WELCOME

Join us at the ACTA International Conference 2018 in Adelaide, South Australia at the Adelaide Convention Centre from Tuesday 2 October until Friday 5 October.

The theme of the conference is "English language learning in a mobile world".

In the context of increasing local and global mobility for TESOL learners and educators, this conference will contribute to the ongoing examination of the theories and practices underpinning the TESOL field, and will project into future directions, whether as policy, pedagogy, materials design, assessment or community involvement.

The six themes or strands are:
1. English language learners in a mobile world
2. English language learning and teaching for local and global participation
3. Embracing digital technologies in English language learning and teaching
4. Assessment from diverse stakeholder perspectives
5. English as a medium of instruction (EMI)
6. Professional standards and teacher identities in a mobile world

Through these themes, the conference will explore the breadth of mobility, including local and global relocations, communication and intercultural negotiation across borders, and social mobility through English. With this in mind, the conference will be a space to critically examine ethical and practical challenges for TESOL:

• Which version of English is to be taught?
• What are relevant expectations of student autonomy, higher order thinking and academic integrity?
• How can technology support learners’ use of their multilingual resources?
• How can English language teaching respond to the choices of indigenous learners and their communities?
• What do teachers need to think about when selecting cultural competencies for their English language program?
• How is intercultural competency taught and assessed in a digital environment?
• How can the teaching and learning of English contribute to world peace?

We will learn from policy makers and practitioners who are grappling with these issues, as well as from their accounts of the students they teach.

Mobility is also a reality for educators and corporations, with impacts on policy, on the distinctiveness of TESOL and on TESOL teacher identity within specific contexts. During the conference, questions such as the following will be raised and addressed:

• What is the role of a TESOL teacher in a digital environment with an increasing range of resources for learning English?
• What is the impact, on policy and the TESOL teacher, of standardised and corporatised curriculum and assessment?
• What are the challenges for educators teaching outside their cultural context?
• How does TESOL define its work and relevance in an increasingly multicultural and mobile world?

The ACTA International Conference 2018 will be a space to explore the breadth of the meaning of mobility and critically examine ethical and practical challenges for TESOL.

We look forward to your presence and contribution to these important discussions.

Start preparing for your presentation! We want to you to be part of this exciting and important conference in 2018.

Adelaide Overview Video

THE 2018 ACTA CONFERENCE