discuss the practicalities of each technology and experience them as a learner. Come for some ideas to improve engagement with formative assessment and feedback! Bring along your laptop to be able to participate in this session fully. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPECTED TO BRING THEIR LAPTOPS.

One of the most effective models of professional development is teachers conducting research into their own classroom practice. Research has shown that teacher-initiated inquiries are more likely to bring about long-term transformation of teaching practice. This course introduces the key aspects that a teacher needs to consider in order to design, conduct and disseminate a classroom-based research project. The sessions will cover a hands-on workshop on what classroom-based research project looks like and engage participants in a series of short activities to help them design a project. Following that, sessions will concentrate on disseminating results through conference presentations and publications. Sessions will focus on how to write an abstract and the steps for writing an effective literature review. Finally, a map for writing a research paper will be shared with the participants.

تساهم هذه الورشة في تطوير و تعديل مهارتين رئيسيتين من مهارات التطوير القيادي، المهارة الأولى هي مهارة التواصل الفعال و التي يحتاجها المعلمين و الاداريين على حد سواء في المدارس و الكليات والجامعات، حيث تساهم مهارة التواصل في تعزيز قيمة المعلومات التي يتم تدريسها، المهارة الثانية هي مهارة الذكاء العاطفي و لكن سيتم التطرق إلى عاملين فقط من عوامل الذكاء العاطفي وهما الوعي الشخصي و الادارة الشخصية، حيث تساهم هذه العوامل في عملية التطوير الشخصي بشكل كبير وبالتالي تعزز من عملية التعامل مع الآخرين سواء كان في الفصل الدراسي أو خارجه،ستعتمد هذه الورشة على العامل النظري و العملي بشكل متساو و ستزود الحضور بمجموعة من الأدوات المهمة

In the last few years, the EmSAT exams have become a prominent part of the fabric of the education system of the UAE. For grade-12 students seeking admission into federal tertiary institutions it has become a rite of passage as a required part of their application process into the UAE’s top universities, UAEU, HCT, ZU, Khalifa University, and increasingly many other institutions in the UAE. Required subject exams for all students are Arabic, Mathematics, Physics, and English, with the addition of Chemistry for advanced students. Institutions use the scores on these exams to place students directly into degree programs, to pre-screen them for STEM-related areas, and in many cases for placement into the foundation year. For all intents and purposes, the EmSAT English exam has replaced the IELTS as the English-language exam of choice in the UAE. Students in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 also take EmSAT exams during their school year, and the country’s leadership and decision makers in education pay careful attention to school performance. The aim of the course is to provide participants with a detailed understanding of the history of the EmSAT English Exam, its structure, how it is scored, future directions and how organizations and agencies might prepare their students for the exam.

This session will focus on research publishing in language learning and teaching. First, I will outline some historical background of the field, which will provide a background to discuss current trends towards quality research, emerging methodological paradigms, the emergence of rigor, transparency and openness. Participants in the session will engage in discussing concrete examples of academic texts and strategies to revise to meet the standards of high impact journals’ demands. There will be time allocated for consultation in small workshop groups.

The course will be divided into 2 strands. The first one will be titled 'EFL Vocabulary building for young learners' and the second one will be titled 'Adapting EFL materials for young learners with dyslexia'. Both seminars will start with a short theoretical overview and will be followed of a practical workshop with hands on activities.

يمثّل تعليم اللغة العربية اليوم تحديا هائلا في ظل المنافسة الاقتصادية والسياسية وحتى الثقافية لبعض اللغات الأجنبية التي صارت هي اللغة "المفضّلة" عند الكثيرين من أبناء الجيل الجديد. هذا يعني أنّ على المشتغلين باللغة العربية وتعليمها أن يعملوا على إبداع وتعلّم وتبني أفضل الممارسات العالمية في مجالات تعليم اللغات واللسانيات وتطبيقها في صفوفهم. ستقوم هذه الورشة بعرض مجموعة من تلك الممارسات الفضلى تحديدا في مجال القراءة المبكرة وكيفية تطبيقها في صف اللغة العربية.

The course will focus on writing and speaking band descriptors and how to use them in the IELTS preparation classroom to enhance student success on the IELTS test. Band descriptors provide a detailed "road-map" of exactly what instructors need teach to their students in order to guide them toward success. Students gain clarity about how IELTS scores are obtained and what they need to include in their writing and speaking sections in order to meet their IELTS goals. Attendees will participate collaboratively in IELTS-related activities that they can later use in their classrooms to help students achieve their target scores on the IELTS.

The term ‘teacher leader’ has taken on many meanings in the leadership literature. For some, it is an actual professional role that is assigned with the intention of “ascribing positional power to certain teachers within the teaching ranks” (Berkowicz & Myers, 2017, p. 1). For others it is someone who has moved up the teacher ranks by providing direction to other teachers and motivating them to take on different roles. Whether teachers find themselves in formal or in informal leadership roles, it is important that they develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to function as effective teacher leaders. In this development course, the presenter will review the latest developments in the English language teacher leadership literature with a view to covering the latest leadership roles, types and styles. Participants will have the opportunity to explore what their own particular leadership styles are and assess their own leadership potential. Key characteristics of successful teacher leaders and strategies about how to develop these characteristics will also be shared.

This professional development course will focus on the needs analysis and the core aspect of developing an ESL curriculum. With the ever-changing needs of the ESL industry, teachers are adapting and developing their own content. The content and teaching strategies have changed over time and we are witnessing a growing need to adapt materials and introducing new teaching strategies. This PDC will focus on the key aspects of helping teachers to develop their own ESL curriculum and also examine its effectiveness in terms of delivery and meeting course objectives. This is a hands-on short course with plenty of handouts and activities.

A professional development program led by an ETS-approved trainer in an interactive classroom setting, designed to provide you with the tools needed to help your students improve their English language proficiency by focusing on four key skills: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, and Writing. The workshop will provide techniques and strategies using the integrated-skills approach to teaching and preparing students. A certificate will be provided to participants, thus an advance registration is required.

In the last few years, the EmSAT exams have become a prominent part of the fabric of the education system of the UAE. For grade-12 students seeking admission into federal tertiary institutions it has become a rite of passage as a required part of their application process into the UAE’s top universities, UAEU, HCT, ZU, Khalifa University, and increasingly many other institutions in the UAE. Required subject exams for all students are Arabic, Mathematics, Physics, and English, with the addition of Chemistry for advanced students. Institutions use the scores on these exams to place students directly into degree programs, to pre-screen them for STEM-related areas, and in many cases for placement into the foundation year. For all intents and purposes, the EmSAT English exam has replaced the IELTS as the English-language exam of choice in the UAE. Students in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 also take EmSAT exams during their school year, and the country’s leadership and decision makers in education pay careful attention to school performance. The aim of the course is to provide participants with a detailed understanding of the history of the EmSAT English Exam, its structure, how it is scored, future directions and how organizations and agencies might prepare their students for the exam.