1-Day EAL Symposium in Shenzhen
Everyone is a Language Teacher: Building Bridges Across Content and Language
Venue: Shekou International School, Shenzhen- Net Valley Campus
Dates: March 7, Saturday, 2026
Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Date
March 7, 2026
Saturday
Location
Shekou International School, Shenzhen - Net Valley Campus
Price
RMB 1,500 pp
Audience
EAL Specialists, Homeroom Teachers, and any teaching staff
About the EAL Symposium
Language is at the heart of every learning experience. Whether in mathematics, science, physical education, or the arts, the ability to communicate ideas, express understanding, and build connections depends on language. This conference brings together educators who believe that language learning does not live only in the English classroom—it belongs everywhere.
Essential Questions
Participants will explore practical strategies, share classroom experiences, and learn from colleagues across disciplines. Together, we will ask:
How do content-area teachers integrate language learning into their practice?
What does it look like when language and subject knowledge grow side by side?
How can schools create environments where every teacher feels confident supporting language development?
This conference is not just about listening—it is about participating, exchanging, and taking action. You will leave with concrete strategies, renewed inspiration, and a community of peers to lean on long after the event ends.
Host
Celina Mathews
Celina Mathews is the EAL Program Lead at Shekou International School, where she designs and leads school-wide approaches to multilingual learning. She specializes in building inclusive language support systems, developing adaptive language assessments, and strengthening collaboration between EAL specialists and classroom teachers. Celina is also the founder of Fluency Compass, an adaptive, AI-enabled language proficiency assessment platform that empowers schools to make informed decisions about student support and growth. She is passionate about data-informed practice, multilingual identity development, and building communities of educators who learn together.
Speaker Lineup
Françoise Raoult
EAL Team Lead and Coach
Beijing City International School
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Vocabulary knowledge is a critical driver of comprehension, yet it is often taught in isolation from content learning. This session explores research-informed approaches to vocabulary instruction that support deep conceptual understanding across subject areas. Participants will examine practical strategies for integrating vocabulary, language structures, and meaning-making within content instruction, with a particular focus on multilingual learners. Through classroom examples and instructional tools, educators will learn how intentional vocabulary instruction can strengthen comprehension, support transfer, and ensure that all students—regardless of language background—can access rigorous learning.
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Françoise is an international educator and instructional leader specializing in literacy, multilingual learners, and language-integrated teaching across curriculum areas. With experience supporting teachers in diverse international school contexts, her work focuses on making language visible within content instruction through research-informed practices such as structured literacy. She is passionate about helping educators see themselves as language teachers and equipping them with practical strategies to support comprehension, vocabulary development, and student agency. Through coaching, professional learning, and curriculum design, she aims to bridge content and language to ensure equitable access to rigorous learning for all students.
Jordan West-Pratt
Dean of Students and Academic Dean of the Arts Academy
Vanke Meisha Academy
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We'll tackle the how and why of science language. Yes, we'll cover efficient methods for essential vocabulary (retrieval, interleaving). But we go deeper: how does a scientist's purpose shape their language? We'll analyze texts and dialogue to unpack why scientists write and speak with precision, objectivity, and logical connections. Learn to apprentice your students into the authentic discourse patterns of the discipline, moving them from memorizing terms to thinking and communicating with them. Takeaway: A dual-strategy approach: robust vocab acquisition and explicit apprenticeship into scientific discourse.
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With a 21-year career spanning schools in Canada, Germany, and China, Dean of Students Mr. Jordan brings a truly global perspective to the conversation on fostering inclusive learning communities.
The bulk of his teaching expertise is in MYP and DP Science and TOK classrooms. He has worked as a WSL, Exam Author, examiner and School Visitor for the IB since 2015
Joy Yang
Grade 5 Teaching Assistant
Shekou International School
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Join us for an interactive session at the Shenzhen EAL Workshop, where primary teaching assistants from Shekou International School will unpack the core challenges in teaching math to young learners at international schools. We will focus on four key pain points: language transition barriers, curriculum gaps, cultural context, and adapting learning habits. This practical, hands-on presentation will share actionable EAL strategies, classroom-tested tools, and collaborative techniques—concluding with a 10-minute group activity to design your own supportive math lesson. Leave with ready-to-use ideas to create a more inclusive and effective math learning environment.
