Speakers

Keynote Speakers

  • Professor Ee Ling Low
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    Professor Ee Ling Low

    Professor LOW Ee Ling is Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs and is a Professor of Education (Applied Linguistics and Teacher Education) at the English Language & Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She obtained her BA (with Direct Honours) from the National University of Singapore (NUS), an M.Phil and a PhD in Linguistics (Acoustic Phonetics) from the University of Cambridge, UK under the NTU-NIE Overseas Graduate Scholarship. She is an internationally renowned expert in pronunciation research in relation to World Englishes and Applied Linguistics.

  • Associate Professor Russell Cross
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    Associate Professor Russell Cross

    Russell is Associate Dean for Research at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, where he previously co-led the MGSE Academic Group for Languages and Literacies Education. His own research focuses on the sociocultural and political nature of teachers’ work from a Vygotskian perspective, particularly as it relates to teachers’ professional knowledge, practical expertise, and learning in languages education. This sociocultural orientation to teacher knowledge and practice informed his work as a Chief Investigator with Trevor Gale and Carmen Mills on the Australian Research Council’s national discovery project, Social justice dispositions informing teachers' pedagogy in advantaged and disadvantaged secondary schools and, with Kim Bower, Do Coyle, and Gary Chambers, he recently released Content and Language Integrated Teaching: CLIL in Practice through Cambridge University Press. His work has appeared in Modern Language Journal, J Teacher Education, and Language Teaching Research, among others, and is former co-editor of TESOL in Context where he remains on their Editorial Board.

  • Associate Professor Margaret Kettle
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    Associate Professor Margaret Kettle

    Margaret Kettle is an Associate Professor of TESOL and applied linguistics in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. Her teaching areas and research focus on second language pedagogies and their intersection with language and culture in schools, workplaces, and communities. She is interested in participatory research approaches and works actively with practitioners and researchers through her Higher Degree Research supervision and co-editorship of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education.

Speakers

  • Aleta Villanueva
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    Aleta Villanueva

    Aleta loves working with all kinds of minds in face to face, blended and online learning environments. At the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), she is currently Assistant Professor and Program Chair of the Dip/MA Social Studies Education Program. Past engagements include teaching at IB World schools, community development work with NGO's & People's Orgs, full-time teacher volunteer work with the University of the Philippines Oblation Corps and co-founding The Builders' School, a small progressive school in the Philippines.

    Aleta has published qualitative research on virtual communities, open schooling, teaching presence, inquiry and project-based learning, dual language, and curriculum integration. Post-PhD, Aleta is currently working on collaborative research projects in these areas: inquiry learning and the Community of Inquiry framework; teacher epistemic beliefs and identity studies; technology-enabled teaching and learning; collaborative auto-ethnographic research on academic identities and research journeys; and, qualitative studies on doctoral supervision, doctoral education programs, and pedagogies.

  • Anna Xavier
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    Anna Xavier

    Anna Xavier is a third year PhD Candidate at the School of Education, UNSW, Sydney. Anna’s research  explores the English language & literacy education for refugee-background students in regional NSW. Her research interests include equity issues in secondary education, the educational experiences of students from culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee (CALDMR) backgrounds, research in fragile contexts and qualitative research.

  • April Edwards
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    April Edwards

    Following work as a tertiary Spanish lecturer and 14 years as a NAATI accredited translator and interpreter, April then moved into the secondary sector. She worked as an EAL and English teacher, EAL Coordinator and EAL specialist mentor to English teachers. She also promoted the implementation of EAL strategies across the curriculum. For the last 4 years she has worked in Initial Teacher Education and as an EAL consultant to both the Victorian Department of Education and Training and the Victorian and Curriculum Assessment Authority. April currently works at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education as a Teacher Specialist in subject English, TESOL and literacy across the curriculum.  Her current research interests include the impact of blended technologies on classroom dialogue and the role of plurilingual Communities of Practice to offer inclusive curriculum planning and enactment in teacher education.

  • Bojana Popovic
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    Bojana Popovic

    Bojana works as an Education and Training Advisor in the Refugee Minor Program. Prior to this, she held a number of roles relating to refugee research and policy, settlement services and education, while living in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.  Most recently, Bojana taught at a Melbourne school with a high population of students from refugee backgrounds, and it was here that she strengthened her commitment to supporting refugee background students on their education journeys. In particular, Bojana is passionate about tertiary pathways for refugee-background students who have experienced a disrupted education. Bojana is keen to share her professional experience of working with young people in a classroom and one on one, as well as working with systems and stakeholders to improve outcomes. Bojana along with her colleague Simone Cassidy will be running the workshop Dreaming Big and Aiming High: Supporting Young People of Refugee-Background to Achieve Beyond Secondary School.

  • Christofer Bullsmith
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    Christofer Bullsmith

    Chris is Director of Academic Solutions at Reallyenglish UK. He has two decades experience as an EdTech operations manager, EFL learning services director, and Associate Professor of language education. His current focus is ESP and EFL STEM education.

