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Dear SPLIS colleagues,
With great enthusiasm we present to you another issue of As We Speak, our SPLIS newsletter. Be prepared to
get inspired! This issue brings a variety of teaching ideas for learning
and teaching with instructional technology tools, drama techniques, and
textbooks. It also includes preliminary findings from a research study
and a book review. It has it all! If you have other practical
suggestions, innovative practices for the classroom, and/or research
findings that you can share, we want to hear from you. We also welcome
reviews of books and learning tools.
Regrettably, the TESOL International Convention and English
Language Expo in Denver has been canceled due to the coronavirus
(COVID-19) outbreak. We wholeheartedly support TESOL’s decision to
cancel the annual convention and urge our members to take all the
necessary precautions to be safe and stay healthy. In these difficult
times, we have to exercise caution and protect ourselves and others from
this pandemic disease.
Before we start our preparations for the next TESOL convention,
which will be held in Houston, TX, we want to express our gratitude to
TESOL leaders, staff members, volunteers, invited featured speakers,
teachers, and researchers, who have spent their time and resources to
prepare for this year’s annual convention. We are very sorry that it
will not take place this year. At SPLIS, we will continue with our
efforts to keep our members informed of any new developments in our
field. We will also work hard to bring professional development
opportunities during the year.
At the end of March, my service as SPLIS Past-Chair will come
to an end. I take with me wonderful memories and new friendships as well
as a great sense of accomplishment. I became SPLIS Chair in February
2018. At that time, SPLIS was in urgent need of a former leader that
could train a new generation of leaders. As a former SPLIS leader
(2013-2015), I knew I could help with this task, so I accepted the
challenge. Looking back, I am proud of how much we have accomplished as a
group since I joined the leadership team. We have reached all the goals
we set for ourselves in 2018, including publishing two issues of As We Speak every year, inviting more experts to
the annual convention, and having more of an online presence in our
community of practice. I am leaving SPLIS in excellent hands and with a
highly motivated group of volunteers who will continue the work we
started. I am thankful to our SPLIS board members for their commitment
and service to SPLIS and to our members for their contributions to our
vibrant community. We have all played our roles in making SPLIS a strong
and valuable community of practice.
Although I leave SPLIS leadership, I will stay connected with
SPLIS and will continue my service to TESOL in my new role as a member
of TESOL’s Nominating Committee. In this new role, I will solicit,
evaluate, vet, and screen prospective candidates and make informed and
appropriate decisions to recommend candidates for TESOL’s Board of
Directors. I am thankful to those who voted for me and entrusted me with
this important task. I am excited about this new opportunity to serve
TESOL members.
I look forward to seeing you at future SPLIS and TESOL events.
Wishing you all health and happiness,
Veronica G. Sardegna
SPLIS Past-Chair |
