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Statement of Purpose
TESOL's Social Responsibility Interest Section (SRIS) supports
and develops members engaged in integrating language teaching, research,
and training with social responsibility, world citizenship, and
awareness of global issues such as peace, human rights, and the
environment. The SRIS promotes social responsibility within the
profession to advance social equity, respect for differences, and
multicultural understandings through education.
Relationship to TESOL Mission and Strategic Direction
The work of the SRIS clearly aligns with the advocacy aims of
the Strategic Plan and TESOL’s Mission Core Values
(1) Respect for Diversity, Multilingualism, Multiculturalism, and
Individual Language Rights and (2) Commitment to Lifelong Learning.
TESOLers are intersectional in their interests, expertise, and talents
vis-à-vis our shared professional discipline. The SRIS has become a
welcome home for members who themselves are stakeholders within multiple
ISs or other alliance communities (e.g., AEIS, BELPaF, IEPIS, ILGBTF,
NNEST,...): SRIS speaks to members’ own core values as humans living and
working within a socially unjust world.
2018-19 SRIS Goals
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Research workshops/‘webinars,’ online book club; quarterly
newsletter content; discussion forum activity; etc.);
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Promote development of leaders within the SRIS (i.e.,
through opportunities for service as ‘domain leaders’ or IS liaisons,
newsletter contributors/editors, workshop development/delivery;
etc.);
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Grow membership of the SRIS (i.e., through active
dissemination of our purposes and mission to the broader TESOL
community);
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Activate and engage affiliate leaders both regionally
(within the U.S.A.) and globally in their involvement in the SRIS and
within the TESOL organization more broadly.
2018-19 Planned Activities
Quarterly Webinars: The “TESOL year” beyond of convention will
be divided up into 4 quarters. A webinar will be offered by one of the
four domains each quarter in their area of expertise. Such webinars will
be available and open to the entire TESOL membership:
Newsletter Foci: Building upon the work of the 2017-2018 SRIS
Newsletter Editors, our plan is to continue publishing four newsletters
each year, with one of the domains taking key focus each issue.
Additionally, the issue leading up to the annual Convention will
integrate the Convention Theme.
Book Club: Also emerging during the 2017 SRIS general meeting
was the idea to develop online book club focusing on a text aligned to
the Convention Theme, a specific advocacy domain, or other identified
critical topic related to the current social and political milieu.
SRIS Leadership Policy and Procedures: An identified aim is the
development of organized virtual spaces (e.g. via Google Docs or other
space) and materials that would support the successful transition of
leadership within the SRIS.
Online Open Meeting: Beyond the annual open meeting which
occurs during the course of the convention, our intention is to hold
quarterly “virtual” open membership meetings to aid in ‘extending the
conversation’ beyond the annual convention.
Area of Advocacy Activities: Each of the four Areas of Advocacy
(EL Advocacy, Intersections of Identity, Professional Learning, and
Global Issues) will undertake activities throughout the year, in
addition to the planned webinars. These could include, but are not
limited to, research projects, online meetings, such as twitter chats,
publications and outreach. |
