This year’s MELTA conference will have the theme, Innovative Solutions to New Challenges in English Language Education: Aligning National Outcomes to Global Standards.
The international conference, being hosted for the 24th time by the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association, will take place in Kuala Lumpur next month.
The event, which will be held at the Royale Chulan from June 1 to 3, promises an exciting and enriching programme for educators, students and parents.
Educators can look forward to being engaged in a high-powered academic programme with more than 160 panels, paper and poster presentations, demonstrations and workshops.
There will be a keynote address by Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad from the Ministry of Education, followed by a panel discussion on the topic, Taking the Global Leap.
The panelists, comprising Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz, Professor Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir and Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, will discuss the role of English in helping Malaysia take the global leap.
Other key speakers include Dr Mario Saraceni (University of Portsmouth), Sulaiman Wak (Rector, Teacher Education Institutes of Malaysia), Professor Dr Malachi Edwin Vethamani (University of Nottingham Malaysia), Dr Dewi Rochsantiningsih (Teaching English as a Foreign Language Association, Indonesia/Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), Surakarta, Indonesia), Dr Sean Matthews (University of Nottingham Malaysia), Dr Jeong-Ah Shin (Korean Association of Teachers of English/Dongguk University, South Korea), Kevin Balchin (Canterbury Christ Church University), Dr Derek Irwin (University of Nottingham Malaysia), Dr William Lee Wei-the (English Teaching Association Republic of China/Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan), Masaki Morisawa (Cengage Learning Asia, Japan), Associate Professor Dr Ramesh Nair (Universiti Teknologi Mara Malaysia), Mark Ritchie (Press Reader Asia), Professor Dr Milagros C. Laurel (Philippines Association of Language Teachers/University of Philippines), and Dr Yasuo Nakatani (Japan Association of College English Teachers).
Among the event’s other activities are the MELTA-Malachi Edwin creative teaching showcases and MELTA Creative Student Teacher Showcase, Way With Words, a creative literacy competition for students, the MELT-A-HEART CSR book donation programme to primary schools and an education product and services exhibition.
The conference is also the venue for recognising English language teachers and corporate organisations who support the advancement of the language.
These include the prestigious Raja Zarith Sofiah Award for Corporate CSR in English language education, the Hyacinth Gaudart best national English language teacher award, the Basil Wijasuriya best teacher presenter award, the MELTA President’s best English language school project award, Teacher and Student teacher showcase awards, and MELTA recognition awards.
Congratulations to Laurence L. Dumling of Sung Siew Secondary School, Sandakan, and Samuel Isaiah of SK Runchang, Muadzam Shah, both of whom have won complimentary admission to the conference.
For more details, go to www.melta.org.my, call 03-8944 1027/017-604 7490 or e-mail meltaconference@gmail.com.