2016 ATECR Conference ELT CZECHLIST: IDEAS FROM THE HEART OF EUROPE was held in Prague on 9 – 10 September. Ingrida Macytė, a senior English teacher from Klaipėda Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium, represented LAKMA at this conference.
The conference started with a thought-provoking and highly moving plenary lecture given by Šarka Dohnalová “Language as the Tool of the Tools for Including Everyone in the Classroom” which addressed the issues of teaching children with special needs. Then conference participants could choose from a variety of ELT lecture and workshop topics.
The topics ranged from updates in teaching with the newest technological gadgets and software, innovative methodologies and exam material to presentations of modernised class friendly adaptations of W. Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, fitness and wellness quiz-based guidance through the products we consume on a daily basis, activities for enhancing learners’ business communication skills and many others.
Ingrida Macytė gave a talk on “Teaching Past Tenses of English through Gestures” which consisted of the presentation of the theoretical basis for gesture application in teaching syntax and the video footage on gesture application at work in an English grammar class.
Friday programme was concluded with the envigorating performance by the choir Orfej, which offered a nice break from academically charged content.
Saturday programme incluced two co-plenaries, followed by many concurrent sessions. The day was highly intense not only because of lthe ectures and workshops, but also because of the talks on future prospects for organising international conferences and co-operation among representatives from HUPE CROATIA, IATEFL UK, IATEFL HUNGARY, IATEFL POLAND, LAKMA LITHUANIA, SCET SLOVAKIA, TEA AUSTRIA, BETA BULGARIA AND META MOLDAVA.
The benevolence and genuine interest in co-operation among partners seems promising and gives hope for interesting future conferences and projects among ELT professionals in Europe.
