English Conference in Jordan

This presentation will discuss the experience of implementing a service-learning project in public schools in Jordan and the impact of this project on the active learning of English language students based on research, investigation and innovation as a non-traditional learning method. The project compares the components of Jordanian culture to the equivalent of American culture as an English-speaking mother tongue. The importance of the project is that it is a new learning method in Jordanian public schools because it focuses on the student as the basis of the learning process by doing all the steps of the project with the help of the teacher as a mentor and supporter. It also develops the students' language skills because it enables the student to speak during research and present this project. It also illustrates the significant impact on the surrounding community as the impact of the learning received is transmitted to the family and the community. This interactive presentation would present the different phases of the project which is the main goal of the project so that the attendees could see the positive impact of the project and apply it as a teaching strategy in their schools in different regions. 

Presenter:

Heba Al-Shwayyat (Ministry of Education) is an English teacher at a public school in a small Jordanian village and teaches high school students. Heba Al-Shwayyat has been teaching English for seven years. Heba Al-Shwayyat uses modern active learning teaching strategies, and Heba Al-Shwayyat participate in this conference because of the visible impact of implementing a service-learning project on my students at the school. Heba Al-Shwayyat’s desire is to show fellow teachers this effect so that they can benefit from this effective experience.

Service-Learning: An English Corner

This presentation will explain the impact of implementing a service-learning project using English Corner with a Pictionary and a puppet theatre on enhancing the listening, reading, and speaking skills of elementary graders in public schools of Jordan. The project supports the active learning using innovative, non-traditional methods of teaching. Technology is also integrated through using some apps such as ‘talking pictures’ as speaking characters for education. The importance of this project lies in its great contribution to supporting students’ learning. Spelling, reading, speaking, and match the words to their corresponding pictures. Thus, he develops several skills in addition to social communication. The role of the teacher is a supporter and a facilitator. Students will carry out steps of preparing and performing activities, along with self-learning through individual, pair, and group work. The community's also involved through social media, so parents and friends can benefit from the project to develop their kid's self-learning and creativity.

This interactive presentation will give room for questions and answers between the presenter and the audience to engage and allow them to see the effectiveness of implementing this project for elementary graders, and to explore the impact of it to develop their skills.

Presenters:

Manal Al-Zawahreh and Fatima Al-Zawahreh are teachers. Manal Al-Zawahreh is an English teacher at a public primary school in Zarqa city called Prince Hassan School for boys. Manal Al-Zawahreh has been teaching as a full-time teacher for two years. Manal Al-Zawahreh completed a university degree at the Hashemite University. Manal Al-Zawahreh is interested in improving the methods and strategies of teaching, so that teaching can be successful and effective, thus, the students will be attracted to learn more and better. Manal Al-Zawahreh is also interested in professional development, and searching for any courses or programs which can improve Manal Al-Zawahreh’s skills as well as my fluency and knowledge.

Empowering Student Voices and Creativity Through Service-Learning Projects

Service-learning projects provide great opportunities to unleash students' creativity and empower their voices by creating meaningful student-centered learning atmospheres. In recent times, service learning is deemed to be one of the most efficacious tools for teaching English. In many learning contexts in Jordan, service learning is still unfamiliar, uncommon, and unimplemented in schools. This session will focus on explaining the advantages of integrating service learning into teaching. It will also highlight the benefits of incorporating such projects in unleashing students' creativity and amplifying their voices. This interactive presentation will show real-life examples of service-learning projects from Jordanian schools. The session will be presented by three Jordanian teachers who applied service learning in their schools. Presenters will display short videos of their projects and slides to explain the key elements of service learning. Attendees will interactively exchange, garner more knowledge about service learning, and discover new ideas on how to apply these projects with their students.

Presenters:

Kamel Alzaben, Subhi Al-Muqra'a, and Razan Najeeb (Ministry of Education) were ambassadors in the EEFA-TEFL program with the University of North Georgia and Georgia State University. Subhi has seven years of experience in teaching. He believes in using modern teaching methods such as the Service-learning approach. Kamel has eight years of experience in teaching. He speaks 4 languages. He believes in using art as a way to let students express themselves. Razan has two years of experience in teaching. Service-learning is one of the approaches she found useful for her students’ learning since it incredibly enhances their motivation to learn and serve their community.

Service-Learning Platform

This project delivers a platform for both educators and pupils to share, interact, and collaborate with others who have projects that involve service learning in their respective educational institutions and communities. This project provides teachers with an overview of a number of service-learning projects that could enhance students' leadership skills and stimulate social emotional learning. Teachers would be able to promote, advocate for, and share their experiences with individuals from many different backgrounds and cultures, as well as provide pupils with a better learning experience. The project will target Jordanian educators and pupils in schools, with the goal of establishing a library for them to be inspired by, as well as a collaborative endeavor to have a positive influence. The conference presentation will provide a brief concept of the platform and demonstrate its services for instructors and students, as well as providing a space for them to inspire and participate as future leaders. It will also show how the platform works, how teachers and students can take part in the project, and how we can work collaboratively to develop it.

Presenters:

Basem AL Etiwi and Ismail Dalky are English teachers at the Ministry of Education from different regions in Jordan. They were also ambassadors of the EEFA (English Education For All) project and holders of a TEFL certificate. Basem AL Etiwi and Ismail Dalky teach English courses for students between 12 to 18 years of age. Basem AL Etiwi and Ismail Dalky were part of the immersion program that was held in the U.S., and this project is a reflection of our experience and observation in the program we seek to have an impact on our communities by giving a space for teachers and students to be creative and innovative as well.

One Class Fits All

The presentation aims at stressing the importance of using differentiated methods to include all learners in the classroom with different levels and learning styles. A real classroom experience will be used to show how teachers can give the chance to all learners to participate, enjoy and be involved in the different classroom activities. Being one of the writers for “Learning Bridges” project that was initiated by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education to help and support government students and refugees in Jordan during the pandemic and later was modified to fit hybrid and f2f learning, helped me a lot to design and create different activities for different grades, focus on 21st skills and use the Padlet to upload material and extra resources, in addition to make use of the audio feature. Discussion for audience will give the chance to exchange, discover and discuss multilevel instruction, authentic curricula, and collaborative team approach. Finally, it is very important to be aware of the fact that inclusive classrooms are the result of teachers mastering the art of differentiated instruction. 

Presenter:

Tareq AlSamhouri (Consultant, UNICEF) is a former English teacher educator at Queen Rania Teacher Academy for the TEPD (Teacher Education Professional Diploma Programme) and olds a high diploma in linguistics and BA degree in English literature from the University of Jordan, in addition to a certificate in TESOL/TEFL from The World TESOL Academy and the professional certificate in Education from Canada Education Institute. He has vast experience in teaching English for international programs for high school students (IG, SAT & IB) and is working on an integrated project-based learning activity among four main subjects: Arabic, English, science and math with the Ministry of Education, sponsored by UNICEF. The project is called “Learning Bridges.” He was a coach with IREX “Global Sustainability Goals Challenge for Cohort III”. Tareq AlSamhouri has published 14 online books in different fields: poetry, drama, and education. He has the fellowship of Harvard University Graduate School of Education for Middle East Professional Learning Initiative 2021(MEPLI 2021 Fellow). Currently, he is an education subject consultant at UNICEF/Jordan.

