IATEFL SIGs


Other IATEFL Special Interest Groups

BESIG – Business English

BESIG represents the interests and needs of the international business English teaching community. It offers – both on and offline – a stimulating annual conference, regular newsletters, webinars and weekend workshops together with an open discussion list and an expanding list of high quality members’ only resources.

ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

The focus of this group is on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), also known as English as a Second Language (ESL). Their main interest is language learners, including refugees, asylum seekers or migrant workers, who have come to settle in a country where English is the major or predominant language.

ESPSIG – English for Specific Purposes

The ESP SIG focuses on English for Specific Purposes, English for Academic Purposes and English for Occupational/Professional Purposes/English for Work. Its main objective is to disseminate good practice and promote models of excellence in ESP to ELT professionals in the UK and abroad. Their coverage of ESP includes not only the teaching of this area of ELT, but also teacher training and materials design.

LASIG – Learner Autonomy

The Learner Autonomy SIG discusses via publications and events a wide range of issues related to autonomy in language learning, including learner differences, motivation, learning styles and learning strategies, and cultural diversity. Their focus is on the implementation of principles of autonomy in institutional contexts.

IPSENSIG -Inclusive Practices and SEN

IPSENSIG promotes the positive contributions that all teachers and learners can make in promoting a more inclusive and therefore, successful learning environment. We raise awareness of the challenges facing learners with cognitive differences, sensory impairments and physical disabilities in the language classroom. We share best practice and experience in accurately identifying language learners’ additional needs, and disseminate information about inclusive teaching methods, materials and resources for working with learners who experience barriers in accessing education.

LAMSIG – Leadership and Management

The ELT Leadership & Management SIG meets the needs of managers and other ELT professionals in leadership positions. Recent topics through its newsletters and workshops have included leadership skills, performance management, change management, project management, motivation, communication skills and personal effectiveness.

LASIG – Learner Autonomy

LASIG aims to raise awareness among language advisers, teachers and researchers of the issues related to developing and implementing autonomy in language learning. Provides forums for discussion of ideas through its webinars, events and publications and also creates opportunities for networking at local, national and international levels.

LMCSSIG – Literature, Media & Cultural Studies

The Literature, Media and Cultural Studies SIG is for anyone involved in teaching or using literature, media or cultural and intercultural studies in EFL/ESL contexts. By literature they intend both the canon of literature in English, any other forms of creative writing, and also the kinds of learner literature which features in so-called readers specifically written for English language learners.

LTSIG – Learning Technologies

The Learning Technologies SIG is concerned with the applications of new technologies to English language learning. The SIG includes among its interests the use of corpora and concordancers, multimedia, computer mediated communication, text-based software, authoring, the WWW, Interactive Whiteboards and also the more technical issues Any and all of these, of course, have powerful uses in the many contexts which are EFL, from Young Learners, Independence, ESP, Business English, Teacher training, and indeed for all of the other SIGs.

MAWSIG – Materials Writing

MaWSIG is for teachers who create their own classroom materials; aspiring writers who would like to get their work published; published authors and ELT editors, publishers & designers. It aims to share & promote best practice in ELT materials writing; offer professional development to writers & editors and connect our members with other writers & publishers.

PronSIG – Pronunciation

Pronunciation SIG (PronSIG) is for teachers interested in integrating pronunciation skills with language teaching. PronSIG encourages and promotes best practice in pronunciation teaching across a range of contexts, from young learners to professional and academic English.

ReSIG – Research

The Research SIG is a unique forum for discussion of issues connected with research into ELT, bringing together teachers, teacher-researchers and researchers from around the world. In this active community, members share their experiences of and findings from research, and network face-to-face at regular events, online via their discussion list, and in print though their biennial publication, ELT Research News.

TDSIG – Teacher Development

The Teacher Development SIG provides a forum in which anyone interested in developmental issues can share their own experience and learn from the experiences of others. Through an active network the group encourages individuals and groups of teachers to undertake activities that focus on personal and professional development.

TEASIG – Testing, Evaluation & Assessment

The Testing, Evaluation and Assessment SIG is for everyone interested and involved in the process and outcomes of testing, evaluation and assessment in ELT. Core areas of interest include classroom assessment and tests, external standardised examinations, progress, achievement and proficiency testing and assessment, teacher evaluation, self-assessment and evaluation of institutions and learning programmes.

TTEdSIG – Teacher Training & Education

The Teacher Training and Education SIG focuses on the aspects of pre and in-service Teacher education, as well as professional development through talks and workshops at the annual IATEFL conference in the UK and around the world. Members receive information about the latest developments in teacher training and education and plenty of opportunities to network within the profession are provided.

YLTSIG – Young Learners and Teenagers

The Young Learners and Teenagers SIG provides a forum for English Language Teaching professionals involved in the language education of 3-17 year olds. The community consists of some 1200 individual and institutional teachers, teacher educators, lecturers, policy makers, publishers and textbook writers around the world. All benefit from the SIG’s online and offline interactions, international events, publications and resources.

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