Keynotes & Invited Talks

On October 23, 2024, A/P Vahid Aryadoust led an invited workshop at Institute of Education, UCL (London), guiding graduate students and faculty through the applications of general linear and linear mixed-effects models in second language research. Using Jamovi software, participants engaged in hands-on exercises to enhance their understanding of GLM and LMEM for analyzing L2 data.

On October 21, 2024, A/P Vahid Aryadoust delivered an invited talk at the University of Cambridge, examining the use of sensor technologies, including eye-tracking and fNIRS, to validate second language listening assessments. The presentation offered insights into how these tools capture neurophysiological responses in listening tests, contributing to emerging discussions on validity and innovative assessment practices.

A/P Csilla Weninger delivered a keynote presentation titled ‘Bridging the home-school divide in digital literacy’ at the 15th AISOFOLL Conference in Lombok, Indonesia in October 2024. In her lecture, she discussed what we know about young people’s digital literacy ‘in the wild’; that is, how they use digital media and technology outside of school. She then elaborated on how we might take some of this knowledge and utilize it for digital literacy education in school settings. She emphasized that we must not simply replicate home or leisure uses but develop digital literacy instruction which both teachers and students will experience as authentic to the purpose and context of school literacy education.

On October 9 2024, A/P Vahid Aryadoust was invited by UCL’s Institute of Education to present his recent findings on how listeners’ gaze behaviors influence test scores and listening comprehension. Through eye-tracking data, the talk highlighted dynamic listening processes that traditional assessments may overlook, proposing advancements in test validity and neurophysiological evaluation in second language assessments.

Dr Alexius Chia delivered a keynote presentation at the 7th InterNational English Language Teachers and Lecturers (iNELTAL) Conference 2024. In this presentation, he shared with over 140 online participants how multimodal texts can enhance English language teaching and learning. He introduced the Semiotic Modes framework, demonstrating how it can be used to generate more targeted questions to foster deeper analysis and multiliteracy development.

A/P Rita Silver was invited by the Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education at Shanghai International Studies University to deliver the following talks in September 2024:

Preparing a paper for publication: Journal editor expectations
In this talk, A/P Silver taps on her experience as an author, reviewer and editor to address key expectations for publishing in international journals. She explains journal selection and submission processes. She also offers tips on how to improve the chances for acceptance through careful journal selection, editing of the submission, balancing detail v brevity and on co-authoring. She closes by offering some warnings on the use of AI, agents, and possible scams in academic publishing which can be detrimental to authors’ publication efforts. 

Ways forward in classroom research
In this talk, A/P Silver reviewed some of the historical development of classroom research, including central purposes and common methods. She then addressed some of the key topics that have been investigated in the past 10 years to highlight some of the shifts in classroom-based research, and closed by suggesting some possible ways forward and current topics of interest. 

Dr Alexius Chia delivered a keynote presentation at the 3rd International Conference on Learning Innovation and Research in Basic Education “ICLIRBE” 2024. In this presentation, he shared insights on multiliteracies in 21st-century education, highlighting the need to move beyond traditional literacy skills to include audio, oral, visual, spatial and gestural fluency. This approach empowers students, fosters inclusive learning environments, and prepares them for success in a complex, interconnected global society through dynamic learning experiences.

Dr Alexius Chia was an invited plenary speaker at the 1st UICELE and 2nd PELTIN International Conference on English Language Education held on 13 July 2024. In his presentation, he explored the 'why,' 'what,' and 'how' of multimodal texts in English Language education. Focusing on unraveling the mysteries surrounding the incorporation of these diverse texts, he guided teacher educators, teachers and curriculum designers present through the rationale behind integrating multimodal literacy into the language instruction. The presentation was meant to empower educators to appreciate the significance of multimodal texts and leverage their potential in the broader landscape of English language education.

A/P Suzanne Choo delivered a keynote presentation at the Association for Research in L1 Education (ARLE) and International Federation for the Teaching of English (IFTE) conference. A/P Choo's keynote address discussed the importance of interpretive justice given that questions about fairness, equity, and other notions of justice arise first from interpretations of communities and sociopolitical contexts. The presentation was developed from a recent paper “Hermeneutical justice as the foundation of cosmopolitan literacy in a post-truth age” that she published earlier this year in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.

A/P Rita Elaine Silver was invited to deliver an online lecture on 16 May 2024 to China Center for Language Planning and Policy Studies, Shanghai International Studies University on the topic of ‘More than methodology: Considering research data management’. In this talk, she discussed some of the issue around research data management with reference to different research paradigms, data types, and potential future re-use of data. Practical tips were offered for managing the data from initial data collection through project closure in order to support future research endeavours and open science initiatives.

