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Greetings fellow CALL-IS (Computer Assisted Language
Learning Interest Section) members and friends of the interest section
(IS)!
We hope that this letter finds you well, whether that be
enjoying a well-deserved summer break or hard at work creating dynamic
learning experiences for your students.
On behalf of the CALL-IS leadership, we would like to welcome
the new steering committee members who were elected during the TESOL
2019 open meeting in Atlanta: Mary Allegra, Kim Andrus, Ellen Dougherty,
and Johnna Paraiso. The community looks forward to working with you!
Also, to James May, who is cycling off the steering committee, thank you
for your years of service to the CALL-IS. Your many contributions have
made this IS an innovative and welcoming group to be a part of. Thank
you so much!
In the months since TESOL 2019, the steering committee and many
other CALL-IS volunteers have been hard at work preparing to support
TESOL teachers around the world through shared resources and other
outreach this year, and, of course, we are also gearing up for TESOL 2020! In
April, we hit the ground running with a reflection session on the 2019
TESOL conference experience; the team explored ways to continue the
positive aspects of the CALL-IS Convention presence, such as the
Electronic Village and Mini Workshops, which continued to thrive with
participants in the Expo Hall, and we also looked at how to improve the
attendee and IS volunteer experience based on the constructive feedback
we received. This year, we are also examining ways to enhance both the
free webcasts of CALL-IS sessions from TESOL Conventions and the overall
CALL-IS community outreach through a variety of online media, including
myTESOL, social media, webinars, and more. Planning for exciting
academic and InterSection section panels for next year's conference is
underway, too. We look forward to collaborating with teams from the
Second Language Writing and Supporting Students with Disabilities ISs,
among others!
The CALL-IS strives to be on the cutting edge of understanding
the intersection of technology and English language education, and there
is always plenty of room for fresh faces and ideas in our community!
Not sure where to start? Learn more about the events we host by checking
out the Electronic Village
program guide from TESOL 2019, review the
list of CALL-IS positions, fill out our Volunteer
Interest form, contribute to the CALL-IS newsletter, or share
an idea or question on the myTESOL
community. Join the conversation; we want to know more about
the ELT tech-related ideas and questions you have!
That’s all the news for now, but we are looking forward to
learning and sharing with you on the CALL-IS myTESOL community. Until
the next newsletter, we wish you all a fantastic year!
Best regards,
Heather Benucci and Abe Reshad
Heather Benucci, a TESOL teacher educator, materials
development specialist, and editor, has led virtual professional
development programs for participants in more than 100 countries. A
long-time producer and presenter for the U.S. State Department’s TEFL
webinar series, she also managed the Department’s E-Teacher Program and
launched its first-ever mobile app and e-books for teachers and
learners.
Abe Reshad is the director of the Cooper
International Learning Center at Oberlin College and Conservatory in
Oberlin, Ohio. With 18 years of ESOL teaching experience and 10 with a
CALL focus, Abe’s professional interests include the use of maker spaces
to promote language learning, e-learning, and place-based AR/MR
learning experiences.
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