Teaching Reading Comprehension to Meet the Needs of All Learners Through Mind Mapping

Reading is a lifelong skill in which students comprehend information, yet it has been taught with little emphasis on understanding, instead, it solely focused on decoding and exploring vocabulary that makes students spend so much time without comprehending the meaning implied by the writer. Thus, reading comprehension is “the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language” (Snow, 2002). Here comes the role of the teacher in employing reading strategies, such as mind mapping which is an effective technique for stimulating the thinking and learning process through making associations and facilitating the process of comprehending information, it is also found to be effective when it comes to recalling information (Buzan, 1989). As Buzan claims that humans have been processing information through imagination and association which is similar to mind mapping. In my presentation, I will explore the effectiveness of mind mapping in teaching reading comprehension and how it can facilitate making meaning and connecting text to real life. Furthermore, how teachers can integrate mind mapping to engage all students in the learning process and I will display questions and data during my presentation to share knowledge and interact with the audience. 

Presenter:

Hiba Abd Al Wahab is a student teacher at Queen Rania Teacher Academy and holds a degree in English language and literature from Al Albayt University. Hiba Abd Al Wahab is currently pursuing her teacher education professional diploma, seeking personal development. During her diploma journey, Hiba Abd Al Wahab has written multiple essays discussing various topics including differentiated instruction, and is utilizing the knowledge she acquired in her second school experience practicum by applying different strategies and reflecting on them to enhance her teaching practices and to meet the needs of all learners while maintaining an effective teaching-learning journey.

The Effect of Drama-Based Instructional Program on EFL Jordanian Learners' Speaking Performance

This study examines the effect of drama-based role play instructional program on EFL Jordanian ninth grade students' speaking performance. It is an attempt to answer if there are there any statistically significance differences in students' speaking performance attributed to the drama-based instructional program (role play technique) on the post-test mean scores. Students face difficulties in their speaking performance when they are asked to speak and use the language orally. A total of 40 participants were assigned randomly into two groups: the control and experimental groups at That Rass Secondary School for Girls in Southern Almazar Directorate of Education. For data collection, a pre/post speaking test and a rating scale were used. The collected data were analyzed using proper statistical measures such as One-Way ANCOVA. The results revealed that the drama-based role play instructional program had a significant effect on the five skills of the speaking performance (pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, fluency and comprehension) in favor of the experimental group. The researcher recommended conducting training workshops on role paly and drama-based instructional programs for EFL teachers. Also, drama techniques should be infused in the speaking activities in the textbooks. Keywords: role play technique, speaking performance, EFL students.

Presenter:

Dr. Nesreen Mohammad AL-Ja'afreh has a doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in TEFL/ Curriculum & Methods of English Instruction from Yarmouk University. Dr. Nesreen Mohammad AL-Ja'afreh is an expert English trainer supervisor at the Ministry of Education since 2018. Dr. Nesreen Mohammad AL-Ja'afreh is an evaluator of teachers: a leader of evaluation teams to evaluate teachers and Trainer of a lot of courses at MoE and supervision-based evidence courses with the Queen Rania Training Academy. Dr. Nesreen Mohammad AL-Ja'afreh published six research paper in refereed journals.

Growing Through Collaboration: Working Together to Share Ideas and Grow Professionally

I will present on collaboration with other teachers and include some time to talk about the dissemination of ideas as an important part of educating. I will include methods of collaboration such as including other subjects in English education such as cultural studies and history by working with teachers in the same school or communicating with teachers in other schools to share ideas. Together we will brainstorm ideas to share their work with other teachers. Some examples I will share are a Facebook group and professional development presentations (lunch and learn, seminars, etc.). As part of the presentation, participants will partner up and talk about ways that they can collaborate with teachers in their school and teachers outside of their school. Participants will leave with two ideas that they can use to collaborate with others and disseminate what they have learned.  

Presenter:

Hannah Scarbrough is a Ph.D. Student at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Hannah Scarbrough’s degree will be in Education Policy Studies and Education Research Methods. Hannah Scarbrough is in the second year with focus is on quantitative research methods, early childhood education, and how research is used in education Hannah Scarbrough works with the Center for Evaluation and Research Services on program evaluation. Right now, Hannah Scarbrough is working on some projects about meta-analysis, which is a method of looking at the results of a lot of research at once.

Individuality in English Classrooms

This presentation examines how English teachers can promote and nurture the individuality of their students. It aims to illustrate the importance, the methods, and the results of encouraging individualism in English classrooms. Promoting students’ individuality is important for teachers as it helps them differentiate their teaching styles, choose the best assessment tools, and involve every student in the class. It is also essential for students, especially in a public-school environment, for it enhances their self-esteem and creativity while learning a foreign language. The main objective of this presentation is to map out the various ways educators can employ differentiation in their English classes. To demonstrate the positive impact of this approach, the presentation will engage the audience by providing real teaching examples that incorporate non-academic activities such as service-learning projects. The approach is further clarified through leadership examples, the presenter has used in her school, which appeared to be effective in developing students’ language competence. Finally, the presentation will offer the audience various applications for practices to maximize the potential of each student, including those with disabilities. 

Presenter:

Maryam Harb (Ministry of Education) is a primary school teacher. Maryam Harb has been teaching for almost three years. Maryam Harb teaches refugees at Jerash Camp (UNRWA school). Maryam Harb is interested in teaching, psychology, and cultural studies. Maryam Harb is pursuing a master’s degree in English literature at Yarmouk University. Maryam Harb is a beginning scholar. Maryam Harb’s master's study has helped with the teaching journey. Themes such as of identity and some philosophical schools widened Maryam Harb’s understanding of the differences between students. Maryam Harb is also interested in self- development and productivity. Maryam Harb likes to implement effective habits in students.

Storytelling in ESL Classroom

Based on the many research that has been done about teaching ESL, storytelling in classroom can inspire more understanding, acceptance, empathy and it can further trigger the students’ imagination and unleash their creativity. Thus, this paper aims to suggest that storytelling should be incorporated into the language learning process because it enables students to develop their communication skills, and based on the diverse themes, can enhance their intercultural competence. Also, this paper provides a model for ESL teachers in simulation of ‘Tell Us Something’ - a live storytelling event based in Missoula, Montana. This model offers a variety of teaching strategies and resources for implementing storytelling within ESL teachers’ curriculum. Furthermore, this paper sheds light on collaborative activities done as a part of a project between Croatian and Jordanian students in 2022. Based on the feedback of both countries, results show that storytelling held in intercultural context has contributed to development of intercultural communicative competence and has addressed the 21st century skills necessary for higher chances of employment and better acknowledgement in the global market. Hence, storytelling can function as an empowering tool through which the storyteller and the audience can be transformed and willing to express themselves adequately. 

