Svetlana Kurochkina is a freelance teacher with 10 years of work background focused on teaching individuals and small groups. Her students are of different age from babies and toddlers to grown-ups. An IATEFL speaker and a Gestalt therapist.

Classroom Management as a Way to Perfect Lessons

Classroom management includes more than just orders or obedience from students. Teachers often struggle for best conditions in their classrooms. On my workshop we will be able to discuss how to support, show humanity, build relationships, organize time and space, measure student and teacher talking time, adapt the language level, or motivate your students speaking. The speech is based on "Classroom Management Techniques" by Jim Scrivener and my experience of using the recommendations out of there.

A Teacher of High-Levels, Methodologist and Course-Developer with over 20 years of experience in teaching adult-students, most of whom are teacher-learners, and an internationally certified Teacher Trainer holding a Master’s degree in TESOL.

DEMAND-HIGH Approach In Action: Make Your Lessons Multidimensional

It’s been several years since the ELT world got awestruck by Demand-High, the new approach to teachers’ actions in class. So, what is it? An adversary of gamification? A movement denouncing other approaches? Let’s learn more about its essence and build up a step-by-step guide to easily tweak your lessons on any level and make them more Demand-High.

Elena Sarnavskaya is a teacher and a teacher trainer with 15 years of experience. Elena is a full DELTA holder, a TEDx speaker and an ELT blogger. Major areas of her interest include working with beginners, critical thinking and materials design.

Skills that teachers lack

In this session we will have a look at some of the must-have soft skills that many teachers lack and/or just ignore. Sometimes we don’t do the right things because we don’t know what the right things are, sometimes we are too tired or even lazy to make an effort. Let’s talk about what simple skills we can improve and how to become even better at what we do!

Katerina is an ELT practitioner, a polyglot. Professional interests include: teenagers, exams skills, neuroscience. Former head of TEFL department at a top-school in Moscow. She runs SELF, a community for teachers on soft skills and anti-burnout.

Why teaching soft skills slowly makes a long-lasting effect on teenagers

Building soft skills in teenagers is challenging, but always highly rewarded. While working at a state school and following my groups for 7 years in a row, I found out that group dynamics can increase immensely when the teacher slows down. The participants will explore a 3-step algorithm that helps manage the process of forming soft skills in students: - preparation - creating a system - estimated outcome

An independent teacher, freelancer, author of webinars for teachers and a blog writer

Classes once a week don't work. Or... do they?

I used to believe that having language classes once a week is useless and can't provide any real results. That was before I took up Swedish and, surprisingly, gained a good level, and before I started teaching groups of adults with this schedule. Now I strongly believe that consistency is key, not frequency. During my talk, I will share how I manage to promote consistency in my classes working with adult students.

Julia has 12 years’ experience of teaching ESL and RFL and is currently a Director of the Pilot teacher training department. She holds CELTA, CELTA YL, DELTA Module 1, CPE certificates. In 2017 she got Fulbright scholarship and taught Russian at Union College, NY.

Double in Brass: Unveiling the Power of 5C's American Standards in Teaching 5C’s Skills of the 21st Century

21st century skills is a buzz concept in the modern ELT world. I, however, would like to explore this ubiquitous, yet exciting topic from a different perspective and present an American view (rather than the European one we all got used to) on how not only enhance language proficiency but also foster cultural understanding and adaptability, preparing students to thrive in the globalized workforce. Prepare to uncover a plethora of strategies for seamlessly integrating language instruction with 21st-century skills.

Olga Okuneva is an English teacher at MGIMO University. She holds CELTA, CAM, BEC and a number of other certificates in methodology. Her special interests include CLIL, blended learning and the questions of student engagement and motivation.

Self-awareness and self-compassion as key ingredients to long-term success in language learning

A lot of students experience disappointment with their lack of progress what they perceive as lack of progress in learning a foreign language. During my presentation, we will explore what hampers learners to notice – and thus enjoy – their progress in learning a foreign language and what they can do to boost their ability to do so. We will consider a host of practical solutions of what teachers can do to help their students in their learning journey.

Experience in school and college as a teacher and leader of a foreign language association, as well as a translator and teacher for senior managers at a large metallurgical plant. Since 2017, the head of the Language Studio for children from 1 year old and their parents.

Adventures in the English World: Effective teaching methods for very young learners

One of the most effective teaching methods for young learners is the use of interactive and hands-on activities. Young children learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process, so incorporating games, songs and movement is essential. It should be noted that teaching English to young students is an exciting adventure and requires special teaching methods. By incorporating interactive activities and visual aids, you can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that will captivate their young minds.

