Expert Insights
Gain inspiration from internationally recognised teacher trainers as they share practical tips and techniques shaped by years of classroom experience.
Join us at Didacta 2026
When:11 - 13 March
Where:Fortezza Da Basso, Florence
Booth:W59
Let's meet! Stop by Stand W59 to find out how you can empower your students to unlock their full potential!
Explore LANGUAGECERT Academic
A multilevel English test for students who need to provide evidence of language proficiency for admission to higher education.
Explore our range of exams for school age learners
From fun tasks that explore the world of English to specifically designed exams that prepare students for the real world beyond the classroom, we are paving the way to English Proficiency.
Reserve your spot at our sessions
Seize this unique opportunity to attend our dynamic workshops and training seminars, where we uncover the essence of student empowerment and explore proven classroom strategies that inspire learning and success.
11 March 2026
10:00 – 11:00
Human Writing in Transition: Multimodal Life-Writing Practices in the EFL classroom
Speaker: Dr Sylvia Karastathi
Is it possible that, in a few years, the genres of transactional writing that are the focus of ELT writing lessons will no longer be the product of human authors? So, in this transition, what will human writing lessons focus on instead?
Apart from literary fiction, where authenticity and innovation will be premium, human writing will perhaps imply presence and witnessing. Genres like life-writing, personal narratives and testimonials will still be important as rituals and manifestations of identity. This talk suggests multimodal life-writing activities for ESL students, highlighting genres such as stories and personal narratives that are sometimes overlooked in exam preparation classes but still present in major EFL exams. Through these activities, learners explore identity and experience, shifting the focus from transactional writing to writing as a ritual.
We will uncover the genres of life-writing suitable for EFL learners and revisit multimodal identity exploration activities commonly used in language teaching for refugees and migrants. The talk will draw on resources such as the 'Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters through Visual Media’ by the Council of Europe, as well as activities like Digital Portraits and the 'Cultural and Linguistic Identity Project', reframing their importance for the EFL classroom. Participants will leave with a range of practical, ready-to-use ideas to implement in their classrooms immediately.
Dr Sylvia Karastathi is a teacher educator and lecturer with over 15 years of experience in higher education. She is the Head of Teacher Support at LANGUAGECERT, leading on resources and events to support the teaching communities around LANGUAGECERT certifications. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the Ionian University, Greece, in the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Interpreting, where she coordinates the department's graduate teacher development programme.
12:00 – 13:00
Inside LANGUAGECERT Academic: What teachers need to know
Speaker: Dr Sylvia Karastathi
Preparing students for their academic dreams begins with a clear understanding of what LANGUAGECERT Academic requires. In this session, Dr Sylvia Karastathi introduces teachers to the structure of the LANGUAGECERT Academic test and demonstrates practical teaching techniques for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The session also highlights the official preparation resources and support materials available for both teachers and candidates, helping you plan lessons with clarity and purpose.
Dr Sylvia Karastathi is a teacher educator and lecturer with over 15 years of experience in higher education. She is the Head of Teacher Support at LANGUAGECERT, leading on resources and events to support the teaching communities around LANGUAGECERT certifications. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the Ionian University, Greece, in the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Interpreting, where she coordinates the department's graduate teacher development programme.
14:00 – 15:00
Developing understanding and production of written text - with AI support
The session addresses reading and writing by combining three unique perspectives. It offers an overview of the principles behind bottom-up and top-down reading, explores how AI can serve as an effective learning resource, and suggests ways of applying the concept of noticing as a key strategy for developing writing skills. Rooted in Schmidt’s (1990) theory, noticing suggests that when learners focus consciously and deeply on the form and meaning of language in the input, this supports internalisation, learning, and ultimately stronger learner output.
Participants will also leave with practical, ready-to-use ideas they can implement in their classrooms the very next day.
Julie Wallis is the Director of The London School. She is AISLi President, an Eaquals Trustee and sits on the board of TransformELT, and has extensive experience in leadership and academic management. Over the past 35 years she has delivered plenary presentations, workshops and training courses on academic management, methodology, and CPD coaching, as well as more specific workshops and courses on CLIL and teaching learners with learning differences. She is particularly interested in humanistic principles and approaches. She is an inspector for both Eaquals and AISLi, travelling to schools and universities across Italy, Europe and Asia. She holds a BA and is DELTA- and CertIBET-qualified and has worked as a teacher trainer for organisations including Eaquals, AISLi, LEND, NILE, TransformELT, Pilgrims, The British Council and Bell
15:30 – 16:30
Crafting Engaging Speaking Lessons in Exam Preparation Classes
Speaker: Nancy Katsikari
This interactive session explores effective techniques for transforming exam speaking preparation into engaging, progressive classroom activities. Aiming at helping teachers deconstruct summative speaking assessment into manageable sub-skills that build students' confidence and self-efficacy, this session provides practical strategies for developing students’ fluency, accuracy, and interaction skills. By the end of this session, participants will be able to design focused classroom tasks to help students develop genuine communicative competence, while gradually building the skills and psychological readiness needed for successful exam performance.
