Spring Day is a one-day conference where the format tends to veer away from the traditional colloquium or national conference format. The themes tend to be more specific than our longer conference and it attracts a more intimate number of delegates.
Scroll down and take a look at all the different themes, formats and venues we have hosted over the years!

SPRING DAY
Educator Exchange: Tips and Insights
Date: Saturday, 25th of May
Time: 9:00 AM- 6:00 PM
Venue: Ageca, 177 rue de Charonne 75011 PARIS
TESOL France invites you to attend this year’s Spring Day 2024 in Paris (11eme). Come and listen to captivating topics, exciting developments in English language education in France and share your insights with colleagues.
12 speakers X 12 minutes. Invited speakers from our teaching community here in France will present their topics of interest in line with a TEDEd-style talk format. Speakers will be grouped together in sessions (4 talks per session). Following each session, there will be a brief discussion time to exchange thoughts.
We are excited to invite you to gather for a day of talks and interactive discussions where you will have the opportunity to share and ask questions. We hope you will have questions about many of the topics that will be presented:
Mindfulness and Wellbeing
Networking resources for entrepreneurs
Career Development
the bilingual and multilingual classroom
Developing fluency meaningfully
Boosting confidence
Bringing real-world activities into the classroom
Games to encourage speaking
Talks will be divided into three sessions and then followed by smaller facilitated discussion groups.
Our presenters are coming from different perspectives of the topics which we hope will peak your interest and allow you to discover what is happening as well as how to navigate within the trends and changes upcoming.
We will BE FACE-TO-FACE in a new venue for us: Ageca, 177 rue de Charonne 75011 Paris for a full day of presentations, discussion and networking. We would like to continue the group interaction by having people join small groups for lunch outside of the venue.
About the talks:
Session A
The New Inclusive Teacher for the Future of Education / Soad Louissi
Despite the growing number of students diagnosed with psychological and learning disabilities, only 37% of students disclose their disability because of the continued stigma. How can educators encourage students to disclose their disabilities, putting in place the appropriate accommodations to promote the growth and development of each student so that they can reach their full potential?
Teaching Teenagers, Don't Be a Teacher, Be a Student! / Victor Sakanwi
Teaching teenagers can be challenging for a multitude of reasons, one of which is a certain heightened resistance to being told what to do. As an ESL teacher, creating and maintaining that perfect balance between allowing students to freely express themselves while also establishing structure and order in the classroom, is a tall task. The secret to this symbiosis is to go undercover! Undercover Teaching allows you to establish order from the inside where classroom management and order becomes the concern of the group rather than that of the teacher alone.
How a Cooperative Could Make You and Your Business Happier / Diane Tisdall
Many self-employed English teachers struggle to find financial security, decent working conditions, and business development support. I run my business through Appuy Compétences, a cooperative training centre. In my talk, I’ll share how a cooperative works, how I fit into that and how you too can work from a position of strength and stability in a community of like-minded people.
Career development after teaching / Jessica Etridge
What can you do when you want to step back from teaching but still want to be involved in the pedagogical process? Materials writing? E-learning designer? Project management? Training manager? Our experience as educators equips us to fulfill all of these training roles and more both inside AND outside of ELT.
Storytelling as a Method to Jump-Start Students’ Oral Expression / Sonyth Huber
Have you ever faced a group of students, or a single student, with a low level and thought: "There has GOT to be a better way!" If this sounds familiar, here's a quick overview of a method that I've developed in my 20+ years of teamwork with my students. Boost their oral and written expression skills as well as their self-confidence and set out together on a journey to conquer a mutual foe: their belief that they are "nul en anglais".
Session B
Out-of-class Practice: The Key to Fluency / Jason Levine
Developing any skill requires meaningful repetition. We take this for granted when we\learn to ride a bike, do aerobics, or play a musical instrument. Yet we often overlook it when it comes to learning a language. To use English with confidence, students need extensive and engaging practice. Without it, they are less prepared and motivated to do activities in class. This talk focuses on ways to inspire students to practice English independently and offers suggestions for doing out-of-class practice with songs, games, and videos.
How Feedback Feeds / Damian Corcoran
Appropriate feedback at the right time has a huge impact on student progress and offering “food for thought” fosters student autonomy. How can we ensure that feedback gets heard? How can we give constructive feedback which is objective? What areas do we give feedback on? How do we prioritise? In this talk I will answer these and more questions while giving examples of successful outcomes from clearly focused feedback.
The Science of Mindfulness and Wellbeing / Shannon Griffin
Envision your learners attentive and engaged within the first five minutes of each class. Imagine that those same five minutes are the gateway to your students discovering how they learn best, and then harnessing those tools to enhance their progress. Allow me to introduce you to the Science of Mindfulness and Wellbeing.
AI in EdTech – a Painfully Rapid ‘Parallel’ Learning Curve / Tim Lorkin
It has been both amusing and scary to see the parallel learning curve to address the challenges of AI applied to all: Suppliers, Students, and Institutions themselves - viewed from the inside. The talk will focus on this learning curve, along with some suggested (independent) ‘Edtech’resources, which you were impatient for last year.
Session C
Tips and Insights in the Bilingual and Multilingual Classroom / Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert
How do you balance home, school and study languages in the classroom? Should you clearly separate each language, allow mixing, translations or use of a student’s home language in your classroom? A brief look at some of the issues and how we can support and celebrate language diversity in our classrooms.
Expanding Boundaries : How to Bring the Real-World Into your University Language Classroom / Larnell Perrin-Smith
In this talk, we delve into the transformative power that comes from building our university ESL classes around real-world activities. By bridging the gap between language as a subject and its practical application in life, we ESL teachers can take advantage of our unique perspective to foster holistic growth and spark lasting curiosity in our students. Together we'll examine ways to harness our passions, creativity and life experiences to expand the boundaries of our student's minds beyond classroom walls.
