words in action - memberize · words in action 8 idioms, usage, and habit: why a learner needs a...

The Annual

WATESOL FALL CONVENTION 2013

WORDS IN ACTION

Saturday, October

19, 2013

8:30AM – 4:30PM

Plenary Speaker

Special Interest

Groups

Exhibitors

Presenters

www.watesol.org

Tweet with us

today!

#WATESOL

THE UNIVERSITIES AT SHADY GROVE

Building II

33rd

www.watesol.org Words in Action 2

http://www.watesol.org/


Cambridge University Press Evergreen Academy

Merriam-Webster National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning

Pearson ELT U.S. Department of State English Language Fellow Program

Virginia International University

WATESOL Members Today’s Presenters

The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL) Our Fall 2013 Convention Volunteers & Proposal Readers

Merriam-Webster The U.S. Department of State English Language Fellow Program



Welcome to the 2013 WATESOL Fall Convention: Words in Action. I’m excited to present our

Keynote Speaker, Peter Sokolowski, who I’ve had the distinct pleasure of getting to know the past

few months as we prepared for this convention. I was particularly impressed with Peter’s passion

and support for regional affiliates. Peter also makes lexicography real and applies his “dictionary

smarts” to new levels in the field of TESOL. With his two featured talks today, combined with all

of our great presenter sessions, it’s my hope you will gain fresh perspectives and new insights

you can take back to the classroom on Monday.

To new and returning members: we are so happy to have your membership and professional

contributions. Last year was very busy for the WATESOL Board and we accomplished and

updated many different aspects of the organization. Please take some time to visit

www.watesol.org and see what’s new in governance and opportunities for your further

involvement. As always, we strive to provide professional development events to our

membership so you can explore all aspects of the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other

Languages. We also aim to support all professionals in the field from volunteers to program

administrators.

Here is a reminder of the benefits of being a member of WATESOL:

Grants and Scholarships: These awards offer wonderful opportunities for assistance in

funding of research, teaching or other professional growth ideas. They are as follows:

o The WATESOL Travel Grants- $500 to help send a member to an ESOL

conference, locally, nationally, or internationally.

o The J. Michael O'Malley Action Research Grant - $500 to support teacher research

projects

o The Jim Weaver Scholarship for Professional Development - $500 to support a

member's professional growth.

The Annual Fall Convention and Spring Event: These events not only offer insightful tips

on teaching, research, and policy, but also provide excellent opportunities to network and

collaborate on ideas with colleagues. We also encourage your personal involvement.

Professional Development Seminars: These workshops on special topics of interest occur

annually. They are designed to help you develop your skills as a TESOL professional.

The WATESOL Job Bank: Membership in WATESOL allows you to subscribe to the e-list

and receive information on employment opportunities. This service is for both potential

employees and for employers looking for qualified employees..




The WATESOL E-Newsletter: The e-newsletter has interesting articles written by members

and specialists in the field, teaching tips, book reviews, updates on important events, and

special announcements on important issues in your organization.

The WATESOL E-List Announcements: Learn up-to-the-minute information on upcoming

professional development opportunities, calls for proposals, information about grants and

awards and so much more.

The WATESOL Facebook Page: Visit our Facebook page and “like us” to receive up-to-

date information about our events and learn about opportunities through TESOL.

The WATESOL Online Membership and Program Directory: Looking for phone numbers

of a colleague? Want to locate your Special Interest Group (SIG) Chair? Need the email

address of a program director? Wondering about an ESL program in your area? It's all

there in a comprehensive online list. We will be building this out further and enhancing it

over the next year.

The WATESOL Caucuses: We currently have the Non-Native English Speaking Teachers

(NNEST) Caucus and would like to open two more, one for students and another for

administrators. These caucuses allow you to work with like-minded individuals while still

being part of a SIG. If interested, please visit our website for more information.

We on the Executive Board encourage you to take advantage of the countless opportunities

available to you as a WATESOL Member - presenting at a conference, volunteering at an event,

publishing an article in the newsletter, serving on the convention planning committee, or

participating in the nomination committee. Take part in any number of exciting opportunities

that are available to you in making WATESOL an exciting organization for professional growth.

Please take time today to thank our many diligent volunteer board members for their efforts

today and throughout the year to enhance WATESOL’s mission to provide you professional

development opportunities. .

I hope you have a wonderful experience at this year’s Fall Convention. Please remember that my

inbox is always open!