Nancy Katsikari is an Academic Consultant at LANGUAGECERT with over 15 years of experience in ELT. She has worked as a teacher, director of studies and teacher trainer at prestigious educational institutions in Greece, Malta, and the UK. She holds a MSc in Management and Organization of Educational Units, a BA in English Language and Literature and is CELTA- and DELTA-qualified. As a LANGUAGECERT Academic Consultant, Nancy is driven by her passion for supporting teachers to develop, achieve their goals and progress in their careers. She is a true believer of lifelong learning and enjoys exchanging experiences and knowledge with education professionals from around the world.
Register here
12 March 2026
10:00 – 11:00
Crafting Engaging Speaking Lessons in Exam Preparation Classes
Speaker: Nancy Katsikari
This interactive session explores effective techniques for transforming exam speaking preparation into engaging, progressive classroom activities. Aiming at helping teachers deconstruct summative speaking assessment into manageable sub-skills that build students' confidence and self-efficacy, this session provides practical strategies for developing students’ fluency, accuracy, and interaction skills. By the end of this session, participants will be able to design focused classroom tasks to help students develop genuine communicative competence, while gradually building the skills and psychological readiness needed for successful exam performance.
Nancy Katsikari is an Academic Consultant at LANGUAGECERT with over 15 years of experience in ELT. She has worked as a teacher, director of studies and teacher trainer at prestigious educational institutions in Greece, Malta, and the UK. She holds an MSc in Management and Organization of Educational Units, a BA in English Language and Literature and is CELTA- and DELTA-qualified. As a LANGUAGECERT Academic Consultant, Nancy is driven by her passion for supporting teachers to develop, achieve their goals and progress in their careers. She is a true believer of lifelong learning and enjoys exchanging experiences and knowledge with education professionals from around the world.
12:00 – 13:00
Human Writing in Transition: Multimodal Life-Writing Practices in the EFL classroom
Speaker: Dr Sylvia Karastathi
Is it possible that, in a few years, the genres of transactional writing that are the focus of ELT writing lessons will no longer be the product of human authors? So, in this transition, what will human writing lessons focus on instead?
Apart from literary fiction, where authenticity and innovation will be premium, human writing will perhaps imply presence and witnessing. Genres like life-writing, personal narratives and testimonials will still be important as rituals and manifestations of identity. This talk suggests multimodal life-writing activities for ESL students, highlighting genres such as stories and personal narratives that are sometimes overlooked in exam preparation classes but still present in major EFL exams. Through these activities, learners explore identity and experience, shifting the focus from transactional writing to writing as a ritual.
We will uncover the genres of life-writing suitable for EFL learners and revisit multimodal identity exploration activities commonly used in language teaching for refugees and migrants. The talk will draw on resources such as the 'Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters through Visual Media’ by the Council of Europe, as well as activities like Digital Portraits and the 'Cultural and Linguistic Identity Project', reframing their importance for the EFL classroom.
Participants will leave with a range of practical, ready-to-use ideas to implement in their classrooms immediately.
Dr Sylvia Karastathi is a teacher educator and lecturer with over 15 years of experience in higher education. She is the Head of Teacher Support at LANGUAGECERT, leading on resources and events to support the teaching communities around LANGUAGECERT certifications. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the Ionian University, Greece, in the Department of Foreign Languages, Translation and Interpreting, where she coordinates the department's graduate teacher development programme.
14:00 – 15:00
Crafting Engaging Writing Lessons in Exam Preparation Classes
Speaker: Nancy Katsikari
This interactive session explores effective techniques for transforming exam speaking preparation into engaging, progressive classroom activities. Aiming at helping teachers deconstruct summative speaking assessment into manageable sub-skills that build students' confidence and self-efficacy, this session provides practical strategies for developing students’ fluency, accuracy, and interaction skills. By the end of this session, participants will be able to design focused classroom tasks to help students develop genuine communicative competence, while gradually building the skills and psychological readiness needed for successful exam performance.
Nancy Katsikari is an Academic Consultant at LANGUAGECERT with over 15 years of experience in ELT. She has worked as a teacher, director of studies and teacher trainer at prestigious educational institutions in Greece, Malta, and the UK. She holds an MSc in Management and Organization of Educational Units, a BA in English Language and Literature and is CELTA- and DELTA-qualified. As a LANGUAGECERT Academic Consultant, Nancy is driven by her passion for supporting teachers to develop, achieve their goals and progress in their careers. She is a true believer of lifelong learning and enjoys exchanging experiences and knowledge with education professionals from around the world.
15:30 – 16:30
Academic Talk
The Story Within: Using Storytelling to Foster SEL, Resilience, and Inner Strength in Exam Preparation
Speaker: Chantelle Walsh
Exams can heighten anxiety and shape how teenagers view their abilities and self-worth. This session explores how storytelling, guided imagery, music, and positive psychology can support Social-Emotional Learning during exam preparation. By framing exams as a personal journey, these approaches help students regulate emotions, normalise struggle, and recognise perseverance and strengths within themselves.
