Celebrating the ELT Community: Presenting at QLD PD Fest ‘25
Event highlights: Team QI presents the welcome and closing plenary
24 March 2025 I The Queensland Institute
L-R: Leslie, Fiona, Ceara, Philippa, Vicki, and Peter from Team QI participate at QLD PD Fest 2025
“Inspiring! Fantastic! Awesome! It really felt like a festival!”
On Saturday, 22 March, the English Australia QLD PD Fest brought together English language educators for a dynamic day of professional learning, sharing, and connection.
Held at the beautiful UQ College campus at The University of Queensland, the day featured engaging sessions, thought-provoking plenaries, and was a true celebration of our diverse teaching community.
Opening Plenary: Building Community
The day opened with a joyful performance from the UQ Voices Choir, setting a warm and inclusive tone. Vicki Bos, from The Queensland Institute (QI) then delivered a welcome plenary exploring the connections between how music and active learning strategies help to build community and promote wellbeing in the language classroom.
Watch the choir perform here on YouTube.
Keynote Reflections: The Role of AI in EAP
Dr Peter Crosthwaite’s keynote on AI in English for Academic Purposes prompted timely reflections on the evolving nature of feedback and assessment. While AI tools can assist with tasks such as written corrective feedback, there are a number of considerations to keep in mind when it comes to direct and indirect feedback (Zhishan & Crosthwaite, 2025).
The session also highlighted a university-wide shift toward oral, in-person, and peer-reviewed assessments—reminding us that “human teachers” remain essential to authentic learning.
Closing Plenary: From Icebreakers to Impact
In the closing plenary, the QI Team—Philippa Coleman, Fiona Wiebusch, Ceara McManus, and Vicki Bos—presented From Icebreakers to Impact, sharing practical, low-prep strategies for building rapport and encouraging participation. Highlighting how purposeful classroom planning and teaching routines can help us create safe and successful classrooms—right from the start.
QLD PD Fest Session Highlights
Throughout the day, the QI team attended some standout sessions, including:
Building listening tasks that work
Supporting learners with neurodiversity
Designing effective CPD programs
Brain-based strategies for exam success
Using AI to enhance writing feedback
Transitioning from teacher to learning advisor
Access the full PD Fest program here.
Putting a Face to the Name
A highlight of the QI closing plenary was our ‘Putting a Face to the Name’ activity, where participants shared selfies and team photos to celebrate the people behind the event. It was a fun and meaningful reminder of the simple way that digital response tools can help to engage and connect learners in the classroom: view the collage here!
Gratitude to Event Organisers
It was wonderful to welcome English Australia’s General Manager, Sophie O’Keefe to Brisbane again this year. A keen advocate for professional development in our sector, it was a pleasure to have your support.
Special thanks to the English Australia QLD PD Fest Organising Committee, UQ College as hosts, Gold Sponsors (IELTS, LanguageCert, and Pearson) and Event Sponsors (Cambridge English, and The Queensland Institute) for supporting this vibrant day.
Check out our image gallery here:
Upcoming Events in Queensland
Stay tuned for more great PD opportunities in Queensland this year:
27–29 August: English Australia National Conference (Call for Papers now open!)
Early October: English Australia High School Prep PD Fest, hosted by JPIC
Connect with QI
The Queensland Institute delivers practical, professional development to support English language educators and academic leaders across the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors of international education in Australia. Connect with Co-Founders Philippa and Fiona via email to learn more. We’d love to hear from you!
Images courtesy: Peter Viteetarm
