Teaching Otherwise: Hybrid Professional Becoming in Multilingual English Classrooms
13 November 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, AEDT, Online

Summary

This collaborative presentation lead by Dr Nashid Nigar explores affective elements of teaching positioned within socio-cultural theories of language learning. Affective influences impact on emotional and motivational factors of individuals’ language learning process. Presentation raises notions of care, belonging, identity and psychosocial safety in classroom to support language acquisition and learning.

Drawing from both research and everyday classroom examples, the presenters demonstrate the myriads of relational and cultural factors that can support language learning.

The presentation inspires us to think about the social and cultural context of language learning and relational factors that support language learning.

Lead Presenter: Dr Nashid Nigar, Lecturer at the University of Melbourne with over 20 years’ teaching experience across schools, TAFE, community education, and universities in Australia and internationally.

Presenters: Liza C Abad, Amna Iqbal, Ashley Starford, Thanh Huong and Martha Heng.

Recording

Resources

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Teaching speaking and listening through chants, rhymes and songs
21 October 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, AEDT, Online

Summary

In this lively and hands-on session, Barbara showcased the power of rhythm, rhyme and repetition in supporting newly arrived EAL students to develop oral language skills. She began by highlighting the many benefits of chants and rhymes for building confidence, fluency and clarity in spoken English.

Participants experienced how simple vocabulary and sentence chants—set to a steady four-beat rhythm—can be easily adapted to any classroom topic. Through engaging demonstrations, Barbara illustrated how these playful, yet purposeful routines help students internalise language patterns, expand their vocabulary and enjoy the process of learning English.

Teachers also learned how to create their own chants linked to classroom content, reinforcing key language structures and connecting oral language to literacy in meaningful, memorable ways.

Everyone left inspired and equipped with practical, low-prep ideas they could use straight away—confident that even without musical experience, they can bring the joy of rhythm and rhyme into their classrooms.

Recording

This session was not recorded.

Resources

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An Analysis of Australian and Pakistani English Language Textbooks in Terms of Acquiring English as a Second Language by Underprivileged Students in Both Countries at the Pre-Intermediate Level
4 September 2025, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, AEST, Online

Summary

In this insightful and highly practical session, the presenter guided viewers through a comparative analysis of English language textbooks used in Australia and Pakistan at the pre-intermediate level. The session highlighted how these resources support or hinder underprivileged students in acquiring English as a second language, with a focus on accessibility, cultural relevance, and alignment to learners’ needs. Participants were introduced to the methodology used for evaluating the textbooks, including criteria related to language skills, sociocultural context and opportunities for meaningful practice. The presenter demonstrated key findings from the analysis, drawing attention to differences in pedagogical approaches and the implications for classroom practice. Discussions about how the insights from the study could inform curriculum design and teaching strategies in diverse contexts followed the presentation leaving viewers with valuable perspectives and strategies to enhance equity and effectiveness in EAL provision. An engaging and thought-provoking presentation!

Recording

Resources

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