Plenary Speakers
Decolonising English in English Language Teaching: English as connection or barrier
Will Baker
Will Baker is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Director of the Centre for Global Englishes at the University of Southampton, UK. His research interests are Intercultural and Transcultural Communication, English as a Lingua Franca, English Medium Education, Intercultural Education and Citizenship, and Decolonial ELT. Recent publications include Baker, W., Ishikawa, T. and Jenkins, J. ‘Global Englishes’ (2024, Routledge), ‘Intercultural and Transcultural Awareness in Language Teaching’ (2022, Cambridge University Press), Baker, W., & Ishikawa, T. ‘Transcultural Communication through Global Englishes’ (2021, Routledge), Tsou, W., & Baker, W. (Eds.). ‘English-medium instruction translanguaging practices in Asia’ (2021, Springer), and co-editor of the ‘Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca’ (2018). He is also co-editor of the book series ‘Developments in English as a Lingua Franca’ (DGM) and ‘Elements in Intercultural Communication’ (Cambridge University Press).
The Power of Advocacy in English Language Teaching
Simple stories to work on Sustainability in the Primary ELT classroom
Kate Reynolds
Dr. Kate Mastruserio Reynolds (Professor) teaches TESOL at Central Washington University. A licensed K-12 educator, she has taught teachers in several countries and multilingual learners at elementary, middle schools and universities in various contexts. Dr. Reynolds’ publications include Introduction to TESOL: Becoming a Language Teaching Professional and Research Methods in Language Teaching and Learning: A Practical Guide. Currently, she serves on the TESOL International Association’s Board of Directors (2022-2025).
Bridget R. Schvarcz
Bridget R. Schvarcz (PhD, Bar-Ilan University) is the head of the Unit of English as a Foreign Language at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a lecturer in the MA TESOL program at Tel Aviv University. She has been a teacher educator for the Israeli Ministry of Education, Department of Professional Development of Teaching Staff for the past 13 years. Bridget is past chair of ETAI (2020–23). Her research interests include language in areas of intractable conflict, linguistic landscape, language awareness and the role of advocacy and social justice in the language classroom. Some of her latest works explore how language can be a tool for empowerment and dialogue, fostering awareness of social justice issues in contexts of conflict.
Connection matters: the importance of human connection
Antonia Clare
Antonia Clare is an English language teacher trainer, international conference speaker and author. Her special interests include the psychology of language learning, creativity and art. She has taught and trained in many countries around the world, and co-authored bestselling course book titles including Total English and Speakout (now in its 3rd edition) as well as Teachers’ Resource titles such as The Creative Teacher’s Compendium. She is a freelance writer, a consultant trainer with NILE, and her latest publication is Positive Language Education – Teaching Global Life Skills in the Language Classroom (Routledge)
International English and plurilingualism: some practical implications for teaching
Penny Ur
Penny Ur was educated at the universities of Oxford (MA), Cambridge (PGCE) and Reading (MATEFL). She emigrated to Israel in 1967, where she still lives today. She is married with four children and twelve grandchildren. Penny Ur has thirty years’ experience as an English teacher in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Now retired, she has taught courses at BA and MA level at Oranim Academic College of Education and Haifa University, and has lectured at language teachers’ conferences worldwide. She is interested in all aspects of language-teaching methodology, but in particular in issues of vocabulary and grammar in language teaching, language-learning activity design, English as an international language and the place of research as a source of professional knowledge. She was for ten years the editor of the Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers series. Her books include Grammar practice activities (2nd Edition) (2009), Vocabulary activities (2012), Discussions and more (2014), Penny Ur’s 100 tips (2016), Penny Ur’s 77 tips for vocabulary teaching, A course in English language teaching (3rd Edition) (2024), all published by Cambridge University Press. In 2013 she was awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) by Her Majesty the Queen for services to English language teaching, and in 2022 the Outstanding Achievement award by the British Council.