We are pleased to announce that LATE’s 33rd Annual LATE Conference “Learning Language Teaching and Teaching Language Learners” (“Valodas mācīšanas un mācīšanās mijiedarbība”) will be held on 21st-22nd August at Ogre State Gymnasium.
Early Bird Registration
Early Bird registration, offering a discounted conference fee is available until June 20. Registration will remain open until all places are filled. Please apply only if you are certain of your attendance, as the conference fee is non-refundable.
The conference will run over two full days. On 21st August, sessions will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on 22nd August, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants who attend all sessions will receive a 16-hour teacher professional development certificate. Certificates will be issued in person only, at the closing event of the conference.
Please follow the two steps below to register for the conference:
1) complete the Conference Registration Form: https://ej.uz/LATE_2025
2) pay the Conference Fee here:
Saņēmējs: Latvijas Angļu valodas skolotāju asociācija
Reģ.Nr.: 40008001377
Norēķinu rekvizīti: AS Swedbanka
Konts: LV86HABA000140J051530
Maksājuma mērķis: LATE Conference 2025
The Conference Fee includes 2 lunches, 2 coffee breaks, a festive reception, a TPD certificate (for 16 hours), as well as other organisational expenses, and are as follows:
A) Current LATE Member (with a valid membership) – €45 (includes Membership renewal fee €20 and conference fee €25)
B) Current LATE Member and Conference speaker – €20 membership renewal
C) Current LATE Member from Ogres region (with a valid membership) – €20 membership renewal
D) Non-Member (becoming a LATE Member) – €50 (includes Membership – new member fee €25 and conference fee €25)
F) Non-Member Student (becoming a LATE Member) – €40 (includes new Student Member fee €15 and conference fee €25)
G) Conference attendance will paid by my institution (only possible if you have sent your name and full bank details to late@latnet.lv by 13th June and have received an electronically signed invoice):
H) Conference fee (for non-Latvia residents or for everyone after the 1st August): €70
If places are available, conference applications will be accepted until 31st July. However, after 20th June, the full conference fee of €40 will apply.
The application process is complete once you receive the confirmation email, which will be sent within five working days following receipt of your payment. LATE membership is annual and will remain valid until August 2026.
Workshops:
Participants will have the opportunity to attend two workshops and are asked to indicate their preferences when applying. We will do our best to accommodate these preferences. Participants will learn which workshops they are attending during the conference-day registration.
Venue and a guided tour of the school:
Conference presenters and participants will have the opportunity to visit one of the newest, most modern, and well-equipped schools in Latvia. A guided tour of the school will be offered as part of the visit. If you are interested, please indicate this in the application form. The tour time will be confirmed during conference-day registration.
Accommodation:
It may be possible to arrange accommodation in the dormitory of Ogre Vocational School for the night of 21st August, upon request. Twin rooms are available at a rate of €20 per person. Please indicate your interest in the application form. Accommodation is subject to availability, and additional information will be sent to those who have expressed interest after June 20.
Conference Speakers
Dace Miška of Oxford University Press will be talking about Self-directed Professional Development.
Self-directed professional development opens learning possibilities for educators to acquire a wide variety of skills, gain access to various training outside the classroom, and accommodates to a larger range of personal motivation and circumstances. In this session, we will explore self-directed professional development resources and tools related to English Language Teaching.‘
Joe Horgan will be talking about literature-based material for the optimal-level “English I” course using Jack London’s novel “Call of the Wild”.
‘Over the last year, the presenter has developed a collection of free material that teachers of the “English I” course can use with their 10th and 11th grade students that satisfies all requirements of the optimal-level curriculum standards. The material will be presented and tested during the workshop.’
Catherine Hollings of National Geographic Learning will discuss Striking The Right Balance.
‘Choosing a coursebook to support and guide your students to their personal and academic English goals can be minefield. One the one hand you need a coursebook that engages them on a personal level, developing their intrinsic motivation and enjoyment for learning English. And on other hand you need a coursebook that has the academic rigour and focus to develop their exam skills, thus giving them the best chance of reaching their academic goals. But does such a course exist? In this session, we’ll explore tips and tricks to create the perfect balance and lead your students to success.‘
Ingūna Melne will be talking about Digital Media Literacy in the Classroom.
‘In this workshop, I will share how I integrate digital media literacy into my English lessons to help students think critically about online content, identify misinformation, and become responsible digital citizens. I will showcase real classroom examples, student projects, and activities that foster engagement and critical thinking. Participants will see ready-to-use materials and open-access resources to adapt for their own teaching contexts.’
