MELTA

ELTABB online workshop: Cut the Noise: Turning your clients into clear communicators with Vicky Margari
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Berlin)
In today’s hybrid workplaces, even highly skilled professionals can struggle with unclear emails, endless back-and-forth and miscommunication across channels. We trainers often try to address these challenges by telling, explaining and teaching. But real transformation takes more than that. In our role, we are in a unique position to give our clients more than just language lessons. We can empower them with insights and tools to work better together.
In this online workshop, you will:

try out practical activities for building clarity in digital communication, including helping clients identify and cut noise in their daily work,
discover strategies to help clients choose the right channels and habits, so messages are delivered and received with greater impact and efficiency,
collaborate with fellow trainers to address real workplace communication challenges, sharing ideas and adapting approaches for different contexts.

You’ll walk away with a toolkit of ideas and approaches to partner with your clients as they reflect, challenge assumptions and transform how they communicate at work.

Bio:
Vicky Margari spent two decades in hospitality, customer service and insurance, leading teams, before moving into business English training. Although she was steeped in language rules from an early age and is still a bit of a language nerd, her business background taught her that the real communication issues professionals face go far beyond language. Vicky’s mission is helping virtual teams communicate more clearly and confidently across digital channels in today’s multi-communicating, fast-changing work environments.

ELTABB members: free. Please RSVP on the Ning.
Other ELTA members: free. Email events@eltabb.com to get the link
Non-members: €10. Email events@eltabb.com to book your place

38TH ANNUAL IATEFL BESIG CONFERENCE
2025-11-07 - 2025-11-09
38TH ANNUAL IATEFL BESIG CONFERENCE
Location: President Hotel, Kifisias 43, Athens, Greece
Date: November 7-9, 2025
Theme: Business Unusual – Rethinking Business English for a Changing World
Registration at: https://www.iatefl.org/event-details/#/?id=674
(Early bird registration until September 15, 2025)
Hotel reservations: Delegates can book rooms at the President Hotel at a discounted rate by using the code IATEFL25 on the hotel’s website
Further information is available at: www.iateflbesig.org

Online Workshop: Teacher Well-Being with Christine Muir Sat 15th Nov 10am-12pm
2025-11-15 10:00 - 12:00
How do you define good teacher well-being?
What does good teacher/professional well-being mean or look like to you?
This two-hour workshop will support you to articulate your own answers to these questions – and going a step further, it will also help you to develop tangible and immediately actionable steps to increase your professional well-being.
We will begin by exploring key conceptualisations and definitions of well-being, building on this to support an initial well-being health check up. Developing understandings about exactly what we mean when we talk about ‘well-being’ is key to maximising positive change.
The workshop will support you in developing a personalised job demands ‘resource-model‘ by considering both the costs of your role and the physical, social, organizational and psychological resources available.
We will finish by exploring possibilities of ‘job crafting’ – how you can craft task, relational and cognitive aspects of your role to better align with your personal strengths, needs and interests.
As experts in your professional context, this highly participatory workshop will facilitate opportunities to both share your experiences and to learn from others.

Bio
Christine Muir is an Assistant Professor in Second Language Acquisition at the University of Nottingham. Drawing on her broad background as an English language teacher, her research interests remain highly applied. They are rooted in the broad field of language learning psychology and focus particularly on language learner motivation and language teacher well-being.
Christine has published widely, in handbooks, edited volumes and journals. She is also an active member of the international teaching and research community. She currently sits on the Executive Board of the International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning.

How to join:
ELTABB members: free. Please RSVP on the Ning.
Other ELTA members: free. Email events@eltabb.com to get the link.
Non-members: €10. Email events@eltabb.com to book your place.

Webinar: Working humanistically – Seven practical activities
2025-11-22 10:00 - 13:30
To register, please send an e-mail to info@melta.de
Working humanistically – Seven practical activities
We live in an increasingly technological world with all its wonderous gadgetry. Kahoots, Quizlets, Mentimeters, Padlets etc are everywhere, and, of course, they offer teachers many exciting options. However, over-reliance on such tools can lead to gimmickry and “edutainment” at the expense of real person-to-person engagement. In this workshop you will participate in seven creative activities which ensure that you are at the very epicentre of the learning process.
Simon Marshall has worked as an ELT teacher, trainer, and academic manager for more than 40 years for various organisations, including York St. John University, Pilgrims, International House and the British Council. He is particularly interested in the principled application of Humanistic Approaches to language teaching and teacher development. He is also a keen etymologist and reader of philosophy and psychology.

