The rapid development of digital technology provides many opportunities for Generation Z. However, at the same time, they are also faced with greater dangers. Lack of character education will result in various problems in teenagers such as poor work ethic, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, cheating,and bullying. Good character is developed over time through a continuous process. One way is through formal learning at schools. However, there are limitations in preparing learning content that includes character education. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop English language learning materials that integrate character education that suits the interests and learning needs of Generation Z. This research uses design-based research (DBR) with student and teacher respondents from several high schools in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which implements the recent curriculum. Materials validation will be conducted by two experts consisting of one expert in the field of English language learning and one expert in the field of learning technology. Furthermore, the learning materials will be evaluated after being used in class.

Biography

Dyah Setyowati Ciptaningrum, Ed.D. is an assistant professor at the Department of English Language Education, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY). She completed her study majoring in ICT in Education in Monash University, Australia in 2007, and received her Ed.D. degree from Flinders University, Australia, in 2015. Her research interests and publications include the use of ICT in English language Education, English language learning and teaching, and teacher professional learning.

In response to the pedagogical shift towards integrating real-world language into ELT classrooms, this session delves into how alternative assessment strategically assesses and cultivates authentic language learning within educational contexts. Through the foundational principles underpinning alternative assessment, including discussions on validity, practicality and washback, participants will gain a robust theoretical framework coupled with practical exemplars to elevate their language assessment practice to optimize students’ language learning. By explicitly showcasing the symbiotic relationship between alternative assessments and authentic language learning, the session also underscores the profound importance of immersing learners in real-world language contexts. Drawing from cutting-edge research and practical expertise, participants will not only grasp key concepts of alternative assessment but also encounter practical exemplars tailored to ELT classrooms. Concluding with an inclusive review of assessment tools and a preview of emerging trends, this session equips language educators with the tools to bridge classroom learning and practical language usage, reinvigorating pedagogical approaches and empowering students to excel in authentic language proficiency. Join this session to amplify your pedagogical impact and take your teaching into the realm of real-world language proficiency.

Biography

Pariwat Imsa-ard, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University, Thailand. Currently, he is serving as the Public Relations committee of Thailand TESOL. With an academic background from both Thailand and the UK, he empowers language teachers through professional development workshops, enhancing their teaching performance and confidence for optimal teaching and learning experiences. His extensive research interests encompass areas related in ELT, such as language assessment, teaching methodologies, EFL teacher education, interculturality, and reflective practice. For future collaboration, he can be reached at pariwat.i@arts.tu.ac.th.

Critical pedagogies bring real language into the ELT classroom by drawing on the lived  experiences and immediate realities of students. It aims to nurture critical thinking and awareness, so that students can then go into the world to impact social change. Hence, critical pedagogies in ELT strives to offer hope for a brighter future by promoting language learning, personal growth, and social activism. However, within the Southeast Asian region, engaging with these pedagogies can be a complex endeavour due to various socio-political and cultural reasons.

In this presentation, I will address some fundamental challenges that can hinder the adoption of critical pedagogies in English language classrooms in Southeast Asia. These include the provocative nature of critical pedagogies; limits on freedom of speech and expression; teacher confidence and socialisation into the profession; and the examination-oriented culture which is dominant in this context. I will then go on to introduce various practical methods for implementing critical pedagogies in classroom activities.

This presentation is based on an upcoming edited book by Joseph Jeyaraj, Kiss, and Perrodin, which will be published as part of the MELTA-USM series. The edited volume, titled "Critical Pedagogies in English Language Teaching and Learning in Southeast Asia," encompasses both conceptual and empirical chapters that explore the application of critical pedagogies in classrooms across the region. These chapters, in alignment with this year's conference theme, demonstrate how critical pedagogies have been reimagined in Southeast Asia to bring real language into the ELT classroom.

Biography

Dr Joanna Joseph Jeyaraj is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). She obtained a PhD in Higher Education from University of Otago in New Zealand and her research focussed on critical pedagogy in English language teaching. Joanna has taught in various higher education institutions in Malaysia and at present, she teaches subjects related to literature and thinking skills. Joanna’s current research projects include Visible Thinking Routines in ELT and teaching literature for global citizenship and global consciousness. She believes that her role as a university teacher is not only to teach students to read the word, but to also read the world.

