We have announced over 30 sessions for the China Festival of Education, including our Festival Keynote, Jassa Ahluwalia. You can view a summary of the sessions taking place below. Further content will be announced in the coming weeks, and we will shortly publish the Festival App.
Both Not Half: Fostering belonging in a divided world
In 2019, Jassa Ahluwalia went viral with a comedy video of himself speaking Punjabi, a language he has spoken since childhood by virtue of his mixed British-Indian heritage. In an attempt to articulate his sense of self to viewers confused by his white appearance, he originated the hashtag #BothNotHalf – a rewording and a reimagining of mixed identity. His TEDx talk has clocked up over 175k views and his BBC One documentary – Am I English? – won an Asian Media Award in 2022. Both Not Half has since evolved into a radical call to action. In the fight for belonging, we must all refuse to be divided.
Jassa Ahluwalia
British actor, writer and filmmaker
Jassa is a British actor, writer and creator of the hashtag #BothNotHalf, which he uses to explore mixed identity and his own British-Indian heritage. Born in Coventry to a white English mum and a brown Punjabi dad in 1990, he attended school in Leicester and was raised in an extended family environment. He spoke English in the playground, Punjabi with his grandparents, and spent various summer holidays in India. He came to prominence as Rocky in the hit BBC Three series Some Girls, followed by starring roles in Unforgotten, Ripper Street, and Peaky Blinders. His first book – Both Not Half – will be published in May 2024 by Bonnier Books UK.
In the AI Era, is it better to be Specialist or Generalist?
The rise of artificial intelligence has already made us realize that mankind may be facing profound changes unseen in a thousand years. Facing the emergence of ChatGPT and Sora, we all concern about our education system and the methodology of talent development. To be a specialist or a generalist? The greatest threat to mankind is not ignorance but arrogance. In such an Era, we are all ignorant and we need humility more than ever.
Wan Wei
Chief Executive Master, Shanghai Pinghe School
Member of the Central Education Commission of the China Democratic League, Deputy Director of the Basic Education Committee of the Shanghai Democratic League, Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Private Primary and Secondary School Association, member of the 1st batch of expert database of the National Training Plan of the Ministry of Education. He has published three books in the “Homeroom Teacherโs Handbook” series, “Being a Teacher with a Service Attitude”, “Learning Education from the United States”, “The Five Realms of Being a Teacher”, “Starting Education at the Age of 40”, “The Essence of School Management”, “Education Has Only One Theme”, “Parents Have Vision, Children Have Ambition” and other professional works.
Future Proofing the ECE Curriculum - Understanding, Supporting and Recognising the Nature and Role of Learning Behaviours
Critically identified Learning Behaviours such as self regulation, metacognition, emotional Literacy and Creativity form an integral part of Childrenโs development and progress Understanding and supporting the acquisition and development of Childrenโs Learning Behaviours is a crucial aspect of an aspirational, ambitious, , relevant and responsible Curriculum. By ensuring that children have these necessary drivers to seek, engage and act on knowledge and skills, educators will secure effective and transformational outcomes for the children that they work with. As such an integral part of supporting childrenโs development, it is also vital that the acquisition and progression of Learning Behaviours is represented in a way that both supports Educators decision making and also provides a robust mean of accountability. This Keynote will examine the principles and practices that enable leaders and educators to create a unique, value driven approach to integrating the support and assessment of Learning Behaviours across all Early Years Provision.
Jan Luke Dubiel
Independent ECE Consultant
Using Talk for Writing Strategy in Chinese teaching
Talking for Writing strategy is an efficient way of teaching language and writing in many western countries because it can make students learn and practice to use writing skills. The question that how to put this interesting and effective teaching strategy into Chinese writing is now becoming a valuable topic for Chinese teachers. I will introduce the Talk for Writing Strategy and provide the examples in my class. Besides, some expectation toward other subjects will be showed in the session.
Alvin Wu
Mandarin Teacher, Wellington College International Tianjin
Thinking Moves A โ Z: a scheme for teaching and learning metacognition
Roger Sutcliffe, the creator of the scheme, will explain how the 26 verbs in the A – Z encompass but surpass Bloomโs famous, but flawed, taxonomy of cognitive processes. He will show how all teaching and learning can be improved by planning for and practising individual Moves, and by developing a rich range of metacognitive strategies, expressed as simple combinations of Moves. He will finally explain the simple structure of the 6-hour online training that gives individuals and schools the confidence to begin a lifelong โmetacognitive journeyโ of their own.