Presenters:

Eman Ghanem (The University of Jordan) and Cassy Prskalo (Ilok High School). Eman Ghanem is from Jordan with over 10 years of experience. Eman Ghanem is a PhD candidate in English Literature from the University of Jordan since 2019, Jordan. Eman Ghanem’s professional interests include teacher preparation, ESL, American literature, ecocriticism, Native American Studies and culture learning. Cassy Prskalo comes from Croatia. Throughout Cassy Prskalo’s career, she has worked in primary school, secondary school and with adult learners in a private school of foreign languages. Cassy Prskalo professional interests include project-based learning, ESL, African American culture and literature, Native American Studies and teacher preparation.

Mystery Box

As a teacher of a second language, especially in a public school, we urgently need to use non-traditional means and methods to deliver information and make learning the language easier, closer, and more enjoyable. This session will focus on the importance of student engagement in the classroom and highlight the significance of using hands-on and communicative activities to obtain better educational outcomes and practical learning. This session will be interactive through sharing a model activity on developing students' higher levels of problem-solving skills and creative thinking skills. Attendees in this interactive session will be engaged in an example activity called " Mystery Box" and discuss the advantages of using this technique inside classrooms and the challenges teachers encounter. The presenter will discuss the importance of using activities during the learning process in the classroom, give instructions while doing the activity, and provide feedback. Keywords: Student engagement, classroom activity, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. 

Presenter:

Aseel Abu Khadra (Ministry of Education) is an English language teacher in a primary public school for girls in Amman: Um Qsair and Al Muqableen Primary Mixed School. Aseel Abu Khadra has a bachelor's degree in English language and literature in 2011 from Al Balqaa Applied University. Aseel Abu Khadra has been teaching for nine years. Aseel Abu Khadra taught elementary and primary students in both private and public schools. Aseel Abu Khadra participated in many English language development courses, teaching and learning English courses, and other international programs online associated with the US embassy.

The Effect of Video Games on Jordanian Teenager EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning

Without vocabulary, language learning is impossible; it is where second or foreign language learners struggle most, and despite the numerous approaches taken to help students learn vocabulary, no method has consistently proven to be the most effective. As a result, efforts to find the best strategy for expanding one's vocabulary go on. Video games have contributed to the revolution in how computers have impacted people's lives. Researchers from a variety of fields, including psychology and education, have recently been interested in the video-game phenomena and are looking to use it as a tool for development and progress. Most of the studies regarding this have resulted in positive and useful findings. (Kirriemuir, 2003, p. 7) "Experimentation in a safe virtual environment" can be done through video games. Video games have become more significant in people's lives over time; in fact, young people now spend more time playing videogames than they used to do in the past. This study aims to explore the effect of video games as a new tool on Jordanian teenager EFL (English as a foreign language) vocabulary learning. This research then raises the question of how vocabulary learning is supported and integrated with video games in this context. 

Presenter:

This is Asma Abu Drea’s sixth year teaching English as a second language. Asma Abu Drea’ is a teacher at Spring Hill International School for primary and lower secondary students. Asma Abu Drea’ also worked as an ESL trainer at LingoArt Academy. Asma Abu Drea’ is pursuing a master’s degree in Linguistics at the University of Jordan, which is the university where Asma Abu Drea’ completed a bachelor’s degree. Asma Abu Drea’ is interested in learning and teaching English language with the modern teaching strategies as well as writing, reading, technology-related activities and photography.

Integrating Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills in the ESL Classroom

While fostering critical thinking and creativity in English language learners poses a challenge to English language instructors (Miekley 2013/14), they are identified as two of four “C’s” to prepare 21st century students for a global society (NEA, 2012). This session will present a brief review of literature before sharing instructional strategies, materials, and assessments that an English Program integrated in a course to foster creativity and analytic skills in learners. Findings gathered from classroom observations and qualitative interviews with students and instructors identified how English students’ applied problem-solving and critical thinking skills through teamwork, competition, and conflict mediation that introduced alternative patterns of thinking perceived by students. Materials, readings, resources, assessments, and students’ projects will be shared those in attendance, with the opportunity for attendees to try one creativity activity and then analyze its value. Attendees will also be invited to share activities or exercises they have integrated in the classroom to foster English students’ creativity and/or critical thinking skills.

Presenters:

Dr. James Badger and Sally Smith are instructors. Dr. James Badger is a College of Education professor and Director of the Center for Language Education at the University of North Georgia, Georgia, USA. He taught English in Canada, Japan, England, and the US as well as created the Center for Language Education at the university level (IEP, TEFL) and wrote papers on English language pedagogy and learning. Sally Smith taught English in Georgia, California, and France. James Badger and Sally Smith have collaborated on creating IEP courses.

Fostering Equitable English Language Teaching in Jordan: The Effect of Context-Oral-Writing (COW) Strategy of Teaching Vocabulary to Meet All Students’ Needs

Classrooms in Jordan schools especially in underrepresented areas are very diverse because it contains students who have different levels of intelligence, Culture and prior knowledge and this due to refugees who have dropped out of their schools of long time because of war and displacement. Additionally, the students who dropped out of their schools because of the coronavirus pandemic, and it is observed that these students have a lack of English vocabulary.  My presentation will focus on Context-Oral-writing (COW) strategy in teaching vocabulary to meet all students’ needs. I chose this strategy because it teaches the students how to use new vocabulary in real life and how to pronounce new vocabulary correctly. In addition, students will be able to spell the new words. In addition, COW strategy ensures that these three important areas (Meaning, pronunciation, Form) of language are covered in presentation of new vocabulary. In my presentation, I will illustrate the effectiveness of the COW strategy in teaching vocabulary and how it helps students to memorize many vocabulary as well as use vocabulary in different contexts. Furthermore, how can teachers implement a COW strategy to teach students vocabulary and I will be displaying questions, using interactive presentation.

Presenter:

Farah Ismael has a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Linguistics and worked in Jordan Ministry of Education for 6 months as an English Language teacher. Farah Ismael also participated in many initiatives to teach English Language to disadvantaged students and refugees as well as volunteered in teaching and supporting children in SOS Villages in Irbid. Farah Ismael participated in the “English Education for All” program. Recently, Farah Ismael obtained a scholarship to study Teacher Education Professional Diploma at Queen Rania Teacher Academy to develop education in Jordan.

Speaking Proficiency Assessment Through ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is a valid and reliable assessment of speaking proficiency that Jordanian teachers could use to assess their student’s speaking proficiency and the effectiveness of instructional strategies and identify the challenges that Jordanian students encounter as they speak English. This session will introduce the four parts of ACTFL OPI where the audience will be engaged in a practical assessment. OPI examples will be shared with the audience to discuss and assess the speaker’s speaking performance through ACTFL performance descriptors for language learners that describe how language learners use language across three ranges of performance (novice, intermediate, and advanced) in three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational). Each of the three modes of communication is defined by four parameters for the language learner’s performance (functions, context, context, and text type) that explain what language learners are able or not able to do with language when practiced in familiar contexts. Examining the four parameters will allow the teacher to determine the students’ range of performance.

