IH Young Learners Conference 2024

Join us for the International House Young Learners Conference 2024 in Sofia, Bulgaria!

Registrations for the IH Young Learner Conference 2024 are now closed. If you would like to enquire about securing a place, please email [email protected].

Event Overview:

November is around the corner, which can only mean one thing... the YL conference is back! The International House Young Learners (YL) Conference is a key event for educators to share practical classroom ideas and managerial content. This year's theme is "Maximising the Potential of Our YL Centres." It's an opportunity to exchange old and new ideas, explore YL teaching principles and procedures, share the challenges of running YL centres and collaborate with the vibrant International House community.

Conference Highlights:

• Dates: November 15-16, 2024
• Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
• Attendees: International House YL DoSes, YL coordinators and senior teachers from the IH network

Why Attend the IH Young Learners Conference?

• Plenary Sessions: Hear from external plenaries and IH speakers.
• Workshops: Participate in interactive sessions on the latest teaching strategies.
• Networking: Connect with fellow IH members.

Conference Speakers

We are excited to announce some of our featured speakers:

• Kieran Donaghy – renowned for his work in image, film, and multimodality in ELT, Kieran will explore innovative ways to integrate these into the classroom for more dynamic and effective teaching.
• Chantelle Walsh – an expert in mindfulness and social-emotional learning, Chantelle will share strategies to help young learners build resilience and emotional intelligence.
• Sezgi Yalin – an experienced ELT trainer and children’s book author, Sezgi will deliver a workshop/plenary session focusing on her unique approach to working with young learners, drawing on her book series.
• Elena Malinovskaya – an experienced YL teacher and ELT trainer. Elena will be doing a talk that takes us on a mini journey into the world of Neuropsychology and how this can help optimise our YL teaching and management.

About International House Sofia:

This year marks a special occasion for International House Sofia as they celebrate 15 years in the IH network. The school offers a diverse range of YL courses starting at 4 years old to teens. The curriculum focuses on community, health, environment, diversity, and innovation, and has expanded into an EU Erasmus project. YL and Teen courses include project work, extended writing, virtual reality, and soft skills development. IH Sofia is excited to share some of this content with other IH members.

Discover Sofia:

Sofia is a laid-back capital city steeped in history but fully immersed in modern day life with its calendar of events and concerts and the vibrant streets brimming with restaurants, bars, modern spas, and vibrant nightlife. With Vitosha Mountain nearby, you can quickly escape to the mountains and enjoy stunning views of Bulgaria.

Event Venues:

• Friday: Hotel Anel Sofia - 14 Todor Alexandrov Blvd.
• Saturday: IH Sofia - 39A Sitnyakovo Blvd, 1505

Conference Programme:

Access the full conference programme here.

Approximate Timings:

• Thursday, November 14: 16.00 Walking tour of Sofia and 18.30 welcome drinks reception at IH Sofia - 39A Sitnyakovo Blvd, 1505
• Friday, November 15: Full conference day (9:00 - 17:45)
• Saturday, November 16: Full conference day (9:00 - 17:45) followed by a closing dinner with traditional Bulgarian food.
• Sunday, November 17: Optional tour of the beautiful city of Plovdiv.

Travel Information:

• Nearest Airport: Sofia Airport (6 km from IH Sofia’s main branch)
• Airlines: Wizz Air, Ryanair, EasyJet, Bulgaria Air, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Aegean, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Air Serbia.
• Travel Cost: A taxi ride from the airport takes 10 minutes and costs 10 Euros or less.

Accommodation:

• Hotel Anel Sofia - 75 Euros per night including breakfast.
• Budget Hotels: Approximately 40/50 Euros per night: Hotel Kapri and Easy Hotels 

Sponsorship Opportunities:

If you would like to sponsor this event for a chance to reach the IHWO community of Academic Managers and YL specialists, please contact Giuliana Faldetta via email: [email protected]

Thank You to our Partners

Thank You to our Sponsors