Speakers
Description
Abstract: Rural EFL teachers often face professional isolation, limited training access, and insufficient classroom resources. This workshop presents a sustainable model for empowering these educators through digital communities and accessible educational technology. Grounded in the concept of professional learning networks (Trust, 2016) and research on rural teacher development (Azano & Stewart, 2015), the session showcases how a teacher-led, online mentoring and task-tracking system was used by over 100 teachers in Vietnam to co-design lessons, assign student tasks via EdTech, and monitor progress in real time. Participants will examine the structure of this community, including goal setting, peer feedback, and digital accountability through tools such as Easy School and virtual mentoring platforms. Outcomes include improved teacher confidence, increased student autonomy, and higher engagement in self-paced learning environments. Attendees will engage in collaborative planning, reflect on their own context, and leave with a clear framework for establishing or joining similar networks - highlighting how connection and technology together can drive sustained teacher growth and impact.
Biography
Ms. Tống Thị Tình holds a degree in English Linguistics from Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. She is currently working as a freelance teacher based in Hưng Yên province. With years of experience teaching children aged 4 to 15, she actively participates in professional training courses, workshops, and webinars to explore effective teaching methods and engaging, creative learning materials. Her goal is to make language learning easier and more enjoyable for her students. In addition to teaching, she is passionate about designing educational tools and innovating her teaching practices. She is currently a Twinkl Ambassador a Moderator of the Community of English Professionals (CEP), where she helps foster collaboration and professional growth among English teachers nationwide.
Ms. Đinh Hải Anh is a freelance English teacher who graduated with a degree in English Linguistics from Thanh Do University. With 8 years of teaching experience and a deep passion for education, she is always eager to share positive insights and personal experiences with the teaching community, especially in the field of EdTech-integrated teaching and learning. She is also passionate about community work she is the founder of a non-profit online project supporting students who are struggling with foundational English. In addition, she serves as the admin of Vườn Tri Thức (The Garden of Knowledge), a free educational resource-sharing group. She actively takes part in non-profit programs that promote a reading culture among children in rural areas.
