2026 KOTESOL International Conference
"Criticality, Innovation, and Compassion: Rethinking Language Education in Times of Change"
May 16–17, 2026
Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
In-person and asynchronous
Korea TESOL (KOTESOL) is a non-profit professional association dedicated to advancing research, sharing knowledge, and fostering intercultural exchange among English educators and learners in Korea. Since its establishment in October 1992, KOTESOL has served as the official affiliate of the TESOL International Association in Korea and holds associate membership with the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL). It is also a founding member of the Pan-Asian Consortium (PAC), a regional network comprising JALT (Japan), ThaiTESOL (Thailand), ETA-ROC (Taiwan), FEELTA (Russia), and PALT (Philippines). Each year, KOTESOL furthers its mission by hosting an international conference that brings together professionals from around the world to exchange scholastic ideas, research, and best practices.
About the 2026 KOTESOL International Conference
On the 16 and 17 of May 2026, KOTESOL will host its 33rd International Conference at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, South Korea. KOTESOL invites educators, researchers, and practitioners from diverse sectors in the field of English language teaching to explore the interconnected themes of criticality, innovation, and compassion in ELT. All those involved in English language education, regardless of level, setting, or background, are welcome to participate.
Conference Themes
KOTESOL encourages submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following thematic strands:
Criticality urges us to question established norms, challenge inequities, and reflect on the sociopolitical dimensions of our work - from curriculum design and classroom interaction to institutional policies and global ELT discourses.
Innovation encourages the exploration of new pedagogical approaches, technologies, and frameworks that respond creatively and effectively to emerging educational realities.
Compassion reminds us that at the heart of teaching lies human connection - the need to center empathy, inclusion, and care in ways that affirm learners’ diverse identities, experiences, and aspirations.
Conference Strands
- Critical Perspectives in ELT
- Curriculum Design & Program Innovation
- Global Englishes
- Innovative & Compassionate Teaching
- Language Assessment & Feedback
- Multilingualism
- Professional Development
- Reflective Practice
- Sustainability & Social Responsibility
- Teacher Identity
- Technology & Digital Literacies
- Transnationalism & Translanguaging
- Young Learners & Secondary Education
Submit a Proposal
Timeline Overview
The call for conference proposals opens September 20, 2025, and closes January 31, 2026.
- Early-Bird Proposals Accepted: September 20, 2025 - November 15, 2025
- Early-Bird Proposal Acceptance Notification: November 30, 2025
- Regular Proposals Accepted: November 16, 2025 - January 31, 2026
- Regular Proposal Acceptance Notification: March 1, 2026
Submit a Proposal Here (to view, must be logged in at koreatesol.org)
Proposals on a wide variety of topics are welcome, particularly those in the spirit of the theme.
Proposal Submission Guidelines
KOTESOL welcomes proposals for individual or group presentations.
- Research Report/Paper: 25 minutes (in-person, or online)
- Workshops: 50 or 80 minutes (in-person only)
- Dialogues/Roundtables: 50 minutes (in-person only)
- Panel Discussions: 80 minutes (in-person only)
- Poster Presentations: 50 minutes (in-person or online [Padlet or PDF])
- Graduate Student Showcase: 15 minutes (in-person or pre-recorded video; research only; must be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of submission)
- Pecha Kucha: 20 slides, 20 seconds each (pre-recorded video only)
Got another idea? Alternative session formats are welcome; contact us!
Submitted proposals should include:
- Title (no more than 12 words or 70 characters including spaces.)
- Abstract (up to 150 words). No name or information should be included in the abstract that could be used to identify the possible presenter(s). This includes research grant numbers and university names.
- Session Format (workshop, research presentation, panel, etc. in-person, pre-recorded video or Zoom)
- Session Topic (see above)
- Presenter(s) Biographical Profile(s) (up to 60 words)
Please submit proposals in English only. However, presentations can be conducted in either Korean or English.
Please note that:
- An individual may submit a maximum of two (2) proposals as the lead or sole author.
- Additional participation as a co-presenter or panelist is permitted in up to three (3) additional sessions.
Fair Review Process
To ensure equity and impartiality, proposals will undergo double-blind peer review. Authors must avoid self-identifying references to their own prior work within the proposal and abstract. For example, avoid phrases like “as we demonstrated in our pilot study (Author, Year)…”
Communication & Notification
All correspondence will be directed to the lead presenter. Accepted presenters (and all co-presenters) must register for the conference by a specified date to confirm their session. Failure to register promptly may result in disqualification and replacement in the conference lineup.
Publishing Opportunities
Besides being able to submit work (as KOTESOL members) to our research journal, the Korea TESOL Journal, accepted presenters can publish in KOTESOL Proceedings 2026, a post-conference compilation of papers, including both research presentations (2,500-5,000 words) and other presentation reports (2,000 words), all reviewed.
Please note:
After a proposal has been submitted, it cannot be edited. Careful proofreading is therefore strongly recommended. The use of generative AI tools such as Bard or ChatGPT, or proofreading software such as Grammarly, may be employed to assist in this process.
All co-presenters must be included in the submitted proposal. The submitter is regarded as the corresponding presenter and is therefore responsible for ensuring that all co-presenters receive the necessary information regarding conference registration, KOTESOL membership, schedule updates, and other relevant details.
Certain presentation types may be delivered online through pre-recorded video. During the submission process, the format (in-person or online) must be selected. For the online format, a high-quality pre-recorded video (or, in the case of a poster presentation, a Padlet or PDF) is required for sharing on the conference platform. For the in-person format, presenters are expected to participate onsite in Seoul at the scheduled time.
Membership in KOTESOL is required of all presenters, including co-presenters, prior to the commencement of the conference. Membership is not required at the time of proposal submission; however, if a proposal is accepted, membership must be obtained.
The fee for membership is:
- 50,000 KRW / 40 USD for domestic members residing in Korea
- 70,000 KRW / 56 USD for international members residing outside Korea
- 30,000 KRW / 24 USD for undergraduate students enrolled in a bachelor’s or associate’s degree programme.
This membership fee is in addition to the conference registration fee (to be announced).
As credit card payments cannot be processed by KOTESOL, fees must be paid via bank transfer, PayPal, or Wise.com.
All proposals must represent work that has not previously been presented at a KOTESOL International Conference.
Multiple proposals may be submitted; however, no more than two (2) proposals from any single presenter can be accepted. Additional participation is permitted as a co-presenter or panelist in up to three (3) further sessions.
All presenters must abide by the KOTESOL Code of Conduct and the KOTESOL Ethical Standards for Research and Publication.
Contact & Further Information
Please monitor the KOTESOL website for updates. Please contact the Program Director, Gabriela Villafradez (conference.program@koreatesol.org) if you have any questions.
We look forward to your contributions to inspire critical reflection and educational innovation at the 2026 KOTESOL International Conference.
