THE 2023 NEAS MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE IS ONLY 11 WEEKS AWAY!

The countdown has started!

With a furore of activity we are well under way to welcoming you all at this year’s Management Conference. The theme of the conference has taken hold and is becoming the talk of the town as we grapple with the idea of The Profession, The Professional and Professionalism in ELT.

Nowadays, with increased scrutiny into quality standards in ELT, high professional standards are burgeoning and the number of ELT teachers up-skilling and completing Master level degrees in ELT is trending upwards at a rapid rate. ELT “requires a specialized knowledge obtained through both academic study and practical experience” (Torres – Rocha, 2019).

It is generally acceptable to say that ELT teachers and leaders are professionals because they are a “disciplined group of individuals who adhere to high ethical standards and uphold themselves to, and are accepted by, the public as possessing special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised, organised body of learning derived from education and training at a high level, and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interests of others.”(cited in Professional Standards Council, 2022)

This year’s conference is set to explore the different professional landscapes in ELT locally and globally and the impact they are having on world economy, education, and future generations.

As usual, we are pleased to be able to offer a hybrid event! With three full days of in-person activities, attendees will also be able to live-stream content, so if you can’t make it in person, you can always join us online. You can download 60+ presentations, join our virtual community events and live-stream speaker sessions.

If you are coming in person, then don’t forget to purchase your Gala Dinner tickets here, so that you can enjoy the entertainment, gourmet menu as well as the Awards Ceremony.

Speaker Spotlight

Cara Dinneen

Cara Dinneen is the Associate Director, Learning and Teaching at Macquarie University College. Cara holds a Master of TESOL, Graduate Certificate in Business Educational Leadership, Trinity Diploma of TESOL, BA Communications and is currently completing a qualification in Digital Learning Leadership. Cara has 20 years’ experience in English language teaching, teacher training and leadership, having taught and managed programs in Australia, Oman and Spain. She is a fluent Spanish speaker. 

Throughout her career, Cara has designed and managed teacher development programs for large, multi-cultural teaching departments of up to 65 staff. Cara has a strong background in teaching methodology and a creative, participant-focused approach to lesson design and teacher development. 

Cara also has a keen interest in learning and assessment design. She is currently the Head Convenor for the English Australia Assessment Special Interest Group, and her current area of research is digital learning and assessment.

Yulia Kharchenk

Yulia Kharchenko is an English language teacher and a higher degree researcher. She has taught in Russia, Ireland and Australia in a variety of tertiary, adult and migrant education settings. She currently teaches on the Graduate Certificate of TESOL at Macquarie University. Her research interests include multilingual pedagogy, language policies in education and language learner identity.

Virtual MoU Signing Ceremony between NEAS Australia and AUN

On 18 January 2023, Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, ASEAN University Network (AUN) Executive Director and Dr. Patrick Pheasant, Chief Executive Officer of NEAS Australia (National ELT Accreditation Scheme Ltd.), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance towards effective enhancement of the process as well as the management of quality assurance (QA) of English Language Teaching (ELT).

The Signing Ceremony of the MoU between NEAS and AUN Secretariat took place through a virtual meeting. The MoU seeks to empower possible collaboration between NEAS and AUN as both parties will delve into QA activities and QA among ELT providers, as well as provide opportunities for the professional development of working staff to learn from one another and foster the exchange of best practices. The MoU is initially set to be in force for two years.

Currently, NEAS and AUN have initiated a potential project exclusively for the ASEAN University Network to explore and enhance the capabilities of English Language Teaching Units/Centers across the ASEAN region. This aims to ensure the active roles of university ELT Units/Centers that go beyond “English Teaching.” The initiatives cover more contemporary functions such as standardising English for research papers, English as a medium of instruction, English in the delivery of interdisciplinary courses, English pathways for international mobility programmes, etc. It will ultimately lead to the advancement of QA in English language learning. 

The MoU signing ceremony between NEAS and AUN was a momentous occasion as it marked the first official collaboration between AUN and Australia. This will signify the beginning of the growth of QA in English language learning and designate the direction to steer English language teaching communities forward.

02 February 2023

Hills International Education

Congratulations to Hills International Education (HIE) – the ELICOS arm of The Hills Grammar School on a successful Quality Review outcome for 2020. HIE is located in a beautiful bushland campus in Kenthurst, 45 minutes from Sydney’s CBD. The school offers HSP at four levels, and ELICOS students are integrated into mainstream classes for mathematics, physical education and a well-being program.

Due to smaller class numbers, students at HIE receive high levels of attention and individual support. Flexibility and the ability to tailor content and delivery styles to individual students is a key feature of the HIE program, and students could articulate how teachers provided materials and support for them to develop in their individual areas for improvement.

View all endorsed centres here.

Melbourne Language Centre, Perth campus

NEAS wishes to congratulate Melbourne Language Centre, Perth campus, on achieving NEAS Quality Endorsement! Melbourne Language Centre (Perth) is part of the well-established Melbourne based conglomerate, Acknowledge Education that has been a NEAS member for more than 28 years. The Perth campus currently has both General English and EAP on scope and began delivering ELICOS in late September 2019 for mostly pathway students that were packaged with VET or HE courses.

Teachers and professional staff noted that the centre had provided excellent support for students during the COVID-19 pandemic, including surveying students in regard to the functionality of the platform, regular checking on their mental health and offering a food-bank to help support their cost of living during this time.

View all endorsed centres here.

Melbourne City Institute of Education (MCIE) / Explore English

Congratulations to Melbourne City Institute of Education (MCIE) / Explore English on achieving NEAS Quality Endorsement of their provision of the Certificate IV in TESOL (10695NAT).

The course involves nine core units and a requisite elective unit “Use technology to assist ESL learning” which is highly relevant and industry informed. Stakeholder feedback about the course and the study experience with MCIE was very positive, describing the course as excellent preparation for worldwide teaching of English.

View all endorsed qualifications here

Explore English

Congratulations to Explore English on successfully completing their 2020 Quality Review. Explore English is an established ELICOS provider in downtown Melbourne offering General English, EAP, Test Preparation and Business English courses.

During this current pandemic the centre has become more than a place of study for language development. The centre has also become the welfare centre for both students and staff, and students were highly vocal during the focus group about their praise and support for all the staff at Explore English.

View all endorsed centres here