A/P Victor Lim Fei was an invited Keynote Speaker at the 2024 Practice and Pedagogy in Technology Enhanced Language Learning Conference (PPTELL 2024) which was held on 17 May 2024. This is an annual conference to be co-hosted by the National Taichung University of Education and PPTELL Association. In this keynote, he discussed the developments in designing learning in the digital age and offered a research and practice agenda for the next decade, with the goal of furthering the meaningful and effective design of learning with digital technologies.

A/P Angelia Poon has been invited to deliver a talk titled "Divided by Language: Exploring Chinese-ness in Anglophone Singapore Literature" at the National Taiwan Normal University on 13 May 2024. Singapore is distinctive for being a country with a Chinese-majority population that does not have Mandarin or another Chinese language as its official first language. One important intra-Chinese difference in the nation with notable implications for cultural politics has thus been language use. Analyzing novels such as Suchen Christine Lim’s The River’s Song (2014), Jeremy Tiang’s State of Emergency (2017) and Claire Tham’s The Inlet (2013), A/P Poon shows in this presentation how the cleavage between English-speaking and Chinese-speaking Chinese Singaporeans discloses persistent tensions about national history, class privilege, social mobility, and multiracial identity.

A/P Victor Lim Fei was an invited Keynote Speaker at the Research Office of International Curriculum Guidelines Seminar organized by the National Academy for Educational Research, Taipei, Taiwan, on 25 April 2024. In this keynote to the policy makers, curriculum planners from the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, he discussed the issues on the use of GenAI in teaching and learning. He also described and reflected on the initiatives taken in Singapore to equip teachers as designers of learning who harnesses the affordances of GenAI tools effectively and responsibly.

A/P Victor Lim Fei was an invited Keynote Speaker at the 2024 ALLT (Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching) Conference held on 20 April 2024. In this keynote, he discussed the tenets of educational semiotics in relation to examples from his research. These include a semiotic awareness in the teacher's embodied teaching in the design of the learning experience, recognising learning as design, teaching multimodal literacy and valuing students’ lifeworld literacies.

A/P Csilla Weninger was a featured speaker at the 58th RELC conference. Her talk discussed the impact of artificial intelligence tools on language teaching and learning. She discussed three enduring notions in ELT which have been further challenged by AI: authorship, the prioritization of language structure over social context, and the idea that language learning is a value-free endeavor. She then discussed four new priorities for language education that can help us to rebalance what matters in language education in the age of AI: affect, imagination, ethics and futures-thinking. A/P Weninger also took part in a panel discussion at the RELC conference on how teacher educators can address the evolving needs of their student teachers. 

In this presentation, Dr Willy Renandya explored the notion of engagement from a second language acquisition perspective, presented some of the key elements that are normally associated with it (e.g., curiosity, choice, challenge and creativity) and offered practical suggestions of how language teachers could use pedagogical approaches that fully engage L2 learners in and out of the classroom. Dr Renandya also took part in a panel discussion at the RELC conference on how teacher educators can address the evolving needs of their student teachers. 

A/P Suzanne Choo was invited to deliver a talk titled "Infusing Ethical Literacy in CCE to Develop Global Citizenship Dispositions" at the Research-Practice Connection (RPC) 2024. The event, held on 7 March 2024, was organized by the OER School Partnership Unit and the East Zone Teacher Learning and Professional Development Committee. RPC fosters a collaborative environment where researchers and practitioners can exchange ideas and enrich their practices.

Asst/P Ann Ang was invited to deliver a talk titled "Watery Depths: Articulating the Southeast Asian Pre-modern in Ponti" at Universiti Brunei Darussalam's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) seminar held on 5 March 2024. In this presentation, she discussed the sociocultural framing of water as biophysical capital and as part of the ecological landscape in one of South East Asia’s smallest nations, Singapore, and the re-imagining of these perspectives in a recent anglophone novel.

Dr Alexius Chia delivered this keynote address at the discussion Forum on Improving the Quality of Basic Education (FOKUS) held on 5 December 2023. The keynote address focused on the pivotal role of quality teachers in fostering a strong education system. It highlighted strategies to empower educators through NIE's initial teacher preparation programmes and Singapore's teacher support systems. Learning support programmes in schools for literacy and numeracy were also discussed.

A/P Suzanne Choo delivered this keynote presentation at the International School Chinese Language Education (ISCLE) Conference held at Yew Chung International School and University of Hong Kong in December 2023. In this presentation, A/P Choo  compared two main traditions of ethical criticism. The first is American ethical criticism emphasizing critical analysis of ideologies in texts and the second is Chinese ethical criticism emphasizing sociohistorical engagements with ethical concerns in texts.

A/P Victor Lim delivered this keynote presentation at the 5th International Webinar on Multimodal Discourse Analysis, organized by the GRAPE (Group for Research on Academic and Professional English), Universitat Jaume I, Spain on 17 November 2023. In this keynote presentation, A/P Lim mapped the research terrain of multimodality and learning across curriculum, pedagogies and assessment practices. With each aspect, he outlined the desiderata, that is things desired, as future research directions.

