Speakers
Description
This workshop presents an experiential approach to English language teaching through the English Fair model implemented in Thai Nguyen City between 2017 and 2025. The model integrates creative activities such as artistic performances, themed conversation corners, film dubbing contest, team-based 21st - century skills games, and project-based learning for primary and lower-secondary students. Grounded in experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984) and Communicative Language Teaching, this approach aims to promote engagement, contextualized language use, and learner motivation.
Participants will first be introduced to key features, design principles, and implementation outcomes of the English Fair model, including its alignment with 21st-century skills and learner-centered pedagogies. Next, participants will engage in hands-on group tasks to design their own English Fair activity or booth, choosing a theme and planning interactive tasks that suit their learners’ context.
Through simulation and collaborative creation, participants will gain practical insights into integrating experiential learning into English instruction with limited resources. The workshop will conclude with group presentations and feedback, highlighting replicable strategies and ideas.
This session is ideal for teachers, curriculum designers, and school leaders interested in learner-centered innovation and community-based English teaching models. The workshop fosters professional exchange and supports the adaptation of the English Fair approach to various Vietnamese and international educational contexts.
Biography
Minh Ngo is a lower secondary school English teacher in Thai Nguyen City, Vietnam. With a strong passion for education and youth development, she has spent over a decade working to support students not only in improving their English proficiency but also in developing essential 21st-century skills.
In 2016, Minh completed the Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL) online course, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State in partnership with the University of Oregon. She went on to earn her MA in English Language from Hanoi University in 2018.
Her professional interests include designing meaningful extracurricular activities, integrating educational technology into language classrooms, and creating opportunities for student collaboration and autonomy. Minh believes that learning happens best when students are empowered to take an active role in their own progress.
Beyond the classroom, she has been actively involved in community-based English education projects since 2010, notably as the leader of the Community English Club (CEC) at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University. As a 2016 alumna of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), she continues to engage in projects that connect language learning with community impact and youth leadership.
