Welcome to Asia Talks with Oxford, an on-going series of online events by Oxford University Press designed specifically for English language teachers across Asia.
We're excited to bring back our webinar, "Ready, Set, Teach!", following last year's success and popular demand. "Ready, Set, Teach!" takes you on a deep dive into our best-selling courses, with a complete walkthrough of an entire unit. Whether you've chosen your course for the year or you're still deciding, this is the perfect opportunity to familiarise yourself with the materials and feel fully equipped to start teaching.
This year, we will offer two sessions across two days - one for teachers of young learners, and one for teachers of teens and adults. Take your pick, or join both!
*Recording will be available for all sessions that you register for.
We're excited to bring back our webinar, "Ready, Set, Teach!", following last year's success and popular demand. "Ready, Set, Teach!" takes you on a deep dive into our best-selling courses, with a complete walkthrough of an entire unit. Whether you've chosen your course for the year or you're still deciding, this is the perfect opportunity to familiarise yourself with the materials and feel fully equipped to start teaching.
This year, we will offer two sessions across two days - one for teachers of young learners, and one for teachers of teens and adults. Take your pick, or join both!
*Recording will be available for all sessions that you register for.
Wed, Feb. 04, 2026 · 11:00 am (JST)
(10:00-11:00 CST) - Let’s Buzz with English! Engaging Our Young Learners the Buzz Way
by Griselda Beacon
In this session, we will present the active methodologies used throughout the Buzz series. We will introduce resources to engage learners and explore a palette of supportive materials for teachers, such as phonics, video clips, fun and attractive grammar and vocabulary activities, and online practice. A walk-through of one unit will exemplify the series’ proposal and provide practical tips for teachers to enhance their lessons. We will delve into appealing stories that introduce community-based values, such as empathy and collaboration, get acquainted with cultural entries featuring global content that engage learners with the real world, and examine the benefits of the “Team Up” activities.
(11:00-12:00 CST) - Making Connections! Practical Tips for Interactive CLIL Lessons
by Portia Chang
In this session, we will explore effective strategies for designing engaging, student-centered lessons using the latest edition of the popular Everybody Up series. As we go through a sample unit of the course together, Portia will showcase a variety of dynamic activities — including collaborative exercises and active games — that teachers can easily replicate and use in their own classes to foster an enjoyable learning environment. She will also introduce the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach and share actionable tips for integrating real-world connections into your lessons. By the end of the session, teachers will leave with a toolkit of ideas to encourage and motivate their students to participate and become more confident when using English both inside and outside the classroom.
by Griselda Beacon
In this session, we will present the active methodologies used throughout the Buzz series. We will introduce resources to engage learners and explore a palette of supportive materials for teachers, such as phonics, video clips, fun and attractive grammar and vocabulary activities, and online practice. A walk-through of one unit will exemplify the series’ proposal and provide practical tips for teachers to enhance their lessons. We will delve into appealing stories that introduce community-based values, such as empathy and collaboration, get acquainted with cultural entries featuring global content that engage learners with the real world, and examine the benefits of the “Team Up” activities.
(11:00-12:00 CST) - Making Connections! Practical Tips for Interactive CLIL Lessons
by Portia Chang
In this session, we will explore effective strategies for designing engaging, student-centered lessons using the latest edition of the popular Everybody Up series. As we go through a sample unit of the course together, Portia will showcase a variety of dynamic activities — including collaborative exercises and active games — that teachers can easily replicate and use in their own classes to foster an enjoyable learning environment. She will also introduce the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach and share actionable tips for integrating real-world connections into your lessons. By the end of the session, teachers will leave with a toolkit of ideas to encourage and motivate their students to participate and become more confident when using English both inside and outside the classroom.
Thu, Feb. 05, 2026 · 11:00 am (JST)
(10:00-11:00 CST) - Global Skills: Creating Empowered 21st Century Citizens
by Rob Peacock
In the 21st century, education must go beyond traditional knowledge and skill application to truly prepare learners for the future. This interactive webinar will explore practical strategies to nurture the inherent creativity of young adults and enhance their critical thinking abilities within the English language classroom. Using examples from the new edition of Q: Skills for Success, participants will discover how to design communication activities, skill-building exercises, and writing assignments that not only develop English proficiency but also empower students to analyze, evaluate, and create with confidence.
(11:00-12:00 CST) - Practical Strategies for Presentation Skills and Multimodal Learning
by Christopher Sheen
It used to be that teaching grammar, supporting pronunciation, and preparing students for summative exams were the primary responsibilities of the English teacher. However, as the 21st century progresses, more expectations have been added. Now, the presumption of secondary and higher education learners is that they should be familiar with global skills and be able to put them into practice, deliver presentations, and engage confidently with multimodal learning—all in English! As a result, today’s ELT teachers must be equipped to teach these skills effectively.