Canva ELT branding: create smarter, reach further
2025-11-29 14:00 - 16:00
Click here to register

Annual Christmas Party - This year with show’an’tell
2025-12-06 19:00 - 22:00
Where: VHS Rosenkavalierplatz.16
Underground: Arabella Park
Start: December 6, at 7 p.m.
We’re hoping you’ll flex your muscles and bring along some great Christmas ideas to charm and entertain your colleagues, classes and family in the Festive Season!
If you plan to come and (we hope!!!) present an activity,
please drop a line to info@melta.de
Have a wonderful Golden Autumn and TALK SOON!
Your MELTA committee

HELTA SWAP SHOP: BESIG HIGHLIGHTS
2026-01-31 10:00 - 12:00

Using AI in the humanistic language classroom
2026-02-21 15:00 - 17:00
The true power of AI in ELT lies in hyper personalisation, which allows us to stop teaching ‘classes’ and start teaching individuals by creating unique, real-time learning pathways for every single student. AI has the ‘potential’ to be an enormous force for good within education. It also has the ‘potential’ to do enormous harm. How that potential is realised depends on our ability to help our students understand and negotiate how to use it wisely. As educators this isn’t a process we should abstain from but a responsibility we should engage with. Or should we be concerned that our profession is sleep walking towards an AI induced crash in human values? How can we ensure we use AI to promote our humanistic approaches in English language teaching and training?
To join please send an email to info@pilgrims.co.uk and they will send you the zoom link to join the panel discussion.

ELTAF Webinar: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Time-Saving Tips for Busy Teachers with Laura Edwards
2026-02-28 10:00 - 13:00
Achieving both efficiency and effectiveness is a challenge for many teachers, especially freelancers who are often not compensated for planning time. Technology can help, but managing resources can quickly become overwhelming. In this interactive online session, we’ll explore strategies to streamline your teaching and make better use of the time and materials you already have.
Click here for more details

From disruption to direction: our future skill set
2026-03-07 10:00 - 13:30
Now that the first feeding frenzy of AI is over, we need to think about how to manage disruptions and develop skill sets that will help us thrive in our profession. Therefore, this webinar aims to enable English trainers and teachers to assess future risks, identify emerging skill sets and develop strategies for long-term professional resilience.
In this webinar, participants will collaborate in small groups to explore a number of questions in a risk assessment of the disruptions we’re facing in our profession. In the second round, the groups will do a needs analysis and explore what skills can help us navigate the evolving demands of our roles over the next few years.
After the group work, we’ll reflect together on the direction we need to take and the tools that will support us in staying relevant, effective and empowered in a rapidly changing professional environment.
An online whiteboard will help to visualise ideas and provide additional information that the groups can use in their discussions.
Send us an email to register
Bio
Kirsten Waechter has been a business English trainer since 1998. She focuses on teaching business communication, ESP and EAP and intercultural and leadership courses. She designs her own materials in these fields and provides teacher training, too.

Write It. Notice It. Say It. Learner Diaries in Business English
2026-03-11 19:30 - 21:00
An interactive workshop on using short diary tasks to connect writing, noticing and speaking in business English.
Business English teachers often work with time-poor learners in a range of contexts, including offices, online lessons, one-to-one and small groups.
In this interactive online workshop, Lucy Tilney explores how a learner diary approach can be adapted to support noticing, grammar, pronunciation and spoken fluency, even within real-world constraints. Participants will leave with practical ideas they can apply immediately in their own teaching.
click here to register

ELTAF Webinar: Building Bridges – Engaging Activities for Enhancing Cultural Agility with Ridha Mejri
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:00
The world of business English is intrinsically linked to effective communication across diverse national cultures. Mastering this skill is vital for anyone involved in international business. In this dynamic workshop, participants will delve into the realm of intercultural training through engaging and practical activities that they can later implement with their clients/students.
Click here to find out more

