"Criticality, Innovation, and Compassion:
Rethinking Language Education in Times of Change"
May 16-17, 2026 (Mark your calendars!)
Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
Plenary Speakers
Thomas Farrell & Nathanael Rudolph
Check Out Our Invited Speakers
In a world marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting geopolitical landscapes, and evolving learner needs, English language education is being called to adapt in thoughtful and transformative ways. The 2026 KOTESOL International Conference invites educators, researchers, and practitioners to engage with the interconnected themes of criticality, innovation, and compassion as guiding principles for reimagining language teaching and learning.
- Criticality urges us to question established norms, challenge inequities, and reflect on the sociopolitical dimensions of our work - from curriculum design and classroom interaction to institutional policies and global ELT discourses.
- Innovation encourages the exploration of new pedagogical approaches, technologies, and frameworks that respond creatively and effectively to emerging educational realities.
- Compassion reminds us that at the heart of teaching lies human connection - the need to center empathy, inclusion, and care in ways that affirm learners’ diverse identities, experiences, and aspirations.
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Presenter Registration (March 1-April 7) [CLOSED]
Attendee Pre-registration (April 1-May 5)
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Let us, together, rethink language education not just as a technical practice, but as an ethical and transformative endeavor. In these times of uncertainty and possibility, how can we, as language professionals, respond with insight, imagination, and heart?
Join us for critical conversations, innovative pedagogies, and compassionate teaching!
