Adcocacy Update: The Quarter in Review
by John Segota
After a particularly mild winter in Washington, DC, the legislative season began in earnest in February with the introduction of President Obama’s proposed federal budget for FY2013 and subsequent activity on major education legislation. Here’s a quick summary of the major issues facing the TESOL community.
ESEA Reauthorization
Last year, the leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives began its efforts to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) by introducing various pieces of legislation that focused on specific provisions of the current version of that law, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). That changed earlier this year when Rep. John Kline (R-MN), Chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued two comprehensive reauthorization bills.
The first bill, entitled the Student Success Act, would provide states and school districts flexibility to "meet students' unique needs" and strengthen programs for targeted populations, according to information provided by the committee. This was accompanied by a companion bill entitled the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act. According to the committee, this bill aims to grow school choice; support innovative school reform driven by states and school districts; and provide better information to parents on teacher effectiveness. Both bills were discussed and debated by the Education and Workforce Committee at the end of February, where they passed along party lines.
TESOL International Association issued a letter with its comments and concerns on the Student Success Act to Rep. Kline in February.
WIA Reauthorization
Similar to the case with ESEA, the leadership of the House of Representatives issued a few bills last year to address specific components of reauthorizing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), the federal legislation that authorizes funding and support for adult education in the United States. That changed in March, when a comprehensive WIA reauthorization bill was introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC).
Entitled the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 4297), the legislation would consolidate more than 20 programs into one flexible Workforce Investment Fund. According to information provided by the Education and Workforce Committee, this consolidation would “help to provide a more streamlined system for workers and job seekers to find the employment support they need.”
That same month, the Democratic members of the Education and Workforce Committee introduced a bill proposing their vision for a reauthorized WIA. Rather than consolidating and streamlining programs as proposed in HR 4297, the Workforce Investment Act of 2012 (HR 4227) would provide much-needed updates and revisions to the current law. This bill, sponsored by Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), reflects many of the recommendations proposed by TESOL and other adult education advocacy groups such as the National Coalition for Literacy.
TESOL International Association issued a letter with its comments and concerns on the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 4297) to Rep. Foxx in April.
TESOL and AZ-TESOL cosign Joint Statement to Oppose Book Censorship
In January, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) invited education organizations across the United States to cosign a statement it had drafted opposing the initiative to remove and censor books in the Tucson Unified School District. The initiative specifically targeted the Mexican-American Studies Program, a unique cultural awareness program in Tucson that has been the target of various political leaders within the state over the past 2 years.
TESOL International Association joined with its affiliate AZ-TESOL and 29 other education organizations across the United States to sign the statement and express its opposition to the censorship. A copy of the joint statement can be viewed and downloaded.
Make a difference at TESOL Advocacy Day 2012!
Help TESOL International Association advocate for education policies that matter to you, your students, and the field! Join your colleagues from across the United States in Washington, DC, on 18–19 June for TESOL Advocacy Day 2012. The expanded program includes integrated advocacy training activities that you’ll use when you visit Capitol Hill and back at home.
By attending TESOL Advocacy Day 2012, you will:
- Learn about the inner workings of Congress.
- Receive hands-on training on the fundamentals of advocacy that you can take back to your affiliate and community.
- Share information with your members of Congress about the impact of ESEA on your school and community.
- Gain knowledge about the current political climate and trends as they relate to TESOL’s priorities.
Register by 15 May and pay only US$99! Get full details and registration information.
TESOL Bookstore
Prepress Offer––EXTENDED! 
New Ways in Teaching Reading,
revised edition
Richard R. Day, Editor
Published by TESOL International Association
PRELAUNCH PRICE IS EXTENDED
THROUGH 1 JUNE
US$28.00
(After 1 June 2012: Members US$32.25; Nonmembers US$45.95)
Estimated Off Press mid-June 2012
The popular New Ways in Teaching Reading is now updated and revised, featuring
- New activities inspired by state-of-the art developments in teaching reading to English learners
- Expanded categories that reflect the resources needed for today’s classroom: the Internet, Fluency, Young Readers, and Extensive Reading
- More of what made the first edition a best seller: classroom-ready activities contributed by ESL and EFL reading teachers for ESL and EFL reading teachers
From the Editor, Richard R. Day
Becoming an effective and fluent reader in another language is to acquire a life-long skill, one that helps the student maintain a competence and fluency in the target language that may well outlast competence and fluency in speaking, listening, and writing. It is a skill that requires only a book or magazine or story, nothing else. And it can be done any place, any time. It is my belief that the activities and exercises in this volume will enable ESL/EFL reading teachers everywhere to help their students learn this important and life-long habit.
Order Online from the TESOL Bookstore
ISBN 9781931185745
Order #745
Previous Article
TESOL International Association conducted surveys of TESOL members and nonmembers in January and February 2012 to learn more about the professional development needs of specific groups within the English language teaching field. The surveys included both quantitative and qualitative questions. Access summaries of the surveys and share your experiences with your peers. What are your most important professional development needs, successes, and/or challenges? 
Last week, TESOL professionals from around the world gathered at the 2012 TESOL convention to exchange ideas and information about English language teaching. The end of the convention should not signal the end of professional development, however. Continuing to build our skills and knowledge is an investment—in ourselves, our students, and our profession—that is worth pursuing year round. While busy schedules and shrinking budgets may make professional development seem unattainable, fortunately there are many resources for expanding your professional knowledge that require little time and no money. Here are a few of my favorites: 
Last year, I attended the pre-conference institute (PCI) on teaching pronunciation that focused on vowel quality and suprasegmentals. Shirley Thompson and Karen Taylor of English Language Training Solutions, LLC, provided the workshop. I learned about the concepts of stress: syllable timed vs. stress timed. The English language is stress timed, meaning that stressed syllables receive more time than unstressed ones when we pronounce them. Most other languages are syllable timed. Therefore, noticing stress is an important first step in learning about pronunciation.
Many of us return from a big conference like TESOL 2012 full of energy and excitement. It’s invigorating to be around other professionals and to share ideas. But once we get home and sort out the laundry and get our lesson plans ready for the week, it can be hard to keep up the enthusiasm. Here are some ideas for how to follow up on what you’ve learned. 
