• Why did you join the TEd in EAP SIG?

Such a simple, yet complicated question! I think when it all started, it was a need to feel part of the field, of the community. And two years later, I can admit it works, haha! But of course, for me, it was also about teacher education. Teacher training in EAP was my dissertation topic for my MA in TESOL. You see, I myself come from a TESOL background, and had to ‘train’ myself to cope with the needs of Academic English. This always makes me feel that maybe I need to train more, maybe my theoretical background is not sufficient or relevant enough, maybe I need to specialise more, you know. So, being part of this SIG helps me learn more about developments in our field, see approaches to teacher education, all of that. 

• What’s something you would really like to do related to the SIG?

What I want so much to do is to be able to organise a PIM at our university. I honestly think about it a lot. To me, PIMs are amazing opportunities, and most I have attended have offered me a lot! So, why not our SIG have a PIM about teacher education in EAP? That’s the first time I share that, by the way, I haven’t ever told anyone, to be honest, I never shared it in our committee, which may be the reason why I haven’t organised anything yet! But now that I think about it, and now that I finally worded it, maybe it is time to start planning! 

• What tips can you give to people who want to join or start their own SIG?

Go for it! It is a great way to connect with like-minded people, it is an amazing way to keep in touch with the field, and to be involved with scholarly activities. You will also be amazed at how many more colleagues share concerns and worries similar to yours, so that’s also a nice thing to feel. Because, you know, on a daily basis, we’re so much isolated in our daily routines, but when you start connecting, you understand it’s not only you, for example. So, above all, I’d say it’s about bonding with people. 

• What do you think is the biggest challenge facing EAP professionals currently? Why? Do you have a possible solution or idea to overcome it?

That’s a huge discussion, isn’t it? Oh, I don’t know where to start… For me, the biggest challenge at the moment is this changing landscape in higher education. I am not sure what the role of EAP will be in, say, five years’ time, for example. Everything is changing, a lot of downsizing, merging, budgeting, and on a superficial, surface level, it seems that our field is mostly affected, as if EAP is a luxury, rather than a necessity. This could be a turning point, and this could be an opportunity for the field of EAP to evolve, and instead of shrinking, to become part of the core educational design. This is my aspiration for our field. We are educators, above all, having to specialise in so many different fields and majors if you think about it. Who else does that? So, this ability, this knowledge, this adaptability, all of this could become our strength. We are our universities’ best chance to keep standards high in an era of fast-food approaches, and I feel, or hope, that if we keep that in mind, we can play a central role in education. And when I see some of the developments in our field, the topics of PIMs or webinars, I get even more optimistic!

• What is the most important thing someone can do to help their own development/teacher education?

The most important… I don’t know if it’s just one or if it’s the most important, but I would definitely say that it is very important to have empathy and the ability to reflect. You see, our job involves human beings; it affects - or can possibly affect - the lives of our students. I always felt this is a huge responsibility. So, when we plan a lesson, when we teach, when we decide on what the next stage of our training or CPD would be, I think if we keep our students’ needs high and can empathise with them, if we reflect after trying our material, after teaching, then we will definitely find our way, and our work and development will give us this fulfillment that, you know, ‘I’ve done the best I can, and it shows on my students’ faces’. So, if this is our guide to finding our weaknesses and strengths, the next thing to focus on or learn, then we will find the steps for our personal and professional development.