Ivars Dominiks Zeps will be talking about successfully teaching literary analysis.
‘Students often feel discouraged to engage with more demanding texts. Many of them find it difficult to understand literary devices and symbolism (or why any of it even matters) long into high school. I would like to offer a way to help students understand literary analysis through topical examples and media relevant for them.’
Robert Buckmaster will be presenting about Metaphors and Idioms We Live By.
‘In 1980 George Lakoff and Mark Johnson published Metaphors We Live By, the seminal text about metaphors in language. Though an important book in linguistics, it had a limited impact on language teaching. In this presentation I will discuss which metaphors and idioms we should be teaching our students and suggest some ways we can work with them in our lessons.
Tatjana Kunda will talk about ‘Tasks for Real Life: Transforming EFL Teaching Through Action-Oriented Methodology.
‘This plenary explores the action-oriented approach to EFL teaching, where learners function as social agents completing meaningful tasks that mirror real-world communication contexts. The session will demonstrate how teachers can design task-based activities that engage students in authentic language use beyond traditional skill-focused exercises.’
Grant Kempton of Pearson will give a talk entitled: Are we there yet? The Importance of the Learning Journey.
We are now living in a world students seem unequipped for and one that provides new, steeper challenges for teachers. This means changing the way we approach not only the students, but the whole course, in fact the whole learning journey. In this plenary I will be outlining why we need to rethink and what we can do from the very next lesson to create learning journeys that maximise student potential and minimise teachers’ workload through better understanding of confidence over motivation by becoming more focussed on the journey and its waypoints.
Marjorie Rosenberg will give a talk entitled: Activities to Encourage Learner-Generated Content for the ELT Classroom.
As today’s English learners need the language for a variety of reasons, it is important to directly address their needs. Providing frameworks that learners can complete with their own content makes learning more meaningful to them, lets express their own ideas and increases their confidence. This talk will demonstrate classroom activities which can be adapted to different levels of competence. Learners can then put what they have learned into practice in the real world.
Joseph Jack Horgan will give a talk entitled: Free AI-Generated Public Domain “Extended Reader” Texts for A1, A2, And B1 Levels.
In this talk, the speaker will present a project he was worked on which allows teachers to print out or use in digital form AI-assisted extended readers based on a number of well-known texts in the public domain..
Dinos Soursos of Express Publishing will give a talk entitled: Getting the Message Across: Mediation in the EFL Classroom.
This presentation introduces mediation in EFL classrooms. It emphasizes students as social agents who bridge communication, co-construct meaning, and foster intercultural understanding. Mediation integrates reception, production, and interaction, promoting effective communication through activities like simplifying texts, explaining concepts, and facilitating collaboration across languages, cultures, and modalities.
Dinos Soursos of Express Publishing will give a talk entitled: Harnessing the Power of AI Towards an Adaptive Learning Experience.
This presentation explores how AI-powered adaptive learning tools enhance language education by personalizing instruction to fit individual student needs. By providing targeted practice and real-time feedback, AI increases engagement and supports skill development. The talk highlights how these technologies create more effective, inclusive learning environments, ultimately improving outcomes and transforming the classroom experience.
Marjorie Rosenberg will give a workshop entitled: Embrace the Differences.
Our classrooms consist of individuals with a variety of learning preferences, so understanding how to embrace these differences can be invaluable. When we mix methods and materials the effects on our learners become clear. This workshop offers many practical activities which can be applied in a variety of teaching situations and are designed to help a wide range of learners.
Robert Buckmaster will give a workshop entitled: Teaching Ideas.
In this workshop I will share with you some ideas of working with language with your students I have been experimenting with. These will be focused on developing your students’ understanding of the language and their written and spoken fluency. This will be most useful for Yr 8 +.
Yuliia Horbachova will give a workshop entitled:10 Habits That Improve Well-Being and Help Teachers Avoid Burnout.
This workshop is about sharing practical, everyday habits that help teachers feel better both physically and emotionally, maintain their energy, and prevent burnout. It’s about promoting teacher well-being by encouraging small but effective changes in daily routines, like mindful breaks, setting boundaries, staying connected with others, or simple self-care practices, so teachers can continue their work with more balance, motivation, and joy.
Liene Paneva and Ilona Ceļmalniece will give a workshop entitled: New Course Book: Where to Start? Practical Tips for Classroom Success.
