Doha: Pre-registration is now open for the 9th International Qatar TESOL Conference at Qatar Foundation’s Academic Bridge Programme (ABP) to be held at the Education City on February 22 and 23.
The theme of the conference is “21st Century Education – What’s Changing? What’s Not?” Qatar TESOL’s vision is to bring quality professional development opportunities to the educators of Qatar and the region. The theme reflects the new digital landscape of English language teaching, the fast pace of change in ICT in education and innovative ways for teachers to overcome technological challenges, a press release said.
For the first time, Qatar TESOL’s 2013 conference is being hosted by the ABP in its iconic Liberal Arts and Sciences building in Education City. On the first day morning Dr Deborah Healey, a teacher trainer at the University of Oregon and the Chair of TESOL’s Technology Standards Task Force, will be speak about “gamifcation” in a plenary entitled Gamification: A Way to Hook Digital Natives. The concept of “gamification” — using game elements to motivate and persuade — is moving from marketing to teaching and while games have long been part of a language teacher’s bag of tricks, teachers can benefit from learning about the elements of games that will help appeal to today’s learners.
On the second day, Dr Abdulmajid Bouziane, an associate professor at Hassan II Mohammedia, Casablanca University, Morocco, will be speaking on teacher training in ICT in English Language Teaching and the Literacy – Efficiency – Appropriation – Proficiency (LEAP) Approach in his plenary entitled 21st century Technology.
Based on feedback from Qatar TESOL’s members, this year’s conference has been extended to two full days. The event will offer two inspiring plenary speakers, forty-five workshop sessions in six workshop time slots, an optional tour of Education City as well as a networking reception for all attendees.
Qatar TESOL is run by volunteers who devote their time and energy to the continued improvement of education in the region. Qatar TESOL keeps conference fees low such that all teachers may attend without inflicting financial strain. It would not have been possible to organise this year’s Qatar TESOL conference without the outstanding financial support from the Academic Bridge Programme of Qatar Foundation, Qatar University, Georgetown School of Foreign Service Qatar, the US Embassy in Qatar, Exxon Mobil, US-based Avant Assessment, and Rayyan Water, the release added.
Those interested to attend the conference are requested to pre-register by logging onto www.qatartesol.org and clicking the conference registration link. The QR120 conference fee is paid at the door. This includes entry to all lectures and workshops, food for the two and free membership of Qatar TESOL for one year.
There will be lots of great door prizes to be won at the conference. The winner of the grand prize will get a weekend stay for two at the InterContinental Doha The City hotel. Other prizes include dinner vouchers for two at the Al Dana Club and pairs of tickets for any Doha Players production.
Qatar TESOL is a professional, voluntary, non-profit organisation which focuses on teachers who teach non-native speakers of English through English language. Qatar TESOL serves English language teachers of all levels as well as those teaching other subjects through English such as mathematics, science and computer skills.
The Peninsula
