Great news for both Aussie teachers sick of being left out of all that is happening in global ELT (and desperate for a change from the dry offerings of English Australia), but also for all our colleagues in Asia and Europe who might like to get away from winter for a bit...
I'm pleased as punch to announce:
The Inaugural and Unorthodox English Raven ELT Conference
to be held in Geelong, Australia!
In the spirit of true Aussie hospitality, we'll be holding the event right here in the English Raven's humble abode...
Big names? We'll have them! Plenary speakers include:
- Jeremy Harmer (The Music of ELT)
- Scott Thornbury (Planes, trains and the need for an automobile: Lessons for the unplugged)
- Simon Greenall (My name's Simon and I write coursebooks)
- Gavin Dudeney (Why my facebook profile features a picture of an orange kettle)
- Ken Wilson (Your English class seems lifeless? No drama!)
- David Nunan (not presenting, just invited to watch the other plenary speakers and get some idea how it's actually done)
The plenary area in English Raven's backyard... Note the air-powered rocket launcher to the right (not sure yet who will have the right to use it: the plenary speaker or the audience)
And before anyone goes asking how I managed to attract such august ELT figures (for an event in January, no less), let me just say that it is the result of a not-so-secret English Raven sauce which involves, amongst other irresistible offers, a promise from English Raven not to blog about these people in the foreseeable future, and to refrain from commenting on said people's own blog posts as well...
But those are just the plenaries, and if they don't tickle your fancy, I'm happy to inform you that our special event 'foyer' area will be well set-up with kegs and a fine collection of local and international wines provided by Randall's Wine Cellars (located just around the corner from the event venue, and managed by one of my best mates from high school).
The conference 'foyer/mingling' area. Someone remind me to move the car and roll out the recycle bins for the inevitable stash of empty bottles...
And then there are the concurrent workshop sessions!
You're in for a right royal treat here folks (and I'm not just talking about Lindsay Clandfield and Marcos Benevides -- though they of course will be there with bells on... might have something to do with me offering them great rooms above the immaculate pub across the road from our humble venue), as we already have a long list of top-quality and mostly heinously unrecognised presenters rolling in from the inner circles of English Raven's PLN.
I'll post the names of our workshop hosts and their presentation titles as soon as I can think of something cheeky enough to say about each of them...
But for now, trust me, these presenters are going to make any conference you've ever been to in the past seem like a stamp collector's symposium by comparison!
The three spaces allocated for our concurrent workshop sessions, which you will actually be able to see concurrently, or according to your bottom's preference for wooden decking or lush green lawn. Note the third presentation area to the far left, reserved for workshops with an 'organic teaching/learning' emphasis...
Publishers?
You're welcome, too, of course, and there is a very special section of the English Raven nest set aside for your tables and booths:
The special publisher's area at the event, with the requirement that companies clean up the garden and (heavily concealed at this stage) fish pond in advance, and make every reasonable effort not to upset my elderly Hungarian neighbour with their endless gossip! Only publishers willing to give away genuinely cool stuff will be permitted to set up under the actual porch...
And, of course, what would a conference event be without appropriate support on the ground?
Our special conference support team: James will be helping you out with all your tech requirements, while Hannah will be charming the socks off anyone who comes within eyesight of her...
Accommodation?
Got that sorted as well. Conference attendees will get sleeping bags and quilts to crash wherever they like inside, while the plenary speakers will get exclusive accommodation in the English Raven car (four seats for six people -- I'll let you lot sort that out, and oh: there's the boot as well -- very spacious, but mind the stroller!).
This will be the ELT conference event of the, erm, day -- so get those tickets organised and get your backsides to Geelong, Australia in January!
=D