  • Geethu Baby
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    Geethu Baby

    Mrs Geethu Baby is a doctorate student at the University of Tasmania, Australia. She completed her Master's degree and Bachelor’s Degree from the Mahatma University, India in English Language and literature. Prior to moving to Australia, she worked as an English language teacher at St. Kuriakose Public School in India. In Tasmania, she worked as a mentor for refugee and migrant students. She is currently researching on the multimodal approach in English language teaching in India at the University of Tasmania. She has authored four publications and been invited to give presentations on feminist studies and English language teaching at various international conferences in India.

  • Helen Moore
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    Helen Moore

    Dr Helen Moore, AM, began her teaching career at Hutjena High School on Buka Island in PNG. In 1978, she set up first full postgraduate TESOL teacher education program in the School of Education at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She was also Acting Director of the La Trobe Language Centre from 1992-93, which included delivery of the AMEP and ELICOS. Her PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) in Toronto, Canada, focussed on policy for English language learners in Australian schools. Returning to Australia in 2004, she did contracted research for the AMEP Research Centre and has also contributed to ACTA’s advocacy work in drafting submissions about EAL/D in schools, the AMEP and SEE Program.

  • Jeanne Solity
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    Jeanne Solity

    Jeanne has over 35 years’ experience, in Adult Literacy, TESOL and Schools Education, in both the UK and Australia,  performing a variety of roles as a lecturer, teacher, researcher and national manager. Her work has primarily concentrated on innovating new pedagogy, curriculum and resources to better fit SLA/EAL migrants and refugee women’s language learning needs. Nationally she has initiated and organised a national research project seeking to include gender in the Adult Literacy and numeracy Curriculum in 1999 She authored three publications outlining this new curriculum and the research undertaken. She has presented at numerous conferences both in the UK, and Australia, including in Thailand for UNESCO. Jeanne is also a publisher, short story writer and editor and has compiled and edited several compilations of stories written by Melbourne women on important social issues Her previous doctorate study investigated the potential of digital storytelling to assist indigenous, South Sudanese, women refugees, which aimed to develop their writing and reading skills.

  • Jodie Whitehurst
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    Jodie Whitehurst

    Jodie Whitehurst is the creator of The Language Scene, an organisation offering professional development, empowering language educators to invigorate their lessons through drama. Formerly a secondary school Drama and English teacher, she also teaches both EAL and ‘Drama for Language and Life’ classes to adults at Williamstown Community and Education Centre in Melbourne. As an ISSI Fellowship recipient, Jodie has travelled internationally to research the benefits and best practice of teaching EAL through drama. Last year, she was honoured to be selected as a finalist for the Victorian Learn Local Pre-Accredited Trainer Award.

  • Kathy Rushton
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    Kathy Rushton

    Dr Kathy Rushton is an experienced TESOL and classroom teacher having worked in primary and secondary settings and with adults learning English. She is interested in the development of language and literacy in educational settings especially in culturally and linguistically diverse socio-economically disadvantaged communities. She is an honorary lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at the University of Sydney and she provides professional learning for teachers in the areas of literacy and language development. Her current research projects include a study of multilingual pre-service teachers and the impact that teacher professional learning has on the development of a creative pedagogical stance which incorporates translanguaging and supports student identity and wellbeing.

     

  • Kelly Shoecraft
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    Kelly Shoecraft

    Dr Kelly Shoecraft is an Applied Linguist, currently lecturing in Linguistics and TESOL at Griffith University, Australia. She is a lifelong educator with a passion for languages and cultures.  Having lived in Australia, Japan, England, France and Canada, Kelly has extensive experience teaching TESOL in a variety of educational contexts and to all ages.  She has taught English to surfing instructors, hairdressers, scientists, CEO’s, young children, as well as academic English in university settings. Recently, Kelly has been exploring the use of technologies to enhance TESOL classrooms. Her current research interests translanguaging pedagogies stem from a desire to improve language attitudes in Australia and provide inclusive spaces for all languages, cultures and identities to be valued.  

  • Kimberley Law
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    Kimberley Law

    Kimberley is an experienced TESOL teacher who has taught English to children, teens and adults in Europe and Australia since 2009. Coming from a start-up background, she is passionate about implementing technology in her lessons. Kimberley represented her bilingual school in Paris in 2013 when she spoke at the prestigious English Language Schools Association annual conference about innovatively using digital technology in her classroom. Kimberley has been teaching EALD students in Sydney since 2015. As of February 2022,  she relocated back to France and is currently an HP Education Ambassador working on the RTCi project.

  • Kylie Sommerfeld
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    Kylie Sommerfeld

    Kylie has been actively teaching in the EAL/D area for 28 years.  Her experience includes Primary, P-12 schools, Tertiary (Academic English, Study Tours, etc) and teaching English in Wuhan, China during the 1990’s. Kylie has contributed to a number of Education Queensland projects such as Productive Pedagogies and Bandscales in Action. Currently EAL/D Coordinator at Ironside State School in St Lucia, Kylie supports both students and parents within an inner city multicultural school community to ensure that families feel welcomed and involved.

