"Voices Beyond Algorithms: Reclaiming the Human Touch in Language Learning"
Across the shifting landscape of education, the rise of digital technologies and artificial intelligence has prompted us to rethink what it means to teach, to learn, and to connect. This year’s theme, “Voices Beyond Algorithms: Reclaiming the Human Touch in Language Learning,” invites us to move beyond the fascination surrounding technology and to re-center the conversation on the values, emotions, and meanings that shape the human experience of language learning.
As METU commemorates 70 years of academic excellence and social responsibility, we are reminded that education has always been more than the transmission of knowledge—it is an act of understanding, empathy, and human connection. While technological tools may expand what is possible in the classroom, they do not replace the relationships, insights, and transformative moments that unfold between teachers and learners. This convention therefore encourages us to explore not only how technology reshapes ELT, but also how we can preserve—and enhance—the humane dimensions of education in an increasingly automated age.
The future of ELT calls for a vision that extends beyond AI, one that acknowledges the complexity of human communication, the importance of ethical awareness, the richness of cultural diversity, and the power of creativity. What kinds of learning environments nurture curiosity, resilience, and emotional engagement? Which approaches empower learners to find their own voice in a multilingual world? How do we cultivate critical thinking, social responsibility, and global citizenship while embracing innovation? These questions guide our collective exploration.
Recognizing that multiple pathways lead to meaningful language learning, the Convention welcomes diverse perspectives and practices. “Voices Beyond Algorithms” affirms that effective education emerges from the interplay between knowledge, technology, imagination, and the human spirit. It is through the stories we share, the insights we exchange, and the communities we build that we shape the future of our field.
To this end, the 16th International METU ELT Convention aims to explore topics related to, but not limited to, the following:
- Applied linguistics and ELT
- AI, digital tools, and the human–machine relationship in learning
- Critical thinking, creativity, and imagination in ELT
- Curriculum, materials, and assessment practices across modalities
- Educational ideologies and their implications for classroom settings
- Ethical, cultural, and social dimensions of language education
- Inclusive practices and special education in ELT
- Language, identity, and learner empowerment
- Literature in English Language Teaching
- Multilingualism, intercultural communication, and global citizenship
- Sustainability, social justice, and education for a changing world
- Teacher identity, leadership, and professional agency
- Trauma-informed teaching
- Wellbeing, empathy, and emotional engagement in the classroom
- World Englishes / ELF / EIL Humanistic and holistic approaches to ELT
We look forward to welcoming you to the 16th International METU ELT Convention, where together we will reflect on how to embrace innovation while safeguarding the human essence of language learning—an essence that no algorithm can replicate.
