Hello fellow SPLISers:

Yes, another year has rolled past us and we are ready for the annual TESOL International Convention and English Language Expo once again. This year, we are fortunate to be in Philadelphia where the weather will be pleasant; the people, well, brotherly and lovely; and the convention exciting.

SPLIS has 27 official presentations. Click here for the schedule.

Please pay special attention to the InterSections of SPLIS, TEIS, and IEPIS on the topic “Pronunciation Teaching in IEPS: What and How” featuring Linda Grant, John Levis, Sue Miller, Susan K. Spezzini, and Carol L. Romett, and CALLIS, SPLIS, and ITAIS: “Technologies for Refining International Teaching Assistant’s Speaking, Pronunciation, and Listening.” These sessions spin around the major question coming out of last year’s Academic Session, which was how to integrate pronunciation with all the other demands of language teaching, and lead into this year’s Academic Session organized by our new chair, Michael Burri, “Perspectives on the Integration of Pronunciation Teaching.”

I think it is a breathtaking bevy of talent and topics from which each of us bring home something new and fresh for our students.

For more in-depth professional development, please look at the Pre- and Postconvention Institutes on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. These workshops are exceptional opportunities to spend time with experts teaching their various specialties in half- or full-day sessions. Do sign up for one or two. We have several speech-, pronunciation-, and listening-related offerings this year.

Last, but certainly not least, be sure to come to our Thursday business meeting. It is really more a social gathering than a business meeting (although we do look over the past year’s business and focus on the new) that allows you to get to know people with similar interest in pronunciation, speaking, and listening.

Thank you, everyone, especially Chair-Elect Michael Burri, Past Chairs Holly Gray and Robert Elliott, and all the hard-working reviewers who offered their minds, their hearts, and their time to make this year’s convention offerings interesting and varied. And special, special thanks to those who jumped in at the last minute to wrap up the reviewing tasks when I was suffering from Internet paralysis in Vietnam due to narrow bandwidth. It’s been a stimulating year!

Gary Carkin is professor of TESOL at the Institute of Language Education, Southern New Hampshire University, and specializes in teaching English through drama.