Jacqueline Gardy

WATESOL President (2012-2014) | [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]


Our Fall Convention offers great opportunities for professional development for those in the field of TESOL. The convention has been put together by TESOL professionals, and we hope you get the most out of this meeting of talented and inspired individuals.

This convention program contains useful information about what will happen today. You will find a map of the center, a schedule and descriptions of the presentations, meal times and locations. The grid enclosed includes details of the SIG meetings. Before leaving today, please take some time and fill out a convention evaluation. We would love your feedback to make the convention better in the future. As the Co-Chairs for this convention it has been our distinct pleasure to have the opportunity to work with all the assembled professionals, volunteers, presenters, and exhibitors. Thank you so much for joining us today at the event. We hope you find it useful and inspirational. Lori Dodson and Tina Kao Convention Co-Chairs



Jacqueline Gardy, Current President of WATESOL

New members to WATESOL (those who have become members in the past 12 months) are invited to an orientation to learn how to get the most out of WATESO{L membership and the Fall Convention. See how sessions for each SIG are available during each concurrent session time slot. Learn about SIGs, networking, and working with publishers’ representatives. Two participants will win WATESOL membership renewals. All longtime members are welcome.



Idioms, Usage, and Habit: Why a Learner

Needs a Learner’s Dictionary

Peter Sokolowski

Editor at Large at Merriam-Webster

True fluency in a language is achieved when spontaneous strings of words connect smoothly with idioms, fixed expressions, and expected patterns. A learner's dictionary, unlike a traditional monolingual dictionary, is both a vocabulary textbook and a catalog of idioms, and as much a teaching tool as a reference tool. We’ll turn learner's dictionaries inside out to show how they are written, why they are different, and what they can do for both teachers and learners.

Peter Sokolowski is Editor at Large at Merriam-Webster. He has defined and edited entries for many of the company's dictionaries, including the French-English Dictionary, Collegiate Dictionary, and the Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Active as a lecturer in the world of ESL and TESOL, he also serves as pronouncer for spelling bees around the world, appears in the Ask the Editor videos at M-W.com, and was named among TIME's 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2013.



Rockville 1st Floor Higher Ed, Adult Ed, Teacher Ed Presentation

Facilitating English Use Outside the ESOL Classroom for Low Level Adult Learners

Isaac Gaines

Poor integration into the target culture may prevent beginner-level, adult, college, ESL students from taking advantage of immersion environments to achieve high levels of language proficiency. The presenter will introduce teaching procedures to connect course content with students’ lives outside the classroom to improve overall success in language learning.

Potomac 1st Floor ESOL K12- Elementary Ed emphasis Presentation

Research Project with Young English Language Learners Adriane Geronimo

Even young entering ELLs are expected to complete take-home projects for their general education classes. Throughout their academic career, they must complete research projects and cite sources. This presentation shares research project assignments, reading, writing, and citation supports, and final products for the early elementary ESL teacher.

1032 1st Floor Program Admin Presentation

The Art of Crafting Your LEA's ELL Program Plan Anika Eileen Harris

If you are a school administrator or thinking of becoming one, you will no doubt want to attend this presentation on developing a well-rounded written plan that advances the mission of your ELL Program. Non-admin teachers will appreciate the ‘big picture’ of the national ELL machine in which they work.

1052 1st Floor Higher Ed Presentation

Arabic Speaking ELLs: Perception and Perspective Jon Malone

How do perceptions of Arabic L1 students of themselves as ELLs match relevant literature in the field? This session will compare student perception and research findings by summarizing and reflecting on similarities and dissimilarities between current literature and Arabic speaker interviews conducted by the presenter.



1042 1st Floor

Exhibitor’s Presentation

Pathways: Academic Literacy through National Geographic Content

National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning The 21st century learner faces new and emerging opportunities along with challenges, and as educators, we bear this reality in mind while equipping our students for success in and out of the classroom. In addition to the English language instruction needed in today’s increasingly connected world.

3012

3rd Floor Teacher Ed, Higher Ed, ESOL K12- Secondary Emphasis, Adult Ed

Workshop

Developing Multiple-Choice Test Items: A Hands-on Workshop

Bita Bookman

Do you use multiple-choice assessments to assess your students’ reading, listening, vocabulary, or grammar skills? What constitutes a fair multiple-choice item? This workshop will introduce important principles and dos and dont’s to consider when developing and reviewing multiple-choice items for language learners.

