Timișoara, 23 – 24 October 2026

Bridging Technology and Human Connection in ELT

We live in a time of astonishing technological possibility. Artificial intelligence, adaptive platforms, immersive digital environments — they are reshaping what it means to learn and to teach. And yet, in classrooms across Romania and beyond, something irreplaceable persists: the warmth of a teacher who truly sees their students, the electricity of a conversation that catches fire, the quiet dignity of a learner finding their voice in a language not their own.

In 2026, technology in English Language Teaching has moved past the "experimentation" phase into an era of meaningful integration. The focus is no longer just on using a tool because it is new, but on how that tool enhances human connection and learning efficiency. Technology is a bridge. But it is we — teachers, learners, human beings — who must choose where it leads.

This conference invites English language teachers, researchers, teacher educators, and practitioners, scholars from Romania and around the world to gather in Timișoara, a city that has always known the courage of speaking up, to explore this defining tension of our moment: How do we harness the power of technology without losing the soul of teaching? How can technology serve as a bridge rather than a barrier to genuine human connection?

Suggested Sub-Themes for Speakers:

• Affective Filter in the Digital Age: Exploring how VR, AR, and gamification can either alleviate or exacerbate learner anxiety and social isolation.
• The Future of Teacher Presence: Redefining "teacher presence" in asynchronous and hybrid environments—how do we stay "real" behind a screen?
• Ethics and Soft Skills: Balancing automated assessment with the need for human feedback on critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence, media literacy, awareness of cognitive biases, and critical evaluation of AI-mediated and digital information
• Well-being and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) via Technology: Tools and frameworks that help learners navigate digital spaces with kindness and cultural sensitivity.
• Strategies for Fostering Human Connection: Active and empathetic listening, Shared experiences, Expressing appreciative validation, attention, safety and time.

This is a call for voices that matter, from classrooms that care. This conference is meant to be a collaborative think-tank. Join us to help shape a future where the "L" in ELT stands not just for Language, but for the Links we build between people.

To attend the conference, please use this registration form.

The registration fee is expected in TETA's account (IBAN RO92BTRLRONCRT0P92906901), as follows:

• Early bird registration: 250 RON by August 22nd, 2026

• Late registration: 300 RON by October 9th, 2026

To deliver a workshop or a plenary, please fill in our speaker's registration form.

Please note that the RATE 2026 Conference participation fee cannot be paid using the Teaching Career Card. For further information please contact us at ratetimisoara@gmail.com.