Adapting unfamiliar coursebooks to meet learner needs and the national curriculum is a common challenge for English language teachers. This workshop will present practical strategies for using new materials effectively and creating targeted supplementary resources, as well as offer hands-on activities. Presenters will share examples designed to enrich and extend coursebook content.
Diana Bolgare will give a workshop entitled: Poetry in My Heart: Bringing Poetry into the Classroom.
This workshop introduces the “Poetry in My Heart” recitation contest. We’ll share judges’ insights, discuss poem selection, and explore ways to make the contest truly all-Latvian. Teachers will try writing poems using templates and gain practical tips for guiding students through both the online and final performance stages.
Rita Skara-Mincane and Inta Augustane will give a workshop entitled: Bridging the Gap: Integrating Business English into High School English Courses
This workshop explores practical ways to introduce Business English into high school classes. Participants will discover hands-on activities, learn useful business idioms, and engage with tasks that build real-world communication skills and student motivation. The session offers adaptable ideas to bring authentic business contexts into the teenage classroom.
Liene Ziemele-Miltiņa will give a workshop about Strategies to Encourage Self-directed Learning via Films.
In today’s educational landscape, fostering independent learners is essential. This workshop explores how watching films boosts communicative competence, self-directed learning, and critical thinking. Participants will gain insights into managing the learning process through film, including effective pre-, while- and post-watching tasks. Drawing on my experience, I will share concrete examples of activities designed at level B2 to empower students to take ownership of their learning.
Egija Baumane will give a workshop entitled: Tools for Students: Self-Assessment, Reflection, and AI in the Writing Process.
In this workshop, teachers will learn a practical method for guiding students in essay self-assessment, reflection, and improvement based on the task’s objectives. The provided materials can be adapted to other types of writing. The session will also explore responsible uses of AI for revising and evaluating written work, including techniques for writing effective prompts.
Joseph Jack Horgan will give a workshop entitled: SOLO-based Summative Grading for the Highest Level English II Course
This workshop will provide teachers with ready-made SOLO taxonomy-based summative assessments that satisfy the requirements of the highest level English as a foreign language standards and are in compliance with the new grading requirements introduced in 2024.
Michael Earley will give a workshop entitled: Minimal Preparation; Maximum Reward.
This workshop will focus on student centred activities that engage your class, take little time to prepare but result in total engagement for your students. And the best thing about them? They work with students of almost all levels and ages.
Baiba Mantiņa will give a workshop about KAMISHIBAI-Japanese paper theatre.
KAMISHIBAI is a non-formal teaching-learning method, which started in Japan between the 8th and 10th centuries, which can be adapted to any teaching discipline. It is a learning by doing team-building method in which the focus is on a storytelling technique that can be used as a method of presentation and dissemination of the results of a project (e.g., Erasmus+) or any program.
Marta Žagare will give a workshop entitled: Writing project – My Story.
The workshop presents a writing project for 6th–8th grade students based on the book Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. After listening to the story and using worksheets, students create their own illustrated book, incorporating metaphors. The project fosters creative writing, understanding of literary devices, and visual expression.
Iveta Glužģe will give a workshop entitled: Bringing “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury into English classrooms.
This talk shares practical insights from teaching Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 in an advanced EFL classroom. It explores strategies for engaging students with dystopian fiction, developing critical thinking, and expanding literary vocabulary. The session highlights how classic literature can enrich language learning and foster meaningful classroom discussions in an EFL context.
Natalija Burisina will give a workshop entitled: Empowering Argumentative Writing: Blending Print, AI Tools, and Remote Guidance in the Modern English Classroom.
This workshop presents an innovative, pedagogically grounded approach to teaching argumentative essay writing by integrating printed materials, advanced AI tools, and remote access to students’ devices. Participants will engage with structured methodologies for guiding students through the writing process, while exploring how AI technologies can enhance skill development, deliver individualized feedback more efficiently, and significantly reduce the teacher’s workload related to assessment and correction.
Anete Sorokina will give a workshop entitled: Reading Circles and Their Benefits for Reading Comprehension
Reading circles offer a collaborative learning environment where students dynamically engage with the text and each other. This peer-based discussion encourages students to participate actively in their learning, promoting greater motivation and engagement with reading. However, there is little research on reading circles. It was found that after completing a set of five-week reading circle lessons, students’ reading comprehension improved by an average of 24%. Students also mentioned that this activity helped them socialise, work in groups and structure their thoughts.
You can read about our previous Annual Conferences through the links below.