Games in the Classroom / Alex Donnez
As a passionate advocate for interactive and engaging learning experiences, I’d love to show you how I incorporate table-top games into my classrooms. Drawing from my love for games, I have adapted the rules to facilitate both one-on-one classes and small group dynamics. By leveraging the inherent fun and competitiveness of these games, I aim to foster collaboration, storytelling, and problem-solving skills among students. Join me as I explore the potential of merging leisure and language learning.
Please feel free to download the Spring Day 2024 packet that includes the schedule, talk descriptions, and speaker bios.

Date: Saturday, 27th of May
Time: 8:30 AM- 6:00 PM
Venue: Association Adele Picot, 39 rue Notre Dame des Champs, 75006 Paris
FEATURED Presenters:
David Bradshaw - Cambridge University Press and Assessment;
Tim Lorkin - Former Engineer Human Interface;
Dobrina Ramphort - Legal Council;
Julie Cutelli - Learning Specialist at the International School of Paris;
Marc Verger - Director of Development ISQQualification, Qualiopi auditor
Rachel Marie Paling - CEO of Efficient Language Coaching and creator of Neurolanguage Coaching® and Neuroheart Education®
Terry Small - President Terry Small Learning Center
We are delighted to announce that we will be meeting FACE-TO-FACE for SPRING DAY 2023. We are excited to invite you to gather for a day of presentations and interactive discussions where you will have the opportunity to share and ask questions. We hope you will be stimulated and have questions about the topics that will be introduced:
- ChatGpt/AI and it effects on educatio
- The brain in the learning process and impact of AI
- Navigating the French work environment for language teaching and training (all environments)
The three panels will introduce the different topics and then followed by smaller facilitated discussion groups. Our presenters are coming from different perspectives of the topics which we hope will peak your interest and allow you to discover what is happening as well as how to navigate within the trends and changes upcoming.
We will BE FACE-TO-FACE in a new venue for us Association Adele Picot, 39 rue Notre Dame des Champs, 75006 Paris for a full day of presentations, discussion, up-to date research and roundtable discussions. We would like to continue the group interaction by having people join small groups for lunch outside of the venue.
This event is free for TESOL France members and €30 for non-members. We encourage you to register online to facilitate administrative needs of the association.
To register as a non-member, payment details will be given after you submit this form.
To become a member or renew your membership, please fill out the online membership form before the event here: http://www.tesol-france.org/en/membership.html.
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES ON Thursday May 25th 2023 at midnight. PLEASE REGISTER BEFORE THIS DATE.
TESOL France Spring Day 2023 Speakers
Much of the day will be devoted to AI and how it is affecting education, our jobs and society as a whole. Our panel of speakers will discuss the topic from different angles to help us understand what it is, how we can use it in our practices and what we need to watch out for.
ChatGPT & AI – David Bradshaw and Timothy Lorkin
David has worked for Cambridge University Press and Assessment for almost nine years, currently in the role of Senior Assessment Services and Recognition Manager for West Europe, Iberia and Italy. He has delivered numerous presentations around Spain and the rest of Europe. His interests include assessing writing and speaking and the use of technology in ELT in language testing.
Timothy is a Business Aware Engineer & Lecturer, with extensive experience in “Disruptive Technology”. From engineering and research in the automobile industry, to innovation in France as researcher at HEC Paris, to refrigeration, Timothy is now Lecturer in Engineering in /& English at French “Grande Ecoles”.
Timothy co-organised a first conference on the then New 'OECD AI Principles' with the OECD, in 2020. Today his focus is on AI & Ethics (GPTProf): Objective evaluation of ChatGPT in University Language teaching.
He suggests watching the ARTE program on Kubrick about 2001 - a Space Odyssey, the explanations & fears shared then about HAL, are very pertinent today.
AI, the Brain & Education – Rachel Marie Paling & Terry Small
Rachel is the CEO of Efficient Language Coaching and creator of Neurolanguage Coaching® and Neuroheart Education®. Rachel started teaching English as a Foreign Language to adults over 35 years ago. After studying Law and Human Rights and Democratization, she combined her teaching experience, specialisation in business English and legal knowledge to language coach top executives across Europe. She developed herself as a professional life coach and language coach, and in 2012 created the new method and approach for language learning called Neurolanguage Coaching®, one of the first ICF CCE accredited programmes for language teachers worldwide.
She is a professionally trained coach with the ICF PCC Coaching Credential and also holds an MA in Applied Neuroscience and a Master in Neuroeducation and Neuropsychology.
Terry Small, B.Ed., M.A., is a master teacher and Canada's leading learning skills specialist. He is the author of the Brain Bulletin with over 34,000 subscribers worldwide.
Terry has presented on the brain for over 33 years to organizations around the world. His knowledge, warmth, humour and dynamic presentation style have made him a much sought-after speaker at workshops and conferences.
Terry's wealth of teaching experience and extensive involvement in applied neuroscience make him an outstanding resource of the business and educational communities. He resides in Vancouver, Canada, where he is a frequent lecturer at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.
Navigating the French work environment for language teaching and training (all environments)
Dobrina Ramphort
Legal Counsel - Magma Trace
Associate Professor Toulouse Business school
Having been a teacher for many years within various institutions and corporations, Dobrina perfectly understands the challenges language trainers face whatever the level or structure they intervene in.
She has seen many trainers encountering difficulties, misundersanding or suffering from inequalities due to lack of information provided by schools, private companies, universities and other training centers in terms of work conditions and labour rights.
She is grateful to TESOL France for organising regular workshops allowing language trainers to share their legal issues, and for giving her the opportunity to support TESOL members to be better informed and prepared in case of labour contract negotiations.