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Joy Yang is a committed Grade 5 teaching assistant with a deep passion for education and a strong love for reading. With several years of valuable experience in the classroom, she is highly skilled at supporting students' academic and social-emotional development. Joy shines in crafting engaging lesson plans, tailoring instruction to cater to diverse learners' needs, and cultivating a positive and inclusive classroom atmosphere. Renowned for her patience, creativity, and excellent communication skills, Joy is dedicated to empowering every student to achieve their full potential.
Moon Cao
Primary School Teaching Assistant
Shekou International School
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Join us for an interactive session at the Shenzhen EAL Workshop, where primary teaching assistants from Shekou International School will unpack the core challenges in teaching math to young learners at international schools. We will focus on four key pain points: language transition barriers, curriculum gaps, cultural context, and adapting learning habits. This practical, hands-on presentation will share actionable EAL strategies, classroom-tested tools, and collaborative techniques—concluding with a 10-minute group activity to design your own supportive math lesson. Leave with ready-to-use ideas to create a more inclusive and effective math learning environment.
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Moon Cao is a teaching assistant at an international school in Shenzhen. Prior to be a teaching assistant, she was an admissions assistant working with many parents who wanted their child to build English skills by attending to an international school. From understanding the needs of families to getting to know more students in classroom, she gained practical EAL strategies that support students in solving math problem.
Danijela Pop-Jovanov
Senior Academic Lead
Dipont Education
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Students may read a text yet struggle to explain it in writing. This session demonstrates a “Read, Talk and Write” lesson sequence that integrates vocabulary, guided reading routines, structured discussion, and framed writing. Participants will practise an annotation and sentence-unpacking routine, rehearse responses using talk frames, and draft a short paragraph with a writing frame and sentence upgrading.
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Danijela Pop-Jovanov holds an International MEd in Educational Leadership and Policy, a BA in English Language and Literature, and an MA in English Philology, alongside specialist SEND training (Level 3). With over two decades of teaching and leadership experience, she has a strong track record in quality assurance, curriculum and assessment design, and programme evaluation across international and bilingual contexts. Danijela coaches and mentors English coordinators and Heads of Department through observation, PLCs, and targeted professional development, supporting evidence-based improvement aligned with global standards and diverse learner needs.
Brisa Eneas
Primary Homeroom Teacher
Shekou International School
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Move beyond the idea that language instruction belongs only in ELA. This practical workshop, designed for homeroom teachers, provides a framework for seamlessly integrating language development into math, science, and inquiry-based learning. Discover how simple, high-leverage strategies—like strategic sentence frames, vocabulary mobilization, and translanguaging—can deepen content understanding for all students. Leave with a ready-to-use toolkit to transform your classroom into a language-rich environment where every lesson empowers students to read, write, speak, and listen like mathematicians, scientists, and historians.
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Brisa Enéas is a homeroom teacher with 22 years of teaching experience including international classrooms. Her practice is dedicated to making every lesson a language lesson, seamlessly weaving literacy strategies into math, science, and inquiry-based units. As a linguist, she specializes in creating practical, scaffolded techniques that help students access content and express their understanding confidently. Brisa believes in empowering colleagues with the same actionable tools she uses daily to build inclusive, language-rich environments where every child, regardless of their starting point, can succeed as a capable communicator and thinker.
Jacky Mateo
EAL Teacher
Shekou International School
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True creative expression flourishes when students are invited to bring the full spectrum of their native languages and cultural voices into their work. This session explores how to move beyond monolingual boundaries, reimagining the classroom as a space where every language serves as a unique resonance in a larger ensemble. We’ll examine how translanguaging empowers MYP students to bridge the gap between their heritage and their conceptual inquiry, transforming the Process Journal into a soulful, multilingual narrative. Together, we’ll discover versatile strategies that champion student identity, making these approaches adaptable for any subject area.