Presenter:

Dr. Juman Al Bukhari (University of North Georgia, USA) is an associate professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages (MCL) at the University of North Georgia (UNG), and UNG Director of the Study Abroad Program in Jordan. She taught linguistics and Arabic to non-native speakers in several universities in the U.S. (Indiana University, West Virginia University, and the University of Wisconsin) and ESL courses, and published research papers on second language acquisition.).

How to Design Meaningful Assessment

This paper explores some of the key principles and considerations in designing and implementing meaningful assessment in any English language classroom. assessment is essential to measure the extent students’ abilities to acquire the skills which were represented by the teacher, and to pinpoint the skills that need more focus. Teachers can also adjust and improve their practices inside the classroom. they also help teachers to identify resources and support students need to improve. Above all they encourage students to be actively engaged because they see how relevant assessment is to achieve their learning goals. 

In this interactive presentation, teachers will make (ask and answer) questions to address a target outcome in groups to understand the steps of creating a meaningful assessment strategy: participants in groups will be asked to set one learning outcome, suggest assessment criteria, design assessment task, and finally tell how they can provide feedback to students so that they recognize their mistakes and do the correction accordingly.

Presenter:

Murad Apsh is a teacher with four years of experience in teaching English as a foreign language with the Ministry of Education in a secondary school and he has been an educator for five years. Murad finished his undergraduate learning in AL Zaytoonah university and achieved professional diploma in teaching. He has a passion for motivating students to achieve the freedom of choosing careers. In his free time, he enjoys games, and he is interested in researching about differentiation and how it can be applied in choosing careers for young learners. He is also pursuing a Master’s degree in methods of teaching.

“I Have No Idea Why I Failed”: International L2 Students’ Agentic Behavior When Approaching Academic Writing Assignments in New Zealand Universities

International second language (L2) students often struggle with academic writing, which can negatively impact their performance in university studies. Despite the significant importance of academic writing, there is a lack of understanding of how L2 learners approach and respond to the challenges of academic writing practices in their first year of study at universities in New Zealand (NZ). This study uses a longitudinal case study approach to investigate the agency of L2 learners in academic writing practices. Four participants, 50% of who were speakers of Arabic, were interviewed regularly throughout the academic year, and their assignment instructions, marking criteria, graded assignments, and lecturer feedback were collected and analysed. The study found that the agency of L2 learners fluctuated throughout their first year of study, which was reflected in their approach and response to the challenges of academic writing practices at different stages of their studies. The findings provide insights into the agentic behaviors of L2 learners and their perception of academic writing practices. The research outcomes are expected to be valuable to the conference audience, particularly to pre-university educators teaching L2 learners and students interested in enhancing their academic writing practices. 

Presenter:

Dr. Alena Shannaq (Auckland University of Technology) is a passionate educator who has been working as an ESOL Instructor for over 16 years. Currently, she works in the capacity of a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Health and Science at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand. She has completed her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics at AUT in 2020. Her thesis was awarded ALANZ Best Thesis Award in 2021. Her research interests lie in the area of academic literacies and academic writing.

English as a Second Language in the Classroom

In my English teaching, I have applied an innovative teaching strategy called STEM. The acronym STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By integrating STEM into the English language curriculum, students can develop analytical and problem-solving skills. This helps them understand the language better and think critically when reading and writing. It also allows them to understand the world around them. For instance, when reading stories, students can use their STEM-based problem-solving skills to identify themes and characters and draw meaningful conclusions from the text. There are several exercises to be performed, including puzzles, coding, word recall, etc. This helps them acquire better communication skills which can be useful in different aspects of their lives. This can help them become independent and confident individuals. It also promotes critical thinking and allows them to draw connections between different concepts. I also incorporate other teaching strategies such as games, role-play, visualization, and storytelling. By engaging in these activities, students are better able to understand the language and develop their creativity. 

Presenter:

Aroob Mhidat (Ministry of Education) is a teacher who received a master's degree from Yarmouk University with a major in applied linguistics. Aroob Mhidat has been teaching for the past five years and continues to do so. Aroob Mhidat has worked in many Jordanian schools for the Ministry of Education as well as for Relief International for two years and is still employed there.

The Effect of Using Formative Assessment on Informing the Best Teaching Practices That Help Improve Late Learners’ Academic Writing: A Case Study of In-Service Teachers in Teacher Professional Diploma-Queen Rania Teacher Academy

Equity for English-Language Learners is a priority that any education system should cater to. Based on what has been experienced through English Language teacher training in the previous years, writing has been found the most challenging skill for some Jordanian EFL teachers which explained that writing abilities are below the threshold level and that is because writing is neglected in EFL teaching setting mainly in universities. It is given to undergraduate English Language students as a formal task rather than a learning habit. Therefore, this presentation tends to show how using formative assessment can help inform the best teaching practices that teacher educators can adopt to enhance late STs’ writing performance so that they can catch up with peers. The significance of the presentations stems from the fact that late learners (Students Teachers) who show weakness in writing should not be marginalized or labeled as struggling writer teachers. They should be, rather, given an area where they receive the needed support so that have equal opportunities to learn to write. Also, this presentation suggests different types of formative feedback that student teachers can use to recognize their gaps in writing and adjust their writing performance accordingly.

Presenter:

Dr. Firas Aref Abu-Hardan is Assistant Professor in Curricula and English Language Instruction (EFL). Dr. Firas Aref Abu-Hardan is an enthusiastic and experienced teacher with the needed teaching skills and commitment to ensure all students and achieve their academic goals. Dr. Firas Aref Abu-Hardan is passionate about making a real difference to students' lives through teaching. Dr. Firas Aref Abu-Hardan holds a Middle East Education Fellowship from Harvard University and has extensive experience working in a variety of environments with a wide range of students and currently works as a teacher-teacher at the Queen Rania Teacher Academy.

Social and Emotional Learning

This presentation examines social and emotional learning (SEL) in classroom and clarifies its importance for the students. It also identifies student-teacher collaboration for academic, social and emotional learning (CASEL) by introducing and explaining the five competencies of the SEL: including self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, self-management and responsible decision making. They are considered as key principles to achieve success in education, career and life. They enhance students’ academic achievement and positive behavior to take healthier life choices. SEL helps students to regulate their emotions, understand and show empathy for others. SEL also provides a foundation for positive and long-term effects on kids, adults and communities. When we understand ourselves and our emotions, we connect with others better to achieve goals and support our communities that results in creating a sense of belonging towards the global problems. This interactive presentation will provide teachers with techniques to implement ESL in their classrooms. It will also suggest some games and activities to engage the audience and allow them to see practical strategies they could use to apply ESL in teaching. 