SNAPSHOTS OF LEARNING – Refective tools to notice and nurture emergent language with Lewis Jaquest
2026-03-21 14:00 - 17:15
Click here to watch the podcast episode ‘The Power of Emergent Language in the ELT Classroom | Lewis Jaquest’
Working responsively with emergent language can feel challenging or even overwhelming when teachers want to be both credible and confident in the moment. Snapshots of Learning presents teachers with a set of practical, sustainable reflective tools designed to help them notice and nurture emergent language more effectively. Drawing on insights from the first beta run of the Emergent Language Toolkit course, this workshop introduces simple but powerful strategies and tools that support real-time decision-making and foster sustainable learning. Participants will explore a range of interactive, easy-to-adapt activities including reflective warmers, micro-review cycles and tracking tools that make learner language visible and give teachers clear next steps for developing it. By the end of the workshop, teachers will leave with a suite of ready-to-use reflective tools that boost confidence, support reactive teaching and help learners take charge of their own progress.

Saturday 21 March 14:00 – 17:15 on Zoom
Free for members of ELTAU or other German ELTA
30€ for external guests
Register here by 10 March 2026

About the speaker

Lewis Jaquest has worked in ELT since 2007 and now runs wordsmithery.elt, where he helps teachers become more credible, confident and sustainable in the way they work with emergent language. His approach blends practical tips, creative tools and reflective strategies that support real-time noticing and responsive teaching.
Following his IATEFL 2025 presentation on the Emergent Language Toolkit, Lewis has just completed the first beta run of the accompanying teacher course, guiding a cohort of experienced teachers through frameworks and hands-on practices for working creatively with learner language.
He also writes The Creative Business, a monthly newsletter for teachers exploring reflective tools for noticing and nurturing emergent language and ways to build sustainable, confidence-rich teaching habits.

It’s the Melta AGM and Melta needs you!
2026-03-21 16:00 - 19:00
March 21, 2026
It’s the Melta AGM and Melta needs you!
🌸💮
Where: Rosenkavalierplatz 16 / U-Bahn 4, Arabella Park
🌹🌷
When: 4:00 p.m.
🌺🌻 🌼
Doors open at 3:20 p.m. for coffee, cake, meeting, greeting and catching up!
AGM begins at 4:00 p.m. – there are many important things to be discussed!
Let us know if you’re coming by sending an e-mail to info@melta.de
🐝🐞
P.S. Melta won’t be marching in the St. Patrick’s day parade this year, we’re taking a break!
💐💐 💐
But, no worries, we’ll be back next year!
🐌🐛
See you all there – at the AGM!
🌲🌳
Your Melta committee
🐝🌻🐞🌼

Site-seeing: sharing our go-to digital tools
2026-04-29 19:00 - 20:30
Informal online event with Paula Rodrigues to look around and try out some educational sites for activity planning. Itinerary:
• Guided tour: Paula will show us around two sites, and demo example activities that she’s created using them. https://eltcation.com/ and https://learningapps.org/
• Independent exploring: all of us can try them out for ourselves
• Travellers’ tips: ideas share of any similar sites which we can recommend to each other
Tuesday April 28th 19:00 – 20:30 (you’re welcome to come even if you need to leave earlier)
Register HERE. Then you will receive the link to the Zoom call by email Free for members of any German ELTA. Guests welcome by agreement.

GET READY FOR THE WORLD CUP
2026-05-09 10:30 - 12:30

UNFORGETTABLE ENGLISH LESSONS
2026-05-21 17:30 - 20:30

AI in ELT: FROM LESSON IDEAS TO AI LITERACY
2026-05-30 11:00 - 12:30

Fun(ctional) Fillers
2026-06-08 19:00 - 20:00
Make the most of your minutes!
Waiting for group members to arrive, time left before the end of the lesson, targeted practice within a free-flow lesson? In this online workshop, Aran Keaton will show us 14 short activities
that she has developed/ adapted/ refined for use in online classes. They combine brevity and fun with targeted work on learners’ language skills.
Aran is an English trainer based in Bratislava, Slovakia. She follows a dogme approach, working with the emergent language of her learners and using their personal interests and contexts as lesson material. She is a big believer in learner training, encouraging curiosity, and questions.
Monday June 8th 19:00 – 20:00
Register here. You will receive the link to the Zoom call by email
Free for members of any German ELTA. Guests welcome – attendance fee 15€.

