Prezentacija ELTA-e


Slovenian 16th International IATEFL Annual Conference entitled `Recharging the batteries of/for success` was held from 12th-15th March in Terme Topolsica.
All of you who regularly attend ELTA conferences, after reading such headline, would probably start imagining that event as something similar to our huge formal gatherings of ELT professionals: working atmosphere, running from one session to the other, feeling fulfilled, but exhausted at the end of the day. Well, no similarities found in Slovenia…

As we were approaching Topolsica, the scenery was fascinating and the site itself - luxurious hotel with a complex of swimming pools surrounded by mountains was breathtaking! Smiling hostesses, the girls from IATEFL Slovenia team with their outstanding president Sandra Vida were there to greet us and my colleague Zeljko Andrijanic and I already felt more than welcome! After the registration we got our packs with the programme of the conference and – additional programme: a free warm wrap, a massage on a massage table, paraffine bath for hands, morning gymnastics in the swimming pool,…stunned and delighted, we realized that Slovenians had chosen the perfect combination of work and pleasure!
There were 150 participants, most of them from Slovenia, so I was excited when I saw two familiar faces, my dear acquaintances from ELTA conferences – Slavica Krsmanovic, the owner of Matilda School of English in Belgrade and her colleague Valentina Nikolovski.
We truly enjoyed the extraordinary plenary sessions by Mark Andrews, Piotr Steinbrich, Gary Anderson, Dr Klutz and Andrew Wright, as well as the numerous workshops - some of which (along with mine!) you can find at the IATEFL Slovenia web site: http://www.seeta.eu/course/view.php?id=17
I would underline one name – Geoff Hardcastle, an excellent teacher trainer (and entertainer) from SOL Centre in Barnstaple, North Devon who created great atmosphere the first evening and helped us relax and unwind, so his workshops the following days were fully attended. At the raffle party, SOL gave the main prize – a teacher course in Devon and - they are coming to our Conference, as well!
Thank you and congratulations, Slovenian team, our batteries are completely recharged!

Sanja Conjagic