This is the theme issue of Bilingual Basics connected to the Special Academic Session of the BEIS-TEDS Interest Section of the 2010 TESOL Convention. Circumstances beyond our control prevented its publication before the 2011 TESOL Convention. Nevertheless, the publication is finally here for our members and I trust it will be worthy of your reading.

This theme issue is the second that focuses on advocacy. Thus, the scholarly dialogue among TESOLers in our interest section continues to focus on concerns raised in the field of bilingual education and how to advocate for the English language learners (ELLs) we serve. The articles here portray our views of how to best meet the needs of English language learners amidst the turmoil created by policies and their impact in the various classrooms for ELLs. Although a continuation of last year’s theme, this issue expands on the notion that advocacy and activism can take place within the classroom through teaching acts that aim to empower English language learners as they develop linguistically. It demonstrates that we continue to seek ways that will help ELLs maintain their multilingualism. The participation of members from TEDS (Teachers of English to Deaf Students) in this issue also expands our understanding of specific concerns with learning English as a second language for deaf students.

The three articles here present different aspects of advocacy and activism for ELLs. The first article by Nancy Dubetz and Ester de Jong broadens the view of advocacy from the traditional definition of the word. In this broader sense, advocacy can take place in the classroom through teaching acts that are emancipatory. The authors outline specific ways teachers can do advocacy in and outside the classroom. The second article by Samuel J. Supalla and Jody H. Cripps explains issues of concern in the teaching of deaf students. It presents ways to address literacy development mediated by the students’ knowledge of sign language, which in this case represents their first language. Finally the issue ends with an article by Qisi Zhang that discusses the complexities of meeting the needs of English language learners as they transition into U.S. schools. This article illustrates how advocacy for English language learners requires not only the educators’ knowledge of language development, but also openness to parents’ input, even for students in postsecondary education.

This is the last issue that I am editing and I want to take this opportunity to thank the members of the BEIS-TEDS interest section who gave me the opportunity to be editor of the special themed issues of the past 3 years. I also want to thank all the contributors to this newsletter while I was editor, for they have promoted the scholarly dialogue among educators of bilingual learners. Furthermore, I thank all who served as reviewers for all of the manuscripts in the past two themed issues. Thanks to their efforts, Bilingual Basics has risen to the level of a peer-reviewed publication, and consequently achieved a higher level of scholarship.

Finally I want to thank Francisco Ramos who served as coeditor for this issue. Francisco will be taking over the role of editor of the themed issue for the next 3 years. You may send your manuscripts to him at Francisco.Ramos@lmu.edu.