|
Dear SPLIS Members,
My prewriting preparation for this September letter included
rereading
my letter from the March issue
of As We Speak. That issue was ready for
publication when TESOL canceled its 2020 Denver Convention. To represent
this and other abrupt changes caused by COVID-19, I discarded my
initial draft and wrote a new March letter, which included the
following: “All of us are learning to adjust to a new normal for our
personal and professional lives due to COVID-19. We can surely agree
that this is an unprecedented time, one of uncertainty and
anxiety.”
Now, after several months of conducting all professional
activities from our respective homes, we have adjusted and readjusted
our work and life routines. Still trying to find that new normal, we have learned to be more flexible and to
accept the pervasive presence of uncertainty. Yet, in constant flux, our
new normal remains elusive, especially for those
who have suffered illness and lost loved ones.
Conversely, as incredible as it may seem, “life in the time of
COVID” has also brought unexpected opportunities, such as learning to
collaborate digitally. Before COVID, all Speech, Pronunciation, and
Listening Interest Section (SPLIS) steering committee meetings and
general meetings took place in face-to-face settings during TESOL’s
annual Conventions. When unable to attend a Convention, some committee
members would try to attend our SPLIS steering meeting digitally or even
telephonically; however, the depths of a convention center complex
frequently blocked such attempts. Now, from our respective homes around
the world, 100% of our SPLIS steering committee (five continuing
members, three outgoing, and three incoming) were able to attend our 30
March steering committee meeting. It was both
inspiring and energizing to see everyone on the screen working together
to prepare for our 2 April general business meeting and to set goals,
despite COVID, for the coming year.
Fortunately, TESOL was able to hold its first ever Virtual
Convention in July. However, it was not possible for the
interest sections’ academic sessions and InterSection sessions to take
place at this same time. Instead of offering these sessions in a
different virtual venue in 2020, our SPLIS board, after lengthy
deliberation, decided to target our 2020 sessions for the 2021 TESOL
Convention in Houston. We contacted our 2020 presenters to determine
their willingness and availability to present the same or similar
sessions in 2021. Fortunately, most agreed to this change. I am now
pleased to share that SPLIS plans to sponsor the following sessions at
the 2021 TESOL Convention:
SPLIS Academic Session: Lucy Pickering, Veronica Sardegna, and John Levis
Materials and Strategies for Teaching Intonation to ESL/EFL Learners
Intonation plays a critical role in successful interaction.
Yet, it is often neglected in instruction because of lack of materials
or knowledge of pedagogical approaches. This presentation equips
teachers with information about effective teaching models,
research-based materials, and pronunciation learning strategies for
teaching intonation successfully in the ESL/EFL classroom.
SPLIS/ITA-IS Intersection Session: Rebecca Oreto, Sue Ingels, and Suzanne Franks
Pronunciation Assessment Guidelines and Best Practices in ITA Programs
A panel of experts shares assessment procedures, guidelines,
and rubrics used at two American universities to assess the English oral
proficiency of prospective international teaching assistants (ITAs).
They also discuss the features that seem to impact ITAs’
comprehensibility, ITAs’ perceptions of the testing experience, and
program services to assist ITAs.
ITA-IS/SPLIS Intersection Session: Belinda Braunstein, Marsha Chan, Susan Gaer, and Veronica
Sardegna
Effective Practices for 1-on-1 Pronunciation Feedback to ITAs
Do you hold one-on-one consultations as a complement to a
course for ITAs? This panel discusses research on consultation efficacy
and provides suggestions for assessing, teaching, and guiding
pronunciation improvement in one-on-one instruction. Presenters also
share online formative assessment tools with a comparison chart aligning
online tools with targeted skills.
On behalf of our SPLIS members, I would like to thank our
SPLIS-invited presenters for having agreed to present these long-awaited
sessions in March 2021. I would also like to thank our continuing
steering committee members for their ongoing efforts and to welcome our
incoming steering committee members. As volunteers, steering committee
members dedicate their time and expertise to SPLIS and are instrumental
with upholding our well-earned reputation as being one of TESOL’s most
vibrant interest sections.
In closing, I would like to continue encouraging everyone to
demonstrate resilience and compassion during our constantly evolving
“life in the time of COVID.” We must continue to model courage,
patience, and kindness for each other and for our respective students.
We must also show our support of TESOL. Like most professional
organizations, TESOL now needs us. If you can, please again consider
contributing to the TESOL
Resilience and Recovery Fund.
So, with our language’s new COVID-inspired salutation, keep a healthy distance and stay well.
Susan Spezzini
SPLIS Past Chair, 2020–2021 | 