Roger Sutcliffe
Educational Consultant, DialogueWorks
"Tradition" meets "Modern" - Cultural learning Integrated with EdTech
Can EdTech be used to learn traditional Chinese culture?
Can language proficiency be developed through the integration of EdTech?
Can learning Chinese traditional culture help pupils establish information-oriented thinking?
Can STEAM courses help pupils effectively consolidate language basic knowledge and improve language application skills?
Can EdTech be used to enable pupils to become creative communicators and active cross-cultural communicators?
Catherine Jia
Chinese Culture coordinator/Mandarin teacher, Wellington College International Tianjin
Elisa Yan
Mandarin Teacher/ JS EdTech Lead, Wellington College International Tianjin
Let's Talk Oracy: harness the power of classroom talk
Talk is one of the most commonly used tools a teacher draws upon in the classroom. And yet, many teachers are not confident about how to develop studentsโ learning through talk.
This session will address this challenge directly: firstly unpacking what research tells us about classroom talk and then exploring a range of practical strategies to harness talk for learning. Through real-life examples (videos and transcripts) you will see first-hand how a high quality oracy education can elevate teaching and learning, and crucially the small, practical steps a teacher can take to enable all students to learn through talk.
Alice Stott
Director of Programmes, Voice 21
Concept based Curriculum and Instructions
The session focuses on the Concept-Based Curriculum and Instructions (CBCI) framework, which aims to promote students’ deep understanding through inquiry. Participants will learn about the structure of knowledge๏ผstructure of process, concept-based unit planning, and inductive way of teaching for various subjects and age groups. The workshop provides educators with tools and resources to concentrate on students’ conceptual understanding, leading to a more profound comprehension.
Tingting Ge
Chinese Coordinator, Wellington College China Huili Nantong School
Unlock the Magic of Reading: How to Build Lifelong Readers
This session is an ideal resource for any educator who is seeking practical tools and guidance to build a reading culture within their school. By acknowledging the importance of reading, this presentation provides valuable insights into how educators can make a positive impact on pupil education and personal growth. It offers practical tips and strategies that can be implemented to inspire and ignite a love for reading within the school community. Overall, this session promotes the idea that reading is an essential life skill that should be nurtured and developed from a young age, and it provides the tools and guidance needed to achieve this goal.
Paige Jordan
Head of Primary English, Wellington College International Hangzhou
The Future of CPD
What are the challenges facing education, what do teachers, leaders and schools need, where are the opportunities and what does the future hold? This will not be a session waffling on about 21st Century skills, schools being broken and we wonโt need teachers because of AI/smartphones/the internet *delete as applicable. Rather, it will focus on the very real opportunities and imperatives for education in the coming years.
Iain Henderson
Director of the Bridge; Co-Director of the Festival of Education, Wellington College
Coaching in Education: a state of the nation address
What is happening in coaching in education at the moment? What is gaining traction? What are people missing? Where are confusions and what are the solutions? Will coaching become another outmoded fad in a few yearsโ time? How do schools make coaching work well? How do they make it not work?
Iain Henderson
Director of the Bridge; Co-Director of the Festival of Education, Wellington College
Using Better Questions to Accelerate Learning
Questions have the ability to enhance learning and are essential for adaptive teaching. They are probably one of the most effective tools teachers have to accelerate embedding information into long-term memory. But what does the research actually say about the different types of questions we can ask, the timing of them, and most importantly, how we get high quality answers from our students. As well as covering seminal research, this session will also give practical tips and suggestions.
Edward Watson
Director, InnerDrive
The Science of Learning
This highly interactive and engaging session will explore the latest and greatest research into how students actually learn. We will explore the limitations of working memory, as well as covering what the evidence suggests are the most effective ways to help students learn. As a bonus, it will also cover which are the popular studying strategies students choose that in reality tend not to be all that helpful.
Edward Watson
Director, InnerDrive
Resilience and Motivation in Education
Resilience and motivation are arguably some of the most important skills we can help young people to develop. But quite often this can morph into a โjust believe in yourselfโ mantra. But once you dig into the research on resilience you realise there are many evidence informed strategies that schools and teachers can use to develop real resilience in students. This workshop will cover the development of resilience through classroom environment, feedback and other strategies that we can use to enhance motivation and resilience in young people.
