Empowering Education: Professional Development Event

We look forward to welcoming you at Hayrullah Kefoğlu Anadolu Lisesi Conference Hall in
Istanbul for a day of professional development and networking.

Program Agenda

Time Session Presenter
09:00-10:00 Coffee & refreshments
10:00-10:15 Welcome Grant Kempton
10:15-11:00 How to be comprehensive in Learning and Teaching ELL Grant Kempton

11:00-11:20 Coffee Break
11:20-12:05 Pearson English Journey Louise Pike
12:05-12:30 Coffee Break
12:30-13:15 Neuroscience-Informed Approach to Teaching Elif Yalçın

13:15-14:00 Evrensel Dilimiz: Nezaket Aslıhan Çakır Canbesler
14:00-14:15 Closing remarks & certificates

Biodata of the Keynote Speakers:
Grant Kempton | Teacher Trainer, Partnerships & Strategy, Pearson Global
Grant Kempton has been involved in ELT for more than 38 years. During that time,
he has been a teacher, tester, curriculum coordinator, school director and
teacher trainer. From 2000-2006 he was a global teacher trainer and travelled
the world training teachers. He received his MA in ELT from Reading University and
wrote coursebooks for Pearson. In his current post, he works with governments
and large educational organisations to craft solutions for language learners.

Louise Pike | Senior Learning Consultant
Louise Pike is a Senior Learning Consultant based in Türkiye, supporting
educators across the Middle East and Europe in advancing English Language
Teaching. With an MA in TESOL, Leadership, and Management from the University
of Portsmouth and credentials as a Pearson Certified Master Trainer, she designs
training programs for Ministries of Education, including recent projects in Jordan
and Oman.
As an experienced K-12 teacher, Louise is passionate about fostering creativity,
fun, drama, storytelling and extensive reading in young learner classrooms. Her
background in psychology informs her expertise in classroom management,
teacher development, and reflective practice, empowering educators to create
meaningful learning experiences.

Elif Yalçın | Educational Consultant
Elif Yalçın, an educational consultant from Turkey, has a background in American Studies, having
graduated from Dokuz Eylül University. She has extensive experience as an English teacher,
department head, translator, and administrator across various universities and private
institutions. Over her career, Yalçın has specialized in educational methods, particularly focusing
on integrating critical thinking and neuroplasticity into teaching practices to foster deeper
learning and cognitive engagement among students. Her work often emphasizes the biological
aspects of learning and how understanding neural functions can improve classroom
environments and teaching outcomes.
Elif has also taken specialized courses on young learner education and has been involved in
translating children’s literature. She regularly presents on education-related topics at
conferences, sharing insights on fostering critical thinking and adapting teaching to modern
educational needs, especially in the context of technology and AI integration in learning
environments.

Aslihan Çakır Canbesler | Drama & Life Skills
Aslıhan has completed drama, improv & theatre programs in Türkiye, Istanbul & Los
Angeles, Hollywood. She enjoys working with adults, children & families as a drama
facilitator, particularly for life skill programs. In addition, she collaborates with a
variety of institutions, employees and students to develop a range of skills
including team building, time management and etiquette and manners. She is
passionate about all things drama, especially improv, having facilitated numerous
drama clubs in Türkiye and Los Angeles. She believes that creative drama and
improvisation techniques are key tools that can be used in the classroom to
increase the enthusiasm of both educators and students.