The Bicol Association of Language and Literature Teachers (BALLT) in partnership with Ateneo Teaching Training Center, Literature and Language Studies Department, and Ateneo Graduate School is holding its LLCON 2019: Language and Literature National Conference on 29-31 August 2019. With the theme, Teaching, Research, and Technology Interface: Responding to the Challenges of K-12 and Beyond, BALLT envisions to promote quality and technological advancement in language and literature teaching through awareness, adaptation, and innovation of multi-disciplinary methods and strategies to aid educators in dealing with the ever-changing landscape in instruction and research.
Under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Cynthia B. Correo, BALLT President, and with the untiring dedication of the whole BALLT organisation, the LLCON 2019 is fuelled with exciting and fresh insights into the new trends and issues in language and literature research and instruction. The three-day conference is filled with promising interactions from prominent personalities in the field of research and education, engaging discussions, and meaningful workshops that will certainly provide participants sufficient pedagogical tools to face the challenges in their respective fields.
LLCON 2019 highlights the works of established and emergent scholars in the fields of Structural and Functional Linguistics, Cultural Studies, (Critical) Discourse Analysis, (Critical) Mutimodal Discourse Analysis, Stylistics, and English Language Teaching in the hope of providing a better response to the K-12 Educational Reforms and the challenges of cultural understanding and preservation. The conference features an ensemble of speakers coming from various educational institutions in the country. Plenary speakers, Prof. Joyce L. Arriola of the University of Sto. Tomas and Prof. Ricardo Ma. Duran Nolasco of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, will be delivering talks on Literary and Cultural Studies: New Contexts for Teaching, Research and Media Literacy and
Our MTB-MLE Journey So Far: A Tale of Few Victories and Many Defeats respectively. Bicol’s pride, Dr. Diosdado M. San Antonio, DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction will deliver the Keynote Address on the third day.
The parallel workshops include the sessions on Grammar of Visual Texts facilitated by Dr. Margarita Felipe-Fajardo of the Ateneo de Naga University; Promoting Social Awareness and Nationalism through Advomercials: A Task-Based Learning Approach by Dr. Marlon S. Pontillas of Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges; CLT Approaches to Teaching Oral Communication for SHS Students by Dr. Jennifer R. Sevilla of the Ateneo de Naga University; Kara Mia sa Danas ng Ortograpiyang Pambansa: Pagwawasiwas Ng Kapangyarihan by Dr. Vasil Victoria of the Ateneo de Naga University; Alternative Strategies for Teaching Literature in the 21st Century Classroom by Mr. Johann De Los Reyes of Ateneo de Naga University; Designing A Research-Based Instructional Material by Dr. Delma Jean V. Abad of Camarines Norte State College; Acting out Books: Incorporating Dramatization Techniques in Teaching Literary Pieces by Mr. Ernesto D. Doloso Jr. of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture; What Makes Critical Discourse Analysis Critical? By Dr. Jennifier T. Diamante of Western Philippines University; Visual Reading: A Multimodal Teaching of Literature in the 21st Century Classrooms by Mr. Mark Philip C. Paderan of the University of Nueva Caceres.
The above-mentioned topics are complemented by a series of paper presentations synergizing the efforts of the organization to achieve its goal this year to increase the level of quality in Language and Literature education, particularly in the Bicol region, by providing teachers and scholars from around the Philippines a platform for professional engagement and development that is rarely available to many of the delegates. Through the interplay of ideas, practices, and experiences gained during the Conference, participants can expand their professional networks, participate in research mentoring, and contribute to providing solutions to the growing demand of instruction in the context of the K-12 Educational Reforms.
This year’s LLCON 2019 is organised through the leadership of BALLT President, Cynthia B. Correo; Vice President, Dr. Joy Melga B. Olazo; Secretary, Janine L. Conde; Treasurer, Mark Philip C. Paderan; Auditor, Dr. Marlon S. Pontillas; P.I.O., Jerome Villagarcia Aler; and Cluster Heads— Ricky Solero (Language and Literature Teaching), Dr. Delma Jean V. Abad (Creative Writing in English), Bernadette D. Ibarbia (Creative Writing in Filipino), Dr. Ana Cristina G. Fortes (Research), Jerry M. Noveno (Curriculum Development).
The BALLT team works with the support of former BALLT Presidents—Dr. Jesus Cyril Conde, Dr. Bernadette E. Dayan, and Asst. Prof. Virna S. Villanueva—and in collaboration with the various academic and trainings units of Ateneo de Naga University, particularly with Dr. Arnulfo Aaron R. Reganit, Director of Ateneo Teacher Training Center; Asst. Prof. Virna S. Villanueva, Chairperson of the Literature and Studies Department; Dr. Michael A. Cuesta, Dean of Graduate School.