Working with Language at the Point of Need
2026-06-20 15:00 - 18:00
In-person Workshop
When: June 20, 2026
Time: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (Coffee & cake from 2:30 p.m.)
Where: Rosenkavalierplatz 16, Arabella Park U-Bahn
Focusing on the classroom as a space for skilled improvisation, the workshop shows how teachers can work with learners’ language as it emerges in real time. Participants will explore how to create opportunities for meaningful talk, adapt materials to encourage learner contribution, and respond to language at the point of need. Through practical, classroom-ready activities, the session demonstrates how noticing, testing and refining language can be integrated into communicative tasks without losing focus on meaning.
Drawing on classroom examples, the workshop will share strategies for:

creating space for emergent language in meaning-focused interaction
helping learners engage with grammar as a dynamic, meaning-driven process

developing teachers’ confidence in noticing, selecting and responding to learner language

adapting materials and tasks to support flexible, responsive teaching

Participants will leave with a repertoire of practical activities and clear principles they can immediately apply in their own contexts, supporting learners to develop language in ways that are timely, relevant and genuinely communicative.
To register, email info@melta.de
Richard Chinn is a teacher educator based in London and he works on MA and BA programmes at King’s College London. He is also involved in pre- and in-service teacher training courses at International House London. He has taught English and trained teachers in Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe and regularly delivers talks and workshops for teachers. His professional interests are in emergent language, classroom interaction, language teaching methodology, and teacher development. He is co-author of the book ‘Working with Emergent Language’ published by Pavilion ELT, 2023.

From Classroom English to Real-World Impact: Designing Speaking Activities That Build Communicative Competence
2026-07-02 18:30 - 20:00
Online Workshop: From Classroom English to Real-World Impact: Designing Speaking Activities That Build Communicative Competence with Barnaby Griffiths | Thu, July 2nd, 2026 6:30-8pm

From Classroom English to Real-World Impact: Designing Speaking Activities That Build Communicative Competence with Barnaby Griffiths
How can we make classroom speaking activities lead to stronger real-world communication?
In this 90-minute practical session, Barnaby Griffiths will explore how teachers can move beyond traditional speaking practice and design activities that actively build learners’ communicative competence. Drawing on his work in Language and Communication Coaching, Barnaby will show how clear communicative outcomes, rehearsal, targeted feedback and learner awareness can help transform speaking tasks into meaningful preparation for real-life communication.
The session will offer practical ideas for teachers working in a range of contexts, including general English, business English, exam preparation and mixed-level groups. Participants will come away with a simple structure for designing more purposeful speaking activities and helping learners communicate with greater confidence, clarity and impact.
Speaker Bio:
Barnaby Griffiths is an IATEFL speaker, language teacher trainer, communication coach and founder of Barnaby Griffiths Language Consultancy (BGLC). He is the author of the Language and Communication Coaching book series and creator of professional development courses focused on helping teachers develop learners’ real-world communicative competence. More information can be found at www.bglc.es.
How to join:
ELTABB members: free. Please RSVP on the Ning.
Other ELTA members: free. Email events@eltabb.com to get the link.
Non-members: €10. Email events@eltabb.com to book your place.

Webinar with Penny Ur
2026-07-11 10:00 - 11:30
Webinar with Penny Ur July 11: 10:00-11:30 Register at info@melta.de
Is repetition boring? Not necessarily! Vocabulary review activities in English language teaching. In order to master a new vocabulary item, a learner needs to
encounter it many times: probably between 6 and 16. The problem for the teacher is how to provide for meaningful re-encounters with new vocabulary while maintaining student motivation and interest. In this workshop, we shall look at and experience a number of interesting vocabulary-review activities, and identify some useful underlying principles.
Penny Ur has extensive experience as an English teacher in primary, secondary and tertiary education and has taught courses for teachers at Oranim Academic College of Education and Haifa University. She has also lectured extensively at conferences worldwide. She is particularly interested in practical aspects of effective English language teaching, 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), A course in English language teaching (2012), Discussions and more (2014), Penny Ur’s 100 tips (2016), Penny Ur’s 77 tips for vocabulary teaching (2022), 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 ELTons Outstanding Achievement award by the British Council.

Room to Grow
2026-07-16 14:30 - 18:00

UATEFL Reunion Conference
2026-08-06 - 2026-08-07
UATEFL
Ukrainian Association of Teachers
of English as a Foreign Language

UATEFL Reunion Conference:
Bridging Minds, Building Future

Lviv, August 6-7, 2026

For more information, please contact IATEFL Ukraine at ukraineatefl@gmail.com

CIFLE 2026
2026-09-11 - 2026-09-12
Dear colleagues!
Nataliia Gach Education Centre “L&D initiatives”, based in Kanton Zurich, Switzerland, is pleased to invite you to the Conference on Inclusive Foreign Language Education (CIFLE 2026), which will take place online on September 11-12, 2026.
The conference serves as a platform for educators from around the world to share their experiences in teaching foreign languages to both young and adult learners across a variety of settings. This year’s online event focuses on inclusive practices that empower diverse learners and support equitable access to language education. Participants will gain practical strategies, discover innovative tools, and connect with a global community committed to creating welcoming learner-centered classrooms.
The conference programme includes plenary sessions, section meetings, and workshops, and we invite contributions from the following fields:

Developing learners’ L2 speaking skills
Developing learners’ L2 reading skills
Developing learners’ L2 listening skills
Developing learners’ L2 writing skills
Interculturality and multilingualism in L2 classroom
AI assistance in language teaching
Learners’ autonomy in language learning
Assessment in foreign language teaching
Teaching foreign languages to learners with special educational needs
Fostering learners’ well-being in a L2 classroom
The agenda may be adjusted based on the applications received.
PARTICIPATION
Conference language – English.
To participate in the conference, please fill out a registration form on our website https://ld-
initiatives.ch/en/conferences/ by July 13, 2026.
The confirmation of conference participation will be sent within three weeks from the
submission date but not later than July 20, 2026. Conference fee: € 100.

For participation in the conference both speakers and listeners will be awarded with ECTS credits (0,2 ECTS credits for speakers and 0,1 ECTS credits for listeners), which will be stated in the certificate of attendance.
Certificates of attendance will be issued to all participants, including speakers and attendees, contingent upon their physical presence at the conference.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPEAKERS
Agenda: plenary speeches – 30 minutes, section speeches – 15 minutes; discussion time – 10 minutes.
PUBLICATION OF ABSTRACTS
All conference participants may submit abstracts for publication. Abstracts will be published in the e-Book of Abstracts containing ISBN and DOI numbers (see Appendix 1 Authors’ Guidelines for Abstracts Submission). The language of publication is English. The deadline for abstracts submission is July 13, 2026. Abstracts must be downloaded in the registration form on our website https://ld-initiatives.ch/en/conferences/ .
All submitted abstracts will be subjected to the double-blind peer review process. The editorial board reserves the right to decline papers that contain plagiarized content or do not conform to the norms and subject matter of the conference.
ENQUIRIES
For any questions concerning the conference, please contact Dr. Nataliia Gach at info@ld-initiatives.ch or by phone: +41 78 340 32 13.
For more information visit our website https://ld-initiatives.ch/en/conferences/.
Join us to explore new perspectives, exchange ideas, and help shape the future of inclusive foreign language teaching!
Appendix 1
AUTHORS’ GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACTS SUBMISSION
1. The abstract must contain 250-300 words, excluding references.
2. The abstract must be preceded by the name(s) of the author(s), including their title(s), affiliation, and country (all in the abovementioned order).
3. The title of the abstract must be in bold, all capitals, centered.
4. References, if applicable (presented in the end of the abstract), and in-text citations must conform to the APA Style.
Example of the abstract formatting:
Nataliia Gach, PhD Yuliia Trykashna, PhD Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Ukraine
CONTEMPORARY UKRAINIAN POEMS IN ENGLISH: CASE STUDY OF THE DYNAMIC CONSTRUAL APPROACH TO THE TRANSLATION OF
METAPHORS
Viewing translation as a communicative event situated in historical, cultural, and personal circumstances and impacted by the particulars of those very real circumstances (Halverson, 2013:34), this research focuses on the ways to translate metaphors, which are rooted in people’s physical and cultural experience, and therefore, are the conceptual keys to the understanding of human mind and language. As the word metaphor means a cross-domain mapping in the conceptual system, and its locus lies in the way we conceptualise one mental domain in terms of another (Lakoff, 1992), the conducted analysis deals with the comparative study of representation of the Ukrainian and English conceptual spheres on lexical, grammatical and stylistic levels, which leads to singling out the basic similarities and differences in worldviews of these two speech communities.
The theory of the dynamic construal of meaning is the methodological basis of the research as it views meanings, represented (construed) in a certain structure, as mental entities in conceptual space (Langacker, 1993). Thus, the analysis of both metaphorical meaning (semantic characteristics) and its structural linguistic representation gives deeper insight into the cognitive mechanisms behind the semantics of linguistic expressions, and reveals how a particular situation can be linguistically construed in alternate ways taking into account the mentality of a certain speech community (Verhagen, 2010:49). The theory of the dynamic construal of meaning is highly applicable to the translation studies as it provides a variety of tools for the comparative conceptual analysis of certain linguistic structures (metaphors, in particular) aimed at discovering cognitive semantic and structural characteristics of certain languages.
References:
Halverson, S. L. (2013). Implications of Cognitive Linguistics for Translation Studies. In A. Rojo, I. Ibarretxe-Antuñano (Eds.), Cognitive Linguistics and Translation: Advances in Some Theoretical Models and Applications (pp. 33-74). Berlin, Boston: Walter de Gruyter.
Lakoff, G. (1992). The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Langacker, R. W. (1993). Universals of Сonstrual. Berkeley Linguistics Society, 19, 447- 463.
Verhagen, A. (2010). Construal and Perspectivization. In D. Geeraerts, H. Cuyckens (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

33rd BETA Annual International Conference and 3rd Regional Central and Eastern Europe FIPLV Congress
2026-09-11 - 2026-09-13
33rd BETA Annual International Conference and
3rd Regional Central and Eastern Europe FIPLV Congress „Language Education: Expanding Perspectives, Enriching
Practices“
11th-13th September 2026, Sofia, Bulgaria SECOND CALL
DEAR COLLEAGUES,
We are delighted to extend our warm invitation to you for the 33rd BETA Annual International Conference and 3rd Regional Central and Eastern Europe FIPLV Congress. Hosted by the Bulgarian English Teachers’ Association (BETA), in collaboration with FIPLV (Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Langues Vivantes), and the University of National and World Economy, this joint event will be held in Sofia, the beautiful capital city of Bulgaria, from 11th to 13th September 2026.

The prestigious event will bring together educators representing diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration towards advancing language education worldwide. It aims to inspire and motivate language teachers to make the most of the teaching and learning contexts they work in, and to exploit the potential of various innovative and collaborative practices in all areas of ELT, ESP, modern languages education and research. The official languages of the event will include Bulgarian, English and German with presentations and workshops in the working languages, but contributions related to modern languages are more than welcome.
We would like to provide you with the opportunity to share your experience, expertise and insights into the fascinating world of language teaching and research. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to Teaching Young Learners and Teenagers; Teaching ESP/LSP; Teacher Education and Development; Bilingual Education; Literature, Media & Cultural Studies in ELT/Language Teaching; Global Issues; Content and Language Integrated Learning; Blended Learning; Applied linguistics; Research; Testing, Evaluation and Assessment.
Internationally prominent professionals in the field of ELT and modern languages education are invited as keynote speakers and workshop leaders. A book exhibition of major publishers and service providers will accompany the conference.
KEY DETAILS
SPEAKER PROPOSAL DEADLINE: 30th June 2026. For speaker proposal forms,
accommodation and other details visit https://forms.gle/83Gv3MScHdTCeuRw7
and check http://www.beta-iatefl.org.
Official languages: The official languages of the event will include Bulgarian, English and German with presentations and workshops in the working languages, but related to modern languages are more than welcome.
Important dates
Notification of acceptance: 30th July
Submission of papers: 31st October
Publication of conference proceedings in a special issue of BETA E-Newsletter: 31st December Submission requirements:
https://www.beta-iatefl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BETA-E-Newsletter-issue–42.pdf. FEES
Participants Early bird (until Regular fee registration 31st July)

