Ibri College of Technology conducts 1st International Virtual ELT Web Conference

‏The English Language Centre at Ibri College of Technology conducted its 1st International Virtual ELT Web Conference with the theme “The Importance of Using Innovative Methods in ELT Classrooms” on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

‏The event kicked off with an opening speech from Dr Abdulsalam Maktoum Ali Al Manthari, the head of the ELC, in which he stressed the efficacy of virtual web conferences in enabling teachers to impart language skills through digital classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned that teachers around the world had embraced technology and were well-equipped to handle virtual classrooms and stay connected with their students. He emphasized that virtual web conferences would emerge as a platform for sharing ideas, expertise, and trends among teachers.

‏The conference included 56 presenters from 23 courtiers in 6 virtual rooms with 6 concurrent sessions including 8 keynote speakers, who shared their know-how with more than 3600 participants from around the world. Heike Philip from Belgium, Dr Christine Coombe from the UAE, Georgios Kormpass from the KSA, Rana Khan from Kuwait, Dr Ali Al-Issa from Oman, Joshua O’Neil from the UK, Dr Christel Broady from the USA and Prof. Hisham Al Saghbini from the UAE shared their rich experiences as keynote speakers. Their themes covered a wide range of topics, primarily related to innovative approaches to teaching and assessments, integrating technology in ELT, and strategies and activities for online classrooms.

‏For many participants, it was the first time that they had been involved with an online conference. The feedback shows that the experience was positive for many and offered a promise for the future of instruction in ELT classrooms.

‏At the end, Mr. Faisal Shamali, Head of the Staff Professional Development Committee in the ELC, delivered closing remarks