Welcome remarks

The aim of language is communicating personal, real, and meaningful ideas in various situations and having the ability to interact with various interlocutors in diverse situations. Language teaching and learning cannot be exempt from this aim and process. All English teachers are aware of it, but not always sure of how to implement strategies and activities, in class, that could truly promote skills that merge language competency and critical thinking.

This workshop will show educators how to integrate Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a central, standards-driven instructional strategy. Participants will learn to backward design compelling projects that serve as the vehicle for standards mastery, rather than an add-on. We will focus on the two most critical components of successful PBL: Crafting a rigorous, challenging driving question that anchors the entire unit, and connecting the project's authentic tasks directly to curriculum standards and real-world audiences. Participants will leave with tools to immediately begin planning their next project.

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.

This workshop explores how gamification can transform English language classrooms into more collaborative, inclusive, and engaging learning environments. Rather than simply playing games for fun, gamification is about applying game-like features — such as points, competitions, challenges, and badges — to language learning activities. Participants will explore how these elements can strengthen peer relationships, teamwork, and teacher–student rapport. Through practical examples and hands-on activities, attendees will identify strategies to integrate gamified techniques into their lessons, motivating learners while creating a positive classroom culture that supports both language development and social connection.

Final remarks