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With an in-depth look at the meaning of “innovation” at its core, BRAZ-TESOL’s Santa Catarina Chapter recently brought together English language educators from the southern region of Brazil to the Sesc-Cacupé Hotel in Florianópolis, Brazil.
The event, themed “Innovative Strategies for Effective English Teaching,” featured a series of talks, workshops, and plenary sessions that delved into various topics such as teaching strategies using technology and multimedia in the classroom, professional development, and new tools for creative thinking.
Isadora Pereira Costa, the President of BRAZ-TESOL Santa Catarina, shared that with this year’s event, the objectives for the chapter are being reached. She also added that although they had held other ELT events in the past, the chapter had been inactive until two years ago. So, after reactivating BRAZ-TESOL SC, they were able to organize this year’s event. “Having such a big event after only two years has been amazing and invaluable,” Costa said.
Costa also explained why this year’s event focused on innovative strategies. “It was a topic chosen by the board. The first event was making a community. Then, it was making connections, and now we’re trying to go further by talking about innovations in English language teaching and everything that entails.”
The event also gave attendees, who ranged from English teachers to school owners to book publishers, plenty of opportunities not only to earn from industry experts but also to network with each other.
Flaviana Comin, an online English teacher from Florianópolis, shared that her BRAZ-TESOL event experience exceeded her expectations in terms of organization and the expertise of the attendees.
“It was in an excellent location, the speakers and attendees were really nice, and the organization was a highlight for me,” Comin said. “Also, getting together face to face with teachers and exchanging ideas can really be a fun and effective way to make new friends and colleagues and stay updated with different techniques and ways to improve students’ learning in class.”
Read about nine ways to boost your resume with professional development for ESL teachers.
Plenary talks: A spotlight on innovation
Kicking off the round of sessions was a talk given by the BRAZ-TESOL SC team. The chapter’s Coordinator and Social Media Manager, Rose Bard, first delved into the meaning of innovation, particularly in the area of teaching.
In her talk, Bard stressed that innovation also involves developing teaching skills and coming up with solutions or approaches with or without the use of technology to help learners. “Innovation is not about tech at all,” she pointed out.
Meanwhile, in her plenary session “Is Faster Really Better?” ELT young learner specialist and The Secret Garden English School Founder Lucy Crichton shared her insights and observations on English teaching to children based on her 25 years of experience. Focusing first on the impact of childhood experiences and how society’s beliefs and cultures deeply affect the meaning of childhood, Crichton’s interactive session encouraged attendees to share how their childhood affected their current behaviors, attitudes, and habits.
Then, after emphasizing that children learn English through activities like playing, inventing, and exploring, she gave tips on how English teachers can promote deeper learning when teaching young learners, such as promoting joyful moments, assigning different tasks or chores, and doing hands-on activities.
In another plenary session, teacher trainer and Simplifica Ingles online English school owner Tamira Gama talked about how to leverage market intelligence to plan, develop, and boost English language programs. During the workshop, Gama used the process of baking and selling cookies to explain how English language teachers can collect and analyze raw data to effectively assess students’ performance in class, identify their needs, and keep track of their progress in English learning.
Asked why she chose to talk about the topic, Gama said, “I’m really into online teaching but I felt like talking about something I was doing, so I really wanted to talk about market intelligence. Sometimes we think it’s far from what we do as teachers, but market intelligence is not rocket science. It’s about analyzing data and making informed decisions. Chances are, you deliver better sessions and your students can benefit more from it.”
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As BRAZ-TESOL SC’s event continued to explore topics and perspectives on innovation, many of the workshops also shared contemporary tools and techniques that English teachers can use to enhance their instruction.
For example, Luciane Bonamigo Valls’ session focused on using SCAMPER, a thinking tool that helps teachers keep their creative juices flowing. During the workshop, participants used SCAMPER to first come up with an existing lesson plan or activity. Then, they had to answer various questions to generate as many class activity ideas as possible, refine them further, and organize or choose the best ideas to implement in class.
Meanwhile, in another workshop, professor and materials writer Thômas Rodriguez showed how teachers can integrate songs and games to consistently teach the English language. As songs can “make memories that last,” he shared how to plan music-based lessons and how songs can be incorporated for various purposes in an English lesson, from using them as an ice breaker to expanding a topic.
Having worked on various projects that made use of songs and the help of AI (artificial intelligence), Rodriguez then demonstrated and encouraged attendees to participate in some sample English class activities that involved using songs to teach grammar topics and vocabulary.
For the attendees, the talks and workshops they attended left them with a lot of takeaways useful for their English language instruction. Comin, for instance, shared that she enjoyed the session given by Gerson Borges, who presented tips and thoughts about teaching pronunciation.
“The literature he recommended was good, and I felt his tips could be implemented in my classes and really help my students,” she said.
Learn more about how to incorporate ESL songs into the classroom.
Bridge International Program Advisor presents on the power of continuing professional development
In addition to sponsoring the BRAZ-TESOL SC event, Bridge also took part in sharing insights, tips, and resources with the ELT community. International Program Advisor Krzl Nuñes presented on embracing lifelong learning and professional development as an English teacher.
During the session, Nuñes underscored how ELT professionals can benefit from becoming lifelong learners by pursuing professional development. She also shared the different ways and channels for English teachers to continuously learn, like taking professional development courses, joining ELT events, and connecting with a community of practice.
“Teachers must fully embrace a lifelong learning mindset to stay relevant in the 21st century,” she said.
In addition, Bridge gave away an 80-Hour Micro-credential Course Bundle in Teaching 21st-Century Skills, which included eight individual TEFL courses and was raffled off at the end of the program.
The BRAZ-TESOL SC event allowed Bridge to connect with other ELT professionals. “I loved meeting my fellow English language educators because it was a great opportunity to share our experiences and opinions on various topics,” Nuñes said. “For example, chatting with other online English teachers allowed me to learn more about how they thrive in the field, their specializations, and their usual struggles. Also, it’s an honor for me to represent Bridge at the event, share our resources with the BRAZ-TESOL members, and inspire other teachers to pursue professional development!”