The application of corpus technology in language teaching and learning has seen a significant surge in popularity in recent decades. Corpora, which are principled collections of naturally occurring language, have emerged as valuable resources for both language educators and learners. The information gleaned from corpora can assist language educators in identifying prevalent language features and common learner errors, allowing them to focus their instructional efforts more effectively. Through the incorporation of corpora into language instruction, learners gain exposure to real language patterns and access a powerful reference tool for self-directed language learning.

Despite the widely recognized benefits of integrating corpus technology into language teaching and learning, its full potential remains underutilized in many educational contexts. Drawing upon relevant research, this presentation aims to provide insights to facilitate the effective integration of corpus technology into language classrooms. The following key aspects will be addressed: 1) the capabilities of corpus technology, 2) its practical applications, and 3) a selection of corpus tools and resources for language teaching and learning. These aspects collectively serve as foundational knowledge necessary for educators to get started with the application of corpus technology.

Biography

Dr. Weiyu Zhang is a Language Specialist with the Training, Research, Assessment and Consultancy Department at SEAMEO-RELC, Singapore. She has teaching experience across diverse educational contexts, including English as a Foreign Language, teacher education, and English for Academic Purposes. Her research interests lie in corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, academic writing, and TESOL teacher education. Her work appears in the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, Journalism Studies, Ibérica, and the International Journal of English Studies, among others. She has presented at reputable international conferences such as the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference, the Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée (AILA) World Congress, and the Symposium on Second Language Writing (SSLW). Her scholarly contribution also extends to book chapters edited by renowned scholars in the field.

Traditionally, autonomous learning has been characterized as independent learning which transpires outside the classroom. Since Holec’s (1981) paper on the topic, it has often been suggested that autonomous learners are responsible for setting goals, selecting content, monitoring, and evaluating their learning. However, such behaviors, collectively, are impractical especially in contexts like Cambodia where there is a strong cultural and historical tendency to defer to teachers for direction on learning (e.g., Pellini, 2005). Fortunately, researchers now stress the social dimensions of learner autonomy (Murray, 2014). Additionally, scholars emphasize the relationship between learning in and outside the classroom (e.g., Kashiwa & Benson, 2018). Yet, traditional views and practices of learner autonomy persist. Consequently, the presenters propose a more nuanced perspective of autonomy rooted in ecology. That is, as learning takes place in different contexts, the amount and type of control a learner has in each naturally varies. Nevertheless, learners can still reflect and make impactful decisions about their learning. Furthermore, teachers can play a role in relinquishing control to foster greater learner autonomy. This workshop will thus begin by introducing the notion of Ecological Autonomy. Thereafter, participants will explore learner and teacher roles in promoting it in their own educational contexts.

Biography

TWEED Andrew is a Lecturer and Coordinator of the WLC Self-Access Center at Soka University in Tokyo, Japan. Previously he was U.S. Senior English Language Fellow at the National Institute of Education in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he worked as a trainer and curriculum developer. Andrew has also conducted teacher training in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. His most recent publications are related to teacher education and learning beyond the classroom. Andrew has an MATESOL from the University of Washington and an Ed.D. in TESOL from Anaheim University.

WARRINGTON Stuart holds an Ed.D. in TESOL (University of Exeter, UK). He is a professor in the Department of English Studies and head of the self-access center (SAC) at Nagoya University of Commerce and Business. He is responsible for maintaining and updating the university's SAC programme to ensure it continues to meet learners’ needs, and provides regular training in self-access principles and practice for SAC staff. He has been teaching the English language for over 30 years and has worked in Canada, South Korea and Japan. He has published and presented on self-access language learning in Japan and internationally.

Despite the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) development has been ongoing for many years (Holmes & Tuomi, 2023), the introduction of this new technology has recently accelerated and can be witnessed in the multitude of publications on the subject over recent years (Maslej et al., 2023). In an evolving educational landscape where technology is not just an asset, but a fundamental catalyst, the incorporation of A.I in English Language Teaching (ELT) is no longer a novelty, but a necessity that enables teachers to keep up with the expanding technological landscape. These technological advances have been the driving force behind an in-depth review of education, and educators are now encouraged to rethink their understanding in areas such as teaching methodologies and learner assessment (Rudolph et al., 2023). This presentation will aim to illuminate the possible transformative role of A.I in ELT. The session will unpack the practical and pedagogical applications of A.I Language Models, which are distinctly capable of individualizing learning, enhancing engagement, and optimising assessment strategies. The presentation will provide opportunities to explore the benefits of A.I Language Models, an A.I resource creator, and an insight into how to integrate these into the ELT environment.

