That's all folks: Day 4 IATEFL 2014

Today was a very emotional day. Every corner you turned, there were people hugging and saying goodbye. It was a day of "wow, what a conference", "keep in touch" and, "see you next year!" There was a surge into the exhibition hall just before 12pm as the stands were giving away free or discounted books and material. The closing plenary brought tears to my eyes as Jackie Kay took to the stage and delivered her poems to an eager, attentive audience.

What can I say about my first IATEFL Annual Conference experience? Well, it was better than I could  have ever imagined. In many contexts and industries, people like to hold their cards close to their chest, but in IATEFL it's the total opposite. Everyone wants to help each other, share ideas and have in-depth discussions about things they've tried and tested. The ELT celebrities, as I call them, are so open and approachable. On the first day, my colleague and I had a wonderful chat with Adrian Underhill about teaching pronunciation. Another day, Mark Hancock, writer of Pronunciation Games, chatted away to me and offered me some valuable career advice. On the first day, I timidly introduced myself to Robin Walker who turned out to be such a warm and passionate person. Today, we shared our last meal in Harrogate with Robin! Jeremy Harmer was my partner in a workshop yesterday and he remembered me in the corridor. 

  Any teacher who is serious about a career in ELT has to go to this conference. Before this week, I had no idea that there were thousands of people out there who have the same level of enthusiasm about their profession as I do. Being in the staff room can often get you down and wondering what you are doing there at all. But this week, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere. The opportunities for comradery, new discoveries and professional development are endless at this conference and I think that every teacher needs to experience that. We need to stand up and be proud of what we do in the TEFL world. I am proud and honoured to be part of IATEFL and connected to some of the most incredibly intelligent and talented people I've ever met. 

  Here's to IATEFL Manchester 2015 and all of the adventures we'll have before then.



From left to right:
Back row: Robin Walker (PronSIG committee and newsletter editor), Marina Cantarutti, Kristyna Poesova, Wayne Rimmer (PronSIG Coordinator)
Front Row: Anna Morris and Louise Guyett