CLIL- methodologist at Pavlovo school, founder of CLIL online project HappyMe. I hold MA in TESOL and MSc in Chemistry, PhD in progress. I’m also a cello -player. My professional interests are CLIL and holistic development in English classrooms.

Introducing the big art into your pre-school English classroom

Van Gogh, Monet, Kandinsky … How are they connected with teaching English? Would you dare to introduce their works to 4/5-year-olds? In my talk I’ll share with you some ideas on how we can use “the big art” in VYL English classrooms, why your students will benefit from that and in what way it can help you create language-rich environment for holistic development of your students.

Anastasia Khodakova, PhD, has 15 years of experience teaching English and teacher-training. She is a TESOL member, NATE member, head of Language center Hi Time (since 2018). She has an experience of organizing annual soft-skill workshops for teens since 2015.

Hard work of developing soft skills: tips and tricks for teaching low-level teens

How to explain complicated concepts to low-level teens? Is it possible to teach soft skills 4-6 hours a day, 5 days a week? And how to combine soft skills training with meaningful language practice? The speaker will share the key insights from her experience of organizing soft skills workshops and summer language programs focused on developing collaboration, leadership, public speaking, critical and creative thinking skills. The participants will learn practical tips and activities to teach soft skills in English.

A founder of the Focus.Study project, Irina designs personalized curricula while leading, inspiring, and mentoring fellow English teachers. Carried through life by the regular practices of walking, running, breathwork, and cold plunges, Irina lives and creates in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Teaching English to Neurodivergent Adult Brains

As we see a rapidly increasing amount of adults getting diagnosed with ADHD and autism worldwide, it is time the ELT community began addressing how neurodivergence affects such an intricate process as language acquisition. This interactive session outlines what neurodivergence is (and what it is not!), helps to exercise empathy and understanding of diversity, and shares simple and actionable tools for accommodating neurodivergent learners and making their learning experience safe, comfortable, properly stimulating, and effective.

I am PhD in Pedagogy and TKT, CELT-P, DELTA M1 holder. I have been teaching English for more than 15 years. My primary areas of interest are planning effective lessons and classroom management.

Intuition: Rely or Avoid?

In my talk I will share my experience of using intuition in teaching VYL and YL. Together we are going to look upon how intuition and confirmation bias hinder teachers’ further development and how knowledge in piece affects their teaching practice. My listeners will reflect on the role of intuition in their teaching and learn when it is ok to rely on it.

I’m a French and English teacher, and the owner of a family language club in St Petersburg. I specialise in teaching young learners and teens, neuro-teaching methods, have TKT YL (Band 4), TKT CLIL (Band 3), DELF B2 in French.

Engaging Warm ups to create emotionally safe learning space right from the start.

I’d like to share some ingenious ideas to start a class. They are engaging warm up activities for students aged 10-18 y.o. that help create an emotionally safe learning environment online and offline. Some examples are Laughter yoga, What am I today?, Glass of emotions, Emoji mood, Gratitude jar, Dance and movement therapy techniques, Share a photo from your mobile. Suggested activities facilitate teacher-student and student-student interactions as well as develop soft skills like emotional intelligence, creative and critical thinking.

My name is Karina Veklicheva. I am originally from Donetsk, but now I live in St.Petersburg. I have been working as a teacher for 14 years. I've worked in a private language centre and now I am a freelance teacher who is trying to run own school of English and French. I am an examiner of PTE General (A1-C2). I'd like to share my experience of out of class support of students, especially those who are getting ready for international exams.

The support of students outside the classroom

Learning foreign languages is a complex and time-consuming process that requires constant practice and improvement of skills. It is especially important to support students outside the classroom, as they face many difficulties and obstacles on the way to success. We will look at several ways that will help students strengthen their knowledge of a foreign language and overcome emerging difficulties. Personalized instruction and can be a motivating factor for students. They provide one-on-one attention, flexible schedules, and extra support outside of the classroom. This individualized approach is beneficial for students who struggle in traditional classroom or need additional assistance to keep up with their peers. Motivating students is crucial, and teachers utilize various techniques such as goal-setting, feedback, and technology. Tutors play a significant role in motivating students offering personalized attention and support, enabling students to reach their full potential and succeed in their education.

I am a teacher of English with over 15 years experience of working with students of all ages, a director of studies since 2015, a CAE and TKT modules 2-3 holder and an educational games designer, an ELT speaker.

