Speaker
Description
This practice-oriented presentation explores student-led conferences as a community of practice in EFL education. By positioning students in leadership roles, student-led conferences foster agency, transformative learning experiences, learner autonomy, and practical language use. Drawing on the presenter’s experience in a private Japanese secondary school, the presentation shares strategies for designing and facilitating student-led conferences that foster student agency, social change, and communication skills in an EFL context.
Short summary
This practice-oriented presentation explores student-led conferences as a community of practice in EFL education. By positioning students in leadership roles, student-led conferences foster agency, transformative learning experiences, learner autonomy, and practical language use. Drawing on the presenter’s experience in a private Japanese secondary school, the presentation shares strategies for designing and facilitating student-led conferences that foster student agency, social change, and communication skills in an EFL context.
Keywords
student agency
learner autonomy
social change
student-led conferences
Abstract
This practice-oriented oral presentation examines student-led conferences as a community of practice in EFL education, where domestic and overseas participants engage in authentic dialogue around social change. Communities of practice are defined as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Wenger, 2011, p.1). Drawing on this perspective, student-led conferences are framed as shared learning spaces in which students develop practical language competencies, agency, and confidence through meaningful participation.
In student-led conferences, students assume leadership roles and take responsibility for developing the conference theme, designing activities, facilitating discussions, and engaging in collaborative problem-solving. This shift represents a transformative learning experience as students move from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered environment. Through this process, students are positioned not only as language learners but as emerging changemakers who use language to take ownership of learning and contribute to their local and, in some cases, global communities. Repeated participation and reflection support the development of learner identity, responsibility, and agency within the learning community.
Drawing on the presenter’s experience implementing student-led conferences at a private Japanese secondary school, this presentation highlights the evolving role of teachers as facilitators within a community of practice. As learning events, student-led conferences align with research emphasizing participation, interaction, and continuity beyond a single event (Hilliard, 2006). Participants will gain practical strategies for designing and facilitating student-led conferences to foster student agency, social change, and communication skills in EFL contexts.
References
Hilliard, T. W. (2006). Learning at conventions: Integrating communities of practice. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 8(1), 45–68. https://doi.org/10.1300/J452v08n01_03
Wenger, E. (2011). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. STEP Leadership Workshop, University of Oregon. National Science Foundation. https://hdl.handle.net/1794/11736
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday or Sunday |
|---|---|
| Title | From Voice to Agency: Student Led Conferences as Community of Practice |