IATEFL BESIG Swap Shop

By EDRIS TAIEB

An impressive number of 26 people (more had originally planned to come) attended the IATEFL BESIG Swap Shop organized by HELTA. The goal was to let speakers and attendees of the last BESIG conference in Athens share their experiences with members of HELTA, other ELTAs and even with non-ELTA members. The meeting was quite international in scope, as we had members joining not just from different parts of Germany but also from Great Britain, Denmark, and even Ukraine.

Due to local technical difficulties, we were unfortunately unable to see Tetiana Lesyk’s presentation, which was being beamed in from Ukraine.

George Arping (one of HELTA’s Co-Chairs) opened the swap shop and shared her experience as a steward at the conference, which she said was great! She encouraged everyone to volunteer for this role, as you see a different side to the conference and maybe presentations that you might not have originally chosen.

Adult learning theories

Our first presenter was Andy Vogt-Nas who picked up BESIGs plenary topic “adult learning theories” originally presented by Virgina Lopez Grisolia. When dealing successfully with adult learners we have to take into account that learning behavior changes over the course of a lifetime.

Andy took us on a trip to Greek Mythology to demonstrate the diversity of adult learning theories. The attributes of wisdom and the ability for inner growth, embodied by Goddess Athena, and power and the capacity for external change, embodied by God Poseidon, were used to illustrate various adult learning theories.

The presentation highlighted the importance of informal and self-directed learning in adult education since much of learning here happens informally, as well as the evolving role of educators in today’s highly dynamic learning environment.

Stage-fright and other challenges as a first time BESIG-speaker

Lucy Tilney from Bristol Homestay Tuition, shared insights into her experience presenting at BESIG for the first time. Her nervousness began six months before the presentation date. To prevent it from escalating on the day of the event, Lucy wisely decided not to rely too much on the venue’s technical infrastructure and equipped herself with additional backup technology. Her instincts proved correct, but her thorough preparation helped her overcome the technical issues that arose. Her experience made the importance of comprehensive preparation – including having a Plan B – abundantly clear.

In terms of teaching, Lucy discussed her approach to using diary writing as a teaching method. She spoke highly of the supportive nature of the BESIG audience. Kirsten

Wächter, who was also one of the scheduled speakers, added that the event is more about connection than technical perfection. Alexia Schemien, another scheduled speaker, also seized the opportunity to tell us about her paper on the use of AI in classroom and the inspiration she gained from the BESIG conference in Athen, including the valuable feedback she received.

BESIG Conference Insights and Experiences

In her own talk Alexia Schemien provided us with more detailed information about her experiences and insights from the BESIG conference, highlighting sessions on LEGO as a kinesthetic learning tool, where physical building helps students articulate abstract business ideas, sketchnoting, LIFOW (Learning in the Flow of Work), microlearning, and integrating humor in teaching. She emphasized the positive and supportive atmosphere of the conference, the value of networking, and the encouraging feedback she received on her presentation. The discussion also touched on the differences between BESIG and IATEFL conferences, with participants agreeing that BESIG conferences offer a more intimate and community-focused experience, which can be less overwhelming for first-time attendees of conferences.

Some of the participants who saw Alexia in action in Athens, commented on her use of AI and “Roast my Presentation”. She encourages her students to use it, but not to take everything to heart!

Challenging Assumptions in Cross-Cultural Training

Oksana Hera joined us from Ukraine to share her experiences with challenging assumptions in cross-cultural training, putting emphasis on the importance of testing rather than avoiding assumptions. She discussed how assumptions about training participation, small talk, and insider knowledge can be used as valuable resources. A highlight of her talk was the discussion on cultural variations in small talk; she shared a fascinating report from Gradus Research comparing small talk preferences across Ukraine and Europe. This data reinforced her point on the need for natural, research-informed conversation rather than following rigid, stereotypical patterns.

Adapting to Future Business English Teaching

Kirsten Wächter presented on the future of business English teaching, highlighting how AI and digital tools are transforming the profession while emphasizing the importance of human skills like empathy and coaching. Drawing on insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, she explored how teachers can adapt to shifting skill requirements through lifelong learning and resilience. To bring these concepts to life, Kirsten used an interactive Padlet: From Disruption to Direction which features her presentation slides and additional resources on transitioning into a ‘coaching mindset’ and becoming ‘high-quality connectors’ in the classroom.

Closing the Event

As the fully-packed Swap Shop drew to a close, we shifted gears from teaching practice to community news. Silke Riegler was joined by Alexia Schemien – in her new role as the IATEFL BESIG Conference Events Coordinator – to provide updates on the upcoming BESIG conference. They shared the latest on venue scouting and turned to the participants for venue suggestions for the next conference. They also clarified membership requirements for accessing conference materials.

A Heartfelt Thank You

We want to extend a huge thank you to all our speakers for providing us with such inspiring and valuable information. From LEGO bricks to AI-driven coaching and cross-cultural data, this session proved that the best way to grow is together.

There is truly nothing like the energy of a post-conference debrief to spark new ideas for the classroom, and we are already looking forward to our next session. We can’t wait to host our regular Swap Shops after future conferences and continue this tradition of sharing, learning, and supporting one another!