Three friends spend the afternoon relaxing and shopping - China.

At National Geographic Learning, our goal is to bring the world to the classroom, and the classroom to life. We think the world is incredible, and that learning should inspire and amaze. We want students of English and their teachers to experience the excitement and joy of learning through our materials. With our English language programs, students learn about their world by experiencing it.

PROGRAM SESSIONS

Featuring the authors and experts of National Geographic Learning

GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER

FREE Materials at Many Sessions

Tuesday, March 12

5:30 PM–7:00 PM
Hall A2
Opening Keynote: Endangered Languages
Presenter: K. David Harrison
Sponsored by:

Wednesday, March 13

12:00 PM–12:45 PM
Room A408
Balancing Between Student Engagement and Academic Rigor
Presenters: Laura Le Dréan, Tracy Bailie


2:00 PM–2:45 PM
Room A408
Workshopping Ideas from TED with National Geographic Learning
Presenter: Caitlin Thomas


5:00 PM–5:45 PM
Room A402
Preparing Students for Success in the 21st Century
Presenters: Barbara Foley, Elizabeth Neblett, Joy MacFarland

Thursday, March 14

9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A408
Supporting ELLs in the K-12 Classroom with Authentic Content
Presenters: Anders Bylund, David Spain


2:00 PM–2:45 PM
Room A412
Critical and Creative Thinking with National Geographic Learning
Presenter: John Hughes

Friday, March 15

9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A301
The Importance of Appropriate Words and Sentences in Student Writing
Presenters: Keith Folse, April Muchmore-Vokoun


11:30 AM–12:15 PM
Room A402
Digital Classroom Observation: Learn English with TED Talks
Presenter: Anders Bylund

PRESENTATION SUMMARIES

Tuesday, March 12

5:30 PM–7:00 PM | Hall A2
Opening Keynote: Endangered Languages
Presenter: K. David Harrison

Half of the world's languages are endangered and may go extinct in this century. The loss of these languages will have dire consequences not only for their speakers, but also for culture, science, and the environment. Around the world, speakers of endangered languages are mounting strategic efforts to save their languages. This presentation features photos and video clips of speakers of some of the world’s most endangered languages, from Siberia, India, the USA and other locations, and will demonstrate how indigenous speakers and linguists are working to sustain languages through technology and digital activism.

Wednesday, March 13

12:00 PM–12:45 PM | Room A408
Balancing Between Student Engagement and Academic Rigor
Presenters: Laura Le Dréan, Tracy Bailie

What leads to academic success? Students need content that engages, promotes critical thinking, and provides language skills necessary to communicate their ideas effectively. We will demonstrate how National Geographic content in Pathways, Second Edition motivates students while equipping them with essential language and critical thinking skills needed for academic rigor.


2:00 PM–2:45 PM | Room A408
Workshopping Ideas from TED with National Geographic Learning
Presenter: Caitlin Thomas

Join National Geographic Learning as we explore how big ideas from TED help learners everywhere find their voice in English. Participants will use National Geographic Learning materials to understand, think, and talk about fascinating ideas from TED so that they can share their own ideas in English.

5:00 PM–5:45 PM | Room A402
Preparing Students for Success in the 21st Century
Presenters: Barbara Foley, Elizabeth Neblett, Joy MacFarland

English in Action, Third Edition combines its hallmark listening and grammar with authentic National Geographic content, connecting learners to issues that affect their communities and worlds, preparing them for success in the 21st century. Authors will share the book’s story and how it can bring the world to your classroom.

Thursday, March 14

9:30 AM–10:15 AM | Room A408
Supporting ELLs in the K-12 Classroom with Authentic Content
Presenters: Anders Bylund, David Spain

Help your ELLs maximize their language development in all four domains and meet the same academic content and achievement standards that all students need to meet. In this session, we’ll explore how real-world National Geographic photographs, non-fiction texts and cross-curricular topics can bridge the gap for your students.

2:00 PM–2:45 PM | Room A412
Critical and Creative Thinking with National Geographic Learning
Presenter: John Hughes

National Geographic Learning author John Hughes will demonstrate how to challenge learners at all levels to think critically and creatively using examples from the new editions of World English and Life. Attendees will learn to incorporate activities into their teaching that develop learner autonomy, increase motivation, and improve productive skills.

Friday, March 15

9:30 AM–10:15 AM | Room A301
The Importance of Appropriate Words and Sentences in Student Writing
Presenters: Keith Folse, April Muchmore–Vokoun

Whether well-written paragraphs or essays are the target of your writing course, students need solid sentences composed of appropriate words. Many writing textbooks make huge assumptions about students' ability to compose with accurate sentence structure. In this talk, we look at practical activities to improve vocabulary and sentences in paragraphs/essays.

11:30 AM–12:15 PM | Room A402
Digital Classroom Observation: Learn English with TED Talks
Presenter: Anders Bylund

TED Talks are often used to bring powerful ideas and authentic language into the classroom. In this workshop, we will use videos of real lessons to explore how the Learn English with TED Talks mobile app can lead to a more engaging experience for all learners in any classroom.

SPEAKERS

K. David Harrison

K. David Harrison

John Hughes

John Hughes

Barbara Foley

Barbara Foley

Keith Folse

Keith Folse

April Muchmore-Vokoun

April Muchmore-Vokoun

Elizabeth Neblett

Elizabeth Neblett

Tracy Bailie

Tracy Bailie

Anders Bylund

Anders Bylund

Laura Le Dréan

Laura Le Dréan

Joy MacFarland

Joy MacFarland

David Spain

David Spain

Caitlin Thomas

Caitlin Thomas

K. David Harrison

Anthropologist and linguist David Harrison has been a National Geographic Fellow and co-director of the Society’s Enduring Voices Project, documenting endangered languages and cultures around the world. He has done extensive fieldwork with indigenous communities from Siberia and Mongolia to Peru, India, and Australia. His global research is the subject of the acclaimed documentary film The Linguists, and his work has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, USA Today, and Science. David is both a professor of linguistics and associate provost for academic programs at Swarthmore College.

