Robert Easterbrook here, coming to you from northeastern China where I work in ELT. My preferred teaching context is higher education. I teach and lecture undergrads and post grads in this former Teachers college. With respect to teacher development, I presently hold PhD candidature at the Univesity of Canberra, Australia. I am completing a PhD in Education (TESOL).

The college at which I work recently changed its status from a 'college' to a 'university' (Arts and Humanities). No problem, but it continues to use an English language curriculum with teacher education and training as its goal. Bit of a problem since 80% or more of new enrollees have no wish to be in ELT. So relevance is a bit of a problem. Curriculum design is a bit of a problem in this part of the world for providers of higher education anyway since curriculum design remains the purview of the MoE (Ministry of Education). Curriculum relevance is just one of the many challenges faced by providers of higher education in this particular Chinese university.

Marylou here, from Germany. I did a PhD in English Linguistics ages ago and went on doing some research in applied linguistics. In the last few years I have worked as a foot soldier teaching English to mostly adults students at language schools and similar institutions of higher education (open university etc).

During my "career" as a teacher I realized that a lot of the things I learned when studying English myself and when specialising on linguistics has litttle to nothing to do with what I do in practice now. This doesn't mean that linguistics is pointless - personally I still think it is one of the most fascinating topic in the world. but it is not always obvious whether a linguistic background knowledge will help you a) with speaking a better English yourself or b) with being a better teacher of English. 

I'm really interested in this forum because I have completely out of touch with what is going on in (Applied) Linguistics these days and I look at the forum as a means to get in contact again with people who share my passion for linguistics.

BTW I don't have an idea how to upload my photo and I really can't be bothered getting it done. So please forgive my visional anonymity (grand new jargon, isn't it?)

 Paulo da Mata, from Rondonópolis-Brazil.  Graduated in English and Portuguese language teachings and specialized in the English language teaching.    I have been teaching English for over 15 years and at the present moment I have taught it at an elementary and high school and also at an institute of languages.   The area of the English language teaching which I am most focused on is on Engish as a global or international language and based on that, I have oberserved that much how myself and students speak English.    This is the third time I take part in this IATEFL CARDIFF ONLINE and I have to thank all the organizes to make this event online.  Without it, I would not be able to follow what is going to happen in this wonderful event.

 Hello from Kazakhstan!

My name is Fazira Kakzhanova,I am working at State Univesity.

I participated in many projects in methods of teaching.

  My scientific work was devoted to Grammar theory.The theme is " Problems

of  the category of Verb(al) Aspect and its typology in the English language"

which is considered to be the most complicated problem of modern linguistics.

 Last year I graduated from  "Business English on line" of  South Caroline University.

Head of English Teachers Association of the city where I live.

Hello, another teacher from China here, i'm in Xi'an, in the west. I've been teaching EFL for 5 years, and leaning Chinese at university for 3, i'm also currently doing a Masters of Applied Linguistics through UNE in Australia.