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Technology is present in most, if not all, areas of our lives. This reality creates a necessity for educators to compete for their students’ attention by engaging them in content in new and exciting ways. Its widespread availability means that it has become easier than ever for educators to find different methods to create a more personalized, engaging, and effective learning experience for students.
Recognizing this shift, educators from around the world came together at the 2025 Educast International Conference to explore innovative ways to immerse students in learning and enhance their teaching practices. As part of its ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of ELT and educational advancements, Bridge attended this event, ensuring educators in its network stay informed on emerging trends.
Learn about upcoming events like this with our TEFL/TESOL Events Calendar.
The Value of Professional Development
One of the most valuable aspects of this conference is its accessibility. The entire two-day event is now available on YouTube on the Educast International channel, ensuring open access for all educators. This availability empowers professionals to take charge of their professional development, engaging with insightful discussions and innovative teaching strategies at their own pace.
Many educators don’t always have the time to step back and reflect on our teaching practices amidst daily responsibilities. However, dedicating time to professional development can be incredibly rejuvenating. It allows teachers to reaffirm effective teaching methods, refine approaches that may need adjustment, and gain fresh perspectives from fellow professionals.
Across all presentations, this conference emphasized the importance of maintaining a well-equipped teaching toolbox by having a repertoire of tried and true activities, methods, games, and projects that can be readily adapted to meet students’ needs. A strong foundation of reliable strategies helps create an engaging learning environment where students retain information more effectively.
Many of these tools come from firsthand classroom experience in recognizing what students respond to and what an educator can confidently implement. However, some of the most impactful teaching strategies stem from the insights and shared experiences of other professionals. Conferences like this provide an invaluable opportunity to expand our toolkit, integrating innovative techniques that enhance student learning.
Discover the benefits of professional development for ESL teachers.
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Self-Guided Professional Development in ELT
downloadKey Themes at Educast International 2025
Throughout the conference, several themes and ideas were presented, each offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of language education. Many of the themes discussed at the 2025 Educast International Conference align with Bridge’s mission to equip teachers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s classrooms. Among these, three key themes emerged that resonated across all sessions: highlighting the essential role of intentional teaching, student-centered learning, and the thoughtful integration of technology.
Student-Centered Learning
It has been said many times in many ways, and the presenters of this conference reiterated this fundamental principle of teaching English. Trust your students. Effective language teaching is not just about delivering content, it’s about viewing students as active contributors to the learning process rather than passive recipients of knowledge.
No matter their age or background, students bring a wealth of experiences, perspectives, and prior knowledge into the classroom. They are constantly interpreting the world around them, making connections between what they see, hear, and learn. By tapping into these lived experiences, educators can create meaningful learning moments where English becomes not just an academic subject but a tool for authentic expression and communication.
Fatmah Azan emphasized the importance of multisensory learning in creating strong neural connections that lead to long-term knowledge retention. She explained that incorporating the world around students and engaging all their senses can make content more relevant, memorable, and deeply connected to real-life experiences. Simple strategies, such as integrating visuals, movement, sounds, and hands-on activities, can enhance student engagement while reinforcing language learning in a way that feels natural and immersive.
Alex Warren agrees that storytelling, movement, and hands-on tasks go a long way to engage students while also creating meaningful learning experiences.
Furthermore, Scott Thornbury demonstrated that something as simple as a news headline can spark meaningful language learning. A current event that resonates with students’ experiences can serve as a compelling starting point for discussion, critical thinking, and language production. By building on student input and interest in a topic, educators can develop lessons that naturally incorporate grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills in a way that feels both relevant and engaging.
See how the flipped classroom approach can empower students to take ownership of their learning.
Thoughtful Technology Integration
A central theme at this conference was the evolving role of technology in English language education. Presenters explored various digital tools and programs designed to enhance the way teachers present information, assess comprehension, and encourage students to apply their knowledge in creative ways. While these tools can significantly boost student engagement, technology alone does not guarantee meaningful learning.
