TESOL celebrates excellence for merits such as service to the field, research, teaching, and leadership. This year, awards were given to outstanding teachers, researchers, and students. Here are some of this year's award winners.

James E. Alatis Award for Service to TESOL

The James E. Alatis Award for Service to TESOL was established to acknowledge outstanding and extended service by TESOL members at international, regional, and local levels. This award was established in 1987 to honor James E. Alatis for his 21 years of devoted service as TESOL's first executive director.

Federico Salas-Isnardi is director of the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy in Houston, Texas. Federico is an ESL teacher, adult educator, diversity trainer, adult literacy practitioner, and storyteller with more than 30 years of experience as a professional developer, consultant, and speaker in the areas of adult education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

TESOL Teacher of the Year Award

The TESOL Teacher of the Year Award was created by TESOL and National Geographic Learning to recognize and honor exceptional English language teachers at all levels.

Khanh-Duc Kuttig has been teaching EFL since her university days. She has a degree in English, linguistics, and philosophy and an MA in TESOL. She has taught in Germany and the United Kingdom. Currently based at the University of Siegen, she is also events coordinator for her local ELTA.

TESOL Award for Distinguished Research

The TESOL Award for Distinguished Research was created to recognize excellence in any area of research on language teaching and learning.

Azar Tajabadi has a doctorate in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) from Arak University. She is a part-time lecturer at Arak and Mofid Universities, where she teaches language skills, assessment, and research courses. Her research interests are individual differences, feedback practices, learners' interactions, and intercultural education.

The D. Scott Enright TESOL Interest Section Service Award

This award is to acknowledge outstanding and extended service to and leadership in TESOL Interest Sections (ISs). This award was first granted in 1993 to D. Scott Enright, who passed away in 1994, to recognize his leadership as a member and chair of the Pre-K–12 IS and his work on behalf of all TESOL ISs while he served as IS representative on the TESOL Board of Directors from 1989–1992.

Dr. Veronica Sardegna has served as Speech, Pronunciation, and Listening Interest Section (SPLIS) chair (2014, 2018, 2019) and member of SPLIS’s leadership team (2013–2020) and TESOL’s Nominating Committee (2020). Currently, she is the chair of TESOL’s 2021 Nominating Committee. Her research and teaching interests are in English pronunciation, intercultural learning, and teacher education.

The Ron Chang Lee Award for Excellence in Classroom Technology

Sponsored by Ron Chang Lee, this award was created in 2018 to honor three TESOL members who have achieved excellence through the implementation of technology in teaching ESL/EFL.

Rihab Al Maafa is a teacher and a certified trainer. She holds a BA in the English language. She got a certificate with honor in "Building Leadership for Change Through School Immersion” in Virginia, supported by the Saudi Ministry of Education. Her main interests are innovation in education and using technology.  

The TESOL Virginia French Allen Award for Scholarship and Service

The Virginia French Allen Award was established in 1990 by Dr. Allen's former students in honor of her long-time contributions to the field. The award honors an ESOL teacher who has shared scholarship and provided service to a TESOL International Association affiliate.

Margi Wald, lecturer and summer ESL program director at UC Berkeley, coedits The CATESOL Journal, works on the CATESOL conference committee, and is a former TESOL conference program chair (2017) and newsletter editor (Higher Education and Second Language Writing Interest Sections). Publications include Exploring Options in Academic Writing and Teaching U.S.-Educated Multilingual Writers (Michigan ELT).

This fellowship was created to support recent or current graduate students in the development of projects with direct application to ESOL language classroom instruction. The recipient of this award is expected to present the results of the project at a TESOL convention within 3 years of the date the award is received.

Svetlana Koltovskaia is a PhD candidate in TESOL/applied linguistics at Oklahoma State University. Her research interests include computer-assisted language learning and second language writing. She is particularly interested in the use of automated writing evaluation systems in second language writing classrooms and student engagement with both teacher and automated written corrective feedback.

TESOL Presidents' Award

The TESOL President's Award winner is selected annually by TESOL’s Executive Committee in recognition of individuals or organizations who have supported efforts for the field in line with TESOL’s values. This year, it was presented to the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

With its earliest roots dating back to 1933, the IRC has been strongly committed to responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helping people impacted by conflicts around the world. Currently operating in 40 countries and in 20 cities within the United States, the IRC and its teams on the ground help provide clean water, shelter, health care, education, and empowerment support to refugees and displaced people. In response to the ongoing global struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRC has implemented broad, bold programs to integrate support services while helping learners develop a wide range of critical skills. Download the full press release for more details. 

TESOL Travel Grants and Scholarships

Each year, TESOL also presents a number of travel grants and scholarships to TESOL members. To view a list of TESOL’s Travel Grants and Scholarships recipients for 2021, click here (PDF).