How to handle no-right-answer situations

Emotional intelligence is a working tool that helps not only deal with language tasks, but also solve real-life problems. Our students are individuals with formed opinions, which shouldn't be labeled right or wrong. However we, teachers, can contribute to their perception of “expectations versus reality” situations. In this session I’ll share a working technique that will not only help to think outside the box emotion-wise, but also actively involve every single student in the group.

I am a third-generation language teacher, school CEO and co-founder, speaker and author. I have come up with a method on how to teach languages and anything else with the help of (media) memes and have written two books about it.

A Fun Twist to Boring Tasks: Memes for drilling and memorizing

Imagine students thriving in a space where instead of tedious repetitive exercises there ia laughter, curiosity is sparked, and creativity knows no bounds. Positive learning experiences are the key to unlocking linguistic potential. I will give examples on how to give boring grammar drills, pronunciation practice and vocabulary revision a fun twist with the help of media memes.

I’m an English Teacher, who’s been working with 1-4 classes at a private primary school. I also work with 3-15 years old students (from I Can Sing to PET levels) in a private educational centre.

Go beyond stories: Shoot your own films and make your students shine

How to shoot a film based on stories from course books in the classroom. Introduction of the story, setting up the cinema, picking up the vocabulary and grammar from the comic, the art of role play, creating a movie within 5 minutes in the classroom. The tools which can be used to make the film. The effect it has on the students and their parents.

I'm a Director of Studies in Perfectum School and I have about 20 years of experience in teaching. I teach teachers to teach and organise local masterclasses about languages, habits and methodology for both educators and students.

5 steps to implement learning habits into your students' lives (if they agree)

It happens when the same people are great students in the classroom but do nothing at home. With a closer look we can find that they just don't know how to develop a language learning habit. What to be done? In my speech I'm going to share my knowledge taken from different psychological and neurobiological books, mix it with my experience in teaching students to learn, and provide the audience with a plan on how to implement it into the lesson process.

English teacher (10 years) Academic director (6 years) Currently I am working as a methodologist and director of Smart Education school in Moscow. CAE, CPE, TKT, IH-CAM (advanced methodology) certificates.

Conquering the student's burnout

The word burnout is usually associated with adults. There is a lot of information how to deal with burnout if you are a teacher/doctor or businessperson. Nevertheless, our students face it quite often as well. Unfortunately, teachers don't always know what to do and how to help their students. That's why I would like to outline certain techniques and give effective tools for beating it.

A freelance English teacher and a methodologist with 15 years of work experience at a language center. I hold C1 (Euroexam) certificate and a number of certificates in methodology and assessment. My area of expertise is teaching adults and teenagers.

Draw a MASTERpiece to MASTER your English

In my talk I'm going to explore the topic of how to implement some simple drawing techniques in teaching high - level students to help them memorise elevated vocabulary faster. I tried it in my lessons some time ago and it really sparked my interest in the topic. Then I found some research done by a group of psychologists at Waterloo University (Canada) in 2018 , which allowed me to understand it better. I have collected some examples from real lessons as well.

English teacher and teacher trainer specialised in teaching adults and ESP. Author of a business English online course “English WORKout” Ex-Tutor Operations Lead at English for IT, Yandex Practicum. A BETTER TUTOR channel and BETTER TUTORS Meetups admin.

Teaching English is always teaching English for Specific Purposes

Have you ever felt that a course you taught was equally relevant for all your students? I haven’t. Even in case of General English, students have different objectives and plans for using the language. People prioritise their interests more and more and just can’t waste time on the language they will most probably never use. My talk will focus on how to take your students' specific purposes into consideration and build personalised solutions without extra effort, even for groups.

Anastasiia Tsypulina, with CPE Grade A, TESOL, and BA in Linguistics, has a rich English teaching background in state schools, private centres, and independently across Russia, China, and Thailand. She excels in guiding students with intermediate language skills.

Learning English While Travelling Abroad

When students go on holiday and travel to different countries, it's common for them to take a break from studying and just enjoy the trip. From my own time living abroad, namely in China and Thailand, I've found that one can still immerse oneself into studying the language, even in non-English speaking countries. In my talk, I'll be sharing some practical tips to help your students stay motivated while travelling abroad and turn it into the most valuable learning experience.

English teacher for 9 years. Teacher trainer for 3 years. Master's Degree in Linguistics, TKT, CELTA holder. Featured speaker at Trendy 11, 12, Yarconf 2023, EdCrunch X, SelfConf 5. Future Diploma in Psychology (expected June 2024). Practitioner of emotional work through the body.

