Conference Report: Bloom 2025 — Where Minds Blossomed and Laughter Bloomed
Organised by TESOL Hungary Oates: October 3-5, 2025
Venue: SunGarden Wellness Hotel, Siófok, Hungary
Author: Ron Mukerji, representing IATEFL Poland
The Bloom 2025 Conference, held in the picturesque lakeside town of Siófok, managed to combine the intellectual stimulation of a TESOL gathering with the casual chaos of an international reunion at a spa hotel. Organised meticulously (and miraculously) by TESOL Hungary, the three-day event proved once again that English teachers can discuss serious topics while laughing about grammar, coffee, and the mysterious disappearance of PowerPoint clickers.
Some of the speakers
Piotr Steinbrich from Poland, gave a plenary talk „Classroom Communication Made Real” which reminded us that „real communication” involves mare than just textbook dialogues about lost umbrellas. His talk was practical, lively, and sprinkled with examples that had teachers nodding – and occasionally questioning their life choices.
Later, Jon Hird took the stage with his delightfully provocative plenary, „What’s it Mean, lt’s Dijferent: Spoken Grammar.” He argued (convincingly) that spoken grammar may look „wrong” on paper but is perfectly „right” in real life. By the end, half the audience was rethinking their worksheets, while the other half quietly vowed never to correct ’innit’ again.
Emotions, Empathy, and Espresso
Luis Javier Pentón Herrera delivered one of the most engaging sessions of the weekend on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Between laughter, reflection, and a few deeply introspective moments, participants were reminded that students – and teachers are emotional beings, not just grammar producing machines. Many attendees left inspired to introduce more empathy into their classrooms.
My Workshop: Voices That Teach
My own workshop, „Voices that Teach: Storytelling through Audio Prompts,” was very well-received (or so several kind participants told me, unprompted). I demonstrated how audio prompts, rather than the usual vocabulary lists or pictures, can inspire students to craft their own stories, which can later be compared to the original video with a surprising twist. The room buzzed with creative energy; one participant even asked if she could repeat the workshop for those who couldn’t attend. I took that as a sign of success.
Networking and Nightlife
As most attendees stayed at the SunGarden Wellness Hotel, networking was delightfully inescapable. Breakfasts turned into brainstorming sessions, dinners into debates about teaching methods (and occasionally Hungarian desserts), and the hotel’s wellness center was open to all – though, full disclosure, I never made it past the idea of it.
The social events were another story. A board-game night brought out everyone’s competitive spirit (turns out teachers can be ferociously strategie). There was also a concert that segued into karaoke – where some discovered that „communicative competence” does not necessarily extend to singing on key.
Finał Thoughts
By the end of the weekend, minds were buzzing, e-mail addresses exchanged, and friendships rekindled across borders. Representatives from Hungary, Croatia, Ukraine, ltaly, Serbia, England, and Poland proved that the global ELT community is as diverse as it is passionate.
A heartfelt thank you to IATEFL Poland for making my participation possible – and to TESOL Hungary for proving that professional development can, in fact, come with a sicie of laughter, lakeside serenity, and late-night karaoke.
