Report Belta Day 2025

The audience greeted the speakers with warm enthusiasm, responding to each introduction with eager applause and cheerful energy. There was a light buzz of excitement in the room, setting a lively, welcoming tone for the day’s talks.

Things kicked off with a bang — or more accurately, a deep dive into cognitive science — courtesy of Grzegorz Śpiewak, who delivered a plenary that was as inspiring as it was brainy: “How learning happens – and why you should care.” And care we did. Śpiewak tackled pedagogical strategies, cognitive processes, and why some teaching sticks like glue while other methods slide off like eggs on Teflon. It was a powerful reminder that how we teach matters — a lot. It was the kind of talk that makes you rethink everything… including that lesson plan you scribbled on a napkin last night.

Your humble correspondent (yes, me) also stepped up to the mic with a session titled “Why walk when you can fly?” — which, judging by the attendance, was either incredibly intriguing or completely mystifying. Turns out a vague title is a surprisingly effective marketing strategy.

Once inside, the audience got to hear about how technology lets both teachers and learners soar instead of shuffle. I shared a toolkit of digital tools designed to elevate language learning — helping students reach new heights while letting teachers reclaim their evenings from the tyranny of lesson planning. Judging by the nods (and the occasional audible “ooh”), it went rather well!

Mario Lecluyze took us into slightly more controversial waters with his session “ChatGPT to Grade Writing: Help or Hype?” He shared stats, stories, and one or two moments that made people nervously eye their laptops. Apparently, AI grading is like hiring a very eager intern — sometimes brilliant, sometimes baffling, always a little unpredictable.

Bruno Leys gave us “What’s the frequency, Kenneth?”

— part grammar talk, part revolution. He argued that frequency (you know, that thing we always use with vocab) should be a guiding principle in grammar too. Mind = blowing stuff. Grammar sounded slightly less terrifying. Also, bonus points for the musical reference.

Of course, no conference would be complete without some informal networking — and Belta Day delivered. On the first night, we enjoyed dinner at a charming tapas bar, where discussions about pedagogy mixed freely with patatas bravas. On the second night, we gathered at a Moroccan restaurant, where the couscous was fluffy, the tagine fragrant, and the conversation even richer than the dessert. Two evenings of laughter, insight, and zero PowerPoint slides — just the way we like it.