Edward Watson
Director, InnerDrive
Spatial Wonders: Building STEM Foundations in the Early Years
Through this workshop, participants will:
This workshop is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the foundational principles of spatial reasoning, and its connections to early STEM skills. Additionally, it will offer practical and effective strategies for integrating spatial reasoning into early years STEM education.
Lola Alvarez
PK Teacher and Reggio Emilia Coordinator, Shanghai American School
Creating challenging and authentic STEM engagements for Elementary learners.
During this interactive workshop, authentic examples of child-initiated inquiries are shared with a focus on STEM and sustainability. Seizing those teachable moments, we will reflect on how each project is transdisciplinary, promotes the development of learning dispositions and concepts as well as covering curriculum standards and benchmarks. How can we create environments that support student agency across all age groups and contexts? Participates will be invited to collaborate and develop ideas for further possible inquiries.
Joanna Moffett
Early Childhood Educator, Shanghai American School
Kinetic Quests- Crafting High-Quality Outdoor Learning for Optimal Child Wellness
This session focuses on the crucial role of physical activity and outdoor learning in promoting children’s holistic development, wellbeing, and success. Attendees will learn practical tips and strategies to ensure all aspects of the Kinetic Scale (sensory, reflexes, motor skills, language and behavior) are addressed through “kinetic quests” that foster cognitive development. It also highlights the importance of high-quality adult interactions with children to support their play, metacognition, and learning. Using the Kinetic Scale as a visual tool, practitioners can craft high-quality outdoor learning adventures that cater to the diverse needs of learners for optimal cognitive development and learning outcomes.
Monica Mukherjee
Head of Early Years – Group Support, Wellington College China
How I am using AI to meet the needs of my Second Language Learners โ One Teacherโs Journey
I have had an amazing year learning how to use ChatGPT and other AI platforms to completely transform the way I plan and deliver lessons for second language students. In this presentation, I will show you how I have harnessed AI to help in all aspects of planning and teaching โ from creating resources aligned with exam-board curricula to using AI to analyse studentsโ specific language needs and designing lessons that are differentiated and targeted. I have exploited AI in every aspect of my teaching. I am looking forward to sharing this journey with other teachers.
Alan Pritchard
Senior Second Language Coordinator, Wellington College Shanghai
Everyone is a Language Teacher
Join us for an interactive session on “Everyone is a Language Teacher”. In this session, we will explore practical ways for educators to support the changing pupil demographic (an increasing number of pupils with language support needs). Our presenter will share tips and strategies for integrating language learning into everyday activities and creating a language-rich classroom environment. Whether you’re a language teacher or not, this session will provide valuable insights on supporting English language learners and enhancing your teaching practices. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to discover new ways to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students!
Kayleigh Norman
Head of English and ELA / CPD Coordinator, Wellington College International Tianjin (WCIT)
Culture identity in Bilingual teaching
Cultural identity in bilingual teaching refers to the understanding of one’s own culture and the culture of the other language being taught. It involves recognizing and respecting cultural similarities and differences between two languages. In bilingual teaching, the aim is to integrate the culture of the language being taught with the culture of the learner’s first language in order to create a positive and inclusive learning environment. By acknowledging the values, customs, traditions, and beliefs of both cultures, bilingual teaching can help promote cross-cultural understanding and communication.
Nini Li
EY4 Class Teacher and Curriculum Lead, Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin Nursery
Lisa Li
Deputy Head of the Nest, Wellington College Bilingual Tianjin Nursery
Navigating the Future of Learning: The Power of Cross-School Learning Networks
This session focuses on the importance of cross-school learning networks in responding to the constantly changing and evolving academic landscape. Key discussion points include how to effectively navigate the rapid evolution of education by exploring the power of cross-school learning networks to enhance educators’ development and growth and positively impact student outcomes. The session emphasises the value of cooperation, shared resources, and collective problem-solving in addressing educational challenges, as well as the importance of the role of teacher collaboration in modelling cooperative learning for students.
Dragana Popovic
Head of Senior School Support, Wellington College China
Session location and time will be published via the Festival App in late September.
