Welcome remarks

The workshop, "Encouraging Critical Thinking Within Your Classroom," will explore practical strategies to move beyond rote memorization and foster a deeper level of engagement with the curriculum. Participants will learn how to design questions and activities that challenge students to analyze, evaluate, and create, rather than simply recall information. We will delve into techniques such as Socratic questioning, problem-based learning, and collaborative projects that empower students to take ownership of their learning. By the end of this session, teachers will be equipped with a toolkit of actionable strategies to cultivate a classroom environment where curiosity is celebrated and critical thinking becomes a natural part of the learning process.

As AI becomes more accessible, educators face both opportunities and challenges in integrating these tools into language teaching. While AI can streamline lesson planning, assessment, and student feedback, it also raises ethical questions around academic integrity, data privacy, and teacher–student trust. This presentation will discuss key principles for the ethical use of AI in ESL education, highlighting strategies to balance innovation with responsibility. Participants will gain practical guidelines to ensure transparency, promote critical thinking, and empower students to use AI tools ethically in their own learning journey.

"Notice and Note" is a close reading strategy introduced by Kylene Beers and Bob Probst that encourages readers to actively engage with a text by noticing and noting significant moments or "signposts". Attendees will learn about them and put them into practice in the classroom as well as in students' everyday lives. These signposts alert readers to important ideas and allow them to delve deeper into the text and life experiences. The strategy helps students become more attentive and analytical readers, fostering deeper comprehension and reflection.

Time to pause, explore the book fair, and exchange ideas with colleagues.

Assessment and learning have sometimes been seen as isolated moments, with assessment playing a role somewhere in between an “ugly stepsister” and a “necessary evil”. Integrated Learning and Assessment is a Cambridge approach that combines teaching, learning and assessment methods to improve outcomes for learners and make the most of every moment of learning. In this session we will review its pillars and explore ideas, strategies and resources to bring it into classrooms and incorporate it to our materials and approaches.

In an era defined by rapid technological change and global interconnectedness, traditional education systems — focused narrowly on rote learning and standardized exams — are no longer enough to prepare students for the real world. The Rise of STEAM explores how leading education systems have embraced the shift from rigid, exam-centric teaching to holistic, integrated approaches that develop the competencies, creativity, and adaptability today’s learners need. Let's spark curiosity, and empower every learner to build skills for life — not just for a test.

Final remarks