English language teaching conference begins at QU

Qatar University Foundation Programme (QU-FP) is organising and hosting the 2nd annual International Conference and Exhibition on English Language Teaching.
The two-day event which opened yesterday has brought together language practitioners and experts to network and share their research and teaching experiences on a wide range of topics related to English language teaching and learning.
Themed “Promoting Innovation in English Language Teaching and Learning, The Future Landscape”, the conference is organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Teachers of English as a Foreign Language-Qatar Association. Over 350 researchers, practitioners and scholars from Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the UK are attending.
Attending the opening ceremony were QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham, US ambassador Dana Shell Smith, and QU Foundation Programme and Core Curriculum director Dr Maha al-Hendawi as well as QU leaders, faculty, staff and students.
The programme agenda included a plenary session on “Meaningful face-to-face communication” presented by Peter Grundy.
He gave examples of real talk, and demonstrated that this poses a very considerable challenge for language learners as well as a real pedagogic problem for teachers.
Featured speaker, Dr Sufian Abu-Rmaileh, gave a presentation on “Critical thinking classroom experience”. He discussed the dimensions of learning and their connection to critical thinking, defining and citing the rationale for critical thinking and metacognition use.
He also stressed the importance of promoting critical thinking in the classroom, and suggested strategies and techniques to help train students to use critical thinking properly.
The event featured the screening of two video messages by International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language president Marjorie Rosenberg and TESOL International Association president Dudely Reynolds.
There is also an exhibition featuring 20 booths presented by exhibitors from QU and other organisations.
Dr al-Derham said QU has always strived to promote innovative education and research towards fulfilling its vision “to be regionally recognised for distinctive excellence in education and research, as an institution of choice for students and scholars and a catalyst for the sustainable socio-economic development of Qatar. It is in this spirit that QU annually hosts several international conferences to fulfil this vision.”