The United States Embassy and the Universidad Domínico Americano (UNICDA), through its Teacher Development Center (TDC), inaugurated the 2025 Annual English Teachers Conference, an academic meeting that promotes innovation, reflection, and the exchange of good practices in the teaching of the English language.
With the theme “SMART Teaching in ELT: Strategies for Effective Teaching Practices”, the conference seeks to strengthen teachers’ pedagogical skills through an approach that integrates five essential dimensions: strategic teaching (Strategic), learning measurement (Measurable), adaptability (Adaptive), contextual relevance (Relevant), and the use of educational technology (Technological).
The opening act was led by the Public Affairs Counselor of the United States Embassy in Santo Domingo, Chelsia Hetrick, and the president of the Board of Directors of the Dominican American Cultural Institute, Darys Estrella, along with distinguished authorities from the Ministry of Education (MINERD), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT), and the National Institute for Teacher Training and Professional Development (INAFOCAM).
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During her welcome speech, Mrs. Estrella highlighted that “learning English has been, since the origins of our institution, a tool for connection between cultures, a path for professional growth, and a bridge to a world of greater opportunities. This conference celebrates the vocation of those who make that transformative process possible: the teachers.”
For her part, Chelsia Hetrick stated that the United States Embassy continues to support the community of English teachers in the Dominican Republic with training, resources, and professional networks like these. She also emphasized that converting pedagogical intention into processes and results is key to moving towards a more strategic, measurable, adaptable, relevant, and technological teaching approach.
The opening plenary was led by Dr. Marvin Cardoza, an economist with experience in the macroeconomic, tax, and labor fields, who addressed the impact of the English Immersion Program on the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic. Also participating as plenary speakers are Dr. Joan Kang Shin and Brenda Pineda, experts in pedagogical innovation and technology applied to language learning.
The three-day program – from November 13 to 15 – combines virtual and in-person sessions that include workshops, talks, presentations, and spaces for exchange among educators from all over the country. The day of Saturday the 15th featured more than 20 simultaneous sessions at the Convention Center of the Catalonia Hotel.
Through this conference, the Dominican American University reaffirms its commitment to contribute to the professionalization of teachers and the continuous improvement of English language teaching in the Dominican Republic, strengthening the institutional mission of the Dominican American Cultural Institute as a binational benchmark of educational excellence and cultural cooperation.
