Head of Training and Professional Development, Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
Mark Cormier is an English teacher, teacher trainer, and teacher educator who is passionate about materials development, reflective practice, and professional development in ELT. Mark has a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Marlboro College. He... Read More →
Tuesday July 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PDT Room 6Los Yoses, Montes de Oca
This workshop explores the role of sketchpads as a tool for enhancing conversational fluency and grammatical accuracy in language learning. By assigning specific roles, encouraging broad discussion topics, and integrating explicit grammar practice, sketchpads provide structured yet flexible opportunities for authentic communication. Drawing on research from Haugh (2012), Penny Ur (1996), and The Academy for the Science of Instruction (n.d.), the article outlines best practices for designing effective sketchpads. It also highlights the importance of vocabulary scaffolding, role rotation, and reflective exercises to maximize learning outcomes. The discussion concludes with practical strategies for adapting sketchpads to different proficiency levels.
Head of Curriculum Development / ELT Professor, Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano & Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
Jonathan Acuña Solano is a virtual language professional with over 30 years of teaching experience, is currently the Head of Curriculum Design at Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano and a senior ELT professor at Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. For more than ten years... Read More →
Tuesday July 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PDT Room 3Los Yoses, Montes de Oca
Creating and Sustaining Optimal Learning Environments: Finding Your True “Teacher Self”
What makes a learning environment optimal? Is it the lesson plan, the materials, or is it your “teacher self?” In this workshop, you will explore components that affect classroom atmosphere and learner engagement. These components include: teacher language, transitions, instructions, feedback, questioning strategies, and teacher presence. You’ll also explore how drawing on and affirming learners’ assets positively impacts learning. Through demonstrations, video observation, and hands-on practice, you’ll discover your true teacher-self that leads to an optimal learning environment. This workshop is suitable for teachers in any English language teaching context.
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to: 1) observe for and evaluate the effects that teacher language, teacher-learner interactions, teacher presence, and classroom environment have on learning. 2) reflect on your strengths and areas for growth. 3) discover your true teacher self that leads to the most optimal environment for all learners.
This hands-on workshop introduces the principles and practices associated with reflective practice for language teachers. Reflective practice generally means that language teachers subject their assumptions, beliefs and teaching practices to a critical analysis so that they can become more aware of their practice. Gaining teaching experience as a language teacher is not enough to provide automatic professional development, for we do not learn much from experience as much as we learn from reflecting on that experience; thus, experience combined with systematic reflection can lead to professional growth so that we can become more effective language teachers. In this workshop we will use the Framework for Reflecting on Practice to holistically explore five different stages/levels of reflection: philosophy; principles; theory; practice; and beyond practice (Farrell, 2022).
Professor of Applied Linguistics, Brock University, Canada
Thomas S.C. Farrell is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Brock University, Canada. Professor Farrell’s professional interests include Reflective Practice, and Language Teacher Education & Development. Professor Farrell has published widely in academic journals and has presented... Read More →
Tuesday July 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm PDT Room 2Los Yoses, Montes de Oca
Effective lesson planning is the foundation of successful teaching. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the WIPPEA model (Warm-up, Introduction, Presentation, Practice, Evaluation, and Application) and experience a real-time lesson demonstration while acting as EFL students. The session will highlight critical thinking, cooperative learning, and communication development, ensuring engaging and outcome-driven lessons. By walking through each stage of lesson planning, educators will gain practical strategies to create structured, student-centered instruction. Attendees will leave with the confidence and tools to plan purposeful lessons—moving beyond improvisation to maximize student learning and classroom success.
Rob Jenkins is a retired Professor of English as a Second Language in the United States. During his 27-year tenure, he received various awards including the Best Practice of Model Program Award in 2013 from the Association of Community and Continuing Education in California (ACCE... Read More →
Tuesday July 8, 2025 2:00pm - 5:00pm PDT Room 1Los Yoses, Montes de Oca
This session explores innovative strategies for observing, supervising, and providing feedback in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, emphasizing supervision as a shared, learning-oriented process for both teachers and supervisors. Moving beyond traditional evaluation models, the presentation highlights creative, teacher-centered approaches that promote reflection, dialogue, and mutual growth—without shying away from critical feedback. Through tools such as video analysis, peer coaching, and collaborative reflection protocols, participants will gain practical, adaptable techniques that support continuous development and instructional improvement in diverse EFL settings.
