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TESOL-Ukraine was established in 1995 by enthusiastic and concerned people just several years after the  foundation of independent Ukraine. On June 16, 1995, a country-wide conference to organize a TESOL Affiliate in Ukraine was held at the Vinnytsia Pedagogical Institute. It was the culminating event of Zirka Voronka, now retired Professor of ESL at Passaic County College, who led activities in Ukraine as the USIA Liaison Fellow during the 1994-1995 academic year. Professors Svitlana Chuhu, Svitlana Gladio, O. Tarnopolsky, and V. Parashchuk were instrumental in all phases of preparing and organizing this one-day event. Dr. Viktor Kytatsky, the director of America House in Kyiv and his assistant Lilia Shylo, supported the conference by providing books and teaching materials for all attendees and hosted a reception at the end of the event. Over 200 English teaching professionals from all regions of Ukraine attended. Officers and regional leaders were elected, a plan of activities for the coming academic year was drafted and work on publishing a newsletter initiated.
At the very beginning, TESOL-Ukraine encountered a very modest number of enthusiasts, and, like a living  being, TESOL-Ukraine went through different stages of its development. Our organization has tried various ways of connecting and uniting English language teachers from all over Ukraine and abroad.
Thanks to the efforts of Sally La Luzerne-Oi, who was teaching at Hawaii Pacific University and involved with Hawaii TESOL, where the connection between the two organizations started in 1996. As the Internet and e-mail were becoming more widely used at that time, TESOL Ukraine President Svitlana Chuhu was able to keep me up-to-date on what was happening in those early years. Later TESOL Ukraine presidents and Sally worked remotely on several projects. For example, TESOL, Inc. suggested that U.S. affiliates consider forming a “sister” relationship with an international affiliate. Svitlana Gladio and Sally La Luzerne-Oi exchanged a flurry of e-mails in order to establish a partnership between TESOL Ukraine and Hawaii TESOL. Nina Lyulkun strove to connect our sister affiliates with technology, specifically a blog for members and online student conferences. All the presidents and newsletter editors attempted to keep our two affiliates connected. At the TESOL Convention 2000 in Salt Lake City, TESOL-Ukraine and Hawaii TESOL signed an agreement to become sister affiliates. Since that time, both organizations have been keeping in touch through annual meetings at TESOL Conventions, exchanging newsletter articles, and collaborating on common projects.
This sistership gave a lot to TESOL-Ukraine, and in 25 years, it has grown into an influential association with its  history, traditions, and values. Today our association embraces professionals from all the regions of Ukraine who seek self-development, collaboration, and advocacy. It unites people of different ages and positions. Its democratic nature is the greatest achievement of TESOL-Ukraine, which attracts new members and turns them into a friendly community. Teachers of English in Ukraine are full of energy and enthusiasm to teach their students English as a means of cross-cultural communication. We believe it will help us integrate Ukraine into the world community of highly developed countries.
Twenty-five years of the Association have been marked with unforgettable professional events and meetings, conferences, conventions, Winter and Summer Institutes, and training during which remarkable, very often unique ideas were shared and discussed. Participation in TESOL-Ukraine events always means inspiration, collaboration, and getting perspectives for the future professional work of English language instructors.
Olena Ilienko, TESOL-Ukraine President, the founder of TESOL-Ukraine. Now works as Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv. |