The Pedagogical Guide to Innovation and Sustainable Practice
In todayโs ever evolving educational landscape, the development of innovative teaching practice presents many opportunities, but leaves many questions unanswered. What is innovation and how do we distinguish it from Educational Technologies? Through a comprehensive analysis of pedagogical practices and curriculum development, explore the keys to innovation and unlock the untapped potential of your students. Uncover how a deep dive inquiry and a global focused problem-solving approach, viewed through a maker-centered and design thinking lens, can be used to develop future ready students who are empowered to make a difference.
Liam Murphy
Lead Teacher of Innovation and Humanities, Kellett School, Hong Kong
Session location and time will be published via the Festival App in late September.
School Data - Friend or Foe?
How well does your school really use the data you capture? Data can be gold, used properly. We review the true value of data โ how important it is and why it is incumbent upon all educators to use it regularly. I will try to shed light on how to move towards data led practice throughout your school.
Christopher Scorer
International Education Consultant GL Education
Session location and time will be published via the Festival App in late September.
Great Teaching Strand
What makes great teaching, and what does it look like in the classroom? Come find out! All sessions that form part of the strand are linked to the research evidenceย on the things that teachers know and do that have the biggest impact on learning. This stand is curated in partnership with Evidence Based Education.
Great Teaching: naming it, seeing it, and getting more of it
In this session, Stuart will share insights into The Great Teaching Toolkit project that he and colleagues at EBE have been working on for the past five years. He will talk about the power of schools using a common language of pedagogy, as well as the ‘lightbulb’ moments generated by granular, personalised feedback on a teacher’s practice. He’ll also highlight the huge potential of structured collaboration within schools, and across networks of schools. Finally, Stuart will show those attending how they can access the Toolkit for free to receive confidential, personalised feedback on their teaching.
Stuart Kime
Director of Education, Evidence Based Education
Dr Hannah Bickerdike
Head of GTT Experience, Evidence Based Education
Thinking Moves A โ Z: a scheme for teaching and learning metacognition
“Roger Sutcliffe, the creator of the scheme, will explain how the 26 verbs in the A – Z encompass but surpass Bloomโs famous, but flawed, taxonomy of cognitive processes. He will show how all teaching and learning can be improved by planning for and practising individual Moves, and by developing a rich range of metacognitive strategies, expressed as simple combinations of Moves. He will finally explain the simple structure of the 6-hour online training that gives individuals and schools the confidence to begin a lifelong โmetacognitive journeyโ of their own.
“
Roger Sutcliffe
Educational Consultant, DialogueWorks
Three* things every teacher should know about promoting learner motivation
Students who are motivated to study, learn, engage and succeed are more likely to do so. In this session, Stuart will guide us through a key motivation theory โ Self-Determination Theory (SDT) โ and related practical strategies that teachers could select and adapt in your own contexts. SDT prioritises the kinds of motivation that support an individualโs wellbeing and development as much as their task performance: it provides an excellent framework for educators interested in leveraging the best available research evidence to help their students want to learn more. Come along to find our why the * is in the title of this session!
Stuart Kime
Co-founder and Director, Evidence Based Education
Using the Great Teaching Toolkit to create a Metacognitive Cycle of learning
The session will focus on the Metacognitive Cycle, that was developed alongside the research from the Great Teaching Toolkit. Comprising five key stages, this cycle enhances student learning by fostering metacognitive knowledge of tasks, strategies, and self. The session will explore the benefits and classroom application of metacognition as a powerful learning strategy, empowering students to take charge of their own learning. The session aims to equip educators with insights into how the Metacognitive Cycle can facilitate effective planning, monitoring, and evaluation of thinking processes, leading to improved academic performance, heightened motivation, and enhanced self-regulation. The Metacognitive Cycle is underpinned by the latest educational research from Evidence Based Education, the Education Endowment Foundation, and Professor Dylan Williamโs five formative assessment strategies. This will help ensure that the cycle can be adapted across different subjects, Key Stages, and contexts to create independent and autonomous learners.
Mike Downes
Head of History, Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong
Being 1% braver with assessment: little tweaks that make a big difference
Join Debbie and Claire to hear the story of how YCYW invited teachers to become a little bit braver with assessment; how they encouraged tinkering and why they set boundaries for the how and what.
Through this story telling you will walk away with ideas on:
โข How to ensure assessment is purposeful and supports effective communication, response, and interpretation.