3022 3rd Floor Adult Ed Presentation

Making Computer Literacy Meaningful for Adult ELLs Heather Tatton-Harris and Neela Jayaraman

There are many computer “how to” books available, but few address the language needs of adult English language learners (ELLs) while also being relevant to the students’ lives. In this practice-oriented

session, experienced computer literacy instructors help address this gap by sharing their best practices in making computer basics accessible and meaningful to adult ELLs. As a result of the session, participants will be able to create lessons that scaffold the learning of computer basics. Attendees receive sample units to try in their own classrooms.

3052 3rd Floor


Next Generation Grammar: A Nontraditional Approach to Grammar Instruction

Pearson ELT Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas and Donette Brantner-Artenie

If you are looking for a hybrid (print and online) approach to teaching advanced-level grammar that avoids the traditional progression from verb tense review to subordinate clause structures and allows students to practice using online videos and digital tools, join us as we demonstrate components from Next Generation Grammar.



Presenters: K12 SIG Co- Chairs- Irene Sakkas and Jennifer Kuchno

Fairfax County Schools

Building Academic Vocabulary using Marzano's Six Steps

Presenters will share a systematic, research-based method for explicit vocabulary instruction. Clear, easy to follow examples will be given and resources will be shared online.

Presenters: Ashley Lipps and Emily Naber

Many ESL programs depend on volunteer teachers, teaching assistants and tutors. Providing quality

pre-service and in-service training is therefore essential to student success. Ashley Lipps, former Program Director and Language ETC, and Emily Naber, current Program Director at Language ETC, will share their approach to training volunteers to be effective instructors.

Presenters: Higher Ed SIG Co-Chairs- Kelly Wiechart and Caralyn Bushey

In this session we demonstrate a modification of the concept of Reading Circles as an interactive student-centered means of engaging in a narrative reading and writing project in an undergraduate bridge program.

The concept of Literature Circles generally is used for extrinsic, student selected reading materials. We adapted this activity to work as a bridge from a literature-based unit on a fiction piece to student-produced digital story narratives.

The NNEST business meeting will include the induction of the new Caucus officers, welcoming of new members and brief introduction of the Caucus and its activities. The members will be invited to contribute to the preparation of the upcoming Caucus events.



Rockville 1st Floor

Adult Ed, Higher Ed, Program Admin Workshop/Presentation

Coloring Pronunciation Across the Curriculum: Why and How

Karen Taylor de Caballero The Color Vowel Chart makes it easier than ever to teach pronunciation. Come for a basic introduction to the Chart as a visual-kinesthetic tool, then explore steps you can take to adopt The Color Vowel Chart throughout your ESL program. Your students will thank you for going curricular!

Potomac 1st Floor

ESOL K-12, Adult Ed, Higher Ed, Teacher Ed, Program Admin Workshop

Dig Deeper Into the Dictionary Peter Sokolowski

Dig deeper into the dictionary! We’ll begin with a short history of how monolingual English dictionaries have evolved since the Renaissance, the tradition of Merriam-Webster dictionaries, and the work of writing a learner’s dictionary from scratch. Then the floor is open for all questions about dictionaries, grammar, and usage.

1032

1st Floor

Secondary Ed, Teacher Ed, Higher Ed Presentation

Action Research: Live from Peru Rae Roberts and Jaime Ancajima Alama

Are classroom concerns the same in Peru? A recent Fulbright fellow will co-present action research introduction in Peru. Via Skype, a professor from the Universidad de Piura will discuss projects being conducted by secondary teachers. Bring your action research ideas and join this lively inter-cultural discussion exchange.

1042

1st Floor

Higher Ed, Adult Ed Presentation

Increasing Learner Autonomy and Motivation Through Blogging

Stephanie Gollobin

Blogs are innovative teaching tools that incorporate opportunities to practice all four language skills in fresh and inspiring ways. This action research presentation explores the findings of an action research project discovering how to use blogs to motivate, animate, and encourage autonomy in adult English language learners.



1052

1st Floor

Adult Ed, Higher Ed, Graduate Studies, Teacher Ed Presentation

Culture, Expectations and the Academic Writing in the ESL Classroom: A Look from the NNEST Lens

Oxana Parsons, Lucy Ruiz, Bedrettin Yazan

Presenters bring together real-life examples of expectations, practices and

samples to demonstrate the interplay between cultural expectations and

academic writing. They will share some principles and hands-on

practices and activities that NNEST lens serves as a tool to negotiate

differences and respond to challenges in teaching and learning

academic writing.

