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Because Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, the ALC Chair for the Philadelphia
Convention, was unable to be in attendance, it was my pleasure to step
in and facilitate the excellent program of activities she had
organized.
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
Jodi Ruback
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.
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