My Trip to Hong Kong for the ELTU Conference

By Kokking Eung, ACE Teacher

Participating in an overseas ELT conference had always been on my bucket list. This year, I was given the opportunity to attend the English Language Teaching Unit Conference (ELTU) in Hong Kong. The conference theme was ‘Alternative Approaches to English Language Learning and Teaching’. Hong Kong is one of my favourite places, and I was eager to start the adventure. I expected my experience at the conference to be exciting and rewarding.

At the conference, I was warmly welcomed by the Committee, who were very friendly and helpful. The opening plenary session looked at e-learning and social media approaches in ELT. It reminded me of the importance of this kind of teaching and learning platform, a useful alternative to more traditional methods. In attending a number of sessions and workshops, I realised that regardless of our experience, there is always something new. There was a session that introduced the use of Manga, Japanese comics, in enhancing students’ writing skills. I found this a creative and useful approach, especially for younger students. In this approach, students are required to use a certain PC program to create their own characters, plot, script and narration for a story.

I was glad to learn so much from many interesting presentations. I also had the chance to network with other teachers and researchers, from whom I gained awareness of ELT-related issues in different parts of the world. Surprisingly, we have been facing the same kinds of problems, such as classroom management and student engagement.

I think my previous experience at CamTESOL played a part in my enjoyment of this international conference in Hong Kong. I presented at CamTESOL in 2018 and 2019, and am also a CamTESOL team member. The ELTU conference offered me the opportunity to look at the similarities and differences in how CamTESOL and ELTU are run.

Despite the hectic conference schedule, I managed to experience some lovely street food and visit several souvenir stores and ancient buildings. The Hong Kong railway is highly convenient and you will never feel afraid of getting lost, as there are signs everywhere you go. For me, the most unforgettable aspect of Hong Kong is its breathtaking view of the skyline from the harbour.