Teaching speaking skills – webinars
About this event
This was the third in our series of webinars on the English language and how to teach it, with two expert teachers presenting practical ideas for improving your learners’ spoken English. The first session explored how using AI and activities involving emotional intelligence development can boost speaking in class. The second session showed you how to design speaking activities that move beyond memorised answers towards meaningful communication. Watch the recordings of the sessions and download the handouts below. The live event took place on September 18, 2026.
About the sessions
Session 1: Using AI and emotional intelligence strategies to help learners speak
Speaker
Feruz Akbarov
Session information
How can AI help our learners overcome speaking anxiety and communicate with confidence? This interactive webinar examines just this, the powerful intersection of artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence in ELT speaking instruction. You’ll learn strategies for integrating tools such as automated speech feedback and AI chatbots while keeping empathy, motivation and human connection at the heart of your lessons. Watch the recording to find out how blending tech with emotional awareness can boost your learners’ fluency and communicative competence.
Session 2: Transforming classroom speaking into real communication
Speaker
Sherly Hephzibah
Session information
In this webinar, we explored practical ways to design speaking activities that encourage authentic interaction, more thinking and active listening – even in large or exam-focused classes. You’ll also learn techniques for using effective questioning, strategies to foster inclusive participation, and low-stakes speaking assessment methods that support growth. Ready to move beyond predictable dialogues and get your learners speaking with genuine purpose? Watch to discover how to make speaking lessons more meaningful and engaging for every learner.
Social media Q&A
We joined webinar presenters Feruz Akbarov and Sherly Hephzibah on Thursday 24 September, 13.00 UK time for a live Q&A called Teaching Speaking on our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels. This was a follow-up to our webinar event. You can watch the recording below.
About the speakers
Feruz Akbarov is an award-winning English language teaching professional from Uzbekistan with over a decade of experience across Central Asia, Poland and China. He is the founder of the teaching association ETA Uzbekistan, an initiative promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in language education. Feruz is also an ELT author.
Sherly Hephzibah is an English language educator and teacher mentor from India with extensive experience in secondary education. She currently teaches in an international school context, specialising in curricula that emphasise authentic communication and critical thinking. Sherly also supports teachers in task design and reflective practice.
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