Presenter:

Amal Qtairi (Ministry of Education) is a secondary English teacher in King Abdullah School for Excellence, a public school in Zarqa. Amal Qtairi has five-year experience in teaching and a Bachelor degree in English literature and a Master degree in educational management from Al-Hashemite University. Also Amal Qtairi has a professional diploma in teaching from Jordan University in collaborative with Queen Rania Teaching Academy and completed many courses related to teaching English for non-speakers ESL/EFL such as: Teacher Training Program for English Language Teachers TTPELT and Teaching Teachers for Future TTFN.

The School Garden

This presentation explains my service-learning project which was decorating our school garden by encouraging my students to practice English language. I think service-learning project plays a vital part in teaching English Language for Second language learners. Students are exposed to English language; they can only speak English. this circumstance creates a great opportunity to practice English language with fun. By making my project (the school garden) I realize that the best way to teach speaking English language skill is through practicing it in service-learning project, that is what my students reflected. My students become more confident to practice the language. My presentation plan starts with Introducing my project and its importance to the audience. Then start showing the slides and the students’ pictures which were taken during the project with explaining the steps and how the students engage and interact using English language outside the class. Showing a short video for my students while they were speaking and writing English language during the work. Interacting with the audience by asking them questions to show their point of view about my project and ask them to write their suggestions and recommendations to develop my project. 

Presenter:

Islam Al-Shourah (Ministry of Education) teaches English language at Nitel Secondary School and has been teaching since 2015. Islam Al-Shourah graduated from AL-Hussein University 2010. Islam Al-Shourah has many certifications that deal with the job as a teacher like, English Network Certification and New teachers’ certification. Islam Al-Shourah participated in many national occasions as a presenter. Islam Al-Shourah has a TOT certification and took part in many English sessions. Islam Al-Shourah likes the job as a teacher and really wants to improve by taking more and more courses.

Improving Students' Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential Supports for Learning

Improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive, and long-lasting implications for both students' academic and social development. Solely improving students' relationships with their teachers will not produce gains in achievement. However, those students who have close, positive, and supportive relationships with their teachers will attain higher levels of achievement than those students with more conflict in their relationships. Much research related to the applications of Psychological Science to Teaching and Learning modules approved teachers who foster positive relationships with their students create classroom environments more conducive to learning and meet students' developmental, emotional, and academic needs. A student-teacher relationship in the classroom is a positive relationship between the teacher and the student in an effort to gain trust and respect from each other. In my proposed presentation, I will discuss How positive teacher-student relationships and the students themselves affect learning effectiveness. Especially the inclusion of marginalized groups of students and focus on their integration.

Presenter:

Maha AlKfawin (Ministry of Education) is an English teacher at Mughaier primary school in Alkarak City in the south of Jordan. Maha AlKfawin studied English literature at Mu'th University and graduated in 2012. Maha AlKfawin obtained a teacher qualification diploma from Queen Rania Academy in 2019. Maha AlKfawin worked as a substitute teacher at a secondary and primary school. In addition to volunteer work, Maha AlKfawin was appointed two years ago as an English teacher.

The Effect of Adopting Social, Emotional Supportive Approaches on Students’ Success and Diversity in the Jordanian Context

This presentation will examine the effect of adopting social, emotional, supportive approaches on students’ success and diversity in the Jordanian context. These approaches include flipped approach, strength-based approach, total physical response and social, emotional approach. As Jordanian teachers of English who were involved in the English Education for All Program last year, we had the chance to explore such approaches and their positive effect on students’ learning. Additionally, as Jordanian ambassadors of the same program, we had the opportunity to observe the way American teachers adopt these approaches in their teaching strategies and styles. This interactive presentation will give Jordanian teachers an insight of the importance of these approaches to encourage the audience and, at the same time, allow them to see the importance of building an emotionally and socially supportive environment to all of our students in the Jordanian schools. 

Presenters:

Ala'a Aldojan, Alhanouf Alkhraisha, Ala'a Abu Obaid, and Saba AlQudah are teachers (Ministry of Education). Ala’ Aldojan and Saba AlQudah are recent postgraduates from the University of Jordan. They currently work as English teachers at a public school. Their research interest includes various aspects of comparative literature, drama and diaspora. Alhanouf Alkhraisha has a B.A. in English literature and cultural studies and currently works as an English Teacher in Al-azraq. She is ambitious about changing the concept of learning English as difficult. Ala'a Abu Obaid has a B.A. in English from the University of Jordan. Currently, she is working as an English teacher at a public school. She is passionate about teaching English to adult students. Saba AlQudah is an English teacher at Fatima Alzahra Secondary School.

Creating Joyful Classrooms Through Active Learning

Based on Dr. Gholdy E. Muhammad’s book, “Unearthing Joy:  A guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive curriculum and Instruction, provides information on how to create a joyful classroom that includes a humanizing curriculum. In the words of Muhammad, “Joy should be the ultimate goal of teaching and learning!” The purpose of school is not just to prepare students intellectually for university or careers. We also want the students to be excited and joyful in attending schools, to know themselves, be problem solvers, and knowledge seekers. This can all be accomplished through active learning that includes projects. Having students work together to create presentations or art is a simple way to bring joy into the classroom. Providing activities that encourage problem solving like a scavenger hunts and brainstorming sessions brings joy into the classroom. Drawing or concept acting are other ways to engage students in the classroom while teaching lessons. A short activity will be modeled for teachers to take back to their classrooms.

Presenter:

Dr. Susan L. Ogletree has served as Director for the Center for Evaluation and Research Services at Georgia State University, U.S.A. for the past 20 years. Prior to working for Georgia State University, Dr. Ogletree had worked as a classroom teacher and principal in the K-12 setting. A major interest of Dr. Ogletree is international work. She has consulted in the countries of South Africa, Liberia, Zambia and Jordan over the past twenty years.

The Eye-Ear Relationship: The Impact of Audio on Reading and Comprehension of Reversed and Monolingual Subtitles

The study explores the impact of auditory input on the reading and comprehension of second language (L2) subtitles in an innovative cross-modal classroom setting. Thirty native Arabic speakers at an elementary English level participated, watching three video snippets featuring two sub-varieties of subtitle integration (reversed and monolingual), defined by manipulating the nature of the audio (Arabic/L1, English/L2, or no audio). Eye-movement analyses indicate that participants depend less on subtitles with Arabic or English audio than without audio and that audio effects will be more pronounced in reversed than monolingual mode. Interestingly, English audio, which might ostensibly eliminate the need to read subtitles, led to shallower lexical processing of the subtitles compared to Arabic audio or no audio. Contrariwise, Arabic audio enhanced the lexical processing of the subtitles compared to English audio or no audio, suggesting that participants utilized Arabic audio to support subtitle reading (or vice versa) and subsequently engaged in deeper processing of the subtitles. The findings highlight the potential of interlingual and reversed subtitle integration as a pedagogical tool in second language learning. The researcher recommends further research on multimodal reading situations using eye-movement measures to strengthen the case for employing reversed subtitling in L2 instruction. 

