International conference explores new paradigms for English teaching

The keynote report session was chaired by Anna Nunan, Head of English and Global Languages at UCD. Six experts and scholars delivered keynote presentations, while Professor Douglas Bell from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China analyzed the challenges and opportunities facing English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in an era of technological revolution under the title "'Apocalypse Now' or 'Brave New World': What Future for EAP?". Professor Aiying Di from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Jennifer Macdougall, English for Academic Purposes quality coordinator at Glasgow College, UESTC, shared their experiences in innovative faculty development, under the title "EAP Teaching Team Building in Sino-UK Cooperative Education: EAP Teacher Professional Development Based on Discourse and Participatory Space". Professor John Liang from New York University Shanghai shared innovations in EAP curriculum content and experiential learning models based on backward design under the theme "Goal-Oriented Curriculum Design: Backward Design-based EAP Course Content and Experiential Learning Innovation". Professor Wenying Wu from BDIC and Alex Runchman from UCD shared the College's English teaching experiences and outcomes under the title "A New Paradigm for English Language Teaching in Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education: The Role of EAP, Collaboration, and Community".