Simply put, technology is just a tool. Its effectiveness, however, depends entirely on how educators implement it to create purposeful and engaging lessons. In her talk titled “Encouraging kindness in the primary classroom,” Vanessa Reilly highlighted how even simple tools like music from YouTube can be used to teach language as well as emotional intelligence and social skills. The key takeaway is that the tools that most educators already have at their disposal are well-designed to create meaningful lessons.
Reilly emphasized that an educator’s role extends beyond delivering content; it involves preparing students to use language in real-life contexts. Additionally, Rania Obeid notes that incorporating technology thoughtfully is a critical aspect of preparing students for a world that is becoming increasingly reliant on these technologies. By doing so, teachers can reinforce language learning while also instilling broader life lessons and skills for the future.
Scott Thornbury argued that while technology can be a powerful tool for designing engaging and dynamic lessons, a meticulously planned lesson filled with digital resources, interactive elements, and carefully structured activities may not always be the most effective approach. He emphasized that no matter how well a lesson is planned, its success ultimately depends on how well it responds to the needs of the students in the moment.
A lesson overloaded with intricate details can sometimes become rigid, leaving little room for spontaneity, adaptation, or student-driven learning. Instead, Thornbury advocates for a balanced approach to lesson planning where technology enhances rather than dictates the learning experience, allowing educators the flexibility to adjust their teaching based on student engagement, comprehension, and immediate classroom dynamics.
Nic Peachey demonstrated how AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, can serve as interactive conversation partners, providing students with authentic language practice tailored to their proficiency level. He shared a compelling example from his teaching experience in Morocco, where students were hesitant to converse in English with each other, often reverting to their native language.
By integrating AI-generated prompts and characters, Peachey was able to create engaging scenarios that encouraged students to interact more comfortably in English. This approach exemplifies how technology, when used thoughtfully, can bridge gaps in classroom communication and create meaningful, immersive language experiences.
On the other end of the spectrum, Daniel Xerri warns against an overreliance on AI. He warns that AI can produce unreliable results, including “hallucinations” (e.g., false citations) and reflect biases that could harm a student’s understanding of the content. There is also a possibility of an over-reliance diminishing critical thinking and cognitive skills as students are not being pushed to use their brains. Xerri emphasized how important it is for educators to guide students in using AI as a tool to enhance learning rather than relying on it to complete their work.
Explore the many ways technology is revolutionizing English language teaching.
AI for Intentional Teaching
Dr. Nellie Deutsch, Nic Peachey, and Rania Obeid note that there is a practical application of AI as a support system for educators, not just in the classroom but in their professional development and day-to-day responsibilities. AI is more than just a tool for creating engaging lessons. It can:
- assist teachers in reflecting on their teaching practices
- refine lesson plans
- develop action plans for improvement
- streamline administrative tasks such as rubric creation and instructional design
For instance, AI can automate time-consuming tasks like generating rubrics, drafting instructions, or providing bulk feedback on student assignments, particularly in areas such as pronunciation, writing, and grammar. However, the value of AI lies not in replacing teachers but in working alongside them.
Instead of simply accepting AI-generated feedback or rubrics as final, educators should use AI as a collaborative assistant, analyzing its suggestions, refining its outputs, and applying their own expertise to ensure quality and relevance. This approach allows teachers to save time on routine tasks while maintaining thoughtful, human-centered teaching.
Learning the multiple uses and applications of AI for educators is becoming a crucial aspect of the profession, according to Dr. Muayad Jajo and Dr. Raiwa Tharir. Educators who begin to prepare themselves and learn to work with AI will be better equipped for the day when it becomes a requirement of the job.
However, they stress that it should remain a tool that enhances and isn’t a replacement for diligent work and reflection. An educator’s focus should be on facilitating learning and encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving rather than just transmitting information with the help of AI.
This conference reinforced that technology, no matter how advanced, is only as effective as the educator using it. Meaningful, student-centered learning comes from valuing students’ contributions, connecting lessons to their lived experiences, and using digital tools with purpose. When integrated thoughtfully, AI and other technologies can support, but never replace, the human connection that makes language learning truly transformative.