Presenter:

Hussein Abu-Rayyash is a Ph.D. student in Translation Studies at Kent State University, with an MA in Audiovisual and Mass Media Translation from Applied Science University, Amman, Jordan. Abu-Rayyash has compiled different parallel corpora in audiovisual translation (AVT), including EAMSC (English-Arabic Movie Subtitles Parallel Corpus) and SubCom (English-Arabic Stand-up Comedy Shows Subtitles Corpus). Additionally, Abu-Rayyash has published research papers in Scopus-indexed journals. Abu-Rayyash’s current research interests include audiovisual translation, machine translation, corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, pedagogy and translation, and second-language acquisition.

Peer Correction as a Solution of the Challenges of Acquiring English Writing Skills by Secondary School Students in Jordan

This article aims to investigate the validity of the challenges of acquiring English writing skills by secondary school students in Jordan. It also aims to identify if peer correction is considered the most effective method to enhance secondary school students' English writing skills in Jordan. To this end, pre-posttests and semi-structured interviews were conducted with forty students to get insight into their opinions. This research is motivated by the observation that secondary school students in Jordan lack the ability to write meaningful sentences and paragraphs. The results reveal that there are several factors that might prevent secondary school students from acquiring English writing skills, including, lack of knowledge required for forming meaningful and grammatical sentences, teaching methods, a large number of students inside the classroom, time limitations, and lack of encouragement, among others. Furthermore, this study concludes with some suggestions from both teachers and students to overcome these challenges and enhance students’ writing skills. Keywords: Writing skills, secondary school students, peer correction, Jordan secondary educational system. 

Presenters:

Hiba Alhendi (The University of Jordan) and Dr. Abdel Rahman Altakhaineh (Assistant Professor of English Language and Linguistics, English Language and Literature Department, The University of Jordan). Hiba Alhendi holds a bachelor's degree holder in English Language and literature, BAU, and an MA holder in linguistics, JU. Hiba Alhendi has been working as an English teacher for six years in private and public schools. Hiba Alhendi taught for five years in private schools such as Dar Alarqam, Tuba Islamic schools, and Al Dur Al Manthour schools. Currently, Hiba Alhendi is teaching in a public school. Hiba Alhendi has experience teaching 1-9 grades. Hiba Alhendi’s name is on six publications regarding language acquisition such as the acquisition of the sound /p/, and the acquisition of English compound nouns by Arabic-speaking EFL learners.

Pragmatic Failure in Intercultural Communication

This paper investigates the pragmatic errors of Jordanian EFL learners from a cultural perspective. It is suggested that pragmatics, or the study of how language is used in context, plays a crucial role in L2 learners’ communicative skills. Thus, it can be argued that the lack of pragmatic competence can lead to communication breakdowns and pragmatic failure. In this study, the researchers examine the pragmatic errors such as misunderstanding produced by these learners. The data were collected from two sources: (1) thirteen sketches by Jordanian EFL learners posted on YouTube Channel, and (2) informal conversations between teacher and Jordanian students taking place inside classrooms. The data were analyzed qualitatively in light of Schiffrin’s (1990) Conversation analysis perspective (CA) and Mahn’s (1999) Sociocultural Theory. The results showed that despite having a strong grasp of English grammar rules, without effective communication skills in English, EFL learners may struggle to interact with native speakers and fully participate in social and professional interactions. The main contribution of this paper is that it explores how pragmatic failure hinders message interpretation and obstructs communication. 

Presenters:

Marwa Abu Hasheish (University of Jordan) and Dr. Abdel Rahman Altakhaineh (University of Jordan). Marwa Abu Hasheish is a primary English teacher with extensive experience in private, UNRWA, and public schools for six years. Marwa Abu Hasheish completed a bachelor's degree in English language and linguistics from Jordan University of Science and Technology and now is completing a master's degree in linguistics from the University of Jordan. Marwa Abu Hasheish has a great passion for the English language, and in particular, imparting knowledge onto others through effective teaching methods.

Comprehensible Input Theory in Practice: Using Short Stories to Enhance Speaking Skill Proficiency in Jordanian EFL Learners

This study investigates the efficacy of Comprehensible Input Theory (CIT) through short story instruction in improving the speaking proficiency of intermediate-level English as foreign language (EFL) learners in Jordan. A quasi-experimental design was used, with learners randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving short story instruction based on CIT principles twice a week, or a control group receiving traditional speaking instruction. The short story instruction offered to the experimental group provided input that was slightly beyond their level of comprehension, with stories tailored to their interests and needs. Results indicate that learners who received short story instruction based on CIT principles showed significant improvement in their speaking skills, with higher fluency, accuracy, and complexity in their spoken output. Learners in the experimental group also reported feeling more confident in their speaking abilities and more motivated to learn English. These findings suggest that utilizing short story instruction based on CIT principles can effectively enhance the development of speaking skills in EFL learners in Jordan, emphasizing the importance of providing engaging and meaningful input that caters to individual needs and interests. 

Presenter:

Waleed Alsoufi (Ministry of Education) is an English teacher at Ekrimah Secondary School in Zarqa. Waleed Alsoufi has been teaching English for more than 20 years and possess a master’s degree in Linguistics. Waleed Alsoufi is interested in language acquisition and learning. Waleed Alsoufi has published two research papers in international journal. Waleed Alsoufi’s ultimate goal in teaching process is to equip students with language skills, critical thinking, as well as cultural awareness. Waleed Alsoufi’s hobbies are scuba diving and watching movies.

Making Data-Driven Decisions for the Classroom

Most teachers have heard of and practice data-driven decision making to some degree. Many teachers use quiz grades, progress checks, or some instructional milestones (formative evaluation) to gauge student learning and make adjustments to instruction. However, fewer teachers attempt to measure student engagement, motivation, or interest regarding the teaching and learning process. When data-driven decisions are expanded to address student engagement, motivation, and interest in addition to learning measures, the instruction may be enriched in multiple ways. This enriched instruction recognizes the learner’s need for engagement, sparks the motivation to learn more about the topic, and stimulates the interest levels of students. These often-overlooked characteristics may from a type of catalyst for the teaching and learning process yielding greater achievement levels than instruction that does not consider these qualities.

Presenter:

Dr. Robert Hendrick came to the Educational Research Bureau and subsequently to the Center for Evaluation and Research Services at Georgia State University, U.S.A. after having served as Assistant Superintendent for Carrollton City Schools in Carrollton, Georgia U.S.A. While at GSU, Dr. Hendrick has worked as the quantitative evaluation expert for the CEHD, providing assistance to faculty and students by helping them write their grant proposals and by advising them on appropriate methods when they analyze their quantitative data. He has conducted the evaluation of USDOE, NSF, IES, and USDOL grants, among others, providing quantitative data analysis and reporting for these federal grants.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Jordanian Schools

My presentation shows and explains Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Jordanian schools. Since Jordan is country which has different kinds of diversities such as cultural and religious diversity. Therefore, it’s necessary to talk and to explain what Diversity, Equity, Inclusion means. Jordanian schools are affected by the diversity of this country, Within the classroom we can find students from different cultural backgrounds, religions, believes, values…. etc. As a result, introducing Diversity and the kinds of diversity to the teachers is important. Along with diversity, equity is another key point in the presentation. Understanding both equity and equality and the difference between them will help the teachers to create a positive learning environment that helps all students to gain benefits. In addition to promotes academic, social, and emotional growth. Connecting with inclusion which allows the students to take part and to enroll in the classroom. Presenting interactively about DEI will help the teachers share their experiences, along with gaining more knowledge and methods related to this topic. 

