Courtney McLaren - Fandom in the Classroom
What is fandom? What do fans do? Does fandom have a place in the classroom? As fan culture becomes increasingly mainstream, the ways in which fans engage with texts, each other, and the world create valuable opportunities for teaching and learning. From literacy to transcultural identity to global citizenship, fandom offers a variety of interdisciplinary pedagogical tools that can be adapted for the classroom. This workshop will explore the role of fandom in education, with fun, practical activities and discussion on how to integrate fan studies into your teaching.
Bio
Courtney McLaren is a researcher, educator, and and avid SHINee fan. With a Masters in Communications from Simon Fraser University in Canada, her work encompasses transcultural fan practices and Korean popular culture with a focus on K-Pop fandom. Her masters research explored K-Pop fandom across Canada with a goal to recenter fandom voices in the continually asked "why K-Pop?" question. Outside of her research interests, Courtney is currently a Native English teacher in Goyang, South Korea, and spends much of her free time reading, crocheting, and annoying her friends about SHINee.
Andrew McNulty - Visuals as Language Bridges: Using Visuals to Enhance ESL Learning
Visuals serve as powerful tools for connecting language and meaning, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. This presentation examines how strategically designed visuals can enhance learners' comprehension, engagement, and motivation. Techniques such as rebus puzzles, zoomed-in or blurred photographs, and inverted images will be explored as means of stimulating curiosity, encouraging prediction, and deepening understanding. The session also considers how digital platforms like Canva enable teachers to create professional, customised materials tailored to their students' needs. By showcasing classroom examples and incorporating interactive group activities, the presentation illustrates how visuals can bridge linguistic and cultural gaps, foster creativity, and transform the learning environment into a more dynamic and student-centred space.
Bio
Andrew Mc Nulty, originally from Ireland, has been teaching English in South Korea for the past nine years. For the last five years, he has been a teacher at Wonkwang University, where he teaches EFL classes. Before that, he taught in the GEPIK program in Anseong, working with elementary school students. Andrew holds a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art and a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from University College Dublin (UCD). His academic and creative background inform his innovative approach to language teaching, particularly in integrating visual materials to enhance learner engagement and understanding.
