This was BELTA Day 2026: Old tricks, new energy
27/04/2026 - 17:34
From plenary sessions on curiosity and community to breakout sessions on rap, AI, play, drama, tenses, and everything in between, BELTA Day 2026 was a full-circle moment that had something for everyone.
The 13th edition of BELTA Day has come and gone; and what an edition it was. The sun was out, the energy was high, and from the moment people walked through the doors, it was clear this was going to be a good one.
For some of us, stepping onto the venue felt like a full-circle moment before the day had even begun. There, on the banner at the entrance, were pictures from our 2nd edition... and in those pictures, two familiar faces: our plenary speakers Jeremy Harmer and James Taylor. Eleven editions later, here they were again. Some things are worth coming back to.
Old tricks, new dogs, and vice versa
Jeremy Harmer opened the day with a session that was equal parts provocative and reassuring. Do we always need to be chasing the next big thing in ELT? Are the methods and approaches we've relied on for years really past their sell-by date? Jeremy argued, convincingly, that they're not. The most important thing, whether you've been teaching for two years or thirty, is staying curious and remaining open to learning from others. New dogs may well benefit from old tricks, but the reverse is just as true. It was a timely reminder not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
James Taylor took a different angle in his plenary, placing community at the heart of teacher development. Growth doesn't happen in isolation: it happens when we feel we belong, when we find support in the people around us, and when we invest in those relationships. In a profession that can sometimes feel lonely, it was a message that clearly resonated with the room.
So much more than two plenaries
Of course, BELTA Day has never been just about the plenary speakers. The breakout sessions this year were a brilliant showcase of just how diverse our community is. Rap in the classroom, learning through play, British culture, the English tenses, AI in education, teaching without technology, and so much more. If you couldn't find something that sparked your interest, you weren't looking hard enough. Talking about diversity!
And then there were the conversations. In the corridors, over coffee, during lunch: the kind of exchanges that remind you why you came in the first place. It was wonderful to see so many people networking, laughing and genuinely enjoying the day. The "koffiekoeken" and sandwiches didn't hurt either.
The next generation
One of the highlights of the day was seeing so many teacher trainees in the crowd. To all of you: we hope this becomes a tradition. Come back next year, and the year after. As Jeremy reminded us: stay curious. It will make your career so much more enjoyable, and our community so much richer for having you in it.
The Joris De Roy Memorial Grant
We are also delighted to congratulate the two new winners of the Joris De Roy Memorial Grant, who will be heading to IATEFL in Birmingham next year. Their journey embodies exactly what both Jeremy and James spoke about today: the drive to keep learning, to seek out community, and to grow. We can't wait to hear what they bring back.
A word of thanks
A day like this doesn't come together on its own. A huge thank you to our sponsors, whose generous support makes BELTA Day possible year after year. Thank you also to all our speakers, plenary and breakout alike, for sharing their expertise, their passion and their time. And of course, thank you to every single delegate who showed up, joined in, and made the room what it was. BELTA Day is only as good as the people in it, and this year, the people were brilliant.
See you at edition 14!
Keep an eye on this website, our newsletter, and socials: more pictures and speaker materials will be shared soon. In the meantime, we've added a few snapshots here to give you a taste of the day.