  • Li-Ching Chang
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    Li-Ching Chang

    Li-Ching Chang has been teaching Mandarin Chinese as an L2 in higher education since 2004. Her research focused on L2 acquisition and translation in language teaching and learning when she worked as a Chinese instructor at the International Chinese Language Program of National Taiwan University. Currently, she is a PhD candidate in applied linguistics at the University of South Australia. Her PhD research investigates the potential of machine translation (MT) and post-editing of machine translation (PEMT) to advance reading and writing capabilities of Chinese and English language learners in higher education.

  • Mari Katori
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    Mari Katori

    Mari Katori is a professor at Aomori Public University whose current research areas are remote lessons and effective systems to sustain learners’ motivation.

  • Megan Huber
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    Megan Huber

      

  • Minh Hue Nguyen
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    Minh Hue Nguyen

    Minh Hue Nguyen is a Senior Lecturer in TESOL/EAL Education at Monash University. She has been involved in TESOL, TESOL teacher education, curriculum development and research in Asian and Australian institutions for around 20 years. Minh Hue has published in the areas of second language teachers’ professional learning, focusing on EAL teachers' identity, emotion, agency, and collaboration with content area teachers. Her recent authored book is English language teacher education: A sociocultural perspective on preservice teachers’ learning in the professional experience.

  • Sharon Leslie
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    Sharon Leslie

    Sharon Leslie is the Director of English Language Program at Southern Cross University, Australia. She has worked for almost two decades in English language education and assessment in Australia. Before joining Southern Cross University in 2015, Sharon worked as an advisory visiting teacher for Education Queensland and as a teacher and manager in TAFE and in private English Colleges. Sharon also worked for eight years with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) as an IELTS Examiner. She holds a Master of Education (TESOL), a Bachelor of Education (Honours) a Graduate Diploma of Education and a Bachelor of Arts (Applied Linguistics). Sharon’s research interests include language assessment, international student engagement, online learning and teacher professional identity and development. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teacher identity is the focus of Sharon’s current doctoral research. Sharon is active in the University English Centres of Australia (UECA) and on the management committee of the Queensland Association of TESOL (Qatesol). She has also served on the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA).

  • Sue Elston
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    Sue Elston

    The constants in Sue’s career are education and seeking best practice. As a TESOL teacher, Sue currently works at GOTAFE in Shepparton, Victoria and previously managed the ESL program at Yarraville Community Centre in Melbourne.

    Initially Sue worked in schools in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, then into a private RTO, Ausmusic Ltd. where she became the CEO. In this role, Sue developed Music Performance and Music Technology nationally accredited courses and resources which were offered across Australia to 2,000+ students undertaking VCE.

    Sue then moved into Careers Education at The University of Melbourne as a career consultant and a WIL (Work Integrated Learning) Co-ordinator. To ascertain the benefits of WIL to a degree, Sue developed a measuring tool to confirm improved workplace skills as a result of a WIL experience. Sue presented a paper on this in Stockholm at the international NAGCAS Conference.

    Sue is a member of AMEP’s  National Recovery Community for Practice, Chair of Regional Australians for Refugees (RAR) in the Strathbogie Shire. She is currently piloting a Volunteer Tutor Scheme at GOTAFE to build oracy and confidence in AMEP students and connection to the local community.

  • Susan Ennis
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    Susan Ennis

    For 40 years Sue has coordinated or taught English to adult refugees/immigrants in Melbourne. She also taught English in Turkey, China, Cambodia & worked in Israel. She has written a Ph.D. & book on Religion/ Spirituality and the Refugee Experience.

    The motivation for her research & voluntary work is that respecting and knowing religious/inter-religious/worldview patterns & sensitivities are key aspects of Australia’s social & intercultural cohesion. 

    In her volunteer role in Religions for Peace Australia, she & others have lobbied Federal/ State governments to bring multifaith education more fully into the Australian professional training & educational agendas.

  • Toni Dobinson
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    Toni Dobinson

    Dr Toni Dobinson is an Associate Professor/Discipline Lead in Applied Linguistics, TESOL and Languages in the School of Education at Curtin University, Australia and Co-Investigator on the project. She coordinates and teaches the Post Graduate Programs in Applied Linguistics and TESOL at the Curtin Bentley Campus and at a provider institution in Vietnam (SEAMEO RETRAC). She researches and publishes in the areas of language teacher education, language and identity, language and social justice, translingual practices, language in migrant communities, language and power, language and influence. She is the winner of multiple teaching awards at faculty, university and national level (Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT)) for her culturally and linguistically inclusive approach to teaching.

  • Yvette Slaughter
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    Yvette Slaughter

    Yvette Slaughter is Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education within the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. She is co-editor of the Language Teaching Research journal special edition: Reframing language in teaching and learning: Leveraging students’ meaning-making repertoires. Her research interests focus on plurilingual pedagogies, multilingualism in education and the use of digital technologies in both program delivery and teaching practices.