SCELT & The Bridge forum

Klaudia Bednárová graduated from the Faculty of Arts in Nitra, majoring in English Language and Literature – Pedagogy. In 2009 she founded The Bridge English Language Centre, which became one of the founding members of the Association of Language Schools of the Slovak Republic in 2010 and an internationally accredited language school in 2020. Klaudia is actively involved in adult and teacher education. She is a member of the presidium of the AIVD and the Slovak Association of Age Management. She was at the birth of the Slovak Chamber of English teachers and lead the projects ELTforum.sk and The Bridge re-boot camp for teachers. Klaudia’s research focuses on the integration of education into the ecosystems of companies and organisations, ROI issues and the impact of education on the growth and development of companies. Her non-professional interest is finding strategies to effective learning.

Emma has a master’s degree in literature from Queen Mary’s College, University of London, a CELTA diploma from the International House London, and has recently completed the Coaching Practitioner course with the Bridge, gaining her accreditation with the EMCC shortly after. She has been teaching for nearly 10 years and was integrating coaching methods into her lessons before participating in the coaching course. She sees coaching as a great way to get to the heart of what our students are looking for from their language learning and a useful resource for teacher’s to help themselves as well and make sure they’re getting what they want from their career.

Kamila Jančíková studied both English and German and was a language teacher for twenty years. Now, she is in charge of the marketing agenda of the Bridge and Kogneo, and last year she published her first book of poetry. She is also a certified yoga instructor, as well as a certified ayurveda lifestyle coach, and her biggest interest is what she calls the poetry of life. She loves to write, take pictures, travel and read.

Ondrej has been an English teacher and translator since 2011. He graduated from the University of Prešov where he majored in English and American studies. Teaching English is Ondrej’s passion, proof of which can be found in his dedication to preparing and delivering his lessons. Another of Ondrej’s passions is photography. He spends much of his free time taking photos while  attending  conferences, festivals and concerts. Ondrej is a fan of self- development and long-life learning. He loves working with people and is fascinated by their stories. In 2025 he completed Mentoring and Coaching Practitioner Course at the Bridge.

Workshop:

Stop procrastinating

Do you ever feel a twinge of guilt when you catch yourself chatting in the staff room, taking the long way home, or getting lost in a hobby when you “should” be grading papers? What if I told you that wasn’t procrastination, but your brain begging for enjoyment? Together, we’ll flip the script on teacher productivity. Key pillars of cognitive health—like movement, social connection, and novelty— your “downtime” is actually critical fuel for a sharp, resilient mind. We’ll use practical coaching tools to help you audit your current habits and reframe them not as time wasted, but as vital brain training. Come learn how to say “No
thanks” to guilt!

Andrea Záhumenská is currently the Director of Studies at the Bridge English Language Centre in Bratislava, Slovakia. She has presented at a number of ELT conferences and delivered a range of external training sessions to English teachers. Andrea holds a Trinity TESOL Diploma and has recently gained EMCC coaching accreditation. She believes that teachers can and do make a real difference to students‘ lives and that they can have a positive influence on students that resonates beyond the classroom. She also believes that teaching is a dynamic and evolving profession and that the best teachers believe in lifelong learning and continually strive for personal development.

Anka is an open, friendly, and curious people person who finds meaning in connecting across cultures. Originally from Ukraine, she has called Slovakia her home for the past eight years.

With a background in Management and a passion for languages and communication, she joined Bridge in 2019 and has since grown both professionally and personally. In her HR role, Anka enjoys the variety — from recruitment and relocation to onboarding and event organization. She thrives on combining people-focused work with numbers and legal processes, especially those involving foreign employees. Colleagues describe her as approachable, supportive, and full of positive energy, driven by helping others succeed and feel at home.

How to Build Valuable Relationships Between Schools and Teachers
Teachers are the heart of every school — yet too often, their work is reduced to timetables, hours, and administrative expectations. In this session, an HR professional shares a human- centered look at how schools can create more supportive, respectful, and motivating environments for their teaching teams.
Through real stories, practical examples, and simple ideas already used in schools, this presentation explores what teachers truly need to thrive: stability, recognition, and a genuine voice. You’ll hear how small shifts in communication, onboarding, feedback, and daily interactions can transform the way teachers experience their work — even in resource- limited or state school environments.

This is a talk about partnership, respect, and the power of being seen as a professional with expertise — not just a name on a schedule. It’s an invitation to rethink how we work together so that teaching can feel more sustainable, meaningful, and supported.

Marco is not only a certified English teacher but also brings in 27 years of experience as an international business executive in the B2B sector. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a diploma in HR Management, and a Master’s degree in Marketing & Sales, he is a certified Mental Coach as well. Beyond the corporate world, Marco is an avid hiker and climber who had the chance to travel far and wide. His passion for reading spans Italian, English, and French literature. Marco’s exceptional organizational skills and down-to- earth nature make him a valuable asset to any team. In his role as a Business English instructor, his extensive industry experience and knowledge are greatly appreciated by his students. Moreover, his effective communication style and leadership skills contribute to his well-rounded professionalism.

Follow me or die: Business English Survival Kit

Whether you are a seasoned or novice business English teacher or simply considering applying your teaching skills to this specific language area for the first time, this session will provide you with valuable insight and tools. What will you gain from this session? First, a
general framework of reference to make sense of the different variables at play and how to leverage them to design the right kind of course, based on the students’ needs and expectations. Furthermore, you will learn how to maximize your efforts and lessons’ outcomes using a plug-and-play segmentation matrix, which will help you master the relationship between the students’ learning objectives and your expected teaching impact. Finally, you will also get a review of some off-the-shelf resources that you can use from day one to improve your skillset and performance level.