Dr Jason Loh delivered this keynote presentation on “Teaching from the Heart: An Evaluation of Award-winning EL Teachers” at the 32nd ETA-ROC International Symposium on English Teaching which was held in Yaipei, Taiwan, on 11 November 2023. In this keynote presentation, Dr Loh shared the findings from his study on award-winning teachers in Singapore. 

Prof Icy Lee delivered a keynote presentation entitled "Feedback in L2 writing: Lessons from the past, visions for the future" at the research symposium at the 51st Annual TESL Ontario Conference held online on 8 November 2023. In this presentation, Prof Lee took stock of what has been learnt from extant research on feedback in L2 writing, which significantly contributes to our understanding of L2 writing teacher feedback literacy.

Dr Alexius Chia delivered this presentation at an invited webinar organized by Primary English Language Teachers of Indonesia (PELTIN) in November 2023. This presentation explored the untapped potential of multimodal texts use in English Language lessons. The session, attended by about 100 participants, had a mix of interactive elements such as sharing, hands-on activities, a dynamic Q&A, breakout room discussions and participant showcases.

A/P Angelia Poon gave an invited talk at City University of Hong Kong on 30 October 2023 entitled “Locating Anglophone Singapore Literature in the New Millennium.” She provided the historical context for Singapore’s transformation into a global city for the new millennium and explored key literary developments in relation to that.

A/P Victor Lim delivered this keynote at the 11th International Conference on Multimodality, organised by the Institute of Education, University College London, United Kingdom on 28 September 2023. In this presentation, A/P Lim examined the value of multimodality in inspiring changes in the curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment practices, with examples from my research projects on multimodal literacy and digital learning in Singapore. They include developing ways to nurture students’ multimodal literacy, understanding how students’ learning experiences can be designed with a greater semiotic awareness in embodied teaching, and valuing the students’ lifeworld practices in schools. He concluded with a reflection on the signs of maturation in the multimodality community and consider how we can contribute in concert towards an applied multimodality to design social futures.

A/P Angelia Poon delivered this keynote presentation as part of the seminar series ‘Glocal’ Agenda in the Arts Management Research: Interrogating, Redefining and Challenging Traditional Research Canons at LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore, on 15 September 2023. In this presentation, A/P Poon delved into the implications of reading anglophone Singapore literature through a decolonial lens.

Dr Christine Xavier delivered this keynote presentation at the 6th International English Language Teachers and Lecturers Conference 2023 (iNELTAL 2023) held on 4-5 August 2023. The talk raised the awareness of the distinction between viewing grammar as structure versus grammar as choice and illustrate how teachers can teach grammar as a meaning-making resource in the writing class such that the teaching approach adopted is mindful of the diverse needs of students in the EL classroom.

Prof Icy Lee delivered this keynote presentation at the 2023 Global English Education China Assembly which was held from 27 to 30 July 2023. It is an annual international event aimed to promote scholarship and cross-cultural understanding among English educators in China, and to foster dialogue between China’s ELT professionals and global academics.  Keynote presenters include David Block, Stephen Krashen, Icy Lee, David Nunan, and Lawrence Zhang.

A/P Victor Lim delivered this keynote presentation at the National Project Work Seminar 2023, English Language and Literature Branch, Curriculum Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Education, Singapore on 26 July 2023. In this presentation, A/P Lim discussed the possibilities and perils in the use of generative AI for Project Work and illustrate the scenarios in which generative AI can be used to help students connect learning to real-world issues, imagine and generate possibilities, collaborate with others, as well as receive timely and quality feedback in the co-creation process.

A/P Victor Lim delivered this keynote presentation at the RGS PeRL Symposium held at Raffles Girls School, Centre for Pedagogical Research and Learning (PeRL) on 30 June 2023. In this keynote on “The Possibilities and Challenges of ChatGPT  in Education”, Dr Lim discussed the reasons why generative AI tools can be harmful for learning, and how they can be made useful for learning. He also provided examples of ways in which ChatGPT has been used well for teaching and learning.

Dr Jason Loh delivered this keynote presentation at the 1st SOLERAMS (Sport, Language, Educational Technology, Multilingual, and Science) International Conference held in Riau, Indonesia, on 12 June 2023. In this keynote on “Creating the digital classroom: Step by step”, Dr Loh shared ideas and applications of the educational technology in the language classroom.

A/P Victor Lim delivered this keynote presentation at the Asian Festival of Children Content organized by Singapore Book Council on 25 May 2023. In this keynote on ‘Playing to Learn’, A/P Lim highlighted the findings and the work from his research projects, to show how learning can happen through digital play. He also discussed the importance of digital co-play between caregivers and their child as well as how education researchers can support them in this.