As the website indicates, The Affiliate Network Professional Council supports TESOL International Association by helping to ensure a strong and robust Affiliate Network. The ANPC accomplishes this by advising on initiatives and activities that advance the association’s strategic direction through the Affiliate Network, helping to shape facets of the Affiliate Network, and facilitating clear and timely communication between and among affiliate associations and the Board of Directors of TESOL International Association.

In March of 2018, the Affiliate Leadership Council transitioned to the Affiliate Network Professional Council. So what exactly does this mean? In terms of membership, the ALC team of four council members with a TESOL staff partner and a board liaison has grown to an ANPC team of seven council members with a staff partner and board liaison. Our goals have also expanded and changed. We are exploring this new terrain by taking some things we have done in the past and creating new ways of focusing on the objectives of the council and the association as a whole.

These changes come with challenges as all changes do, no matter how small or big. As we go through this transition period and beyond, the balance of taking on the challenges of creating a new council, maintaining the purpose and objectives of the association and keeping the needs of affiliates in focus are the goals behind the work of the Affiliate Network Professional Council. We are moving towards a more horizontal way of encouraging networks, links and liaisons between and among all affiliates. We aspire to look beyond the personal perspectives of our respective affiliates and act on the foundations of the association and what all our affiliates represent.

Personally, the Key Word for me behind the ANPC’s focus is NETWORK(ING). The association is about people and people need to connect. We all have multiple challenging realities in our jobs teaching English to speakers of other languages and in our roles and responsibilities as representatives of our affiliate groups.

So how can do we connect better, help each other network more successfully, and keep up with everything else we need to do? Fortunately, we received feedback at the Affiliate Assembly during the TESOL conference in Chicago regarding the needs, concerns, and ideas of some of our members and leaders - and there were many ideas!

Some thoughts that were shared assisted us in conceptualizing how to move forward with our goals by focusing on networking and thinking of ways to link more of our affiliate groups. We are asking our members to review the ideas listed below offered by our fellow affiliate groups and determine where they fit - locally, nationally or internationally? We are reaching out to ask the affiliate leaders to help make some of these ideas a reality for the ANPC by participating in the following:

1. Call for New Members of the ANPC
   
2. Submitting a proposal for a convention workshop
3. Presenting a Best of Affiliates session
4. Hosting a webinar

Take a look at the following highlights from a brainstorming session by our affiliates on how to improve engagement and let us know how you would like to get involved:

• Host Twitter or Whatsapp chats, for example, for affiliates who will be hosting TESOL annual conferences, so the upcoming affiliates who are hosting such events can learn about the process
• Recruit participation in TESOL and affiliate-sponsored conferences
• Establish regional affiliate network. Ex: regional virtual conferences / meetings/ events to provide support
• Design a separate webpage for affiliate connections based on geographic region
• Hold academic sessions under affiliates to increase international affiliate participation
• Create / organize under thematic sessions eg. Funding, organizational sessions, learning
• Use more learning sessions / round tables/ reciprocal learning
• Offer poster sessions of Best Practices in international affiliates
• Ask for two affiliate members in attendance
• Host info sessions / webinars / opportunities for affiliate leaders in a region to communicate
• Share apps – make recommendations for app usage / social media. Create templates for newsletters and other things
• Create short TESOL (Ted) talks for affiliate leaders to learn from experts or other affiliate leaders
• Offer leader Workshops – Themes in the morning – round tables to discuss issues in the afternoon
• Support affiliates to develop expertise and procedures (eg nominations procedures, IS structure, Communications Toolkit)
• Participate in the Best of Affiliate Sessions
• Ensure affiliate leaders join MyTESOL
• Encourage conference attendance at a price break
• Provide virtual sessions to another organization in areas where we have experience in a virtual speakers bureau

Thank you for your part in TESOL International Association.

Debbie West, Chair ANPC 2017-2018

Past President, TESOL France