About
the ConferenceThis 3rd DIELE conference, to be held at Stellenbosch University in South Africa in 2026, follows the two successful conferences in Bangkok (2022) and Tokyo (2024). The 3rd conference is being organised by scholars from the University of York, UK, Monash University, Australia, and Stellenbosch University, South Africa. The Conference Committee cordially invites presenters from the previous conferences and new delegates to join the vibrant and welcoming DIELE community at the 2026 event.
Inclusive education aims to create equity in the classroom and raise attainment for all students, regardless of the challenges they may experience. In inclusive English language classrooms, curricula are accessible to all learners, instruction is innovative and differentiated, teachers ensure that the diverse community of learners feels welcome and valued, and the individual learners receive indispensable support to develop their inborn and new talents, and successfully achieve their goals.
Conference aims
The aims of the conference are as follows:
To offer a deeper understanding of diversity and inclusivity in English language education, and the benefits and challenges they bring to the teaching-learning process.
To create a forum for sharing current and innovative practices that promote diversity and inclusivity in the English language classroom.
To build a global network of experts that seeks to publicise the topics of diversity and inclusivity in English language education and leads to the creation of a high-quality publication (details to follow), continuing the post-conference volume series from the 1st and 2nd DIELE conferences.
To promote interdisciplinary research of particular relevance to diversity and inclusivity in English language education and, more specifically, to enable teacher-researchers to present their empirical findings about specific pedagogical questions they have investigated and academic researchers to not only showcase their findings, but also enter into a dialogue about the implications of their studies for classroom practice.
To bring together researchers and research scholars to exchange their experiences, discuss challenges and promote new approaches to researching diversity and inclusivity in English language education.
Significance of the conference
This conference will bring together academics, researchers, policymakers, and materials developers to make preparations for diversity and inclusivity to become permanent in schools. The conference is a response to the significant gap in English language education and, it is hoped, will give prominence to the two concepts in question, thus addressing their noticeable insufficiency in current:
- debates at local and international levels;
- research, both pure and applied;
- publications that link theory, research, and practice; and
- English language policies and curricula.
Conference organising and programme committee
The Committee consists of nine scholars representing three universities: the University of York (UK), Monash University (Australia), and Stellenbosch University (South Africa).
Chairs
Dr Andrzej (Andy) Cirocki
University of York, UK
Andrzej (Andy) Cirocki is an Associate Professor in English Language Education at the University of York, UK, and Adjunct Professor in English Language Education at Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. He is a teacher educator and materials developer with scholarly interests in EFL/ESL teacher education and professional development, TEFL, reflective teaching, language assessment literacy, and learner and teacher autonomy. He is the author of numerous publications, involved in international research projects, and delivers CPD courses for EFL/ESL teachers worldwide. He is also the Editor of The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL.
Dr Gary Bonar
Monash University, Australia
Gary Bonar is a Senior Lecturer in Languages and TESOL at Monash University, Australia. His research interests are in the areas of language teacher education, educator agency in English Medium of Instruction (EMI) contexts, and Asia-related learning in Australian schools. His recent work examines the dynamics of language teacher multilingual identities and how to effectively prepare and support both current and future language educators to succeed in schools. His work has been published in high-impact international journals, including TESOL Quarterly, Teaching and Teacher Education, Current Issues in Language Planning, and Foreign Language Annals.
Dr Carmelita Jacobs
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Carmelita Jacobs is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She earned a PhD in Educational Psychology from Stellenbosch University and her thesis focused on parental educational support in single-mother families within low-income communities. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed publications on parental educational support, family-school-community partnerships and community cultural wealth. She actively contributes to academic discourse through conference presentations and serves as a reviewer for various educational journals. She is also committed to community education, frequently engaging in media platforms such as radio interviews to raise awareness on issues related to educational psychology.
Members
Dr Dat Bao
Monash University, Australia
Dat Bao is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Monash University and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal for Silence Studies in Education (JSSE), founded in Australia. His areas of expertise include silence studies, creative pedagogy, and curriculum development. He has produced over 100 academic publications, including eight books. Notable volumes include Understanding Silence and Reticence (Bloomsbury, 2014), Creativity and Innovations in ELT Materials (Multilingual Matters, 2018), and Silence in English Language Pedagogy (Cambridge University Press, 2023). He is the winner of the Education Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2019) and the Research Excellent Award from the School of Education, Society and Culture at Monash University (2024).
Heather Buchanan
University of York, UK
Heather Buchanan, an experienced English language teacher and teacher trainer, has worked in the UK Higher Education sector for the last twenty-five years, leading Master’s courses and training both novice and experienced teachers. Her teacher training experience has included training up and accompanying student volunteers to teach English in Thailand, as well as training more than two hundred practising teachers from Panama to deliver bilingual programmes. Heather’s main research interests concern materials development and teacher education. She is also a published coursebook writer for Oxford University Press and co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Materials Development for Language Teaching, published in 2022.
Elbie Els
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Elbie Els is the Marketing, Communication, Alumni, and Recruitment Officer in the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University. She holds degrees in business communication and in journalism from North-West University. She started her career in the private sector and then transitioned to higher education where her focus has been for the biggest part of her career. Her work and experience include journalism, marketing, communication, graphic design, alumni, and recruitment.
Dr David O’Reilly
University of York, UK
David O’Reilly is Lecturer in Education at the University of York (UK). He researches metaphoric competence, language play, and grammar processing, and promotes Open Research practice. David was the 2021 RaAM Early Career Research Paper Prize winner and has published articles in Applied Linguistics, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, and other journals. He is also co-editing books on Diversity and Inclusivity in English Language Education and metaphoric competence in SLA. David teaches on TESOL, Applied Linguistics, Education, and Psychology in Education programmes, and in 2021, was awarded his institution’s Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Award for his work on E-Learning. Before entering academia, he taught English as a Foreign Language in Serbia.
Dr Anna Podorova
Monash University, Australia
Anna Podorova possesses extensive language teaching experience in various Australian and overseas contexts. Her research focuses on the use of English as an international language and English language proficiency, literacy, and numeracy development in tertiary settings. Her work has involved projects on international students’ school placement experiences in Australian contexts, teaching English as a global language in local contexts, and assessing and improving initial teacher education students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Recently, Anna has turned her attention to AI literacy and critical thinking development in higher education.
Dr Shannon Bishop-Swart
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Shannon Bishop-Swart holds a BA in Education from the University of Pretoria, an Associate Diploma in Drama from Trinity College, a Fulbright-sponsored Master’s in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a PhD in Education Policy Studies from Stellenbosch University. With 22 years of international English teaching experience across four continents, she has held leadership roles such as Head of English and Lead Teacher Trainer. Her research interests include English language teacher education, teacher emotions and well-being, online learning environments, and reflective practice. She has taught various undergraduate and postgraduate education modules and previously coordinated the Intensive English Programme at Stellenbosch University. She also co-founded the PACHEDO Foundation, an educational non-profit in Uganda.