BETA members and Bulgarian teachers
60 €
80 €

FIPLV 80 € 100 € members
Non-BETA 100 € 120 € & FIPLV
*Fees of foreign participants: payment will be made on-site to avoid heavy bank fees. The early bird rate will be applicable for those who have registered by 31st July and the regular rate – for those who register after 31st July. Only participants who need an invoice will have to pay by bank transfer with the transfer expenses covered by them.
*Presenters must pay their fees by 31st July.
Organising Committee
Assoc. Prof. Albena Stefanova, University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria
and
Dr Georgi Dimitrov, University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria, Chief Conference Organisers & BETA Committee Members
Assoc. Prof. Sylvia Velikova, St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria and FIPLV & FIPLV CEER representative
Assoc. Prof. Katalin Fogarasi, Semmelweis University, Hungary and HAALT representative Assoc. Prof. Veselin Chantov, University of Library Studies and Information Technologies, Bulgaria, BETA Committee Member
Lina Yanbastieva-Petrova, Yoan Ekzarh Balgarski Secondary School, BETA Committee Member
Drijenka Pandžić Kuliš, University of Zagreb, Croatia UNJSVU representative
Saša Sirk, Technical School Centre in Nova Gorica, Slovenia and SDUTSJ representative
Scientific Committee
Prof. Terry Lamb, University of Westminster, the UK. FIPLV President
Dr Geraldo de Carvalho, Werther Institut Juiz de Fora, Brazil, Secretary-General of FIPLV Assoc. Prof. Sylvia Velikova, St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria Assoc. Prof. Albena Stefanova, University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria
Assoc. Prof. Veselin Chantov, University of Library Studies and Information Technologies,
Bulgaria
Assoc. Prof. Katalin Fogarasi, Semmelweis University, Hungary and HAALT representative Dr Mirna Varga, University of Osijek, Croatia and UNJSVU representative
Dr Nataša Gaišt, University of Maribor, Slovenia and SDUTSJ representative
Dr Georgi Dimitrov, University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria Venue: The University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria For further queries, contact beta.iateflbg@gmail.com
We very much look forward to seeing you in Sofia.
Kind regards,
The Conference and Congress Organising Committee
BETA 2026 Plenary Speakers
Judit Hidasi (PhD in Applied Linguistics) has been active in foreign language teaching (English, Russian, Japanese) and in intercultural communication education and training for five decades. She spent longer periods of study, research and work in China, in Finland, in Great Britain, in Italy, in Japan, in the Soviet Union and on Taiwan.
Her academic practice was interrupted by three years of civil service at the Hungarian Ministry of Education (1998-2001) and a five-year guest professorship at Kanda University of International Studies (Japan: 2001-2006). She is professor emerita of BUEB (Budapest University of Economics and Business) and of Sapientia EMTE University (Cluj, Romania). She is vice-president of HAALLT (Hungarian Association of Applied Linguists and Language Teachers).
For her merits in 2005 she was decorated by the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) and in 2022 by the International Award of FIPLV.
Plenary Talk: Language as Soft Power
Soft power denotes the ability to influence through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or force. Among the many tools of soft power—such as culture, values, and diplomacy—language stands out as one of the most subtle yet powerful instruments. Language becomes a long-term investment in building international networks and goodwill. Moreover, language can shape global narratives.
There are different ways to rank languages globally—by native speakers, by total speakers, use in business, and soft power influence. Each tells a very different story about global power. Although English dominates across three of the dimensions, Mandarin Chinese is rising fast. European languages (French, Spanish, German) remain influential due to history and institutions, whereas Asian languages (Hindi, Korean, Japanese) are gaining power with shifting global dynamics.
The dominance of global languages however can sometimes lead to the marginalization of local languages and cultures. This raises concerns about cultural homogenization and the loss of linguistic diversity. At this point the responsibility of foreign language educators gains momentum.
Dragana Božić Lenard is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology (FERIT), Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia, where she teaches English for Specific Purposes to computer science students.
She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Osijek. Her current research interests span ESP pedagogy, sociolinguistics, computational linguistics, and the integration of digital and AI-based tools in language learning and teaching. Her most recent work investigates how ESP students perceive and use AI tools (from digital dictionaries to large language model chatbots) and what these practices mean for the future of ESP course design and teacher roles.
She is the author of one scientific monograph, university coursebook and accompanying teachers’ book and over twenty research papers published in international peer-reviewed journals. She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences. She has participated in several national and international research projects.
Plenary Talk: Between the Algorithm and the Classroom: AI Tools, ESP Learners, and the Teacher in the Middle
AI tools have quietly become a fixture in the ESP classroom — not through institutional policy, but through students’ smartphones. Chatbots, instant translators, and AI writing assistants are now part of how technical students engage with English, with or without their teachers’ knowledge. But are these tools expanding learners’ language competence, or simply making it easier to bypass the learning process altogether?
Drawing on empirical research with ESP students at a Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology in Croatia, this plenary examines how students use AI-based language tools, what they believe these tools offer them, and where that belief diverges from their actual needs as developing professional communicators. The findings point to a telling pattern: high convenience, low criticality.
The talk proposes a framework for intentional AI integration in ESP — one that repositions the teacher not as a technology gatekeeper, but as a critical mediator who cultivates AI literacy alongside disciplinary language competence. The central argument is simple: the question is no longer whether AI belongs in our classrooms. It is whether we, as educators, are ready to make it work for learning rather than instead of it.
Dubravka Celinšek is Assistant Professor of English and Head of the Department of Foreign Languages for Business at the University of Primorska, Faculty of Management, and is also a member of the Slovenian Academy of Management and the Slovenian Association of LSP Teachers. She is actively involved in the university tutoring system and was also involved in designing the university’s language policy. Her research interests encompass translating terminology, problem-based learning, teaching LSP with regard to socio-economic contexts as well as teaching LSP, especially terminology, through novels and plays. She has authored and co- authored teaching materials and textbooks, alongside professional and scientific publications.
Plenary Talk: Bridging Language and Disciplinary Knowledge in LSP through Literary Texts and Problem-Based Learning
Contemporary approaches to teaching languages at the tertiary level increasingly rely on digital tools. This presentation argues that literary texts and problem-based learning (PBL) remain valuable and underused resources for supporting students’ acquisition of terminology and developing their critical thinking skills and conceptual understanding in languages for specific purposes (LSP). In this presentation I will therefore focus on two complementary dimensions of LSP teaching: reading for conceptual understanding and the development of critical thinking. First, the talk examines the integration of literary texts into business and financial English as a bridge between disciplinary context and knowledge on the one hand, and language use on the other. Students engage with literary works that depict financial contexts, analysing how key concepts and instruments are experienced by fictional protagonists. This approach provides students with a condensed yet “close-to-real-life” context that supports deeper conceptual understanding. The presentation then introduces an adapted problem-based learning (PBL) model for LSP that fosters collaborative learning, autonomy, conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. This could be used with literary works as well as with professional texts. The approaches discussed demonstrate the potential to enhance terminology acquisition and understanding of disciplinary contexts. They increase student engagement and reinforce the link between language learning and disciplinary thinking.

