For more than four decades, the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT) has stood as one of the country’s most enduring professional networks, shaping the landscape of English language teaching through sustained commitment, volunteerism, and community-driven capacity building.
Founded in 1984 by a small group of visionary educators, SPELT was initiated to provide teachers with a space for collaboration and peer learning, a time when structured professional development opportunities were scarce. Over the years, it has evolved into a national movement, expanding across campuses and reaching thousands of teachers through workshops, publications, and annual conferences. SPELT’s philosophy has remained consistent: to empower teachers with research-informed practices, strengthen pedagogical knowledge, and elevate English language teaching to international standards. Its monthly workshops—offered across multiple areas of language skills —became the backbone of its outreach, fostering a culture of continuous learning long before the idea became mainstream.
With volunteer facilitators, partnerships with schools and universities, and a steadfast commitment to equitable access, SPELT gradually expanded its footprint from school to school and from university to university. This year marked a significant milestone as SPELT hosted its 41st International Conference, a reflection of its sustained relevance and resilience. Held across various venues, including DHA Suffa University, GCEC Durbeen, IUSS, HHS, and Habib University, the conference brought together teachers, researchers, materials developers, and policy experts from Pakistan and abroad. As in previous years, the event combined theory with practice, providing a platform for scholarly exchange alongside hands-on classroom strategies.
What set the 41st SPELT Conference apart was the sense of continuity—teachers who attended SPELT sessions decades ago now returned as presenters, mentors, and thought leaders
Speakers addressed emerging challenges in English language education, including digital literacy, post-pandemic pedagogies, linguistic diversity, and the accelerated rise of AI tools in language classrooms. Interactive workshops focused on reading and writing development, speaking fluency, formative assessment, and designing learner-centred activities for multilingual classrooms. Participants noted that the multi-campus model of this year’s conference enabled broader engagement, providing both young teachers and senior academics with varied opportunities to contribute.
What set the 41st conference apart was the sense of continuity—teachers who attended SPELT sessions decades ago now returned as presenters, mentors, and thought leaders. Their participation underscored SPELT’s profound impact on shaping teaching careers and strengthening ELT as a professional domain in Pakistan.
As SPELT enters its fifth decade, its journey reflects a rare combination of grassroots energy and academic rigor. The organisation’s unwavering dedication continues to provide Pakistani teachers with a learning community grounded in collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose—ensuring that English language teaching remains responsive, inclusive, and future-ready. 
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