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Conferences
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AzETA 3rd ELT Conference
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AzETA held its 3rd Annual Conference on 8-10 September 2006. The purpose of the Conference was to bring together English teaching professionals from different countries to address the perspectives and challenges of teaching English as a foreign and/or a second language.
There were 40 presentations on different topics including:
· Teaching Civic Education through ELT
· Methods and Teaching Skills
· Using Technology for Teaching English
· Materials development
· English for Specific Purposes
· Teaching English to Young Learners
· Testing and Assessment
· And more
Teachers Associations from Turkey (INGED), Pakistan (SPELT), Kyrgyzstan (FORUM), Georgia (ETAG), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHETA) were represented at the Conference.
ELT professionals from UK, US, Turkey, Iran, Hungary, Bangladesh, Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Bosnia-Herzegovina attended the Conference as presenters. Plenary speakers of the Conference were:
1.Dr Colin Campbell, University of Reading, UK (funded by the British Council, Azerbaijan)
2. Dr Lisa Harshberger, Regional English Language Officer, US Embassy, Kyiv (funded by the US Embassy, Ukraine)
3. Dr Zoltan Poor, President, IATEFL-Hungary (funded by the British Council, London and AzETA).
 On Day 1 of the Conference the participants faced a challenge. The venue of the Conference had been agreed to be Baku Slavic University. However, the opening session of the Conference was held at Aqua Park Entertainment Centre due to the visit of the President of Ukraine to Baku Slavic University. This unexpected visit challenged AzETA Executive Board, but finally a solution was found ¡V to start the Conference at Aqua Park Entertainment Centre. Although the opening started much later than it had been scheduled, Ambassadors of UK and US waited for the information on the start of the opening and joined the opening session with a very short notice to encourage the participants with their very supportive speeches. Below is the speech of HE Dr Laurie Bristow, British Ambassador to Azerbaijan:
"I am honoured to be asked to say a few words at the beginning of AzETA's annual conference.
I hardly need to introduce to this audience the good work that AzETA is doing to support English language teaching in Azerbaijan. and I think everyone here is aware of the role of the British Council plays, in Azerbaijan and worldwide.
The relationship between AzETA and the British Council is one of true partnership.
I would like to draw attention to some of AzETA's important achievements during the last year:
• AzETA has launched its website. This has helped AzETA's membership to expand. And it is enabling ELT professionals to communicate with each other more effectively, both within Azerbaijan and abroad. I am told that there are ELT professionals from UK, US, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Cyprus attending this Conference.
• AzETA has become an Associate member of IATEFL.
• And AzETA has joined two important regional projects run by the British Council, including one whose purpose is to support newly qualified teachers.
• Together with the British Council AzETA has run regional workshops to extend its activities outside Baku.
I would like to draw your attention also to an important part of AzETA's work that is not directly related to English language teaching. AzETA has continued to grow and develop as an independent non-governmental organisation. Its members are working hard to ensure that it is run in an effective and democratic way and makes its voice heard. And its members continue to develop their links with other civil society organisations. In a country where civil society is still finding its feet, there are important achievements.
I congratulate you for what you have achieved so far and for what I know you are going to achieve in future.¡¨
 After the opening session Dr Lisa Harshbarger gave a plenary talk titled: "What Works in the English Language Classroom". As the plenary was held in Aqua Park Entertainment Centre, Dr Harshbarger demonstrated highest professionalism to cope with the challenge to give her talk without any equipment and to adapt her talk to the requirements of the hall, as well as, to fit it to the framework of the programme.
The plenary talk was followed by concurrent sessions. The presenters of these sessions also faced a challenge as due to the above-mentioned reason, the rooms spared for concurrent sessions were not available and as such, the presenters had to cope with under-equipped rooms, which required high professionalism, too.
The day ended up with a reception dedicated to the 3rd Conference at Aqua Park Entertainment Centre with the financial support of the British Council. Famous singers of Azerbaijan, including Honorary Singer of Azerbaijan Azer Zeynalov joined the reception to sing songs where the participants had a chance to dance. In spite of the challenging start, Day 1 of the Conference ended up leaving fond memories with the participants.
Day 2 started with the plenary talk of Dr Colin Campbell of Reading University, UK titled "Product and Process". The participants found the talk very useful in many ways. The talk also provided the participants with food for thought.
There were 4 concurrent sessions on Day 2. This Conference was different from the previous ones in the sense that alongside with their teachers 5 members of AzETA Enjoy English Club: Nigar Talibova, Elgun Huseynov, Eldar Ayutov, Leyla Alizade and Leyla Abdullayeva gave presentations. The aim was to encourage these talented children and also to let wider audience know about them and acknowledge them for their fantastic co-operation with AzETA. They also helped in organisational issues of the Conference each being responsible for a room for the concurrent sessions. By the way, it was the 5th anniversary of Enjoy English Club on 8 September. AzETA will celebrate this anniversary in October in Children¡¦s 3rd Conference to be organised together with the Club.
Day 2 also included roundtable of ELT stakeholders in Azerbaijan. These meetings are held a couple of times a year to share information on one another's programmes, forthcoming events, etc. Each time a meeting is hosted by an ELT stakeholder. At the last meeting hosted by the British Council it had been agreed to organise the next meeting at AzETA 3rd Conference. The British Council, Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy, ACCELS and Peace Corps were represented at the roundtable organised on Day 2 and briefed the participants on their activities, respective exchange programmes, forthcoming events, etc.
 Day 2 ended up with the report of the Executive Board made by AzETA President Ragsana Mammadova followed by the election to the vacant positions at the AzETA Executive Board where Elmira Ilizarova was elected International Relations Officer, Farida Huseynova IV SIGs Co-ordinator and Vusala Aliyeva IV Branch Managers¡¦ Co-ordinator.
Day 3 started with plenary talk by Dr Zoltan Poor, President of IATEFL-Hungary. The title of his plenary talk was: "The changing roles of teachers in contemporary languages education". The talk based on some true-life stories, also involved the participants into discussion through questions.
There were two concurrent sessions on Day 3 which ended up with closing session followed by usual raffle which helped in finishing the Conference with a happy end in spite of challenging start.
The sponsors of the Conference were British Council and the US Embassy. Participation of the international presenters was possible thanks to the funding from the British Council Hornby Trust.
AzETA acknowledges the Ambassadors of the UK and US, the donors, plenary speakers, international and local presenters, Enjoy English Club, all participants for their support to the Conference and demonstrating solidarity in coping with the challenge that AzETA faced during the Conference. |
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