The Bangladesh English Language Teachers’ Association’s (BELTA) biennial international conference held on January 18-19 was a great chance for EIA to mix with the wider English Language Teaching (ELT) and educational community. One of the first visitors to our exhibition stall at the recent conference was the education minister, Mr. Nurul Islam Nahid. Both he and the secretary of the ministry of ICT, Mr. Nazrul Islam Khan, spoke to the conference about the power of new approaches to learning to change learning and change lives: a message which is at the heart of EIA’s mission.

More than four hundred teachers from all over Bangladesh and other South Asian countries created quite a buzz at the conference. With presenters from all over the world, BELTA managed to put together a packed and varied programme that really did respond to the “Multiple Realities” of the conference title: three days of insights, practical ideas and even some electrifying (though good-natured) controversy!

EIA’s workshops and presentations focused on how real learning comes from fun, engagement and practical activity – both in the classroom and for adult learners. Nobody was allowed to sit still for more than a few minutes!  We were especially happy to see so many tertiary teachers getting excited about our activities, too.   

Thumbs up to BELTA for a truly successful and energising event: EIA was really proud to have been part of it.