Conference Presentations

Korea Tesol Association (KOTESOL) 대한영어교육학회
International Conference 12th May 2018
Kangnam University, Seoul, South Korea
Title: In Search of Balance: Gender, Culture and Bureaucracy 
Areas Included : Pedagogy, Women's Rights, Bureaucracy

Crossing borders is much more than just moving past a man-made barrier. The most powerful of borders has no walls, wires or security because the most difficult border to cross is the human mind, which can shut itself more tightly than a prison in the cruelest of dictatorships. With this seemingly impenetrable wall in place, how can the mind be crossed in order to make students more receptive to learning? What factors undermine the ability of an educator to effectively conduct lessons and how can these be overcome? Come on a journey with a sociolinguist and gain a deeper understanding of the labyrinth of issues in education such as gender, culture and bureaucracy.
Gender is an area of concern where there is a consistent bias in terms of education and this must be addressed. Gender discrimination in the classroom must be promptly dealt with, but how? A groundbreaking concept will be introduced, rather than gender equality, the new philosophy of gender equivalentism. Further, culture has profound ramifications on how the learning process is understood. How can culture be utilised, overcome or sidestepped?
Then, the nightmare, yes a seemingly never ending abyss, the quagmire that stops progress, bureaucracy. Learn how to make allies and friends in the system to streamline learning and improve its quality.
Not a presentation for the faint hearted, making you question what you understand and how you understand it.

Korea Tesol Association (KOTESOL) 대한영어교육학회
International Conference 21-22 October 2017
Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
Title: Ghost in the Shell: Discussing the Future of Language Teaching
Areas Included : Cognitive Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Assisted Teaching Methodology
Technology has always been the subject of heated debate. In every age, this seems to be a reoccurring issue. In the industrial age, there was a backlash where workers felt threatened by the advent of new machinery. That was then, however, in our age the hybridisation of man and machine has been a growing reality, inspiring all manner of science fiction film and novel. Humans are now more connected than ever in history, with this interconnectivity there comes many problems. For the teacher the management of technology in the classroom and the exclusion of the undesirable effects of excessive technological use are areas of concern. Also, the outsourcing of educational expertise on digital formats means that the role of the  teacher in some places is being redefined. Guided by an expert in the field and member of the Belgium-Netherlands Cognitive Linguistics Association this dialogue will take into consideration the sociolinguistic and cognitive linguistic reasons that even sophisticated technology or hominoid robotics cannot replace the human teacher. It will also discuss how teachers have integrated technology into the classroom as well as the superiority of the face-to-face format of teaching as opposed to the purely technology based approach.
In addition,the will be discussion on the points of caution and the ethics involved in the use of technology especially the need for caution in social network services and how student interface with technology can be appropriately controlled. Audience members will be expected to participate and give their views as well as share their experience and ideas.

Korea Tesol Association (KOTESOL) 대한영어교육학회
National Conference May 13-14, 2017 (Sat.-Sun.) 
Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul
Title: Practical Neurolinguistics for the Classroom
Length: 45min
Areas Included : Neurobiology, Neurolinguistics
(Click to watch)
The human brain is perhaps the most complex structure in the universe with neurons interacting through electro-chemical signalling. A discussion of basic neurobiology both anatomical and cellular will be undertaken, further, the aforementioned methodologies will be expanded on and explained with audience participation and input being most welcome.  Furthermore, the most up to date scientific understanding of brain function and anatomy in relation to language will be presented.