The journey from participant to presenter is both rewarding and challenging.

The rewards of public presentations

Language conferences are important for professional development

Not all teachers can attend conferences due to time constraints and the prohibitive costs involved. Conferences are often held during the week when teachers are busy with students, and postponing classes increases workloads and contributes to overall stress and pressure. Nevertheless, even those with busy schedules should take the time to attend these conferences because the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Benefits of participation

There are so many activities to partake in while attending conferences that it is very important to develop a strategy on what to see and do during the limited time available; otherwise, it is possible to miss out on many things.

First, there are the presentations. Before the conference starts, it is good practice to look at the schedule and decide what you want to listen to. This has to be planned in advance, taking into account presentation times and room locations, to avoid disappointment and missed lectures.

Next, there is the networking. Conferences are an opportunity to meet new people and renew old acquaintances. These friendships and business relationships are an invaluable asset to professional development. Who knows when you will find someone at the conference that can help by providing useful information?

Then, there is the commercial side. Publishers and other educational organizations set up their stalls so that participants can look at the latest material available and speak to experts in that field. If you are lucky, it is possible to meet with visiting speakers who have been brought to Thailand by publishers.

After that, there is the social side. Evenings are free, and this gives everyone the opportunity to go out and explore new locations. Conferences are an opportunity to learn what a city has to offer while purchasing souvenirs for those less fortunate to make the trip.

Finally, there is the more burdensome task of writing reports based on the presentations so that assimilated information is shared with other teachers and staff. These reports benefit those who could not participate in the conference by providing them with new ideas and a sense of direction for professional development.

Becoming a presenter

Having attended a number of conferences as a participant, some teachers may feel that it is time to present material that they developed themselves. This, at first, may seem like a daunting task; however, you will never know what you're capable of accomplishing until you have tried.

Presentations have many forms and formats. The most common activities are presenting papers, conducting workshops and displaying posters. These activities normally last for approximately 45 minutes, though poster displays can be three hours long due to the nature of the activity. It is your choice to make which form of presentation will work best for you.

In my opinion, there is so much that can be learned, whether you attend a conference as a participant or as a presenter, that schools will ultimately benefit from the advantages. The added bonus is that new friendships are forged that will help your professional and personal development in the future.

As a teacher, I try to give presentations every year. This has increased my confidence as a teacher and improved qualities at a personal level. It is important that Thai teachers of English also be encouraged to attend these types of conferences with the goal of presenting in the future. I encourage administrators to make every effort to allow this to happen.

To this end, I would respectfully request that the Ministry of Education look at the possibility of making these conferences, especially ThaiTESOL, available to a wider audience by offering funding for those who would otherwise not be able to attend. This form of teacher development is a worthwhile investment.

Steve Graham is an English language teacher at the Language Center, Udon Thani Rajabhat University in northeast Thailand. If there are any comments or areas for debate that you would like to discuss, you can contact Steve at: shed_chelsea@hotmail.co.uk .