Yals 20th Annual Conference 2025
reported by: Mirjana Grandov Lacić
Yals 20th Annual Conference 2025
The Yals Association is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its 20th Annual Conference, held on October 11, 2025, at the Palace Hotel in Belgrade. This milestone event reaffirmed its status as one of the most significant Continuous Professional Development (CPD) gatherings for language teaching professionals, drawing over 100 attendees—including practitioners from both the private and state sectors, language school owners, and other stakeholders in language services.
A Regional and Sponsored Success
This year’s conference had a strong regional character, hosting representatives Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Slovakia, and Romania. Their presence enriched the exchange of experiences and strengthened regional cooperation.
Crucial support was provided by our sponsors: Eaquals (Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in Language Services), of which Yals is an associate member, and which has been donating funds from the Eaquals Event Member Fund for several years, and RELO – Belgrade (Regional English Language Office) and the US Embassy in Belgrade, which sponsored 20 grants for English language teachers from state schools in provincial towns in Serbia and other RELO-covered countries, ensuring their attendance by covering travel, accommodation, and registration fees.
Dynamic Programme: From Games to Neuroscience
The conference programme, focused on contemporary methodologies and innovation, featured five outstanding sessions:
- Milica Vitaz, PhD (Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade) opened with a plenary on “Unlocking the Magic of Games,” exploring the elements that make games effective teaching tools and showcasing practical, engaging classroom activities.
- Anka Rađenović, PhD (Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade) followed with the workshop “Bridging Worlds: Multiculturality and Multilinguality in the FL Classroom,” which focused on integrating diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds as valuable resources in teaching foreign languages.
- Gyöngyvér Pillich-Wright (Bridge Language Study House, Romania) introduced “A Brain-Friendly Classroom – Neurolanguage Coaching Techniques in Language Education,” an innovative method drawing on neuroscience and coaching principles to reduce affective barriers and enhance motivation.
- Josip Sobin (Jantar – International House Split, Croatia) presented on “A New Reality in the Language Classroom,” sharing the latest developments in using Virtual Reality (VR) technology in ELT classrooms and discussing how the Erasmus programme supports such R&D initiatives.
- Emilija Ušćumlić Ković (Centar Britannica, Niš) concluded the sessions with “New Trends in (Business) English Training,” detailing adaptive teaching methods for adult learners and highlighting the supporting role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in creating tailored learning experiences.
Networking and Excellent Feedback
The conference once again proved to be an excellent venue for networking, sharing best practices, and discussing professional ideas. Attendees enjoyed the social aspect of the event, with coffee breaks and a meal providing a chance to connect with colleagues while enjoying the wonderful panoramic view of Belgrade.
At the end of the day, participants completed an evaluation form. The responses confirmed the high quality and organization of the event, with attendees speaking extremely highly of the experience. Here are a few examples of the feedback received:
- “I loved the opportunities we had at the beginning to participate! It was very fun and engaging. All of the speakers had diverse and interesting topics that also blended together nicely. Really awesome conference!”
- “First time here and I’m very satisfied with the organization, topics, presenters and accommodation. Big thank you and keep up the good work.”
- “Excellent conference! This is my second year of attendance and I plan to come every year.”
- “Thank you for the inspiring training and lovely atmosphere! Yals events are a must-go!”
- “What a great event it was! Already looking forward to the next year’s conference!”
- “First-timer at a YALS conference… But it won’t be my last :)”
Click on the links to see the presentations:
