Reflection on BELTA Day
07/05/2023 - 16:20
For Anastasia and her colleagues it was their first BELTA Day. She wrote a blog post in which she reflects on that experience.
Reflection on BELTA Day 2023
by Anastasia Kytmanova
BELTA day 2023 was indeed an exciting and memorable event and I feel grateful to my company for the
opportunity to be part of it. I would also like to thank the organizers for their hard work and dedication
and the speakers for inspiring ideas, passion, and creativity.
I was particularly interested in the topic of inclusive teaching and the ways to accommodate dyslexic
students. While it was encouraging to hear that we as a school are on the right track with regard to what
we are already doing, it was essential to be reminded about the importance of consistency. In fact, I
realized that I tend to prioritize accommodation during exams over in-class practices. Thank you,
Charlotte Peters, for putting together an extensive list of practical and adaptable ideas that will help me
provide better support for my students on a regular basis.
Another amazing presentation I would like to say a few words about is “So You Want Me To Read A
Book?” by Jerome Washington. Reading in a foreign language is far from easy, so teachers are always on
the lookout for effective motivation strategies. Thank you, Jerome, for sharing great ideas how to make
reading more personal, relevant, and engaging, for example, by using real-life problems or asking moral
dilemma questions. It is hard to stay impartial and not get involved in a debate on a relatable topic and
how exciting it actually is to hear different reactions! The more you think about the situation, the more
personally involved you become. In fact, I found myself still pondering what I would do and why the
following day.
In each presentation I was lucky to attend, the key element that really struck a chord was passion.
The passion to inspire students and colleagues alike, the passion to make English practice more
meaningful and personalized, the passion to teach essential social skills and critical thinking, the passion
to facilitate engagement and get engaged with the students, to be creative and work hard, to make a
difference.
Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity, powerful words and inspiring ideas.
Biography
Anastasia Kytmanova is an English teacher at Kids&Us Stockel English language school in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.
She is originally from Russia and majored in linguistics and ESL teaching. She was working as an English teacher and Instructor in Japan for over 10 years before moving to Belgium in September of 2021. She is passionate about teaching and looking for new effective ways to support and motivate her students.
Anastasia is based in Uccle.