3012 3rd Floor

Higher Ed, Adult Ed, Teacher Ed Presentation

ESL Classroom Management: Best Practices for Student-Centered Learning

Janet Giannotti

This presentation focuses on several issues of classroom management, from first-day activities to pair work and modeling. The presenter describes activities and strategies for student-centered instruction, supported with a PowerPoint that includes photos of her students in action. Participants receive a detailed handout describing the activities.

3022

3rd Floor

Higher Ed, Adult Ed Presentation

Is There a Place for Facebook in Your ESL Program? Claire Gimble and Connie Lee

Can Facebook be used to educate, inform, and connect with ESL students? In this presentation, we’ll share our experience using Facebook in a university-based ESL program. Participants will have an opportunity to contribute their ideas/experiences and will receive a Facebook “kit” to guide them in creating a successful Facebook page.



Rockville 1st Floor

Adult Ed, Higher Ed, ESOL K-12 Secondary Ed Emphasis

Workshop

Pronunciation Games Shirley Thompson

Helping students learn to speak clearly is challenging. Games can make it more fun. We’ll explore how games can be used to lowering anxiety and provide useful practice in spoken English. You will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of games that focus on stress, intonation and linking.

Potomac

1st Floor


Engaging Reluctant Readers National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning

Teachers want their students to be avid readers because we know the benefits of reading. While many students are enthusiastically engaged in reading some students are actually disinterested and even reluctant. This workshop will identify the root causes of reading reluctance and suggest appropriate interventions and strategies to change a reluctant reader into an enthusiastic one.

1032

1st Floor Higher Ed

Workshop

Oral Presentations: Appropriately Citing and Interweaving Research, Graphics, and Video

Heather Gregg, Heather Tatton-Harris, Heather Weger, Jennifer Lubkin

Mastering the genre of oral presentations is important for the success of ESL/EFL students in both educational and professional contexts. In this workshop, attendees receive instructional handouts and rubrics that address the incorporation of source material, visual representations of data, and multimedia files to help learners acquire effective presentation skills..

1042

1st Floor Higher Ed

Presentation

Efficient and Effective Techniques for Integrating Pronunciation into Beginner Level Intensive English Programs

Andrew Carmichael

Surveys, interviews and observations helped determine the pronunciation needs for beginner level English language learners at a prestigious university in the Pacific Northwest. Twelve techniques for integrating pronunciation instruction are split into three categories: orthography, grammar, and common first year topics. Potential systems to be used across multiple levels are explored.



1052

1st Floor Adult Ed, Teacher Ed

Presentation

When Learners Don't Respond: Insight from Expert Teacher Talk

Drew Fagan

This presentation illustrates how one expert ESOL teacher systematically addresses learners who do not respond to teacher elicitations. Participants are invited to consider: (a) the pedagogical implications of these findings in relation to their teaching contexts, and (b) action research projects to examine their own methods when addressing learners’ non-responses.

3012 3rd Floor Higher Ed, Teacher Ed, Program Admin.

Presentation

Teaching English to Southeast Asian Students Liz England

Learn more or update your knowledge about teaching English to students from southeast Asia. Drawing on her recent year working at a university in Indonesia, the presenter provides insights, information and updates for teachers who now or will in the future work with southeast Asians and may find useful information for other populations, too.

3022

3rd Floor

ESOL K-12, Adult Ed, Higher Ed

Workshop

Mentoring: Developing and Maintaining Quality Programs

Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas and Donette Brantner-Artenie

With workshop participants, we discuss elements of effective mentoring programs for stakeholders in K-12, university, or private language programs. We focus on selecting and training mentors, setting expectations for mentees, pairing mentors/mentees. We help participants identify benefits of mentoring programs, relevant policies and procedures, and evaluation aspects.

3052

3rd Floor


U.S. Department of State's English Language Fellow and English Language Specialist Programs

English Language Fellow Program Suzanne Matula

Interested in English language teaching projects abroad? The U.S. Department of State's English Language Fellow Program and English Language Specialist Program sends highly qualified English language professionals to all regions of the world. The presentation discusses these programs, application processes, and shares anecdotes and experiences from DC area program alumni.



Write for WATESOL News!

We welcome the submission of previously unpublished articles in the

fields of English for Speakers of Other Languages and English as a

Second Language. As a TESOL Affiliate we encourage you to submit

articles, which represent the scope of the field across our area. If

you would like to submit an article, please contact the membership

team at [email protected]. Our aim is to include a

broad range of articles written by both practitioners and ESOL

researchers and other submissions, which would be of interest to our

readership.