In this presentation, we look at how the OUP coursebook Stretch 2nd Edition is designed to support both the learner and educator of today. Following an overview of the series, with particular reference to global skills, we explore how the material actively and systematically prepares students for presentations. In addition, we focus on the often favoured learning approach of students—video in the classroom—and how attention to it can enhance both interest and learning.
by Rob Peacock
In the 21st century, education must go beyond traditional knowledge and skill application to truly prepare learners for the future. This interactive webinar will explore practical strategies to nurture the inherent creativity of young adults and enhance their critical thinking abilities within the English language classroom. Using examples from the new edition of Q: Skills for Success, participants will discover how to design communication activities, skill-building exercises, and writing assignments that not only develop English proficiency but also empower students to analyze, evaluate, and create with confidence.
(11:00-12:00 CST) - Practical Strategies for Presentation Skills and Multimodal Learning
by Christopher Sheen
It used to be that teaching grammar, supporting pronunciation, and preparing students for summative exams were the primary responsibilities of the English teacher. However, as the 21st century progresses, more expectations have been added. Now, the presumption of secondary and higher education learners is that they should be familiar with global skills and be able to put them into practice, deliver presentations, and engage confidently with multimodal learning—all in English! As a result, today’s ELT teachers must be equipped to teach these skills effectively.
In this presentation, we look at how the OUP coursebook Stretch 2nd Edition is designed to support both the learner and educator of today. Following an overview of the series, with particular reference to global skills, we explore how the material actively and systematically prepares students for presentations. In addition, we focus on the often favoured learning approach of students—video in the classroom—and how attention to it can enhance both interest and learning.
Meet The Presenters
Griselda Beacon
Teacher Educator
Griselda Beacon is a teacher educator specializing in literature, creativity, and art in English language education. She holds an MA in English and American Literature and German as a Foreign Language from Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany, and has worked in teacher education and primary curriculum development for over 25 years.
Her approach to English language education embraces pedagogies of creativity and of inclusion through the lens of intercultural education. She mainly uses active methodologies and has shared her expertise as an in-service teacher trainer and curriculum developer across Latin America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
Griselda is the co-author of Together (Oxford UP, 2018), an English coursebook series designed for Argentina, and co-editor of International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT (Palgrave, 2021) and Queer Studies in English Language Education (Brill, 2025).
She has taught courses on Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Creativity, Drama Techniques, Contemporary Literature in English, and Play, Music, Dance & Literature in Pre-Primary Education at state-run teacher training colleges in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Currently, she lectures on American Literature at Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and works as a consultant trainer for NILE (Norwich Institute for Language Education) in the UK. Passionate about integrating art into education, she brings literature to life with a creative twist, visits schools for storytelling sessions and is a regular presenter at conferences.
Her approach to English language education embraces pedagogies of creativity and of inclusion through the lens of intercultural education. She mainly uses active methodologies and has shared her expertise as an in-service teacher trainer and curriculum developer across Latin America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
Griselda is the co-author of Together (Oxford UP, 2018), an English coursebook series designed for Argentina, and co-editor of International Perspectives on Diversity in ELT (Palgrave, 2021) and Queer Studies in English Language Education (Brill, 2025).
She has taught courses on Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Creativity, Drama Techniques, Contemporary Literature in English, and Play, Music, Dance & Literature in Pre-Primary Education at state-run teacher training colleges in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Currently, she lectures on American Literature at Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and works as a consultant trainer for NILE (Norwich Institute for Language Education) in the UK. Passionate about integrating art into education, she brings literature to life with a creative twist, visits schools for storytelling sessions and is a regular presenter at conferences.
Portia Chang
ESL Academic Consultant and Curriculum Developer
Portia has over 20 years of experience in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Taiwan, working with learners of all ages across diverse educational settings.
In addition to her teaching expertise, she frequently writes, edits, and consults on ESL courses and instructional materials for publishers and educational institutions.
For the past decade, Portia has also contributed to school management and teacher training, dedicating herself to empowering educators.
Her goal is to support teachers in developing interactive lesson plans that maximize student engagement and language output.
In addition to her teaching expertise, she frequently writes, edits, and consults on ESL courses and instructional materials for publishers and educational institutions.
For the past decade, Portia has also contributed to school management and teacher training, dedicating herself to empowering educators.
Her goal is to support teachers in developing interactive lesson plans that maximize student engagement and language output.
Rob Peacock
Educational Services Consultant at Oxford University Press
Rob Peacock works at Oxford University Press as an Educational Services Consultant. He has spent over 25 years teaching students of all ages as well as providing teacher support and workshops.
Christopher Sheen
Educator
Christopher Sheen is an educator who has for twenty-nine years engaged all types of learner profiles in the ELT field from all corners of the globe. From 2014 to 2021 he worked as teacher trainer and Professional Development coordinator with Oxford University Press, based in Istanbul, Turkey. He continues to be an active tutor on the Oxford Teachers' Academy. Prior to OUP he was the lead trainer in the corporate sales division of Japan’s largest language company and was also a full-time English instructor in the largest university in western Japan. He believes his strongest asset as a trainer is the thousands of hours, he has spent working directly with teachers both face to face and online.