Presenter:

Nathir Jabawi (Ministry of Education) is an English language teacher who has a bachelor's degree in the field of English Language and Literature from the University of Jordan class of 2020. Nathir Jabawi works with the Jordanian Ministry of Education as an English language teacher at Othman Bin Affan School. Nathir Jabawi has been teaching English in public schools since 2020. During this period, Nathir Jabawi taught both Elementary and Secondary students. Teaching is a career Nathir Jabawi enjoys, despite how challenging and difficult it can be.

Promoting Social Justice Issues in Speaking Classes Through Storytelling and Show-and-Tell

Many students in public schools struggle to communicate effectively in English, in contrast to Jordanian students attending private schools who possess higher English proficiency. To address this issue, some private schools offer their students two speaking classes a week to improve their vocabulary, critical thinking skills, and enjoyment of learning English while breaking down language barriers. Unfortunately, public school students often miss out on social justice education, as the focus tends to be on grammar instruction rather than encouraging discussion of important issues related to gender, migration, race, privilege, and marginalization. To encourage public school students to express themselves and converse with others, teachers need to provide support and guidance as they share personal stories and engage in discussions. As a speaking instructor in a private school, I have witnessed students' significant improvements in their proficiency and critical thinking skills through the discussions we hold in our speaking sessions. In my proposed presentation, I will share my experience and insights into incorporating and promoting social justice topics in speaking classes. I will discuss the use of culturally responsive pedagogy to foster student engagement and explore the effectiveness of show-and-tell and storytelling techniques in this regard. 

Presenter:

Waed Hamideh is a passionate educator with five years of experience inspiring and empowering students. She earned a bachelor's degree in English language literature from The University of Jordan before realizing she needed to improve her teaching skills. She completed a master’s program in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) at Arizona State University in 2022. Now, she teaches speaking at The Islamic Educational College, helping students improve their English fluency and critical thinking skills. Waed is committed to using her experience and skills to support and encourage her students.

Underpinnings of Equity Through Vocabulary Negotiation for English Language Learners

Equity can be defined as “fair treatment, access, and advantages for each person in an organization” (Pendell, 2022). As the global workforce becomes more diverse, international and national employers are looking more and more for employees who can embrace diversity and interact with coworkers with sincere respect. Thus, learning about this perspective and its practices is important for school students, and it may be particularly suited for second-language classrooms, where students are obligated to adopt multiple perspectives as they encounter words and concepts that do not readily translate between languages. In this session, the presenter focuses on the knowledge teachers need to establish classrooms that value equity. Through a small-group activity, attendees will be encouraged to evaluate their own understandings of equity-related concepts.

Presenter:

Dr. Bil Boozer is a research scientist in the Center for Evaluation and Research Services of the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. Dr. Boozer's research interests include social justice issues in education and the discursive construction of adolescence in popular media.

Incorporating Cultural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in an Elementary Classroom

This presentation explores the educational strategies I implemented as an English teacher in Jordan in my attempt to nurture diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom. One of my students did not learn any English before; living in France his native language is French and his second language is Modern Standard Arabic. Also, this student was the only student with a dark skin complexion in the entire school. The other students did not get along with him, some even bullied him. Using Bloom's Taxonomy, I put students in groups during class and frequently asked one of the students that had good character but bullied the new student at first because according to him “he does not understand Arabic or English” to help him with simple tasks. I also used visual aids such as videos and flashcards to help the students understand and remember grammar. After a week the new student made friends, especially with the one that used to bully him and can recognize and write the Alphabet. I believe his interactive presentation will benefit fellow teachers dealing with similar challenges in their careers. 

Presenter:

Shahd Airawashdeh taught for a couple of months in elementary classes to earn experience for a future career in teaching while in the final year of a BA education studying English Language and literature. Now Shahd Airawashdeh is in the first semester of a MA majoring in Translation at the Applied Science Private University. Shahd Airawashdeh is interested in English literature, languages, translation, teaching methods, meeting new people, and ways to bridge the gap between cultures to reduce misunderstandings and conflicts between people.

Teaching English in Public Schools: Implementing Social Justice in English Yearly Planning

Jordanian students are taught English as a compulsory subject in Jordanian schools. Since private schools are free to teach the curriculum of their choice, the flexibility of these English curricula allows them to focus their teaching on areas other than academic studies thus incorporating social justice education. Private schools provide a chance for students to thrive their thinking skills towards real-world problems and develop respect for other cultures. On the contrary, the national curriculum used in public schools may not address social justice adequately as teachers stick to the curriculum. For this reason, culturally responsive pedagogy is implemented for teachers to utilize to center a social justice agenda in public schools. Applying this pedagogy can raise public school students' awareness about their lives and societies. My proposed presentation will discuss implementing social justice practices using culturally responsive pedagogy in English lesson plans for P-12 teachers to apply. This specialized outline will cover all aspects of the four language skills addressed in the curriculum. It can also be vertically integrated with social studies subjects to discuss social problems and come to a consensus about social justice.

Presenter:

Rana Ibrahim (Islamic Educational College) is currently an English teacher at a reputable private school in Amman. Rana Ibrahim has 5+ years of teaching experience. Rana Ibrahim has done her Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature from Mutah University. Rana Ibrahim is always well-prepared and uses teaching aids, which often makes her classes a pleasure to attend. Now, she is a teacher of English, Math and Science to third grade students working towards getting students to engage and use English in all these three subjects.

Research-Based Learning: Educational Framework for Higher Educational Institutions in Jordan

Jordan places a high priority on higher education due to its role in promoting Jordanians' economic and knowledge levels. Research-based education (RBE), however, receives no attention. RBE educates all students through processes of active teaching that attempt to get students more involved. Here and abroad, we could see a wide range of examples of research-integrating teaching activities within the STEM fields but not in humanities. This paper suggests a research-based approach to teaching languages, mainly Arabic and English, the dominant languages in Jordan. This innovative approach should inspire teachers to activate students in research activities as part of their education to engage with the research community and become cocreators of knowledge. To assess whether the research-based approach is incorporated into language teaching, a group of students and professors at Al-Balqa Applied University and Amman Arab University were interviewed. The findings reveal that research-based learning is not incorporated into the curriculum or assessment in either university. To improve the quality of education in Jordan, this paper proposes an innovative approach to enhance the integration of research and teaching. All students from various disciplines, including languages, should have the opportunity to come into contact with research during their studies.

Presenter:

Khetam Shraideh is an Assistant Professor of Translation at the Department of English Language and Literature and the Director of the International Projects Department at the Cooperation and International Relations Unit at Al-Balqa Applied University. Khetam Shraideh received a Ph.D. in Translation Studies from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 2021, a B.A. in English Language and Literature in 2008, and an M.A. in Translation and Interpretation in 2015. Khetam Shraideh has served as a lecturer at the State University of NY at Binghamton for three years between 2019 and 2021.

The Compatibility of Total English With the Arab Islamic Culture As Revealed by Content Analysis and Jordanian EFL Instructors’ and Students’ Views

This study examines the cultural content of the Total English (Upper Intermediate Level) textbook along a set of criteria: historical, economic, geographical, political, religious, biographical, social, man-woman relationship, and customs, habits, and traditions. It also attempts to identify Jordanian EFL instructors’ and students’ views about the compatibility of Total English with the students’ home culture. The content analysis revealed that even though it includes different aspects of the Western culture, no stereotypical or biased reference is made to the Arab Islamic culture nor is there any significant content that adheres to or clashes with it. The results also show that even though the instructors were undecided regarding the need to include references to the Arab Islamic culture in Total English and similar EFL textbooks, the students saw that as an absolute necessity. The study has certain implications for tertiary EFL education and textbook design. Research emphasizes interdependence between language and culture and the effect of culture on foreign language learning. The current research adds to the ongoing debate on this effect by introducing the need for the inclusion of the native rather than, albeit alongside, the target culture in language learning. 

Presenter:

Emad Qublan (Ministry of Education) has wide experience teaching English as a FL for 11 years in Saudi Arabia (Hail University). Today Emad Qublan is a researcher as PhD student in TEFL at Yarmouk University as well as an English teacher at one of the primary schools in Irbid. Emad Qublan is interested in content analysis research since it helps decision makers, educators and customers to build their judgments before adopted their written, audio or visual materials to the classroom.

The Extent of L2 Cultural Integration Into the Teaching Practices of Tenth Grade English Teachers at Public Schools in Alqweismeh Directorate of Education in the Light of Their Qualifications and Experiences

The Ministry of Education in Jordan has taken practical measures to improve the learning and teaching of English as a foreign language by providing appropriate facilities, authentic curricula, and adequate teacher training programs. Despite these efforts to promote English teaching and learning, students' English language proficiency is restricted and does not always meet the requirements of higher education institutions. This study aims at shedding light on the importance of integrating EFL culture into the teaching practices of Jordanian EFL teachers. This study is primarily oriented towards revealing the extent of L2 cultural integration in EFL teaching practices of tenth-grade Jordanian teachers, in light of their qualifications and experiences. The integration of EFL culture in the teaching practices of EFL teachers may help in developing learners' cultural awareness, motivation, and achievement in EFL. To achieve the purpose of this intended research, tenth grade EFL teachers in public schools at Al-Qweismeh Directorate of Education, in Amman, will be targeted. The researcher shall conduct survey research. The sample shall consist of a hundred tenth grade EFL teachers. The research data for the study will be collected using a Likert-scale structured questionnaire. The researcher will use frequencies, percentages, and SPSS statistics for the teachers’ questionnaire.

Presenter:

Fatima Abedullaziz Alkhawaldeh (Independent Scholar) is a Ph.D. graduate student of EFL curriculum and Instruction at the University of Jordan. She has an MA in English language Linguistics from JU, and a BA in English language Literature from AHU. She has been teaching EFL at public schools of MOE for nine years now. She also taught EFL at Taif University, KSA, for four years. She also worked as a translator. She aspires to contribute to the advancement of EFL research in Jordanian schools.

Narrowing the Gap Between Jordanian Private and Public Schools’ English Language Curriculum Using SARS (Select, Adapt, Reject, Supplement)

It is a well-known fact that being a student at a private school in Jordan makes you at a better level in English than students at public schools. The difference is quite tangible when a teacher immediately guesses whether a student came from a private school or not depending on their level of proficiency. The problem could easily be contributed to the difference in both teacher training levels in addition to curriculum quality in private schools which contributes directly to this performance gap. One course of action we as teachers could take to make the gap smaller is to use (SARS) to enhance the level of our available teaching materials. Teachers could: Select, Adapt, Reject and Supplement materials they already have to offer to public school students in order to make their level as close as possible to that of their peers at private school. In my presentation, I intend to give a brief idea about this process in addition to displaying examples from real time materials I had to work with through my teaching experience and how I was able to apply SARS in my everyday work and its effect on public school students’ English language level. 

Presenter:

Ghada Khader has been teaching English in Jordanian public schools for the past 20 years for both primary and secondary schools. Ghada Khader graduated from Damascus University and had a high diploma from the University of Jordan. Ghada Khader attended and presented at multiple English language conferences organized by RELO. In 2017, Ghada Khader attended the six weeks long "TEA" program in Massachusetts /USA and gave workshops to fellow teachers about the experiences there. Ghada Khader was also a trainer at the ACCESS program for two years in Amman. Ghada Khader currently work at Dar Al Salam Secondary school.

ChatGPT in Higher Education Teaching and Training

The emergence of technology in education has revolutionized the way teachers teach and students learn. Among these technologies, the use of artificial intelligence has proven to be a game-changer, particularly in teaching English as a second language. This presentation explores how teachers can utilize ChatGPT and ChatGPT in designing and developing tests materials, creating personalized learning experiences for their students, generating customized responses and feedback to each student's input, providing a tailored learning experience, grading, providing feedback, and answering students' questions, creating interactive and engaging learning experiences for students, making learning more enjoyable and effective. ChatGPT allows teachers to convert PDF documents into interactive chatbots, which can be used to deliver lessons and assessments, extracting important information from documents which can be used to create, design, develop teaching resources. This technology provides a more engaging and interactive way of delivering content, making it easier for students to understand and retain information. The use of ChatGPT and ChatGPT in English language teaching in higher education has enormous potential. These technologies can make teachers’ lives comfortable and easy by incorporating these tools into their teaching practices, educators can revolutionize the way they teach and help their students achieve better learning outcomes. 

Presenter:

Majid Buledi (International Islamic University, Malaysia) is an English language instructor, instructional technologist and teacher trainer with an MA in applied linguistics, an MA in the English language, a PhD in instructional technology and CELTA. Majid Buledi also possess Google Educator and Microsoft certified educator. Majid Buledi has been actively involved in teaching and training including facilitating workshops for teachers both nationally and internationally for more than 15 years. Majid Buledi has presented at numerous conferences in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia and Europe. Majid Buledi is a published author and freelance trainer.

Participants from the U.S. Department of State Teaching the Future Now program reflect on the courses and their learning.

• Heba Shwayyat, Halawah Secondary School, Ajloun
• Zaid Sarayrah, Soul Secondary School for Boys, Alkarak
• Aseel Abu Khadra, Um Qsair and almuqabalayn Primary School, Amman
• Murad Apsh, Abu Alsous Secondary School for Boys