Tuesday, March 12 | 5:30 PM–7:00 PM
Hall A2
Opening Keynote: Endangered Languages

John Hughes

John Hughes is an award-winning ELT author and teacher trainer. With over 30 book titles, his best-known course series is National Geographic Learning’s Life, and he is also a co-author on the new third edition of World English. As a teacher trainer, he has run courses, workshops and given conference presentations in over 40 countries. His main specialty is materials development and bridging the gap between theory and practice. He still teaches and pilots his own materials with students in Oxford.

Thursday, March 14 | 2:00 PM–2:45 PM
Room A412
Critical and Creative Thinking with National Geographic Learning

Barbara Foley

Barbara Foley had planned on taking early retirement after 38 years as a full-time professor of ESOL at Union County College in Elizabeth, New Jersey. However, her “retirement” lasted only five months and she is now back in the classroom, directing an ESOL program for refugees. She has presented at numerous workshops, conferences, and colleges throughout the United States and Mexico, specifically in the areas of listening, CALL, grammar, communicative classroom activities, Generation 1.5 students, and Extensive Reading. Her many publications include English in Action, Grammar in Action, Listen to Me, Now Hear This, and workbooks for the Heinle Picture Dictionary.

Wednesday, March 13 | 5:00 PM–5:45 PM
Room A402
Preparing Students for Success in the 21st Century

Keith Folse

Dr. Keith Folse is a Professor of TESOL at the University of Central Florida. He is the author of 57 textbooks on a variety of subjects from grammar to vocabulary to composition, including five best-selling books in the Great Writing series by National Geographic Learning.

Friday, March 15 | 9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A301
The Importance of Appropriate Words and Sentences in Student Writing

April Muchmore-Vokoun

April Muchmore-Vokoun is a faculty member in the English for Academic Purposes Department at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) in Tampa, Florida. She has taught intensive English, college-level, and worksite study ESL programs. Her current academic interests include reading and writing skills as well as listening-speaking strategies. Additionally, she has had extensive experience in the areas of international student advising and event programming.

Friday, March 15 | 9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A301
The Importance of Appropriate Words and Sentences in Student Writing

Elizabeth Neblett

Elizabeth Neblett teaches ESL full-time at Union County College in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In addition to teaching, Liz serves on the executive committee of her faculty union. She has presented workshops on teaching at many TESOL conventions and has done workshops on how to use English in Action throughout Mexico. She has co-authored English in Action, Grammar in Action, Books 2-3, Basic Grammar in Action, and has authored a series of novellas for ESL students.

Wednesday, March 13 | 5:00 PM–5:45 PM
Room A402
Preparing Students for Success in the 21st Century

Tracy Bailie

Tracy Bailie is the Global Academic Product Marketing Manager for National Geographic Learning. She has an MA in TESOL and over 11 years of teaching experience in the United States and abroad. Tracy was an academic coordinator in Istanbul, Turkey where she helped design curriculum, create English exit exams, and develop content. In the U.S., she has taught at intensive academic English programs, test preparation, and VESL for a nonprofit organization in San Francisco.

Wednesday, March 13 | 12:00 PM–12:45 PM
Room A408
Balancing Between Student Engagement and Academic Rigor

Anders Bylund

Anders Bylund is a Product Marketing Manager with National Geographic Learning, and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Anders provides global support for English Language Teaching materials, including secondary programs for teenagers, academic skills programs, and U.S. curriculum programs for reading, science, and social studies courses.

Thursday, March 14 | 9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A408
Supporting ELLs in the K-12 Classroom with Authentic Content

Friday, March 15 | 11:30 AM–12:15 PM
Room A402
Digital Classroom Observation: Learn English with TED Talks

Laura Le Dréan

Laura Le Dréan is the Executive Editor at National Geographic Learning, in charge of the academic and professional development lists. She has an M.A. in TESOL/TEFL from San Francisco State University and over 20 years of teaching experience in pre-academic ESL/EFL programs in the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Wednesday, March 13 | 12:00 PM–12:45 PM
Room A408
Balancing Between Student Engagement and Academic Rigor

Joy MacFarland

Joy MacFarland directed private language schools in Madrid, Spain and in the Boston area before joining National Geographic Learning as Product Marketing Manager ELT for the U.S. market. Joy is also the current VP of Outreach for EnglishUSA and the founder of the Private Language School Special Interest Group and the IEP Conference for MATSOL in Massachusetts.

Wednesday, March 13 | 5:00 PM–5:45 PM
Room A402
Preparing Students for Success in the 21st Century

David Spain

Dave Spain is a Product Marketing Manager with National Geographic Learning based in Boston, Massachusetts. Dave supports National Geographic Learning's young learner programs internationally through product implementation, teacher training, and professional development workshops, with a focus on the use of real-world content in the young learner classroom. He has worked with young learner teachers across Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States.

Thursday, March 14 | 9:30 AM–10:15 AM
Room A408
Supporting ELLs in the K-12 Classroom with Authentic Content

Caitlin Thomas

Caitlin Thomas is a Senior Product Marketing Manager specializing in General English materials for National Geographic Learning, based in San Francisco, California. Caitlin began working with National Geographic Learning in 2005 and has held positions in sales and marketing for English Language Learning materials for both the United States and international markets.

Wednesday, March 14| 2:00 PM–2:45 PM
Room A408
Workshopping Ideas from TED with National Geographic Learning

CONTACT

For more information about National Geographic Learning's activities at TESOL 2019, please contact your local representative here.