โข Why expectations and boundaries are so important when influencing change at scale
โข How to encourage the resilience to keep going and try new things
โข Why modelling the โelephant in the roomโ conversations are essential if wanting colleagues to have honest conversations about assessment
โข How to start small and think big about assessment in your school
Claire Peet
Academic Professional Development and Quality Assurance Senior Manager. YCYW Education Network
Debbie McNally
Head of Academic Improvement, YCYW Education Network
Leadership and Strategy Strand
What makes a great leader and how does effective leadership shape our schools? Dive into these sessions to explore how leadership, strategy and culture can be harnessed to boost student outcomes, increase teacher effectiveness, and innovate practice. This strand is curated in partnership with the Global Ed Leaders Podcast.
The Pedagogical Guide to Innovation and Sustainable Practice
In todayโs ever evolving educational landscape, the development of innovative teaching practice presents many opportunities, but leaves many questions unanswered. What is innovation and how do we distinguish it from Educational Technologies? Through a comprehensive analysis of pedagogical practices and curriculum development, explore the keys to innovation and unlock the untapped potential of your students. Uncover how a deep dive inquiry and a global focused problem-solving approach, viewed through a maker-centered and design thinking lens, can be used to develop future ready students who are empowered to make a difference.
Liam Murphy
Lead Teacher of Innovation and Humanities, Kellett School, Hong Kong
Metamorphoses โ Changing Definitions of International Education and What It Means for our Schools
This session will explore traditional typologies and definitions of international schools, and ways these are evolving to represent the shifting landscape in international education in China and Asia more broadly. This is seen in the shift to an emphasis increasingly on a local rather than expat demographic, as well the challenges presented by compliance in bilingual contexts. This session will look at synergies between different types of schools and ways these inform the way forward for the sector, with an onus on how we can intentionally create value-driven communities, which centre the identities, experiences and values of our students.
Simon Probert
Deputy Head, Harrow Shanghai
Can You Coach a School Back to Health?
You donโt need a consultant to fix your school! Learn how organisational coaching, guided by a framework of implementation and de-implementation, empowers schools to tap into collective wisdom and drive learning and change from within. Learn from the successes of applying business-world strategies in educational settings, and leave equipped to foster a healthier, more resilient school improvement cycle.
Shane Leaning
Organisational Coach & Podcaster, International School Leadership Academy, Global Ed Leaders Podcast
Chinese schools going global
An overview of Venture’s latest research into the growth of different models of Chinese schools around the world; and what that means for the future of the global international school sector.
Julian Fisher
Cofounder, Venture Education
School Data - Friend or Foe?
How well does your school really use the data you capture? Data can be gold, used properly. We review the true value of data โ how important it is and why it is incumbent upon all educators to use it regularly. I will try to shed light on how to move towards data led practice throughout your school.
Christopher Scorer
International Education Consultant, GL Education
Chinese schools going global
An overview of Venture’s latest research into the growth of different models of Chinese schools around the world; and what that means for the future of the global international school sector.
Julian Fisher
Cofounder, Venture Education
Metamorphoses โ Changing Definitions of International Education and What It Means for our Schools
This session will explore traditional typologies and definitions of international schools, and ways these are evolving to represent the shifting landscape in international education in China and Asia more broadly. This is seen in the shift to an emphasis increasingly on a local rather than expat demographic, as well the challenges presented by compliance in bilingual contexts. This session will look at synergies between different types of schools and ways these inform the way forward for the sector, with an onus on how we can intentionally create value-driven communities, which centre the identities, experiences and values of our students.
Simon Probert
Deputy Head, Harrow Shanghai
Who wants to be a millionaire?
When will you retire? How much money do you need? How will you save this much? Have you thought about investing? Come to this session to find out how you can work out how much money you need for retirement and how you can get there without paying huge fees to financial advisers. Find out about index fund investing and the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement. You will wonder why you haven’t heard about this before and why everyone isn’t talking about it!
Lana Kulas
Second Master, Huili School Shanghai
Simon Kenworthy
Master, Huili School Nantong
Positive Psychology Coaching to support teacher well-being and resilience
Are you looking for ways to improve staff well-being and nurture resilience in your team? This session is designed to help educators and leaders apply positive psychology principles and coaching tools to enhance staff well-being and performance. Participants will learn about the importance of a strengths-based approach and will discover practical ways to nurture their staff. Findings and practical implications will be shared from a research study conducted with teachers across 6 schools in China.
Dean Clayden
Education Consultant, Wellington College China
English (UK) 
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