Here’s our incoming Member A! Janet has been instrumental in ESOL.

Janet Pierce has been a member of Three Rivers TESOL for many years, serving as vice president, president, Act 48 recorder, and current secretary. Under her leadership she has tried innovative ways to reach new members; travelling throughout western Pennsylvania to meet and greet ESL teachers in numerous school districts. An ESOL teacher in western Pennsylvania for 20 years, Dr. Pierce has seen many changes in the ESOL education process and led curriculum writing and design workshops for school districts throughout western Pennsylvania. In addition, she has taught graduate courses for Intermediate Units One and Seven for the state ESL specialist certificate program and for regular teachers with English language learners in their classrooms. She has written a book used in the Instructional Materials I and II courses in western Pennsylvania’s ESL Specialist Certificate program as well as written a chapter in the TESOL Language Curriculum and Development series: “Revitalizing a Curriculum for School-Age Learners.” Dr. Pierce has presented at TESOL and attended the affiliate council meetings as the Three Rivers TESOL liaison for several years, and she is a firm supporter of the need for affiliates to develop professionals in the TESOL field. Her article on innovative ways to encourage and recruit new members appeared in a previous Affiliate News issue. Within her affiliate she has worked to develop conferences that meet the needs of both ESOL teachers K-12 and ESOL professionals in postsecondary education. Dr. Pierce has developed newsletters for her affiliate and promotional ideas and materials that encourage participation and membership growth.

Dolly Forbin, dollyforbin@yahoo.com