Articles should not exceed 1000 words. Please send a photo of

yourself to be included next to your article. Documents should be

emailed as Microsoft Word attachments. Those who have e-mail but

cannot send attachments may be able to paste their articles into the

e-mail message area.




Jaime Ancajima Alama holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, a TEFL Masters, holds the CPE Cambridge University Certificate and two TESOL Certificates awarded in England and Costa Rica.

Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas is a Senior Instructor at Georgetown University. She has taught ESL and Teacher-Training courses, has led numerous workshops, and is co-author of Pearson’s new Next Generation Grammar, Level 4. Donette Brantner-Artenie is a Senior Instructor in the EFL Program at Georgetown University. She has conducted teacher training workshops and is co-author of Pearson’s new Next Generation Grammar, Level 4.

Bita Bookman is an ESL instructor and a senior test developer. Her research interests include teacher training and second language assessment.

Andrew Carmichael is currently finishing a Masters in Linguistics. He chose to focus his Masters Project on pronunciation instruction after working in two different settings teaching English to low-level learners.

Liz England. Having enjoyed a career in teaching, research and service to TESOL, Liz England brings teaching and teacher education in the U.S. and in Asia, as well as elsewhere.

Drew Fagan, a clinical assistant professor of TESOL at the University of Maryland and has worked as an ESOL teacher/teacher educator for over 17 years across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Isaac Gaines is a student of the MA in LTS (Language Teaching Specialization) program and an oral skills instructor in the IEP at the University of Oregon.

Adriane Geronimo teaches at Greensville Elementary School / Southside Virginia Community College, graduated from SUNY Stony Brook and Chonnam National University, and is a NBCT. Research interests: discourse analysis, marginalization

Claire Gimble has taught all levels of ESL to students of all ages. She is currently teaching, developing curriculum, and mentoring new instructors at Virginia International University. Janet Giannotti has taught ESL in college and university programs for 36 years. In addition to her work in the classroom, she enjoys mentoring new teachers and writing ESL materials. Stephanie Gollobin traveled to Germany with a Fulbright scholarship, where she taught for 3 years. She has since earned her MA in Teaching at the University of Southern California.



Alexandra Gordon is a graduate of DC Teaching Fellows and is in her third year of teaching kindergarten. She utilizes thematic units to provide a language and vocabulary rich environment for students. Heather Gregg is an instructor in the Georgetown EFL program. She holds an MA in ESL from the University of Minnesota and has taught in Korea, China, and Armenia. Anika Eileen Harris is an educator for 20 years whose work with ELL Programs runs the gamut from one-room schoolhouses abroad to graduate medical programs. She is a law student and multi-pet mom. Neela Jayaraman brings 12 years of ESL/EFL and computer literacy teaching experience. She also supports and trains teachers and colleagues in technology and its numerous uses in the classroom. Connie Lee has both a teaching and administrative background. She is currently the ESL Program Director at Virginia International University where she teaches and oversees the program, which includes curriculum development and revision as well as faculty and student advising. Jennifer Lubkin is an instructor in the intensive EFL Program at Georgetown University. She received an M.A. in TESOL from American



University following Peace Corps service in Azerbaijan. Jon Malone is the Associate Director at the Maryland English Institute at the University of Maryland, College Park. He holds an M.Ed. in English Education from the University of Oklahoma.

Suzanne Matula has over 15 years’ experience as an ESL/EFL instructor, teacher trainer, and administrator. She was an EL Fellow (Tajikistan) and recruits for the EL Fellow and Specialist Programs.

Oxana Parsons is an ESL Instructor at ELS Language Centers in Washington DC where she performs instructional and administrative duties working with ethno-linguistically diverse student populations.

Rae Roberts recently completed a Fulbright Senior English Language Fellowship in Peru. She has a Masters in TESOL from American University and has provided teacher training workshops in 10 countries.

Margarita L. (Lucy) Ruiz is currently doing her practicum at Montgomery College ESL while pursuing a Master’s Degree in TESOL from American University that will be completed in December, 2013. Heather Tatton-Harris is currently the Curriculum Coordinator at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. She previously taught advanced listening and speaking courses at Georgetown and Computer Literacy at Carlos Rosario. Karen Taylor is an ESL specialist and trainer. Karen is the ESL Coordinator at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, NM, and is co-author of The Color Vowel Chart. Shirley Thompson has taught ESL at George Washington University, University of Maryland, American University and Montgomery College as well as overseas. She presents teacher-training workshops focusing on spoken English and pronunciation. Heather Weger’s research interests focus on teacher and learner motivation. Her service experience includes curriculum and assessment design. In the classroom, she fosters a task-based, integrated-skills approach to learning English.