Biography

NICHOLSON Paul is the Assistant Director of Studies for ACE in Cambodia. I am also the Main Course Tutor on our CELTA courses across the country. I have worked for ACE for the past ten years and I have taught a range of different levels in a variety of different ACE programs. I am qualified in the following areas: • M.A Applied Linguistics and TESOL • London Trinity Dip-TESOL • Cambridge CELTA • Cambridge CELTA: Young Learner Extension • CELTA Trainer • DELTA Local Tutor • Bachelor's Degree in Psychology & Counseling.

The most effective way to teach a language is by engaging learners in a real language use in the classroom (Willis & Willis, 2019). This can be realized through task-based teaching (TBT), which is an approach where teachers design tasks such as discussions, problems, and games. The approach is also essential in teaching, and it requires students to use their existing knowledge and complete a task sequence rather than a teacher explaining the meaning and forms of language as in a traditional classroom. In this workshop, the presenter is going to highlight the key principles of TBT, the methods in applying TBT, and examples of tasks which are useful for teachers of adults and teacher trainers to implement TBT in their classroom. At the end of this session, participants will be able to fully understand the principles and to design task-based activities that bring about student engagement and the practical use of English language in class and in the real world.

Biography

VAT Thanith is a lead teacher at Australian Centre for Education (ACE) Chak Angre campus. He has involved in ELT for about eight years. He has presented at local and international conferences. He is currently doing his International Diploma in Language Teaching Management (Online IDLTM) by the University of Queensland College. He studied a Master Exchange program of English Linguistics and Literature at Ghent University, Belgium in 2015 and graduated from Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL), RUPP in 2014. His major interests are in leadership and management, ELT research and assessment, and professional development.

In many countries, the journey to becoming an effective school leader or principal often commences with a career as a teacher. This leads to an assumption that having teaching experience would qualify one to become a school leader or principal, which is not totally the case. The absence of an effective transition can leave novice school leaders ill-equipped to tackle various challenges of their new roles, to name a few, professional isolation, dealing with multiple tasks, and dealing with the influence of the previous principal’s legacy. Drawing on a 2018 study involving six newly appointed school leaders in various private schools with work experience ranging from six months to one year, the study reveals important findings. It investigates the challenges these educational leaders face, the support mechanisms needed, and the leadership practices they employ to navigate the first year in their leadership roles. By sharing the insights of these novice principals, this presentation aims to offer valuable takeaways for aspiring leaders so that they can better prepare themselves to navigate the complex challenges that await them, especially in private school settings.

Biography

SUON Tepy is a Cambodian national who currently serves as a Lead Teacher at the Australian Centre for Education (ACE) in Cambodia. With over 8 years of experience in the field, she has spent a large amount of her tenure teaching English as a foreign language to students from various age groups. Prior to her current role, she obtained her M.A. in Educational Leadership and Management from Nottingham University, U.K. Her areas of interest lie in professional development, school leadership, and educational technology.

Each generation usually shares certain traits and beliefs, which may be different from the generations before and after them. Therefore, the generation gap between teachers and learners may sometimes lead to challenges in both teaching and learning. Modern language teachers, like all other educators, may face obstacles; therefore, they need to adapt their teaching styles to meet the demands of their learners. This workshop is devoted to discussing several classroom strategies to assist teachers in engaging with Gen Z learners, who were born mid to late the 1990s. Some hands-on experience will be shared, which can be applied in real classroom settings. During the workshop, the characteristics and personality traits of Gen Z learners’ will be highlighted, and the participants will be able to apply some practical strategies to create a deeply connected classroom environment with different groups of learners, particularly Gen Z learners. Participants will also be welcome to share their thoughts, concerns and experiences.

Biography

KHY Bunhour is currently a Lead Teacher at the Australian Centre for Education (ACE). He graduated from the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), with a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education in 2017 and 2021, respectively. In 2019, he also received a scholarship from RUPP to participate in the PEACE Student Exchange Program at Hiroshima University (Japan). Bunhour has been actively involved in various teacher professional development programs, namely conducting professional development observations, developing training modules for in-service teachers, and supporting other PD initiatives. He is particularly interested in teacher professional development, curriculum development, and educational technology.