I don’t know about you, but at the TESOL office, when the calendar turns to February, we all start thinking about the TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo. And because I often use this space to highlight aspects of our strategic plan, I should note that the Convention is one event where all of our strategic outcomes come together. We see our Global Presence and Connectivity in the participants from more than 100 countries. We advance TESOL Knowledge and Expertise through more than 1,000 sessions and pre- and postconvention events. And we realize our Voice and Advocacy through 19 sessions focused TESOL advocacy. 

This year, I am especially excited by our session highlighting our Diverse Voices Task Force, which we expect will help TESOL embrace and live up to our fundamental values of equity, inclusion, and diversity; and our keynotes that will include our president, Deborah Healey, and the 2018 Teacher of the Year, Mandy Manning, who teaches and advocates for immigrant and refugee students and will challenge us on our duty to use language as a vehicle for connection and belonging. 

Last year, I told you what the TESOL International Convention meant to me. This year, I would like to highlight what it means to our TESOL Ambassadors, English language teachers from around the world who have volunteered to share their Convention experiences with other attendees. 

Let me start with Romualdo Mabuan, an assistant professor at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, in Manila, Philippines. Romualdo, who has taught English for 15 years, attended his first TESOL Convention in 2018 with support from TESOL’s Betty Azar Travel Grant for Practicing ESL/EFL Teachers. “Wherever you are in the world,” Romualdo says, “if you are an ELT professional and contemplating attending the TESOL 2020 Convention in Denver, Colorado, I would say you need not think twice—just go for it!” Read Romualdo’s TESOL blog to see his top three reasons for attending. 

Samatha Butler, culturally and linguistically diverse educational dean and professional learning and development coordinator at Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado, USA, won’t have as far to travel as others to attend this year’s Convention. But as a veteran of several Conventions and a self-described “shy person,” she notes that the sheer size of the Convention can be daunting. So her blog entry—"5 Ways to Get the Most out of TESOL 2020 as an Introvert"—is especially valuable. And much of her advice can apply equally well to extroverts. Everyone should check out her thoughts on exploring her home city. 

Josiah Murphy, an independent researcher who recently graduated from Kent State University in Ohio, USA, notes how challenging it may be for busy teachers to reinvigorate themselves at the Convention, so she provides a helpful checklist to help make sure it happens! As she notes in her blog, “whether you are tackling a world-changing issue or changing the life of one student, you need the support of others who get it. And you can find them at the TESOL International Convention!” 

We are proud of all of our ambassadors and appreciate all of the perspectives they bring. Additional ambassadors include Diana Salazar, English teacher and academic trainer at Rochester School and Sergio Arboleda University in Bogata, Colombia; Ethan Trinh, ESL teacher and doctoral student at Georgia State University; and Wendy McBride, teacher at Spring International Language Center at the University of Arkansas. Please take time to read their biographies and blogs, and don’t forget to follow them on social media. 

In addition to these official ambassadors, just about everyone who attends TESOL at least once becomes an ambassador for those who have not attended before. Short of writing your own blog, there are lots of ways that you can share your experiences, encourage others to join you in Denver, and build excitement for those already planning to go. Here are some ideas to consider: 

1. Social media can be one of the quickest ways to spread the word and build excitement about the Convention. If you follow TESOL, you can share our posts and add your own message. We also have graphics you can download that say “I’m Attending” or “I’m Presenting,” and you can post them to your accounts with your top reasons for attending or what attendees would learn from your session. 
   

2. If you’ll be attending a local in-person event for English language educators, please feel free to download our Fact Sheet and share it.  

3. Through myTESOL, you can respond to or start a discussion within your community(ies) about the TESOL Convention.  

4. Word of mouth is still one of the best ways to share. If you work with colleagues in the field, ask them if they are planning to attend! 

I am looking forward to seeing so many of you in Denver this March. If you spot me or any of our TESOL Board members, please feel free to come up and say hi!

Christopher Powers
TESOL Executive Director
Email: cpowers@tesol.org
Twitter: @TESOL_Powers