IATEFL POLAND - 2026 Conference
2026-09-18 - 2026-09-20
IATEFL POLAND
2026 Conference
Warsaw, September 18-20, 2026
The changemakers revolution
For more information, please contact
Rob Howard at office@iatefl.org.pl

39th Annual IATEFL BESIG Conference
2026-11-20 - 2026-11-22
When: Friday, November 20, 2026 (13.00 CET / 12.00 UK time) – Sunday, November 22, 2026 (14.00 CET / 13.00 UK time)
Venue: Hotel Flemings Wien Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.
We are excited to welcome you to the 39th IATEFL BESIG Annual Conference in Vienna!
Under this year’s theme, Building Bridges: Preparing for Global Business, the conference will bring together Business English professionals from around the world to explore how our field is evolving in response to global change, shifting workplace realities, and new forms of communication and collaboration.
Whether you work in higher education, corporate training, vocational education, or freelance teaching, the conference offers a space for meaningful dialogue and practical insights.
Find out more here

TESOL FRANCE 45th Anniversary Colloquium
2026-11-20 - 2026-11-22
TESOL FRANCE
45th Anniversary Colloquium
Paris, November 20-22, 2026
More than a Teacher: The Expansion of Skill Sets of the 21st-century Language Educator
Plenaries:
Dr. Minh Hue Nguyen, Dr. Joan Shin,
Prof. Dr. Tariq Elyas
For more information, please contact TESOL France at tesolfrance@gmail.com or Debbie West at debinparis2007@gmail.com.
