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Dear BEIS Community,
What a year! We celebrated “40 Years of Multilingualism Within
TESOL” at last year’s convention in Portland, Oregon. This celebration
honored all who dedicate their lives and work to the power of language,
the inherent human right to speak our mother tongue, and the years of
research that demonstrate that additional languages are learned most
effectively after children become highly literate and fluent in their
mother tongue. Our gathering honored past presidents of BEIS, those
whose vision, transformative research, and deep caring have kept our
community thriving through the decades.
From left to
right, Nancy Dubetz, Yvonne Freeman, David Freeman, Ester de Jong, Aida
Nevárez-La Torre, Mayra Daniel, Shelley Taylor, Joan Wink, and Sandra
Mercury
In keeping with the tradition of honoring our heritage,
present, and future of multilingual and multicultural education, editors
Andrés Ramírez and Alsu Gilmetdinova have created a newsletter that
explores the rich heritage of multilingual education and what lies
ahead. Stories convey deep human truths. The personal and professional
stories highlighted in this newsletter lift deep truths about
multilingual education, and perhaps we may recognize some of our own
journeys, as well. Enjoy.
We’ll soon gather in Toronto, Canada to celebrate TESOL
convention 2015. Chair-Elect, Sandra Musanti, has composed vibrant BEIS
academic and InterSection sessions focused on pressing contemporary
issues that affect us all: “Opportunities and Challenges: English
Learners in the Times of Standards,” and “Multilingualism: Voices From a
Globalized World.” I look forward to seeing you there.
“Language,” writes Wade Davis,(Chadwick & Davis, 2003) “is a flash of the human spirit.” Our
BEIS community holds enough human spirit to light the world.
Dawn Wink
BEIS Chair
References
Chadwick A., (Interviewer) & Davis, W. (Interviewee).
(2003). An Interview with Anthropologist Wade Davis [Interview
transcript]. Retrieved from National Public Radio Web Site: http://www.npr.org/programs/re/archivesdate/2003/may/mali/davisinterview.html |
