As we begin the New Year, I would like to wish all of our TESOL members a happy, healthy, and meaningful 2019!
This is also a great time to look back on 2018, and I would like to highlight some of the things that we did as an association to advance the expertise of professionals who teach English to speakers of other languages in multilingual contexts worldwide.
We expanded our global presence and connectivity by bringing together more than 6,000 TESOL professionals from 110 countries for the annual TESOL Convention & English Language Expo in Chicago, Illinois, USA; hosting our first annual TESOL China Assembly in Shanghai, China for 1,800 participants; and partnering with TESOL affiliates to deliver symposia and academies to 300 TESOL professionals in Canada and Honduras.
In 2019, we plan to build on this with what promises to be an outstanding TESOL Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, a bigger TESOL China Assembly in Hangzhou, China, and a Symposium on World Englishes in partnership with the Croatian Association of Teachers of English in Poreč, Croatia.
We strengthened the knowledge and expertise of TESOL professionals in a number of ways. We enrolled more than 2,000 TESOL professionals in professional learning opportunities in the past year. We launched The 6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching of English Learners, which has experienced unprecedented demand. We are following up the first volume, which focused on K–12 education in the U.S. context, with products focused on adult education and workforce development, English for academic and specific purposes, and paraeducators. At the Convention in March, we will debut professional learning programs focused on the 6 Principles, including a training of trainers preconvention event, several 6 Principles–focused sessions, and a special 6 Principles session during PreK–12 Day.
We helped raise the voice of TESOL members and advocate for the TESOL profession, professionals, and students around the world, launching our Public Policy Professional Council, issuing several letters and public statements in support of English language teachers and students, and hosting our annual Advocacy and Policy Summit. We plan to continue these efforts in 2019, while also helping to strengthen our collective voice by launching an online grassroots advocacy toolkit. Stay tuned for ways in which you can get involved!
We have much more work to do in 2019 and beyond. As always in education, our work is never done. There are always new students, new approaches, and more things for us to learn as well. I hope that you will all join us to help engage with and support your fellow TESOL members through these activities and many more.
Congratulations to Jodie Schlaerth, of Ohio, USA, for being the winner of the December 2018 TESOL Connections Monthly Giveaway. Jodie won free TESOL membership renewal and gift membership.
This month, TESOL is giving away
a free electronic subscription (or renewal)
to TESOL Quarterly!
TESOL Quarterly (TQ), a refereed professional journal, fosters inquiry into English language teaching and learning by providing a forum for TESOL professionals to share their research findings and explore ideas and relationships in the field. TQ's readership includes ESOL teacher educators, teacher learners, researchers, applied linguists, and ESOL teachers.
There are so many opportunities to use video in interesting and creative ways. Last month I wrote about the various ways that TED talks can be incorporated in English teaching. If you didn’t see that blog entry, you should take a look. You may be surprised at the extent of resources available as well as the supporting instructional guidance that you can find. There are, of course, many other collections of valuable video resources that can also be brought into the classroom. This entry will address some of these. I will also share some thoughts about various ways to create compelling, collaborative, communicative experiences around the creation, use, and sharing of video. Read more.
Most educators of English learners (ELs) cringe at the thought of attending district-wide professional development (PD) programs. The content of many of these programs seems unrelated to the specialized needs of teachers of their students. It’s torture for them to be subjected to a day with an “expert” that expounds on a topic that doesn’t apply to their population.
Indeed, school districts seem to be wedded to this “one size fits all” method of PD. I feel an affinity with this topic. I stopped providing PD to school districts a few years ago because there was no follow-up. I would travel to a district, spend the day, and that would be the end. The district ticked “PD” about teaching ELs off their list. I felt keenly that I wasn’t meeting the PD needs of a good number of people in the audience in a “one and done” session. Read more.
Well, it’s almost here! No, not my annual Golden Girls marathon, but the first day of the 116th U.S. Congress. And with the new Congress comes an opportunity to meet some of the 435 people who work for you, 110 of whom are brand new to Capitol Hill and I’m sure would love to meet you. I can never emphasize this enough, but sometimes advocates I speak with take the term “public servant” for granted, forgetting that they have two senators and one representative (unless they’re in Washington, DC) dedicated to represent their interests in Congress. So, why wouldn’t you want to articulate your interests in person?
Meeting with your members of Congress and their staffs is one of the most important things you can do as a citizen, let alone a TESOL advocate, and you don’t have to travel all the way to Washington, DC, to do it! Read more.
As the number of English learners around the world soars, so does the need for quality English language instruction. TESOL International Association has furthered its ELT leadership role by defining a core set of principles for the exemplary teaching of English learners. The 6 Principles will help you make informed decisions to improve English language instruction and assessment. These foundational principles are for all educators and are applicable across different educational settings. This book features a detailed explanation of The 6 Principles, practical applications for your classroom, ideas for building a strong community of practice, and more!
Unsure of how to include creativity and project-based learning in grammar lessons? The 2nd edition of this best-selling book includes updated activities and new contributions that cover a wide range of teaching techniques -- from introducing a specific grammar point to providing meaningful, contextualized practice.
More Than A Native Speaker: An Introduction to Teaching English Abroad, Third Edition Don Snow and Maxi-Ann Campbell
In this newly updated third edition, learn step-by-step how to effectively teach English abroad. Gain valuable tips and resources for teaching in an unfamiliar educational system, working with students of varying ages and skill levels, and adapting to life in a different culture. A rich array of online resources and activities included.
TESOL: Training for Trainers
TESOL Online Course. Develop a plan to strengthen your continuing professional development program. (16 January)
TESOL Symposium on World Englishes
Explore World Englishes and how they affect your practice at this symposium in Poreč, Croatia. (13 April)
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Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
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As we begin the New Year, I would like to wish all of our TESOL members a happy, healthy, and meaningful 2019!
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There are so many opportunities to use video in interesting and creative ways. Last month I wrote about the various ways that TED talks can be incorporated in English teaching. If you didn’t see that blog entry, you should take a look. You may be surprised at the extent of resources available as well as the supporting instructional guidance that you can find. There are, of course, many other collections of valuable video resources that can also be brought into the classroom. This entry will address some of these. I will also share some thoughts about various ways to create compelling, collaborative, communicative experiences around the creation, use, and sharing of video. 
Most educators of English learners (ELs) cringe at the thought of attending district-wide professional development (PD) programs. The content of many of these programs seems unrelated to the specialized needs of teachers of their students. It’s torture for them to be subjected to a day with an “expert” that expounds on a topic that doesn’t apply to their population.
Well, it’s almost here! No, not my annual Golden Girls marathon, but the first day of the 116th U.S. Congress. And with the new Congress comes an opportunity to meet some of the 435 people who work for you, 110 of whom are brand new to Capitol Hill and I’m sure would love to meet you. I can never emphasize this enough, but sometimes advocates I speak with take the term “public servant” for granted, forgetting that they have two senators and one representative (unless they’re in Washington, DC) dedicated to represent their interests in Congress. So, why wouldn’t you want to articulate your interests in person?
New Ways in Teaching Grammar, Second Edition
More Than A Native Speaker: An Introduction to Teaching English Abroad, Third Edition