Bedrettin Yazan is a doctoral candidate in the Second Language Education and Culture Program at the University of Maryland where he teaches undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses.



President Jacqueline Gardy [email protected]

Vice President Polina Vinogradova [email protected]

Recording Secretary Paul Champaloux [email protected]

Outreach and Advocacy Chair Leann Keefe Holland [email protected]

Membership Secretary Masha Vassilieva [email protected]

Treasurer Stephen Humphries [email protected]

Professional Development Co-Coordinators

Ana Maria Nuevo Tina Kao

[email protected]

SIG Liaison Nancy Newton [email protected]

Newsletter Editors Jihan Asher Emory Mills

[email protected]

Elementary/ Secondary Ed Irene Sakkas Jennifer Kuchno

[email protected] [email protected]

Adult Ed Chantal Ross

[email protected]

Higher Ed Kelly Wiechart Sharla Branscombe


NNEST Caucus Bedrettin Yazan Margarita (Lucy) Ruiz


Melissa Zervos, President and Past President Alice-Ann Menjivar, Treasurer

Lori Dodson, Professional Development Chair Carole Fuller, Membership Secretary

Sarah Mittelholzer, SIG Liaison Pamela Durrant, Elementary Education SIG Chair

Bryan Woerner, Adult Education SIG Chair Caralyn Bushey, Higher Education SIG Chair


















Visit www.watesol.org

to find out how YOU can apply for

an award!

J. Michael O’Malley Action Research Grant This award supports classroom-based research in the interest of improving teaching and encouraging reflective teaching practices. This

year’s recipients were Gena Bennett, who has

been working with English language learners in a variety of contexts for approximately 15 years, including teaching EAP at GW with Megan. She received her PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK, and works mostly in online

teacher-training programs; and Megan Siczek,

who has been teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at George Washington University since 2004 and coordinates instruction at the undergraduate level. She has recently advanced to candidacy for a doctoral

degree in Educational Policy Studies.

Jim Weaver Scholarship for Professional Development

This award helps defray education or professional development costs. This year’s recipient was Heather A. Linville is faculty in the TESOL Program at American University in Washington, DC, holds a Master’s degree in TESOL, and is a PhD candidate in the Language, Literacy and Culture program at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her main research interest is advocacy for English language learners.




WATESOL Lifetime Service Award

This award honors members who have demonstrated exceptional passion and service to our organization for many years which has shaped or dramatically contributed to the success of WATESOL. It is awarded by WATESOL Executive Board vote. It covers the cost of annual membership for the recipient’s lifetime. It is WATESOL’s most prestigious award. This year’s recipient was Nina Turitz Liakos, who taught her first EFL students in France in 1971 and has been doing it pretty much ever since: two years in France and the rest in the DC area, where she has worked at the American Language Academy, Montgomery County Public Schools Adult Ed ESOL, English House/ILI.MD, and (her primary job since 1981) the University of Maryland's Maryland English Institute. She received her MS in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown in 1978 and has been a member of WATESOL since about 1975 (almost a charter member!).

WATESOL Helping Hand Award This new award, decided by WATESOL Executive Board vote, recognizes a WATESOL Board Member who has gone above and beyond the duty of their position’s roles and responsibilities to bestow superior service on behalf of WATESOL’s membership. The recipient shall be awarded with three years’ complimentary membership to WATESOL. This year’s award recipient was

Heather Ritchie, former WATESOL Vice President, Membership Secretary, and

Outreach & Advocacy Chair. Heather is MCAEL’s Director of Programs and Services where she focuses on practical ways to work collaboratively with nonprofit staff and instructors in order to offer empowering, research-based, and learner-centered programming. An international adult education specialist and ESOL teacher/trainer, she has taught ESL and EFL to students of all ages and backgrounds and held teaching positions at AU’s International Training and Education Program and Montgomery College. She has served on several boards and currently serves as Vice-President of MAACCE, Maryland. She has served on WATESOL for more than four in the capacity of Vice President, Membership Secretary, and Outreach chair.


http://ili.md/


Join Today!

Professional Development & Networking

Career Advancement

Learning Opportunities

Advocacy

