Lottie Galpin is an Inclusive ELT consultant, trainer, editor and writer. She specialises in representations of mental health, disability, neurodiversity, socio-economic realities, and creating accessible materials. Before moving into publishing 12 years ago, she taught in Austria, China, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
The world is wonderfully diverse, but many ELT materials present a 'norm' that fails to reflect this diversity. Why does this happen and how can we avoid perpetuating our own sense of normal in our materials? In this practical session, we'll look at the existing 'norm' of ELT materials, why this persists, and the power this norm holds. We'll also look at five powerful tips for avoiding this norm and making sure your materials reflect the wonderful diversity of the world(s) we live in.
Dr Armanda Stroia is an experienced EFL teacher, teacher trainer, international conference speaker, and materials developer interested in digital storytelling, multimodality, critical thinking, intercultural competences, digital and emotional literacies. She designs materials to help teachers integrate multimodality into lessons through an award-winning approach to student-generated videos. She is the founder of the Academy of Creators who Teach to Inspire (https://acttoinspire.com/articles/), where she shares her latest research-based articles, tailored courses, workshops, and free lesson plans.
Looking back, video has radically reshaped the ELT landscape, shifting from mere comprehension checks to tasks fostering 21st century skills and multimodal literacies. Thus, current pedagogical trends empower students to become active prosumers. Yet, is this shift visible in mainstream localized coursebooks? Gazing into the AI-powered future, we question the role of video tasks.
Becky is a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf and also works part time as a BSL/English Interpreter. She has been signing for nearly 35 years and has had 20 years teaching experience. She is currently working part time as a Language and Communication Teacher at Oak Lodge (a specialist Deaf and SCLN school in London). She has previously taught at university, college and schools (including experience as a substitute teacher in Los Angeles). Katherine is a Teacher of the Deaf with 20 years of experience ranging from Primary to 6th Form. She has held several senior leadership roles, including Deputy Headteacher and head of 6th form and is currently the Head of the Language Communication Team and KS3 leader. She also holds a NPQH, Masters in Deaf Education and Level 6 BSL. As a Profoundly Deaf, BSL user herself, her experience and knowledge of teaching deaf children is fundamental in supporting D/deaf pupils at Oak Lodge. Katherine and Becky currently consult for Ofqual as the lead experts for the BSL GCSE.
Teaching Deaf children who are EAL or are first language British Sign Language (BSL) users require specialist teachers and bespoke resources. This paper will utilise the twenty years teaching experience of three specialists Teacher of the Deaf to state the considerations for making English teaching resources for Deaf children.