The Assembly began with the formalities and a large audience joined the ALC’s Chair Dorothy Forbin in welcoming five new affiliates: TESL Nova Scotia, English Teachers Association of Georgia, Bolivian English Teachers Association, Tanzanian English Language Teachers’ Development Meeting, and TESOL Persia.

Congratulations went to Argentina TESOL, which had reached a very special milestone of 25 years of TESOL affiliation and was awarded with a commemorative plaque.

Long-time TESOL stalwart and affiliate supporter Penny Alatis presented the TESOL Virginia French Allen Award for Scholarship and Service to Jodi Ruback from the Southern Nevada Chapter of California TESOL.

Penny Alatis

Reports followed from myself as the past chair, recounting the ALC’s activities in the past year on behalf of the Affiliates, along with brief speeches from the TESOL’s past, present, and future presidents―a real confirmation of the importance of the affiliates to the structure and governance of TESOL.

The Assembly finished with a workshopping activity, in which affiliate representatives were asked to suggest plans of actions in response to data collected from the affiliates in our most recent survey of your needs.

Groups were given a response from that survey and brainstormed suggestions for realizing the recommendations. The results of these activities are currently being reviewed by the ALC.

Questions discussed included the following:

• How can TESOL International support/assist affiliates in furthering the field of English language teaching?
• How can affiliations with TESOL International more directly benefit the members of your affiliate and support leadership development?
• What recommendations do you have to ALC/TESOL to assist with or inform the implementation of at least two of the activities rated as “most important” as a benefits for affiliates of TESOL International?

The Assembly proved to be both a celebration of the affiliates as well as important sharing time for the affiliates to provide consolidated and collaborative feedback to TESOL International on the ways in which the affiliates and TESOL can work together to realize mutual goals.

Misty Adoniou is a senior lecturer in language literacy and TESL at the University of Canberra. She is a past president of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations and TESOL Greece, and is currently past chair of the Affiliate Leadership Council.