In this session we will look at practical strategies, reflective activities, and classroom-ready tools that build resilience, confidence, and agency. When students learn to access inner resources through story and sensory experience, they are better equipped to approach exams with calm, motivation, and belief.
Chantelle Walsh is a teacher, teacher trainer and a LANGUAGECERT interlocutor for all levels. She is a graduate in Irish Language and Literature from University College Dublin and holds the Higher Diploma in Education from Maynooth University, Ireland. Having started her career as a state school teacher, Chantelle has enjoyed training and working with teachers in both primary and secondary schools all over Italy for the past twenty years.
She is passionate about bringing creativity to the language classroom and exploring fresh approaches to teaching lexis and grammar, as she believes we can always find new ways to engage all individuals in the learning process. In recent years, Chantelle’s main area of interest has been mindfulness and well-being in education for both teachers and students, and she has given many talks on this area. She also works with many language schools as an educational school inspector for AISLi (Associazione Italiana Scuole di Lingue).
Register here
13 March 2026
10:00 – 11:00
The Story Within: Using Storytelling to Foster SEL, Resilience, and Inner Strength in Exam Preparation
Speaker: Chantelle Walsh
Exams can heighten anxiety and shape how teenagers view their abilities and self-worth. This session explores how storytelling, guided imagery, music, and positive psychology can support Social-Emotional Learning during exam preparation. By framing exams as a personal journey, these approaches help students regulate emotions, normalise struggle, and recognise perseverance and strengths within themselves.
In this session we will look at practical strategies, reflective activities, and classroom-ready tools that build resilience, confidence, and agency. When students learn to access inner resources through story and sensory experience, they are better equipped to approach exams with calm, motivation, and belief.
Chantelle Walsh is a teacher, teacher trainer and a LANGUAGECERT interlocutor for all levels. She is a graduate in Irish Language and Literature from University College Dublin and holds the Higher Diploma in Education from Maynooth University, Ireland. Having started her career as a state school teacher, Chantelle has enjoyed training and working with teachers in both primary and secondary schools all over Italy for the past twenty years.
She is passionate about bringing creativity to the language classroom and exploring fresh approaches to teaching lexis and grammar, as she believes we can always find new ways to engage all individuals in the learning process. In recent years, Chantelle’s main area of interest has been mindfulness and well-being in education for both teachers and students, and she has given many talks on this area. She also works with many language schools as an educational school inspector for AISLi (Associazione Italiana Scuole di Lingue).
12:00 – 13:00
Unlocking Growth Through Academic Excellence: What Makes LANGUAGECERT Stand Out
Speaker: Chantelle Walsh
This session explores how and why LANGUAGECERT stands out in a competitive assessment landscape, offering teachers insights and examples of learner-focused assessment. Discover how communicative exams can support teaching goals, motivate learners, and open global opportunities.
Chantelle Walsh is a teacher, teacher trainer and a LANGUAGECERT interlocutor for all levels. She is a graduate in Irish Language and Literature from University College Dublin and holds the Higher Diploma in Education from Maynooth University, Ireland. Having started her career as a state school teacher, Chantelle has enjoyed training and working with teachers in both primary and secondary schools all over Italy for the past twenty years.
She is passionate about bringing creativity to the language classroom and exploring fresh approaches to teaching lexis and grammar, as she believes we can always find new ways to engage all individuals in the learning process. In recent years, Chantelle’s main area of interest has been mindfulness and well-being in education for both teachers and students, and she has given many talks on this area. She also works with many language schools as an educational school inspector for AISLi (Associazione Italiana Scuole di Lingue).
14:00 – 15:00
Crafting Engaging Writing Lessons in Exam Preparation Classes
Speaker: Nancy Katsikari
This interactive session explores effective techniques for transforming exam speaking preparation into engaging, progressive classroom activities. Aiming at helping teachers deconstruct summative speaking assessment into manageable sub-skills that build students' confidence and self-efficacy, this session provides practical strategies for developing students’ fluency, accuracy, and interaction skills. By the end of this session, participants will be able to design focused classroom tasks to help students develop genuine communicative competence, while gradually building the skills and psychological readiness needed for successful exam performance.
Nancy Katsikari is an Academic Consultant at LANGUAGECERT with over 15 years of experience in ELT. She has worked as a teacher, director of studies and teacher trainer at prestigious educational institutions in Greece, Malta, and the UK. She holds an MSc in Management and Organization of Educational Units, a BA in English Language and Literature and is CELTA- and DELTA-qualified. As a LANGUAGECERT Academic Consultant, Nancy is driven by her passion for supporting teachers to develop, achieve their goals and progress in their careers. She is a true believer of lifelong learning and enjoys exchanging experiences and knowledge with education professionals from around the world.