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Jacky Mateo is an EAL and MYP Arts specialist dedicated to breaking down linguistic barriers in the creative classroom—empowering students to leverage their full linguistic repertoire to deepen artistic expression. With over a decade of experience, Jacky holds a BA in Secondary Education and an MA in Multidisciplinary Studies from SUNY. Her focus on inclusive pedagogy demonstrates how translanguaging serves as a powerful tool for identity exploration and conceptual understanding within the IB framework. Follow her work and portfolio at jackymateo.mystrikingly.com.
Gigi Wu
Pre-k 1 Teaching Assistant
Shekou International School
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Supporting language development in early childhood is about nurturing the foundational capacity for communication, learning, and social connection. The first few years of life represent a critical window of opportunity where a child's brain is highly receptive to language input. Effective support involves creating a rich, interactive language environment through daily conversations, responsive interactions, shared reading, and play. This proactive approach, centered on meaningful engagement rather than formal instruction, lays the essential groundwork for future academic success, cognitive growth, and emotional well-being.
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Gigi Wu is a dedicated international education professional with over a decade of experience in instructional support and school administration at Shekou International School (SIS). She currently serves as a Prek-1 Teaching Assistant, where she focuses on nurturing the developmental and educational needs of children aged three to four.
Gigi began her career as a Teaching Assistant for elementary students (Grades 1–5) at QSI International School, where she discovered her passion for helping young learners grow with confidence and curiosity. Her commitment to fostering a warm, engaging, and supportive classroom environment continues to be at the heart of her work at SIS.
More speakers to be announced.
Why Attend?
By the end of the symposium, participants will:
Gain practical strategies for embedding language learning into content teaching.
Learn from peers across subject areas, sharing both successes and challenges.
Build an action plan for their school through Innovation Labs.
Connect with a growing network dedicated to supporting multilingual learners.
Explore tools and resources from sponsors that can support teaching and learning.
Price
RMB 1,500 pp
Agenda Highlights
Presentation Sessions
Across three main sessions, participants will have the opportunity to attend multiple presentations from educators working in different subject areas. You’ll be able to choose from a wide range of practical, content-focused ideas. Presenters will include SIOP-certified teachers, science and PE specialists, homeroom educators, and more—ensuring a strong focus on the intersection of language and content teaching.
Table Topics Café
Sometimes the most valuable professional learning comes from an informal conversation over coffee.
At the Table Topics Café, participants will engage in small-group table discussions on designated themes—ranging from language learning strategies to fostering identity and belonging in the classroom. Lightly structured prompts will help spark ideas, but the heart of the learning happens through shared experience and peer exchange.
This café-style segment also features sponsor booths and conversation tables, giving participants a chance to hear directly from partner organizations about innovative tools, resources, and services that support language development across K–12 classrooms. Whether exploring a new learning platform, discovering multilingual resources, or learning from sponsor expertise, participants are invited to connect, ask questions, and gather ideas to bring back to their school communities.
Interactive Networking
Relationships are the foundation of professional growth. We’ll host a structured interactive networking session designed to help you meet new colleagues, make professional connections, and expand your support network across schools and regions.
Innovation Labs
Ideas are powerful, but they only transform learning when they are acted upon. That’s why this conference builds in dedicated Innovation Lab time for school teams. These collaborative sessions give educators the chance to translate conference takeaways into concrete action plans tailored to their school contexts.
Become a Speaker
We are inviting educators to share practical, classroom-tested ideas that help all teachers support language development across subject areas. If you are integrating language and content in your practice, experimenting with new approaches, or leading work to improve outcomes for multilingual learners, we would love to hear from you.
Share your practice and help strengthen language-rich teaching in every classroom:
Join us in Shenzhen
This conference is designed for educators who believe in the power of language as a tool for learning, inclusion, and growth. Whether you teach English, lead a homeroom, or specialise in a subject area, you are part of the journey. Everyone is a language teacher—and together, we can make language learning thrive in every classroom.
Recommended Hotel
CM Serviced Apartment Shenzhen Hillside
深圳半山壹棠服务公寓
中国广东省深圳市南山区沿山路 3 号 518067
No. 3, Yanshan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518067, China
Booking Contact
销售员 Contact Person：Leslie Ji
联系电话（手机）Tel：0755-21600188, 17735367443
电子邮件 E-Mail：jiyongqi1@cmhk.com