‘Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching’ Conference, Warsaw, 19 September 2017

[POLSKI]

On 19 September 2017, an international conference on Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching was held in the building of old BUW (Old Library) on the Central Campus of the University of Warsaw. The conference marked the end of the FAB project initiated in October 2015.

The aim of the conference was to popularize the concept of formative assessment and the FAB project together with its main output, i.e. ‘Guidebook for Teachers and Students’.

The event was attended by over 160 participants from Poland and abroad – theorists and practitioners, lecturers, teachers, methodologists, school directors and textbook authors.

The conference was opened by Rector’s Plenipotentiary for the Implementation of Bologna Process and Organization of Language Provision at the University of Warsaw, Jolanta Urbanikowa and by Mirosława Wojciechowska-Szepczyńska, acting director of the Centre for Foreign Language Teaching at the University of Warsaw (initiator and leader of the FAB project).

At the beginning of the plenary session, participants listened to the presentations delivered by Jon Hird (Oxford University Press), Dr Jo Lewkowicz (King’s College), and Dr Grażyna Czetwertyńska (Artes Liberales UW).

Members of the FAB team, Iwona Bartnicka and Dr Krzysztof Świrko presented the ‘Guidebook’ and summarised the FAB project.

At the end of the plenary session, conference participants listened to the panel discussion guided by prof. Jolanta Sujecka-Zając. The panellists included Dr Grażyna Czetwertyńska, Dr Jo Lewkowicz, Jolanta Urbanikowa, Jon Hird, and Dr Grzegorz Śpiewak.

After the lunch break, the guests could attend workshops and listen to papers in three parallel sessions. Among the trainers and speakers were experienced teachers and lecturers of foreign languages, as well as representatives of the FAB project partner institutions – Sanna Simola (TUAS), Robert Märcz (PTE), Vilma Bijeikiene and Nemira Maciaskiene (VMU).

According to the results of the post-conference questionnaire the participants generally appreciated the conference, their expectations were fulfilled, and their knowledge of formative assessment deepened. We have also received a lot of favourable comments on the organizational aspects of the event.

Thank you very much!

Archive

‘Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching’

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to participate in the Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching Conference, which will be held at the University of Warsaw on September 19, 2017. [Conference Programme]

The conference is addressed to both scholars and practitioners:

language teachers from institutions of higher education, secondary schools and language centres,
educationalists,
other parties interested in the subject matter.

Participation is free of charge. Please note that the number of places is limited.

Conference languages: Polish, English

Registration: https://goo.gl/forms/yP65uZE9S0bbnLB33

We welcome proposals for papers and workshops on formative assessment in foreign language teaching. Suggested topics may include:

formative assessment tools,
teaching and learning techniques/strategies,
improving student motivation,
challenges of assessment in daily teaching practice.

Abstracts of approximately 300 words should be submitted to the organising committee, at fabconference@uw.edu.pl, by April 14, 2017. The document should contain (1) title of presentation (2) author(s) name(s), (3) affiliation, (4) body of abstract [see abstract template]

The standard length of presentations will be 15 minutes for papers and 45 minutes for workshops.

Please feel free to forward this message to colleagues who may be interested in the theme of the conference.

We would like to thank you in advance for your contribution and look forward to having the opportunity to discuss and disseminate your work.

On behalf of the organising committee,

Anna Sworowska

CENTRE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING, UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW – LEADER OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ‘FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION’ (FAB)

Plenary speakers:

Dr Grażyna Czetwertyńska – Artes Liberales, University of Warsaw

Dr Czetwertyńska teaches students on the Faculty of “Artes Liberales” at the University of Warsaw and at the School of Education run by the University of Warsaw and Polish American Freedom Foundation. She had scholarship from Kosciuszko Foundation via which she conducted research on evaluation and teaching in Boston College in USA. She used to lead Educational Laboratory of the College of Inter-Area Individual Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Warsaw. Dr Czetwertyńska was also a manager of the “School with Class” program and a specialist on formative assessment at the Center for Citizenship Education. She was a member of the national board for the PISA research program as well as a jury for the European Language Label for many years. Dr Czetwertyńska is an author of the concept for internet handbook for Polish language for Polish pupils abroad “Włącz Polskę” (Turn on Poland), programs, handbooks and publications on the methods of teaching and evaluation, including methods for work with exceptional students, bilingualism and intercultural education.

Jon Hird – Oxford University

Jon is based in Oxford, UK, where he divides his time between teaching English at the University of Oxford and writing ELT materials. He is also a teacher trainer and has delivered courses and given talks and workshops in around 30 countries. Jon has a range of experience and interests, but with a particular interest in Grammar, English for Academic Purposes and in dyslexia and learning English. He has written a number of ELT publications, most recently including Oxford EAP B1 and Oxford Learner’s Pocket Verbs and Tenses and has written grammar reference and practice material for the Navigate course book series. In his free time, Jon plays the drums.

Dr Jo Lewkowicz – University of Warsaw; King’s College London

Grzegorz Śpiewak, Ph.D.

A graduate of University of Essex, UK (MA in Linguistics), and University of Warsaw (Ph.D in English & Linguistics). Teacher of English, consultant, project manager, teacher trainer, acclaimed conference speaker, author. Former academic lecturer and deputy director for English Teaching & CLIL at the Department of English of Warsaw University.

Currently affiliated with Macmillan Education (Head ELT Consultant for Central & Eastern Europe, key teacher trainer), as well as with The New School, New York (tutor on MA TESOL on-line programme), DOS-ELTea – an independent teacher development centre (founder & president), and deDOMO Education (project leader and head author). An Honorary President and advisory board member of IATEFL Poland.

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