Tai Teach and Teach Gong: Unlock the Power of Balance

As English language teachers, we navigate diverse challenges daily. Through my journey in Tai Chi and Qi Gong, I've discovered invaluable insights into mindfulness, resilience, and adaptability—essential skills for effective teaching. I will share a collection of quotes from my masters that will inspire and enlighten you, along with body practices that will enrich not only your personal lives but also your classrooms. Together, we can elevate our teaching with wisdom from within.

Teacher and teacher trainer (TKT, CPE 'A', MSLU) at the Polina Kordik School of English specialising in C1/C2 levels, speaking clubs and methodology. She has co-authored several courses on methodology and the book "Reinventing your continuing professional development journey".

Lessons From L1 Acquisition: How We Learn

The way a child learns their mother tongue is different from the way an adult learns a second language. For instance, nearly all children learn their first language, but not everyone succeeds in learning to speak an L2. However, there are some similarities in how L1 and L2 are acquired. In this session, let us uncover the stages of development that learners go through, and apply this theory to our classroom practice for results that are slow yet sure.

Julia Aleksandrova-Menshikh Senior teacher at IH Voronezh-Linguist 17 years of teaching experience Ex-Cambridge Examiner Teacher – trainer Been working as a Methodist at camps since 2008 Author and Methodist at “Timebridge” (camp in English based on a role-play) since 2016

Camp experience transferred to a classroom

Building community inside a classroom is vitally important as it may influence a number of things. It helps create safe environment, motivates students, builds healthy relations between learners. Sometimes, teachers overlook it. I can boast of harmonious relations among my students in class, which were established due to implanting various team-building activities into curriculum. I am eager to share my camp experience and engage my colleagues into activities which will come in handy at the beginning of the school year and undeniably help build rapport.

English teacher since early 2000s, currently working for Britannia Language centre (Perm), teacher trainer, materials writer. Area of expertise : teaching adults.

Effective methods of language exposure outside the classroom

In my talk I'm going to share some working tools that help adult learners integrate English into their lives: mastermind chat / channel, implementing good language habits, a special notebook, English tea-break and language projects for adults.

I’ve been teaching English for 8 years working with different age groups and purposes including IELTS preparation. I got C1 certificate when I was 16 and got 8.0 for IELTS. I’ve got TKT and TESOL certificates. I’m a methodologist now.

Speaking Club: How to Make It Stress-free

Online speaking clubs improve students’ speaking and listening skills as well as give them pleasure of social interaction. But what are the ways to make students feel safe in a lesson full of strangers? What topics to choose to make everyone comfortable and engaged? How to select appropriate materials? What resources to use? What NOT to do to avoid making adults stressed? These and not only questions I’m willing to answer sharing practical advice based on my knowledge and experience.

My name is Svetlana Novikova. I am the head of Novaland language center and a kindergarten for bilingual kids. I am the author of my own program for very young learners and for summer camps. Bilingual parent child.

Art integration into an English lesson: a great way to develop soft skills

Art lesson with young learners: is it a myth or reality? An Art lesson is a wonderful instrument not onlyto improve English but to develop soft skills of the students. For English teachers it is not obvious howthey may organize art lessons for children, especially little students. Kandinsky, Picasso, Monet andManet. How is it possible to speak about artists and their masterpieces with young learners? But it ispossible!If you join my workshop you will found out:-What the benefits of art lessons are-What the best age for the art lesson is-How you can speak about difficult things with little children in English!-How art lessons help us to develop soft skills-You will have a list of ideas how to develop children’s creativity-You will develop your creativity!I am sure that after my workshop you will be inspired to make an art lesson with your students. Andpractical ideas that you will get will help you to do it easily.

Natalia has been working as a teacher of English for more than 20 years. Now she is responsible for CPD programs at Trendy English Games community, and also works as a teacher trainer for Teachers for Everybody project in the Siberian Region. Takes part as a speaker in different ELT conferences in Russia.

4 elements of effective English lessons with teens

Teachers face various challenges when teaching teens, including misbehavior, refusing to participate in the activities during the lesson, lack of motivation, etc. But it’s very easy to cope with all these problems by planning your lessons with a secret MUSE-formular.
Join my dynamic workshop to found out how it works and:
- discover creative techniques to capture teenagers’ interest and maintain their engagement throughout English lessons;
- realize why all the activities you use should be meaningful for those who are older than ten;
- understand the value of incorporating life skills into English education for teenagers;
- learn how to establish a supportive classroom atmosphere that encourages participation, respect, and collaboration among students.
Don’t miss the opportunity to revitalize your approach to teaching English to teens and empower your students with skills that extend beyond language acquisition. And be sure that teaching teens is fun and a real pleasure.